I’m so excited to share today’s blog post with you all because it feels like I’m sharing a little secret. I feel like I may have found Florida’s best hidden gem! If you follow me on instagram (@hausvonfloof) you know that our March flights to Germany got cancelled due to the COVID-19 outbreak, so we spontaneously decided to take our camper and all of our packed bags to Florida. I had minimal time to do research but I read that one of the top beaches in Florida was a place called Anna Maria Island.
Located between Tampa and Sarasota, the 7 mile long island is a real respite from the busy surrounding Florida beaches.
Due to the corona virus, we did not go to any shops, restaurants or bars, so I can’t speak on that but I’d love to share my photos from the beach and neighborhoods with you. I also saved a pin on where we walked to the beach from and I personally think it was a great spot – not too busy and easy neighborhood parking.
Where to access the beach?
Beach parking is available at the public parking lots at Manatee Public Beach, Cortez Beach, Coquina Beach and Bayfront Park. During the time we were there (mid-March) these beaches were pretty busy, so we opted to drive into the neighborhoods and see if there was a quieter place to enter the beach from. Thankfully neighborhood street parking wasn’t an issue and we found a great spot!
Like I mentioned above, I saved a pin from the beach access point that we used. I really liked this spot because it seemed less busy that the main public beach parking and also a little prettier than the tip of the Island (Bean Point). By prettier I mean, the water was clearer and it seemed to be a little less windy!
Be sure to read the beach rules above! While it might seem very strict, the result is probably the cleanest beach I have ever seen. There was not a cigarette butt or any other piece of trash in sight. This is also one of the reasons why I would say Anna Maria Island is suuuuper family friendly! It is a little bit of a trek through the dunes to get to the beach but very worth it for minimal people.
The town and neighborhoods were so charming. I found out that the Island has strict regulations that govern the type of buildings and businesses allowed on Anna Maria , giving it an old-time feel. Even the beach access points were beautiful. Everything was so perfect looking, really the quintessential beach town.
We stayed at Buttonwood Inlet RV resort right on the other side of the Cortez Bridge, making the drive to the beach a short 20 minute drive to the top of the Island. If you want a good spot to take photos, Cortez Beach South Pier is beautiful and just right on the other side of the bridge. But I am sure you can tell, there is really no bad spot to take photos in this town.
I’ve told everyone who will listen about this beach and can’t wait to take the whole family back soon! Like I mentioned at the beginning of the blog post, I can’t speak for the restaurants in cute shops because everything was closed but everything looked so amazing.
