Anna Maria Island can offer an overwhelming amount of options, from cuisine to recreation. With so much going on it is easy to get distracted trying to narrow down your top choices. Check out our list below to help curate your selection and bulk up that itinerary!
Upscale Restaurants:
◊ Euphemia Haye: Located in Long Boat Key just outside of Anna Maria Island, the cozy dinner restaurant features a fabulous live music calendar along with a romantic downstairs restaurant and upstairs loft for a more casual menu and feel.
◊ Amore Restaurant: Italian cuisine prepared with elegance, this award winning restaurant is known for beautifully plated dishes and a fine dining menu that will impress even the harshest food critic!
◊ Maison Blanche’: A prized chef creates culinary masterpieces at this Zagat rated restaurant in Long Boat Key. Carefully selected ingredients make for a savory gourmet meal in an elegant setting, dine here and make your next meal a memorable one!
Ocean Star: The best sushi in town! If sushi isn’t your pick they have an extensive seafood menu and delicious Japanese fare, your seating options include the sushi bar, dining room, bar and they have an upstairs balcony for taking in the Marina water views!
◊ The Waterfront: Amazing specialty cocktails! One of the best known restaurants in Anna Maria, the waterfront offers panoramic bay views, great food and is always full of a great island crowd.
◊ Beach Bistro: With the Zagat Guide’s stamp of approval, there’s no disputing the Beach Bistro’s noteworthy dining experience. Take in a sunset over excellent plates, this romantic dinner restaurant will surely be a favorite!
Casual Dining:
◊ AMOB on the Pier: Stroll down Bridge Street and grab a casual bite to eat while checking out the Bradenton Beach Historic Pier, AMOB overlooks the Bradenton Beach Marina shipyard and is at the end of Historic Bridge Street.
◊ Poppo’s: The best Mexican food on the island! Fresh local ingredients are prepared to perfection in front of you, quick, healthy and delicious! Sit at there bar and grab a craft beer or enjoy outside seating on Pine Ave.
◊ Freckled Fin: Located on the corner of bridge street, this place has a centralized outdoor patio and a great menu that has a little bit of everything on it. Out past curfew? Check out their “late night menu” open until 12AM!
◊ Blue Marlin: Located on Bridge Street the Blue Marlin is an old island favorite, serving breakfast, lunch and dinner. The restaurant features a bright and airy nautical themed interior and an outside deck area with seating (called the tap yard), live music and lots of room to dance!
◊ Eat Here: Located in the same town as it’s parent restaurant Beach Bistro in Holmes Beach, Eat Here features a more casual menu with lighter and less formal fare yet maintains the same high quality food standards.
◊ The Feast: One of the best pizza spots on the island! The feast is known by the locals for it’s delicious Italian/American cuisine and is a favorite lunch and dinner spot for many in the area. They offer carry out or dine in options and are centrally located in the downtown area of Holmes Beach.
Night Life:
◊ The Doctor’s Office: A new addition to Anna Maria Island! The Doctor’s Office is in Holmes Beach and is a swanky new bar open until Midnight that serves light fair and specialty cocktails.
◊ Decoy Ducks: Everyone’s favorite island dive bar, leave the frills at the door! Open until 2am Decoy Ducks is the spot to hang with the locals, always a crowd and always a story.
◊ Island Time: Always a crowd pleaser! Island Time opens until 2am, is across from the beach with open and airy inside seating with a huge island bar and table seating if your getting food.
Activities:
◊ Kayaking & Paddleboarding: Easy enough for the inexperienced and boundless potential to explore for the experienced! You can rent and schedule guides with a multitude of vendors who deliver and pick up the equipment, we recommend Fun & More Rentals or Beach Bums!
◊ Segway Day: A great group activities, forget to scooters and try something new! Segways can be rented and taken around the island for a day of touring. With Anna Maria Island only being 7 miles long and 1 mile wide it is an easy journey with tons of fun stops to be explored.
◊ Jet Ski: A must do while on the beautiful Gulf Coast, soar over the crystal clear waters and make a splash! We recommend Coastal Water Sports, you can rent a jet ski for as short as a hour, jump right on and hit the gas. Rent a single, double or triple seater for a shared experience.
