Florida Island in the Sun...
Anna Maria Island is 7 Miles of Sugar White Sandy Gulf Coast Serving as a Natural Barrier Between the Gulf of Mexico and Tampa Bay.
Located on the west coast of Florida, Anna Maria Island is the barrier between the Gulf of Mexico and Tampa Bay with white sand beaches stretching for 7 miles along the Gulf coastline. There is a canal network throughout the island that allows an interesting selection of water-front lifestyles, plus an island trolley system for transportation throughout the three individually unique island cities.
Anna Maria Island supports a very special ecology and "Old Florida" philosphy. The laid-back lifestyle allows time to step back from the hectic energies and just walk on the beach, or enjoy a picnic supper at sunset.
Anna Maria City
Anna Maria City, to the north, is basically residental and home to a handful of coffeehouses, a few restaurants, and ice cream shops, some of which serve not only coffee or ice cream, but other snacks, breakfasts and lunches. There's Dips Ice Cream & Candy Store, which offers more than 150 varieties of candy, as well as cappuccino, homemade Italian ices, and of course, ice cream.
Then there is the Bay View Plaza on the bay-side of the island, with boutiques and Mama Lo's Coffee Shop.
At Mama Lo's by the Sea the coffee is awesome it's true, and it's sold by the pound, but in fact, Mama Lo's may be best known for its ice cream. They offer nearly 40 flavors of McClains homemade ice cream made right in Sarasota. Also offered are sundaes, smoothies, sandwiches, pastries and bagels.
Everything, including breakfast items, is served all day at Mama Lo's. You can order at the counter, grab a magazine from the rack and eat by a window with a view of the bay. There is even a toy train running along a track set up above the café, and maps of the World and United States with the words "Where are you from?" chalk full of red pins pushed in by visiting customers.
The city post office is here at the Bay View Plaza as well, a long time gathering place for island residents. Few are ready to give up the sense of community for home mail delivery.
Located at 9908 Gulf Drive in Anna Maria, Sandy's Rich Coffee serves gourmet coffee and espresso drinks, baked goods, breakfast sandwiches, bagels, muffins, Panini style sandwiches, salads, desserts, fruit and cheese.
Real estate business is conducted in the back of Sandy's, while the front has a real coffeehouse atmosphere and framed photographs of Anna Maria sunsets and wildlife hanging on the walls.
When visiting Anna Maria City, one can shop for antiques jewelry and clothing, or enjoy the restaurants, coffee and sandwich shops, and the Island Players Theater.
Holmes Beach - Business Center of Anna Maria Island
Holmes Beach, is the "business" center of the island. The island library, the banks and island grocery store are all in Holmes Beach along with a wide variety of shops and restaurants.
Manatee County Beach greets new visitors to the island, where the Beach Cafe serves their guests on their beach patio right on the Gulf. One of the two bridges to the island, Manatee Bridge, brings the traveler into Holmes Beach at the end of SR 64, which ends on the island.
Holmes Beach is a homogenous mixture of residential single-family homes, multi-family condominium developments and businesses existing in harmony with the landscape as well as the Island’s small-town heritage.
Village of Bradenton Beach
Bradenton Beach is a charming and vibrant community of 1,500 located at the southern end of Anna Maria Island. The Island is located at the southern entrance to Tampa Bay on the Gulf of Mexico.
Brandenton Beach shares Anna Maria Island with her sister cities of Holmes Beach and Anna Maria City. Access to Anna Maria Island can be achieved from the mainland (Bradenton) via bridges on Cortez Road or Manatee Avenue or from Longboat Key to the south via the bridge over Longboat Pass.
The Brandenton Beach community has had a recent face-lift with historic Bridge Street, the focal point for interesting shopping. There are regular Bridge Street special events such as "Movie Night", "Mardi Gras", Art Shows, Car Shows, etc. - Its a fun place to be.
You can pamper yourself at a day spa as well as enjoy fine dining and nightly entertainment. Flanking Bridge Street is Coquina Beach; a 96- acre Australian pine shaded oasis of beauty. Toward the southern most point, on the bay side, are sandy paths lined with lush foliage leading to Sarasota Bay for viewing many species of water and shore birds.
Anna Maria Island is an island located on the northern most point of Florida's Sarasota area. True to its 'Old Florida' setting, it has a quaint village atmosphere that's both welcoming and relaxing like no where you've vacationed before. 
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