If planning a trip to Florida, where would your destination be? Most likely, it’ll be either Miami, Tampa or Orlando? And what about the beach destination of choice in Florida? South Beach in Miami? Clearwater beach in Tampa? Or Pensacola, Destin, Fort Wharton or Panama City? It’s no surprise since those are the most famous destinations and the most popular beaches in Florida. But because of their popularity, it is always very crowded at those renown tourist destinations. Therefore, I want to introduce to you a less-popular beach destination – if not unknown by most tourists – yet still just as beautiful as other popular beaches. Also a part of the Florida Emerald Coast with crystal emerald water and white sands, Anna Maria Island (AMI) is the place you should get to know!
AMI
Unless you’re a local Floridian, this name may be a little foreign to you! Not a tourist hot-spot, most visitors here are locals from the Tampa area. For this reason, even though lively, this place is still quiet enough for you to leisurely walk along the beach without having to share with large crowds. If you like partying and crowded places popular among tourists, then this place isn’t for you; Miami instead would be your ideal destination. However, if you like nice quiet beaches, then this is a hidden gem! Additionally, if you have chidren who still enjoy water parks and theme parks, besides having fun at the beach, then let me help you plan an awesome visit to Florida.
Only an hour by car from Tampa, and only 20 minutes from Sarasota, Anna Maria Island and Longboat Key are easily accessible. Stretched along 7 miles of white sands, with crystal clear emerald color water and small houses overlapping each other, you would think you have landed on an island off the Caribbean. Here, there aren’t any large hotels or resorts, only boutique hotels or villa rentals. Such a laid-back beach town, you feel as if you have traveled back in time when the days pass by without a hurry in the world; you can leisurely walk along the beach, enjoy reading a novel under the coconut trees, catching a nap on a hammock hung on the palm trees and spend the evening dining on the sand as you watch the sun set. Since the beach is usually half-empty, kids have the freedom to run around and play without worrying about bumping into people: beach soccer, frisbee throwing, corn holes, water activities or simply just sit together to talk or play board games. Does the picture I’m painting seem appealing to you? Read on to learn how you can spend your holidays, not rushing through endless tourist attractions, but rather slowly absorbing the good times spent being together with your loved ones.
The popular beaches in AMI are Coquina Beach, Holmes Beach, Bradenton Beach, Cortez Beach and Bean Point Beach. If you stay at beach-front hotels or AirBnb, then you are provided with a private beach access. If your accommodation is not beach-front, then you still can enjoy private beaches at beach-front eateries such as the Sandbar Seafood, Beach Bistro, Beach House Waterfront Restaurant, or Anna Maria Island Beach Cafe. The first few named restaurants are full-sevice with seats inside and on the sand. However, Anna Maria Island Beach Cafe is more like a food court; it is self served. You pick your own table on the sand, order and pick up your own food and drinks; therefore, prices here are more affordable. There is live music played, usually by a one-man-band, until sunset. Beautiful and affordable, it is an ideal place for a casual dinner while watching the sunset, meanwhile being serenaded by your favorite love tunes.
Longboat Key
Located just on the other side of the island, connected by a bridge, Longboat Key unlike the Caribbean vibe of Anna Maria, is lined with a strip of large beach-front hotels and fancy resorts. Longboat Key is more spacious and have the accommodations that suit the American standards. If you like resort-style accommodations and all of their bells and whistles, then you should choose Longboat Key as your base. Only about 20 minutes by car, you can easily make day-trips to Anna Maria without having to sacrifice your preference for convenience. An advantage of staying in Longboat Key is hotel prices are reasonable for the provided space and facilities; AMI is a little pricier due to its limited accommodations. Another plus for staying in Longboat Key is you get to enjoy other activities besides just spending time at the beach, such as the pool, jacuzzi, kids club, etc. This is especially important when you have small kids on your trip. If your hotel is beach-front, then the beach is nice and clean enough there’s no need for you to visit any other public beaches. If your accommodation is not on the beach, then the public beaches are still very nice, but often lack needed facilities such as changing area, shower heads to rinse, or even restrooms. Along the resort strip, there aren’t many stand-alone restaurants; mostly are part of the hotel. You would have to drive past the hotel strip to find small shopping centers with local eateries.
Beer Can Island
If you’re a little more adventurous and would like to go off the beaten path, then the Beer Can Island may be your next hidden gem. Located just north of Longboat Key, Beer Can Island is not that easy to find as there is no official entrance and there no designated parking for the beach. Note: there is also another place near Tampa with the same name, but only accessible by boat – this is not that place! This place is in Sarasota near Longboat Key, just right before you get on the Longboat Key Bridge – the bridge that connects the key with AMI. The entrance to Beer Can Island is nested between the high-end beach-front condos near this address: N Shore Rd, Longboat Key, FL 34228. As noted, there’s no designated parking lot, so you would need to find a space along the condos/houses to park. If there isn’t any available spot, then please do not park illegally – your car may be towed. In this case, you should park at Coquina Beach right across from the bridge and walk over. Once finding an “entrance” in between the condos, you should see the mangrove. Walk through the mangroves until you see dead driftwood and trees, that’s the sign that you have arrived at the Beer Can Island. There is no public restroom, lifeguard, not even a garbage can here. Please take your trash with you, and if you need to use the restroom, then walk along the beach until you reach Coquina Beach.
