Anna Maria Island
Photo from VisitSarastoa.com
Anna Maria Island, or AMI, is not in Sarasota County. Instead, it is in Manatee County and closely associated with Bradenton. Still, it resides at the northern-most tip of Longboat Key and, thus, its beaches and attractions are described here. It is described as seven miles of paradise. Here’s a must-see video that spends a few minutes showing the devastation of hurricane Helene’s storm surge, followed by hurricane Milton, which hit Siesta Key as a category 3 just a couple weeks later. But, most of the video is upbeat, showing what’s open and a detailed view of the shops.
Shops and stores are along Pine Avenue, but spread out. There isn’t any village center to see or experience. The business center of the island is Bradenton Beach which does have a town center with some charm to it.
Let’s start our beach visiting journey with Bean Beach at the extreme northern tip (Bean Point) of the Sarasota barrier reef islands, on Anna Maria Key.
Anna Maria Island, or AMI, is not in Sarasota County. Instead, it is in Manatee County and closely associated with Bradenton. Still, it resides at the northern-most tip of Longboat Key and, thus, its beaches and attractions are described here. It is described as seven miles of paradise. Here’s a must-see video that spends a few minutes showing the devastation of hurricane Helene’s storm surge, followed by hurricane Milton, which hit Siesta Key as a category 3 just a couple weeks later. But, most of the video is upbeat, showing what’s open and a detailed view of the shops.
Shops and stores are along Pine Avenue, but spread out. There isn’t any village center to see or experience. The business center of the island is Bradenton Beach which does have a town center with some charm to it.
Let’s start our beach visiting journey with Bean Beach at the extreme northern tip (Bean Point) of the Sarasota barrier reef islands, on Anna Maria Key.
