Aside from our Disney trips, Anna Maria Island was my very favorite vacation. The island is so laid back, beautiful and fun for all ages. It was the perfect mix between adventuring and just relaxing by the pool. We’re lucky enough to be able to go every other year so we’re very lucky to be going again in a few weeks to visit my in-laws who are snowbirds!
Anna Maria Island Must-Dos
Pool
You have got to find a place with an awesome pool! We went in February and the beach was super windy so it wasn’t a huge attraction for us. However, the pool was used multiple times per day every single day. Sophia requested breakfast by the pool every morning and promptly took her morning swim after.
I especially loved this pool because it had lush greenery completely surrounding the pool making it feel like our own private oasis!
Beach
Before we started our vacation I had dreams of reading for long hours on the beach like I had on past vacations. What a silly first-time Mom I was. The beach was very windy and chilly so we didn’t lounge out at the beach. The beach was for finding shells, stomping on sand castles and running away screaming from the waves.
We made sure to be down at the beach right after dinner to see the sunsets though. They were perfection. There are several beaches on Anna Maria Island. The rental we visited was a block away from a private beach which was really nice because it was empty! We also visited a few public beaches and even had dinner with our toes in the sand. Watch out, the drinks are delicious and strong!
Nearby Attractions
Marie Selby Botanical Gardens
The Marie Selby Botanical Gardens were my favorite attraction on this trip. Words do not do the gardens justice. Everywhere I looked I was enamored by the beautiful flora that surrounded me. We also spent quite a bit of time doing fun kid activities like their giant tree house. It is such a nice place to spend an entire day. They have a food court but I suggest bringing a picnic and blanket and finding a spot on the open lawn for lunch.
The Anna Maria City Pier
We had the chance to go see the pier before it had been damaged by Hurricane Irma in 2017. The city is working to rebuild it now, even stronger than before with a 3.2 million dollar upgrade. We walked along the pier looking at all the names carved into the planks, beautiful birds perched on the dock and men fishing in the water. Of course we had to stop for ice cream right across from the pier. You can never have too much ice cream on vacation. Speaking of treats, there’s also a ‘make your own donut’ shop in town called The Donut Experiment, that was really fun to try out.
Sarasota Jungle Gardens
Not far from Anna Maria is an awesome opportunity to feed flamingos out of your hands! The Sarasota Jungle Gardens were so beautiful and had lots of really cool animals. We really enjoyed feeding the flamingos and watching their bird show.
Needless to say, I’m giddy about our trip back to Anna Maria Island next week. I’m not sure if I’m most excited to be in the warm sunshine, take Lilly to the beach for the first time or see Sophia run back to the ocean she’s missed so much.
If you’ve been to Anna Maria Island, what are some of your favorite attractions or restaurants? This time we’re renewing our vows on the beach on Valentine’s Day and going to Magic Kingdom for a day. Next week will go too fast!
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