FALL in Love with Anna Maria Island

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Fall in Love with Anna Maria Island. It is not hard to do when you vacation during the months of Fall on Anna Maria Island.

Have you ever wondered what it would be like to vacation on Anna Maria Island during the fall months of September, October, and November? Here is a little secret: This is our favorite time of year on the island! Even though it may not feel like colder weather and there are no landscapes of color-changing leaves to look at…the spirit of Fall takes over Anna Maria.

Less Crowds

Generally, by this time of year, the crowds have dwindled. You can get a feel for what it is like to live like a local on Anna Maria Island during the Fall months. By now, most of the kids have all returned to school, and the beaches are quiet. So, head out to the beach for a secluded and relaxing day. Grab a book and read. Or, close your eyes and soak up plenty of warm rays from the sun.  There is nothing like getting a tan in the Fall on Anna Maria Island. During the Fall on Anna Maria Island, the lack of crowds is evident everywhere. After relaxing at the beach, explore the uncrowded restaurants, shops, and bars. Just jump on the free Anna Maria Island trolley and explore the island from end to end. Maybe find a new favorite spot to grab a bite to eat. During the Fall on Anna Maria Island, you will find much shorter wait times for a table at most of our popular dining options!

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Visit the Sandbar Restaurant for Gulf Side dining at it’s finest

Festivals Galore

As October and November roll in, so do all the area festivals! In my opinion, the Fall on Anna Maria Island – October to December – are the best months of the year to explore all the great happenings in and around Anna Maria Island. Maybe you keep it super local and head down to the Coquina Beach Market at the island’s South end to search for treasures from local artists and vendors, all while taking in the beautiful gulf views.

Also, look for Halloween-style island events. From costume contests to the Anna Maria Elementary Fall Festival, there is fun to be had for all ages! Take advantage of the Trail of Treats if you find yourself here with your little ones on Halloween. This is where area businesses hand out goodies to all the dressed-up kiddos!  If you get adventurous and head off the island, you will find some exciting events! Maybe head East and go to a good old-fashioned pumpkin festival. There are plenty to choose from! Or, take a ride on the Pumpkin Patch Express at the Florida Railroad Museum, where you can journey on an open-air train through the picturesque countryside of Manatee County. The train ride ends at a remote pumpkin patch. There, everyone selects a pumpkin and gets to bring back the perfect gourd for an island-style pumpkin carving party. With so many things going on, how will you choose? Check out our area events calendar when planning your next Anna Maria Island getaway

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Halloween on Anna Maria is a Scary Fun Time!

Beautiful Weather

While the island is beautiful and sunny almost all year, the Fall months on Anna Maria Island are very refreshing. They can bring a nice break from the high humidity and hot, sticky days that rule the Summer. While the days are warm and pleasant, with temperatures hovering in the 80’s, the evenings can often bring a nice breeze and cool down into the low to mid 70’s. This makes those evening strolls on the beach even more enjoyable. You may still even be able to catch a glimpse of the spectacular sea turtle nests. Some of the eggs will still be waiting to hatch. Sea turtle season runs until the end of October every year. Each nest is marked and secured with “caution tape.” Witnessing the hatching of a nest and watching all those tiny sea turtles take off toward the water is one of the most fascinating and memorable sights you will ever see!

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Watch the Baby Turtles hatch on Anna Maria Island

Get Out On The Water

The Fall on Anna Maria Island is also an excellent time of year to fish. Being a barrier island, you can enjoy offshore and inshore fishing the best. This time of year, trout, flounder, redfish, cobia, snapper, and permit take center stage for near-shore fishing. Perhaps one of our spectacular Waterfront Homes would give you the best opportunity to do a little fishing right in your backyard! Or, allow you to bring your boat and secure it behind your vacation home. You can always book a local fishing charter to show you all the best spots to drop a line. Or, just head out to one of the island’s piers. Whichever you choose, we can help point you in the right direction. If fishing is not your forte, then perhaps a leisurely cruise around the coastline of our little island is more your speed. We have some excellent suggestions for dolphin cruises, sunset cruises, and snorkeling excursions on our website. With clear, sparkling aqua

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Boating, Fishing, and Diving are great in the Fall.

What Are You Waiting For?

So, whether you want to get away for a romantic week for two or you are traveling with a group, we have a unique and luxurious vacation home waiting just for you. Visit our AMI Locals Rental Page to pick your next vacation home from our list of exceptional properties. Or, contact one of our property managers to make your vacation dreams a reality this Fall on Anna Maria Island. Let us show you how to vacation like a local!

