Anna Maria Island

Bean Point Beach

What Others Are Saying About Bean Point on Anna Maria Island...

Bean Point is just one reason why we love Anna Maria Island. 

We wanted to know what others are saying about Bean Point, so went looking online and this is just some of what we found.

No other beach will ever compare...

I am half tempted to write terrible things about this beach, just so others will not find out about this well kept secret in Florida!!

The beach at Bean Point is spectacular!

White sands and crystal blue water, need I say more? We had a dolphin swim right by us, and found many shells and sand dollars. My son even spotted a live starfish on the sandbar.

The most beautiful natural beach in Florida. Most beaches in other parts of the world have to truck in sand this beautiful.

Don't forget, there is no lifeguard or shower/bathroom facilities. Its best to rent a beach condo on Bean Point, and leave the Mousey tourist traps for others!

Turtles and Exterior Lighting

Distressed Over Exterior Lights in Close Proximity to the Water...

Earlier this year we posted an article about the challenges artificial light imposes on the local Anna Maria Island turtle population.

It was called Lights Out For Sea Turtle Nesting Season: Help Ensure a Successful Sea Turtle Nesting Season.

Soon after we posted the article we began receiving comments. One comment inparticular was disturbing. It was a discription by one visitor of the magnitude of the lighting problem.

People on Anna Maria Island are generally quite well informed and educated about what can be done to ensure a healthy turtle nesting season, yet from this persons perspective not nearly enough was being done in regards to the lighting near beach nesting areas.

Florida Vacation Favorite

I Must Go There, Anna Maria Island That Is...

I came across a post the other day on someones personal blog and they were talking about what an extraordinary place Anna Maria Island is to visit.

The post was rightfully entitled, Anna Maria Island, Florida Vacation Favorite: An Anna Maria Island Vacation Experience.

They said, and I quote, "If I could land anywhere in the world at this very moment, here is where I would land."

Of course "here" is Anna Maria Island. The post went on to say, "What was once a best-kept secret among Florida day-trippers, Anna Maria Island, has always been known for its sugar-white coastline, emerald Gulf waters and quaint business districts."

"Today, Anna Maria Island has come to be known as a vacation favorite among local, national and international travelers. Unlike other popular Florida cities with their theme parks and water slides, there are no lines on Anna Maria Island, except for the ones you draw in the sand."

They finished with, "I MUST GO THERE (Anna Maria Island that is) NOW! So where would you land if you could go anywhere in the world right now?"

We couldn't have said it better!

Learn more about Anna Maria Island and its colorful History.

What's Your Anna Maria Island Experience?

Life On Anna Maria Island...

Do you love Anna Maria Island as much as we do?

Yes, then take advantage of this opportunity to tell the world why. Write us an article and we will publish it, right here on the Anna Maria Island blog.

Got a hobby or serious interest that somehow involves Anna Maria Island? Are you a landscaper, gardener, fisherman, business person or authority on something you do on Anna Maria Island?

Maybe you just would like to write an article about your Anna Maria Island vacation experience, or what its like growing up or living on the Florida Gulf coast... on beautiful Anna Maria Island.

Its entirely up to you. If you think you would like to write about something that would be of interest to readers of the Anna Maria Island Life blog, then by all means... write it and we'll publish it.

It just has to be appropriate and something our readers would find interesting.

Welcome to Anna Maria Island Life, a website and online portal to all the good things that are Anna Maria Island.

Information About Anna Maria Island

Anna Maria Island Demographics and Population, Access and Trasportation, Seasonal Weather and Contact Information...

Location and Access to Anna Maria Island

The Gulf Island of Anna Maria is located in Manatee County, Florida.

• Located 40 miles south of Tampa and seven miles west of Bradenton.
• Accessible by SR 64, over the Manatee Avenue Bridge and SR 684 over the Cortez Bridge or a third bridge offers access from Longboat Key to the Island.
• Anna Maria Island stretches seven and one-half miles from Tampa Bay south to Longboat Key Pass.
• Anna Maria Island is surrounded by the Gulf of Mexico on the west, Tampa Bay and Anna Maria Sound on the east and Sarasota Bay to the south.