◊ Fly Board: A newer trend on the island, book a fly boarding experience and make new memories! Tower over the calm inlet waters as your slowly propelled above and once your balanced take in the view.
Spa Services:
◊ Aqua Aveda: All natural products and an amazing staff, this is a great Holmes Beach salon and spa that can do anything from a dye job to aromatic massages, perfect for wedding party prep!
◊ Salon Salon: Located on Pine Ave, complete your day of strolling with one of their cool spa treatments like a “lava shell massage” or get a cool new hairdo to come back with from vacation!
◊ Hair’s To You: A great Bradenton Beach Salon, stop in before you hit Bridge Street and update your look with a new style. A friendly and established staff and a location across from the Gulf so you can step out and let the salt air blow through your hair. We recommend Sabrina!
Pet Friendly:
◊ Doggy Beach Day: Bring your dog, or cat, or horse to the beach and splash around in the Anna Maria sunshine. Stop at Publix or the Dollar Tree and grab some dog toys to take with you. It makes for a great day of pictures, bonding and tail wagging! The pet friendly beach is located along the causeway.
◊ Lunch Date: Take your pup out to lunch, most of the restaurants with fully outdoor seating allow leashed pets, we recommend the Bridge Tender Inn on Bridge Street to grab a bite and take in the views of the Marina yard in their casual patio area.
◊ Take a Walk: Just across the bridge is Robinson Preserve and Neal Preserve. They both offer trails into the Palma Sola Bay areas that are pet friendly and a blast to explore! Beautiful water views, lush foliage and wild life are abundant, Robinson Preserve offers an elevated observation tower for an aerial view of the 487 acre area and Neal Preserve spans 120 acres of adventure for you and your pet! Grassy Point is located in Bradenton Beach and is an expansive park area where pets are also welcomed, the park is open from 7AM-sundown. This 34 acre area is a great place to walk while you observe island habitats which include birds, animals, foliage and their mangrove forests – some of which are over a century old!
◊ Play at the Park: Holmes Beach has an amazing and friendly dog park. It has the standard big dog/little dog sections, a nice pavilion to have a seat and cool off, lots of engaging locals and new pals for your pup. This dog park is well maintained, with vibrant grass and lots of space, bring your pet for a play date and see how happy even the dogs are to be on Anna Maria Island!
Free Activities:
◊ The Beach: We’ll start with the obvious-the beach! Enjoy our #1 attraction for free, spend a day soaking in the sun rays, take a run along the shore, swim, or read with the Gulf of Mexico in your backdrop. The public beach offers a restaurant, patio, picnic tables, playground, volleyball courts and lifeguards!
◊ Sports: Holmes Beach has several well maintained public facilities, there are basketball courts, tennis courts, a dog park, baseball field and a skateboarding park; you will need your own equipment!
◊ Nature Trails: Robinson Preserve and Neal Preserve are located just over the draw bridge and have extensive trails to explore the Palma Sola Bay area. Coquina Bay Park is located in Bradenton Beach and has walkways through one of the island Mangrove forests!
◊ Water Front Parks: Anna Maria Island has multiple public parks directly on the water. Parks are a great location to read a book, do yoga, run or relax. There are several locations to check out: Anna Maria Bayfront Park, Bean Point Area, Coquina Bay Park and Coquina Beach that has currents too strong for swimming but offer shorelines, grills, park area and lots of friendly squirrels!
Children’s Activities:
◊ The Butterfly Garden: A beautiful oasis, discover the Holmes Beach Butterfly Garden and let children take in the magic of these fluttery creatures. Safely located next to the police department the garden also has beautiful landscaping and is especially active
◊ Mini Golf: Get them working on their swing early with a day of mini golf at The Fish Hole on Bridge Street in Bradenton Beach. The mini course is water front and features a Koi fish pond!
◊ Museum Day: A quaint museum located in the city of Anna Maria, the place is a great little spot to brief up on your island history with historical exhibits and artifacts for view, the kids will especially love the shark teethe collection at the Anna Maria Island Historical Museum.
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