Sports + Beach Vacations



Combining Sporting Events and Beach Vacations

Combining Sporting Events and Beach Vacations? You’re probably wondering, is that really a thing? Combining sporting events and beach vacations might not be something you’ve ever thought of before; but, it can be done! Furthermore, sporting events and beach vacations makes for one amazing trip! So, let AMI Locals show you how to do it right!

The Tampa Bay Buccanneers

Since the NFL Season is right around the corner, let’s start with a look at our local team, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. This season, the Bucs have some great home games to play at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa, Florida.

First and foremost, lets take a look at the schedule:

Now, look over these games, and figure out which sporting event works best with your beach vacation plans. Then, contact AMI Locals to help to plan your getaway around it!

Traveling to Anna Maria Island

So, who’s your home team? Are they listed above? If they’re headed this way when it’s snowy and cold at home why don’t you be the ultimate football fan and travel along?  Getting here is easy, and you have tons of options. Either drive down, or fly into the Sarasota or Tampa airport and rent a car. Or, get fancy and hire a car or limo to take you between your destinations.

For example, if you’re a Carolina Panthers’ fan, you can fly from Charlotte, North Carolina to Tampa on December 1st, 2018 roundtrip for about $230. Then, add on a week’s stay at one of our lovely 2-3 bedroom Anna Maria Luxury Vacation Rentals such as Island Time East for about $2,450. Combine it all, and boom, you have a fantastic sporting event and beach vacation planned for just under $3,000.

How to Get to the Buccaneers Stadium from Anna Maria Island

Here’s your game plan for game day when you’re combining sporting events and beach vacations! How do you get from here to there? Tampa is about 35 miles north of Anna Maria Island. An easy 1 hour drive, and it’s very scenic! Especially if you take the Sunshine Skyway Bridge.

First, you will need to take one of the bridges to the mainland, SR-64, or Cortez Road. From there you’ll hop on to I-275 N to cross the beautiful Sunshine Skyway bridge. Then, continue through St. Petersburg and then on to Tampa. The highways are easy to navigate and the exits to the stadium are clearly marked.

Parking and Tailgating at the Stadium

Parking is plentiful around the stadium, with 14 official parking lots just outside of the stadium. Furthermore, there are other parking facilities within easy walking distance. Remember to bring some cash to pay for parking! Most parking lots average around $25 per vehicle. With most people driving to the games, tailgating around the stadium is always fun. Because of that, make sure you bring some snacks and a favorite beverage or two. As a result, you’ll hang out and engage in some friendly rival team banter with the locals. After the tailgate, you’ll head into Raymond James Stadium for kickoff and the big game. Remember to #vacationlikealocal and take photos by the pirate ship, mate! Tag us @amilocals!

Other Professional and College Teams

Maybe NFL Football isn’t your thing. That’s fine, there are more options for comining sporting events and beach vacations. Instead, maybe MLB Baseball, College Football, NHL Hockey, or NBA Basketball is more your speed. Well, you’re in luck!

Within 45 minutes to 3 hours of Anna Maria Island, we have everything you need! Located 45 minutes away, we have the Tampa Bay Rays, with a season running from March-October. Also, there are some great NCAA College Football teams within 1-3 hours of Anna Maria Island. Those teams include the USF Bulls in Tampa, the UCF Knights in Orlando, and the Florida Gators in Gainesville. The NCAA College Football season runs from September until late November. The Tampa Bay Lightning are about an hour away in Tampa. Their season runs from September – April each season. Finally, the Orlando Magic, are located about 2 hours away from Anna Maria Island. This NBA team offers a great sporting event to attend from October – April each season. 

Why it’s the Best Option

When you’re combining sporting events and beach vacations you become the smartest fan in any stadium. Taking that one step further, when you’re combining sporting events and beach vacations on Anna Maria Island you become one of the smartest fans in the world. The convenience of our island, and it’s fantastic proximity to so many great sport events and venues, makes this the ideal vacation for all sports fans.

Tampa has hosted the NFL Superbowl, NCAA College Basketball Tournament for Men and Women; and, Orlando, Miami, Tampa, all have NCAA Football Bowl Games including the Orange Bowl. There is so much here, within a short drive away. Skip the crowds of the big city, and commute in for the event only. Spend the rest of your time relaxing at the beach. 

Plus, most sports occur during the Fall and Winter months. Fall on Anna Maria Island is an absolutely wonderful time of year to visit. Check out our recent AMI Locals blog post, FALL in love with Anna Maria, to get a little more insight into how we locals feel about the autumn months here on the Island. Spoiler alert: we love it!

 Just remember to wash off your game face paint before applying your sunscreen!

