Anna Maria Island is a barrier island located on Florida’s Gulf Coast, near Bradenton in Manatee County. There are 3 distint towns on Anna Maria Island: Anna Maria, Holmes (Manatee) Beach and Cortez (Bradenton) Beach.
Anna Maria
The town of Anna Maria is the northernmost part of the island, known for its historic district, fishing piers, and quaint, locally-owned shops. It is the quiet and less commercial part of the island with an old Florida feel and laid-back atmosphere.
Anna Maria City Pier is a historic pier on the bay side where you can fish, dine at a waterfront café, or just enjoy the views of Tampa Bay.
Anna Maria Beach is the iconic beach that is the star of beach pictures for products and wall art. When I took a walk around the tip of the island at Bean Point Beach in the pristine white sand, I had to pause and, of course, take some pictures! This spot is just absolutely stunning.
Holmes Beach / Manatee Public Beach
The city of Holmes Beach is located in the center of Anna Maria Island. The city’s beach is Manatee Public Beach which offers plenty of parking, acitivities, cafes, restrooms and other amenities making is a local favorite. The sand here starts to get more shelly than the sand at the northern end of the island. I love this spot for just walking along the shoreline seeing what treasures I can find.
Bradenton Beach
Bradenton has 2 fantastic beaches:
Cortez Beach
Cortez Beach runs along the Northern part of Bradenton Beach which is the southern half of Anna Maria Island. There is plenty of parking, a gorgeous wide beachfront that is perfect for kicking off your shoes and taking a walk.
Coquina Beach
At the southern tip of Anna Maria Island and Bradenton Beach is one of the more community oriented beaches I have been to. It’s popular for its amenities, including picnic areas, playgrounds, and shaded areas under Australian pines. There are events here on specific days of the week with markets and entertainment.
My favorite thing about Coquina is that you can enjoy this shaded area, but then when you walk through the treeline to the beach, you are welcomed to a wide open beautiful beachfront with room to play, explore and take a long walk in the sand! The sand here is shellier than the sand at the north end of the island. The color is more orange due to the coquina shells that line the shore. My favorite walk here is heading south to the southern tip at longboat pass.
