A Guide to Anna Maria Island, Florida

Hello Sunshines!

My family and I have spent several family vacations in AMI as well as day trips, and I would 100% recommend this destination for vacation whether for family, couples getaway, girls weekend, bachelorette party, day trip, etc. Anna Maria is just an hour south of St Petersburg and Tampa, but once you get on the island, you feel far away from the hustle and bustle. Here are some recommendations if you’re planning a trip there!

Where to Stay

There are several places to choose from when picking where to stay. One of the best things about AMI is there are no high rise hotels or condominiums. The entire island is only homes or small resorts/inns. We booked a beautiful home through VRBO, but we saw plenty of other rental companies, resorts and inns.

AirBnb

AMI Locals

VRBO

Vacasa

Bali Hai Beach Resort

Anna Maria Island Beach Resort

White Sands Beach Resort

Haley’s Motel

South Bay Inn

Where to Eat

There are many places to eat at on AMI, and majority of them do not take reservations. I recommend either heading out to dinner early to put your name down or eat during the week. We usually vacationed after Labor Day, and the island is pretty quiet. Locals told us it did get very busy during the summer months, so expect a 2+ hour wait if you’re visiting during the summer! But chances are you can put your name down then bike around, walk the pier, or chill somewhere else until you get the text that your table is ready. Here are some recommendations!

Northshore Café – Breakfast, Lunch

The Donut Experiment - Breakfast

Bagels on Pine – Breakfast, Lunch

Waterfront Restaurant * – Lunch, Dinner

Ginny’s and Jane E Café – Breakfast, Lunch

Harry’s Grill – Lunch, Dinner

The Sandbar * – Lunch, Dinner

Poppos Taqueria – Lunch, Dinner

Pizza Social – Lunch, Dinner

Grub BBQ - Lunch, Dinner

Dips - Dessert

Two Scoops - Dessert

Hometown Desserts - Dessert

Slim’s Place – Lunch, Dinner

The Porch * – Lunch, Dinner

Anna Maria Island Beach Café – Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

AMI Creamery and Bakery – Desserts

Beach Bistro * – Dinner

The Ugly Grouper – Lunch, Dinner

The Doctor’s Office – Cocktail Bar

Skinny’s Place – Lunch, Dinner

The Beach House Waterfront* - Lunch, Dinner

The Foxi Coffee - Coffee, Breakfast

Anna Maria Island Coffee Shack - Coffee, Breakfast, Lunch

AMI Mediterranean Express - Lunch, Dinner

Blueberries Cafe - Breakfast

Nautilus Bar - Drinks

Bamboo Island Bar - Drinks, Dinner

Salt Bar and Table - Dinner

* more popular dinner places that will have a wait

(left to right: Northshore Cafe, Northshore Cafe, The Donut Experiment, Ginny's & Jane E Cafe, The Doctor's Office, The Doctor's Office, Waterfront Restaurant, Hometown Desserts, Nautilus Bar, Small Town Creamery, DIPS, Beach House)

Bradenton Beach (10 mins), Long Boat Key (15 mins) and Sarasota (30 mins) are not far from AMI, so we spent some time exploring around, and here are so close by restaurants I’d recommend as well!

Wicked Cantina – Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Gulf Drive & Café – Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner, Tiki Bar

Whitney’s LBK – Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Smoque House – Lunch, Dinner

Project Coffee – Breakfast, Lunch

Shore – Lunch, Dinner

Blue Marlin - Dinner

Tide Tables - Lunch, Dinner

Island Time Bar and Grill - Lunch, Dinner

(left to right: Wicked Cantina, Whitney's LBK, Whitney's LBK, )

What to Do

Hang out at the beach – the beach is wide and gorgeous! We rode our bikes to the beach, and enjoyed the extra shade from the trees!

Ride Bikes – bring your own or rent some on the island (Beach Bums Island Attitude). You can get to everything on the island by bike or golf cart (if you prefer more speed)!

Rent a Boat – There are several ways to rent a boat or find a boat tour! Egmont Key is nearby as well as Fort DeSoto, Sarasota, etc.

Have a Picnic - Luxury Gulf Picnics is AMI located, but will serve surrounding areas such as Bradenton, Longboat Key, Sarasota and more! You’re able to customize your picnic, and picnics are great for date nights, bachelorette parties, dinner parties and more. Make sure to include a Gulf Shore Charcuterie for a delicious assortment of meat, cheeses, nuts & fruit! Here is a link to Luxury Gulf Picnics’ Instagram https://instagram.com/luxurygulfpicnics?utm_medium=copy_link

Shop – AMI has several local stores (AMI outfitters, Pink & Navy Boutique) , and Sarasota (Modern Soul Boutique and Pineapple Lain Boutique) is only a 30 minute drive with several shopping areas. I recommend checking out St Armands Circle in Sarasota for food and shopping all in walking distance!

Fishing off the city Pier or Rod and Reel Pier – you can rent equipment if you don’t have your own, but you must have a valid fishing license for the state of Florida

Renting Kayaks or Paddle Boards – Beach Bums rents out beach equipment like kayaks and paddle boards as well as bicycles!

Order Beach Side Coconuts from Surfing Coconut AMI - Perfect way to enjoy the heat is with a hand delivered coconut! They offer several different types of coconut drinks!