 

Have a Perfect Beach Day on Anna Maria Island



Have a Perfect Beach Day on Anna Maria Island

Summer may be coming to an end but that doesn’t mean that you can’t enjoy the beach long after the kids have gone back to school. We know how you can have the perfect beach day on Anna Maria Island after school has begun for the kids. Staying in one of our beach view rentals can help you be close to the action and enjoy the fun fall weather. Let’s look at how you can make new memories with your family while you enjoy the beach on vacation.

What to Pack

When you go on vacation to the beach you want to make sure that you pack the necessities. Pack sunscreen at least 50 SPF especially if you have kids because well let’s face it, the sun is still hot even in the fall and winter months. We don’t want you to have your vacation ruined on your first day at the beach. You will also want to bring some chairs, an umbrella, a blanket for the kids to use, towels, hats and even bring baby powder (helps get the sand off easier). Also bringing a small cooler will help keep your drinks and food cold while chilling on the beach. But if you happen to be staying in one of our beach view rentals, then you can always head in if the kids need a nap or you want to take one. It’s OK you’re on vacation after all!

Lunch Time

Have a Perfect Beach Day on Anna Maria Island

Lunch time can always be fun if you add the sand in the mix of things especially if you have kids. It’s a known fact that when you vacation with the kids, sand will get into your food no matter how hard you try to keep it out of it. We suggest bringing a snack bag for the kids and then one for the parents. That way your food is sand free or let’s hope it is. There is a Publix Super Market in Holmes Beach that you can always go grab some groceries for the week. If you are needing a Walmart there is one over the bridge in Bradenton, FL. Waters are a good thing that you can freeze the night before and then you can bring on the beach as the day goes by, you will still have cold waters.

Timing

Timing can be everything on Anna Maria Island. If you go to the beach early, then you will want to stay out there for most of the day. But did you know that the sunsets on Anna Maria Island can be too beautiful to not enjoy. So, if you’d like to catch the sunset while spending time on the beach, head out on the sand around 2 or 3 pm. You will then be able to see the sunset and make new memories while watching it with your family.

Walk the Beach

Have a Perfect Beach Day on Anna Maria Island

Taking a walk on the beach in the mornings and of course in the evening can be wonderful for everyone. Not only can it be relaxing for just you but bring the kids along in the evenings and collect seashells. The sand is so soft on Anna Maria Island that why wouldn’t you want to walk barefoot on the beach with the family. Or if you like to run, go for a run on the beach in the morning and enjoy the sunrise. No matter what time you go to the beach just take in the beauty that Anna Maria Island has to offer you.

Any visit to Anna Maria Island will allow you to have a perfect day at the beach but these are just a few to help you enjoy your day a little more. We thought that coming and visiting Anna Maria Island any time of the year is better than not coming and visiting at all. Even if it’s for a short visit, you are still able to enjoy a few days away from life at home. If you are still looking for a beach vacation rental to stay check out what we have available for this fall. We hope to see you this year while you vacation on Anna Maria Island!

 

4th of July Celebration – Boom, Boom, Pow



4th of July Celebration - Boom, Boom, Pow

We LOVE celebrating 4th of July just as much as the rest of the country! We just like to do it “Island Style”! This time of year brought plenty of people to our beautiful beaches to enjoy all the holiday and summer festivities.

4th of July Parade Fun

Just like every year, this 4th of July started with an awesome local parade
that spanned the entire length of the island from Coquina Beach to the City Pier. The parade route winds through Bradenton Beach, Holmes Beach and the City of Anna Maria and is a short stroll from all of our spectacular vacation homes. This annual parade is hosted and led by the Privateers. So, next year,
be ready to spot the pirates and their ship coming down the street followed by an array of decorated floats, cars and golf carts throwing treats and cooling down the crowd with super soakers! And, if you have ever dreamed of being more than just a spectator, be sure to sign up to participate and decorate
your own vehicle! The more the merrier!

More Fun After the Parade

After the parade was over, we grabbed ourselves a spot at the beach and caught some rays! July always brings the heat, but a dip in the crystal aqua-blue waters of the Gulf of Mexico refreshes the soul. Afterwards, we just relaxed poolside and grilled out with our friends and family. With full hearts and bellies we were sure to make our way back to beach as the sun went down. Firework displays were a plenty in the area and there was no bad spot to catch a great show! For more than 30 years The Sandbar Restaurant located at 100 Spring Avenue, on the north end of the island, has been graciously lighting up the night sky for all to enjoy. So, next July, If you are looking for an all-inclusive event, be sure to grab a ticket to their VIP Party which includes an amazing array of local foods, an open bar, and prime beach
seats for the fireworks. These tickets sell out quickly, so do not hesitate to mark your calendars for next year!

With so much sunshine and patriotic activities on the island, it’s hard not to have the time of your life. So, if you are looking for a laid back way to just enjoy the 4th of July with your family and friends be sure to visit us next summer and vacation like a local!