Such a secluded beach with natural dead driftwood and mangroves, this beautiful beach is ideal for photoshoots, or for spending a few undisturbed hours relaxing. The beach is shallow and safe enough for children, so having a quite picnic here is also a good pastime activity.
Sarasota
For a more lively part of town, head over to Sarasota, just about 20 minutes away from Longboat Key and AMI. There are many restaurants and bars (with live music) to change your taste buds after a few meals at the hotel or the beach-front eateries. There are more options such as Vietnamese, Thai, Japanese, Italian, BBQ,… We typically drive to Main St. where there are Phở Cali, Tropical Thai, Thai Bistro & Sushi, etc. If there isn’t any parking space in front of the restaurant, then opt for paid parking spots nearby. You can just park here and then roam the streets in this area. If you visit during the national holidays such as Independence Day or Memorial Day, then you can walk to the nearby marina to enjoy fireworks by the bay. Check out the May events in Sarasota from this website.
Orlando
Tired of beaches, or you want to combine your beach vacation with theme parks such as Universal Studio, Disney World, Seaworld, or LEGO Land? With just 2 hours drive, you can easily reach Orlando. Sometimes Costco would carry theme park tickets for a bargain. If that is not available, then try hunting for tickets on Undercover Tourist; their prices are usually a little cheaper. If you don’t have the patience for long lines at the rides, then opt for Express pass; I think it’s totally worth it – at least I’ve used it at Universal Studio. (I have used the Express pass at Disney Land in California and it was such a waste of money because it didn’t help much!)
For those who like shopping (who doesn’t?!!) Orlando has a very large outlet mall, including high-end brands. If you are concerned about extra baggage, some haute-couture stores offer free shipping to your home.
Being Vietnamese, Phở is my homesick remedy while traveling. So if you want to try a noodle joint near Orlando International Premium Outlets, there’s a noodle house with cool 2D decoration called Twenty Pho Hour (playing with words for 24 hrs). This place is self-served, so service is quicker than a full-service restaurant. The food is somewhat authentic and the portion is generous. Most of the servers here are not Vietnamese, but don’t let that bother you. The place is nice and clean and the food is good.
Airport
If your trip is short, then you can fly into either Tampa or Sarasota. Sarasota of course is nearer to AMI and Longboat Key, but airfare is usually higher, and there are few nonstop flights. If you’re flying from Florida or Texas, then I think Southwest is the only airline that offers nonstop flights to Sarasota. Flying into Tampa is of course cheaper and there are more flight options; the only drawback is your drive to AMI and Longboat Key would be longer.
If your trip is longer, then you can plan to either visit the beach first or the theme parks first. Depending on your itinerary, you can choose to fly into Orlando, Tampa or Sarasota. I personally would plan my itinerary depending on the airfare and hotel prices!
Ideal time
Florida is warm mostly year-round. With the exception of peak hurricane season from August to October, you can visit Florida anytime. I have visited in the Summer (May and July) and also in the Winter (December), and the weather has been warm. If you visit during the Summer, then you will get to see a lot of Royal Poinciana trees in full bloom. Delonix regia bursts into a giant umbrella of stunning, shocking deep red, crimson, orange and magenta flowers. Along Gulf Dr. S, the highway that connects AMI and Longboat Key, the red Royal Poincianas line the street creating a beautiful backdrop for photos. Not only that, seeing these vibrant flowers reminds you that school is out and that the lazy summer days are ahead of us. For students, this is such an awesome feeling! There are also a lot of Royal Poinciana in Sarasota, especiallly at the Bird Key Park and around St. Armands Key. Around St. Armands Circle, there are lots of eateries with tables on the sidewalk, creating such a lively atmosphere.
Although this article means to introduce you to Anna Maria Island, there are many other interesting nearby places that you can visit on the same trip, making your visit so much more worth-while. So instead of visiting places where everyone knows, be adventurous and try visiting places that are less popular, the hidden gems off the beaten paths. Who knows? You may find that you enjoy the peacefulness of the half-empty beaches, the small-town friendliness and the exclusive Caribbean vibe right here in America! And if you combine your beach vacation with theme parks and shopping, then your trip may be able to satisfy everyone in the group. Summer is around the corner. Don’t wait! Let’s start planning your next adventure!
Making Memories 
Leave a reply to Phương (Trish) Cancel reply