Anna Maria Island

Bike Rental Anna Maria Island

Getting around Anna Maria Island can get crazy, especially now when vacationers are coming in masses to visit this beautiful Florida destination. Why not enjoy this old Florida Island by bicycle and live like a local? Rent a bike while vacationing on Anna Maria Island. The Island is only 7 miles long and is made up of Anna Maria, Holmes Beach and Bradenton Beach. In each of these three cities there are restaurants, shops, and plenty of sand for you to enjoy and easily get to by bike. By jumping on your beach cruiser instead of in your car, you will also be doing something good for the environment and yourself! Fun and More Rentals is a local company that rents bikes (beach and baby equipment too) for your enjoyment and delivers for free where ever needed on the island. www.funandmorerentals.com Give us a call at 941-462-2719 

Top Ten Things To Do When Vacationing on Anna Maria Island

I love the family-oriented, quaint, old Florida feel of Anna Maria Island! All of these things listed can be done whether you are staying in Anna Maria, Holmes Beach or Bradenton Beach. Here is a top ten list of things I enjoy doing while visiting this Florida destination. 

# 1-Biking-I personally love getting the family out and about biking to explore different parts of the white sandy beach along Anna Maria Island.

#2-Ice cream-There are a few shops to choose from. My personal favorite is.....what am I saying?....They all are my favorite! Two Scoops, Dips, Holy Cow, Cafe on the Beach, Big Olaf Ice cream shop, Joe's Eats & Sweets, Tyler's (just over Cortez Bridge).........

#3-Kayaking-So much fun and the whole family can enjoy!! And go tandem, especially with your kids!

#4-Paddle Boarding-So fun and surprisingly not that hard!!

#5-Dining Out-Bike, drive, free trolley, golf cart, however you want to travel, and go enjoy a meal at some of Anna Maria Island's many restaraunts. 

#6-Shopping-I love looking at the unique and souvonir shops up and down the island!

#7-Bowling-AMF Bradenton Lanes located 4208 Cortez Rd. Bradenton, FL 34210 Bowling a game or two is always fun especially on those cloudy/rainy days!

#8-DeSoto National Memorial-8300 DeSoto Memorial Hwy Bradenton, FL 34209 I always see sea creatures while exploring here!

#9-Ellington Outlet Mall-5461 Factory Shops BLVD, Ellenington, FL 34222 It is about 30 minutes away but is a fun filled day of finding deals!!

#10-BEACH-I love hanging out at the beach all day. Dolphin sitings, sand castle building, picnicking, playing beach games, and just being never gets old!

Anna Maria Island City Pier

Anna Maria City Pier was built back in 1911 to allow visitors to come visit by ship. It still stands today and you can stroll the 678 feet and view the turquoise waters and/or Skyway Bridge in the distance. At the end of your walk, you will find there is a restaurant, a bar, and a couple of coin operated viewing machines.  It is a popular fishing spot to many and is fun to walk the pier to see everyone's catch or to spy sea life in the water. Be warned that there is no railing on the pier so it can make some nervous. When visiting Anna Maria Island, you must come and walk the planks!

Driving to Anna Maria Island

How to Get to Anna Maria Island By Vehicle...

OK, you've got vacation time coming, you've read all the great stuff about Anna Maria Island... and now you wanna experience Anna Maria Island for yourself!

So just where in the heck is it exactly, and how do I get there?

Easy, go to How Do I Get To Anna Maria Island for detailed instruction.

You'll find a full description of where Anna Maria Island is located and how to get there.

From Orlando and Tampa in the north, and from Sarasota-Bradenton, as well as Ft. Meyers, Naples, Miami and Ft. Lauderdale in the south.

Welcome to Anna Maria Island Life.

Music, Museums, Muses and the Arts

The Anna Maria Island Muse: Overseeing The Arts...

Anna Maria Island and area have a great array of art and culture to share with the community and visitor alike.

Here at the Anna Maria Island Life blog we try and represent that heritage by posting the galleries and organizations that make it possible.

Anna Maria Island Muses

The Greek goddesses who presided over the arts and sciences were called Muses. They were believed to inspire all artists, especially poets, philosophers, and musicians.

These Muses were the daughters of Zeus and Mnemosyne, the goddess of memory.

The Muses sat near the throne of Zeus, king of the gods, and sang of his greatness and of the origin of the world and its inhabitants and the glorious deeds of the great heroes. From their name words such as music, museum, mosaic are derived. 

Much like the Greeks of the day, in 'this day'... Anna Maria Island too has its Muses. The following is a list of Anna Maria Island Muses (as displayed on the Island Players website).

Life Is Good When You Live In Paradise!