Vacation in Paradise

Sun, Sand, Shopping and Treats
Anna Maria Island is a Beach Worth Visiting...

That My wife, family and I are here on vacation enjoying beautiful Anna Maria Island. Yesterday we went out and did some exploring.

The first thing we did was visit Fun and More Rentals. They are a local vacation supply rental company that can rent you just about anything you would need, or imagine you might need, while on vacation.

Quite literally, Fun and More Rentals has for rent; baby equipment, furniture and supplies, bikes for rent, kayaks and skim boards, beach stuff like umbrellas, beach chairs, BBQ's and coolers. They even sell vacation snack packages so you can have more time to enjoy your vacation.

We rented a crib, stroller and high chair for our youngest, a pair of kayaks for the teens, bocce balls for the wife and I, and some beach chairs, an umbrella and a cooler for those long days on the beaches of beautiful Anna Maria Island.

Stay 3 Nights and Get an Extra Night Free

Vacation Accommodations in Manatee County Offering an Extra Night Free...

Planning a trip to Anna Maria Island between now and October 31st?

If so, you need to know there are some vacation accommodations offer you a deal!

MANATEE COUNTY -- Several resorts, with locations ranging from Lakewood Ranch to Anna Maria Island, are offering to let guests who have booked rooms for three or more nights stay an extra night for free.

The offers expire Oct. 31.

The Bradenton Area Convention and Visitors Bureau has details at floridasgulfislands.com/get-a-free-night.

What are you waiting for? Pack you bags, load up the kids and be off... to Anna Maria Island that is!

How Do I Get To Anna Maria Island?

Directions on How to Get to Anna Maria Island...

Wondering just where in the heck Anna Maria Island is and how to get there?

For detailed instruction on how to get to Anna Maria Island, go to How Do I Get To Anna Maria Island?

There you will find a full description of where Anna Maria Island is located on the Gulf coast of Florida, and how to get to Anna Maria Island by vehicle... from Orlando and Tampa in the north... and from Sarasota-Bradenton, as well as Ft. Meyers / Naples / Miami / Ft. Lauderdale in the south.

Welcome to Anna Maria Island Llfe.

2010 Anna Maria Island Wedding Festival

Third Annual Anna Maria Island Wedding Festival...

Planning a wedding next year?

If so, remember Anna Maria Island and February 28th, 2010.

That is when the next Anna Maria Island Wedding Festival is going to be held, and it promises to be even better than the previous two.

The information contained within this post, about the Third Annual Anna Maria Island Wedding Festival, was first published here back in early June. We thought we would republish it today as a reminder not to miss what has quickly turned into an Anna Maria Island premiere annual event!

Anna Maria Island is the fastest growing and most popular wedding destination location in all of Florida, and on February 28th, 2010, from 11 am - 6 pm, over 40 local Anna Maria Island Wedding Merchants will host their third annual, strolling wedding festival.

This 'third annual', Anna Maria Island Wedding Festival is an Anna Maria Island wide, fun and informative day for anyone planning a wedding or thinking about getting married on beautiful Anna Maria Island.

Read about last years Wedding Festival on Anna Maria Island.

Transportation Projects - New Sidewalks, Resurfaced Roads and Landscaping

Anna Maria Island In-line for Stimulus Money...

It was in the news recently that Anna Maria Island was getting some stimulus money as part of the economic recovery program. The article I read was in the Herald and was writen by LEE LOGAN - Special to the Herald.

In the article it said, "Stimulus funding totaling more than $2 million will pay for multiple new transportation projects on Anna Maria Island in the coming months, including new sidewalks, resurfaced roads and new landscaping. Some of the more high-profile projects include funding for part of the Gulf Drive Improvement plan in Bradenton Beach and resurfacing all of Pine Avenue in the city of Anna Maria. There will also be 3.8 new miles of sidewalks along the island and a $500,000 beautification project along Gulf of Mexico Drive in Longboat Key."

Wow, that is very cool for the community of Anna Maria Island.