Anna Maria Island

If you are looking for a quiet space in Florida to just lay back and relax then you should come to Anna Maria Island in Sarasota.  Actually, it is located to the west of Bradenton Florida, north of Longboat Key. Anna Maria Island is the perfect place for relaxing or fishing or taking a swim.  Anna Maria Island is known for its natural beauty, its sense of privacy, and its quaint shops and seafood restaurants.  To maintain the Old Florida heritage which characterizes the island, local governments have forbidden the construction of apartment buildings, while allowing the building of single-family homes, ranging from cottages to estates, as well as time-share properties and resorts.  The white shorelines and sparkling Gulf waters of Anna Maria attract new residents and vacationers each year, from local Floridians to internationals, young families to retirees.

Three cities make up Anna Maria Island: Anna Maria, Holmes Beach, and Bradenton Beach.  The northernmost city is the island´s namesake, Anna Maria.  Here you will find many single-family homes of various sizes, in addition to businesses such as convenience stores and ice cream parlors.  Many residents and tourists enjoy fishing off Anna Maria´s two historic piers as well as eating at pier restaurants overlooking Tampa Bay.  Holmes Beach, the central city on Anna Maria Island, appeals to home-buyers and vacationers alike because of its many restaurants and shopping plazas.  You will find more motels and condos here than in Anna Maria.  Bradenton Beach, the southernmost city on Anna Maria Island, has fewer single-family homes than its northern counterparts, yet it hosts the majority of vacationers in its multitude of resorts which cover both Gulf and Bay shores. Revised 6/2006