Is Anna Maria Island Worth It? (Why Visit This Florida Beach Town)

Planning A Trip To The Central-West Coast Of Florida And Wondering If Anna Maria Island Is Worth Visiting?

Since I’ve been living in Central Florida, I’ve traveled to various places all throughout this region and one of my favorites has definitely been Anna Maria Island, but below are a few more details so you can decide if it’s worth adding to your next Florida trip.

🏝️ Is Anna Maria Island Worth It?

There are lots of beach areas to choose from but this is one of the best in my opinion.

Of all the beaches I’ve visited in Central, and even South Florida, Anna Maria Island is one of my personal favorites so I definitely recommend checking out this coastal area, but here are a few actual reasons why you might want to visit and a few on why you might choose to leave it off your next itinerary.

Why Anna Maria Island Is Worth Visiting

I think Anna Maria Island is definitely worth visiting because of its beautiful beaches, amazing sunsets, and yummy food.

Besides my personal inclination towards Anna Maria Island, a few actual reasons why you should visit this beach destination are:

🏖️ White Sandy Beaches
- the top reason Anna Maria Island is worth visiting is because of it’s beautiful white sandy beaches
- the easier accessible public beach here is beautiful, but out further on the island the sand is even softer and more beautiful (parking is not as easy though, if you do find a spot just be sure to follow all rules because they love to give tickets)

🅿️ Free Parking
- unlike a lot the beaches closer to the Tampa area, you can actually go to the beach on Anna Maria Island for free, although sometimes you have to drive around a bit to find a spot

🐬 Marine Life
- it’s possible to see marine life anywhere on the coast in Florida, but every time I’ve been to the island, I’ve seen dolphins
- they seem to be more visible as the sun starts to set, but you can also watch from the beach for the dolphin boat tours that will stop and circle if they see any

🌮 Delicious Food
- Central Florida doesn’t have many healthy/organic places to eat and since those are the only kinds places I can eat at, I don’t usually get to go out to restaurants
- but, Anna Maria Island has one of my favorite restaurants, Poppos Taqueria, which serves clean, organic Mexican food, and it’s the main reason I think this area is worth visiting and why I keep returning

🏝️ Less Touristy Feel
- compared to other beach destinations around the west coast of Florida, especailly the Clearwater area, Anna Maria Island feels like a much more laid back and relaxing beach destination
- there are still plenty of people that visit, but there aren’t any huge hotels or tall buildings so it’s a much less touristy feel

Why You Might Not Want To Visit

It might not be worth it to some that aren't interested in the beach.

Although I would definitely recommend Anna Maria Island, a few reasons why you might not want to visit include the fact that the closest airport is about 40 minutes away, hotels or rentals aren’t going to be cheap (especially in high season), and it’s not the place you want to be stuck if bad weather is coming (especially during hurricane season).

Other than that, I think Anna Maria Island is a great place to visit and it’s definitely worth checking out even if you only go for the day.

🌅 Best Things To Do Here

One of the big reasons why I think Anna Maria Island is worth visiting is because of the beautiful sunsets.

Whether you stay overnight or just plan to spend the day, these are a few of the best things to do out here on Anna Maria Island that make it worth visiting:

🌅 Beach & Sunset Day
- spending the day at the beach and watching the sunset over the water is my number one recommendation
- I also saw tons of dolphins playing in the waves as the sun went down
- there are even a few sunset boat tours you can take if you want to be on the water

🐬 Searching For Wildlife
- aside from just watching from the beach, there are a few guided tours available to search for dolphins or even manatees

🚣 Go Kayaking
- get closer to the water and go on a kayaking adventure either in the morning (before it gets too hot), as the sun begins to set (one of the best times to see marine life), or even at night with light up kayaks

🐎 Go Horseback Riding
- horseback riding is a popular activity out here because most of the tours give you the unique experience of riding the horse through the water

🪂 Go Parasailing
- see the white sandy beaches and clear waters from above on a parasailing tour

➡️ Looking for a few other interesting sites in the Tampa area? check out Gibsonton (an old circus town), Busch Gardens (a zoo/theme park), the Tampa Zoo (frequently on the Animal Planet), nearby Venice Beach (find fossilized shark teeth), or continue on a road trip to other destination like Orlando or Miami

🏨 Where To Stay On Anna Maria Island

The best experience is definitely staying out on the island.

Home rentals are some of the most popular places to stay on Anna Maria Island, since there aren’t any big tall resorts out here, but there are still a few actual hotels you can stay at if you prefer:

🏨 Bali Hai Beach Resort
- on the beach, swimming pool, sea views, free parking

🏨 White Sands Beach Resort – Anna Maria Island
- beachfront, private beach area, sea views, free parking

🏨 Cedar Cove Resort & Cottages
- a little further down the island, beachfront, private beach area, sea views, free parking

🔁 Sum Up: Is Anna Maria Island Worth It?

Although it might be a little out of the way from the airport or the main city of Tampa, Anna Maria Island is definitely a place worth visiting in my opinion for its beautiful white sandy beaches, amazingly colorful sunsets over the water, nearby organic food, abundant marine life, and free parking (which isn’t available at any of the beaches to the north, closer to Tampa).