Visit Anna Maria Island Once and
You're Sure to Come Back... Again, and Again...

Yes, that is today's tag line and we mean every word of it!

Living here on Anna Maria Island truly is like living in paradise because Anna Maria Island is a tropical island paradise like no other.

A bold statement you say?

Well, maybe.

But then if the Anna Maria Island vacation experiences section of the Anna Maria Island blog is any indication, it is a tag line that fits well with what vacationers are saying about their time on Anna Maria Island.

Share a Piece of
Anna Maria Island With The World

Have you been to Anna Maria Island?

If so, would you like to share your Anna Maria Island experience?

Perhaps you live on the island and would like to contribute your craft and expertise on an Anna Maria Island topic of your own choosing.

We encourage you to do so. Its as easy as writing your article and submitting it to us.

Simply contact us directly and we will tell you how!

Had an Experience on Anna Maria Island You'd Like To Share?

Then Share It With Us,
So We Can Share It With The World...

Do you live on Anna Maria Island?

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

If so, then take advantage of this opportunity to tell the world why. Write us an article and we will publish it 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?

Have you vacationed on Anna Maria Island?

Maybe you 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 what you submit, so long as its something you are passionate about, it would be of interest to others, and that its to do with Anna Maria Island. In other words, 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.

Festivals, Art, Theater, History and Other Must See Events

Anna Maria's Island's Cultural Connection...

Realize Bradenton is all about the arts, the culture and the heritage behind the community of Bradenton.

The idea of turning downtown Bradenton into a vibrant hot spot, or 'Cultural Destination' if you will, seems to have rubbed off on neighboring Anna Maria Island.

As January Holmes put it in his recent article entitled 'Buzz Worthy: Anna Maria's Cultural Connection'... the idea of a Cultural Connection is, "a contagious phrase — in a good way." In the article he says, "I recently had the opportunity to meet a group trying to make a difference for Anna Maria Island — Cultural Connections. It’s mission: promoting the island’s appealing cultural attributes."

He goes on to explain that, "Those attributes are more than the white sand beaches that lure thousands of visitors each year." And lets face it, he is right when he says, "One can only sit on the beach so long before wondering what other things are hidden in this tropical paradise."

Anna Maria Island truly is a tropical paradise. That... no one would deny, yet there is so, so much more, and that’s where Cultural Connections comes in. Cultural Connections on Anna Maria Island is the "guiding light to area festivals, art, theater, history and other must-see events".

Blog and Information Portal

Anna Maria Island Life...

What is Anna Maria Island Life?

Anna Maria Island Life is a group of websites that provide information about life on Anna Maria Island, planning a wedding, local businesses and services, as well as information about things like where to stay, where to eat, what to see and do while on Anna Maria Island, organized events and entertainment, even local issues and news.

What is the Anna Maria Island Life Blog?

The Anna Maria Island Blog is the hub that ties these web properties together.

For anyone planning a vacation on Anna Maria Island, Longboat Key, Siesta Key, Lido Key or some other location close to Anna Maria Island, the Anna Maria Island Blog has a Vacation Equipment Rental and Supply category that may be of interest.

That's right, you can leave it all at home and just bring yourself!

Fun and More Beach, Bike and Baby Rentals, right here on beautiful Anna Maria Island... has everything you and your family need to enjoy your vacation of a life time!

Help Save Anna Maria Island

"Save Anna Maria" Has a New Look...

It's been reported in the Bradenton Times that the "Save Anna Maria" organization has a new look to an old mission!

The beauty of Anna Maria Island is undeniable, and probably the reason so many are
attracted to her shorelines and beaches. 

This is why our group called  "SAM , Loves Serving Anna Maria".

"Save Anna Maria" is a non-profit organization.

Our Mission  is to serve & preserve the unique Character of Anna Maria Island

That is the first thing you see when you visit the new Save Anna Maria website.

Just nominated as the president of Save Anna Maria Island (SAM), Katie Pierola is no stranger to Anna Maria Island. She has lived in Bradenton Beach for 30 years and served as Mayor for three terms.

Pierola said, "when the local Metropolitan Planning Organization started in 1972 the cities that were represented included Bradenton, Palmetto, Longboat Key, Sarasota, Venice, North Port and the counties of Sarasota and Manatee."

"The cities of Anna Maria, Bradenton Beach, and Holmes Beach did not have representation."

“There were really big problems with bad communication with the islands. We are trying to move forward and that’s why we’ve now got our Web site located at www.amisam.org.” 

The new web site for SAM was launched to improve communications with the community and to inform people about how this magnificent island, spanning seven miles long and two blocks wide, can be saved and served going into the future.

Visit "Save Anna Maria" at www.amisam.org to learn more.