Ready for the ultimate family beach escape? Welcome to your Ultimate Anna Maria Island Family Travel Guide, packed with everything you need to know — from where to stay, to the best places to eat, and all the family-friendly activities you won’t want to miss. Whether it’s your first visit or you’re coming back for more sandy memories, this guide will help you plan the perfect trip!
We’ve been soaking up our Florida summer staycations, and for one final adventure before the school year began, we packed up the family and headed to a true slice of paradise—Anna Maria Island.
When it comes to the perfect Florida vacation, we look for outdoor fun, relaxation, and activities the whole family can enjoy. Anna Maria Island checked every box and then some.
If you’re planning your own family getaway, keep reading for everything you need to know:
✨ Where to stay
✨ What to do
✨ Where to eat
✨ Essential tips
✨ Bonus ideas to make your trip even better!
Table of Contents
Why Visit Anna Maria Island?
Located south of Fort De Soto Park, Anna Maria Island is a beautiful 7-mile barrier island nestled on the Gulf of Mexico. With soft, powdery white sand (made from fine quartz crystals!) and warm waters year-round, it’s a dream spot for laid-back beach vacations.
It’s the kind of place where you trade car rides for golf carts, shoes for bare feet, and stress for salty air.
Our family had an amazing time, and we wanted to share some of our favorite things to do in Anna Maria Island with you. Keep reading for tips on where to stay, what to do, and where to eat.
Best Places to Stay in Anna Maria Island
Rent a House or Condo
When traveling with a large family (we’re a party of 8!), finding the right accommodations can be tricky. Our best tip? Rent a house or condo instead of booking multiple hotel rooms.
We stayed at:
- Waterline Villas & Marina Resort
- Spacious 2-bedroom condo-style villa
- Full kitchen (major money-saver!)
- Separate living and dining areas
- Cribs available for babies
👉 Pro Tip:
Book early, especially for peak seasons (spring break, summer, and winter holidays)! Rentals go quickly.
Other great rental options:
- AMI Locals (vacation homes)
- Anna Maria Vacations (wide selection of family-friendly homes)
What We Loved Packing:
Tiny Teethers clips to save pacifiers!
Backpack diaper bag (Lily Jade is a favorite)
Double stroller, we now use the Zoe Stroller (perfect for twins!)
Here is my link for $15 off a Zoe Stroller (theme park approved and we LOVE it!)
Baby carrier (Hope & Plum ring sling)
Essential oils for travel comfort
You can save tons on using the in-room kitchen vs. going out to eat. And most moms know having snacks on hand is always a plus. With a little forward-thinking, we were ready to feed our troop on a budget-conscious menu.
The money we saved allowed us to enjoy other great activities and conveniences.
“Beach Rules: Soak up the sun. Ride the waves. Breathe the salty air. Feel the breeze. Build sandcastles. Rest, relax, reflect. Collect seashells. Bare-feet required.”
Unknown
Best Things to Do on Anna Maria Island
🛺 Rent a Golf Cart
If you really want to feel like a local, rent a golf cart! It’s hands-down the easiest (and most fun) way to get around the island. At Fun and More Rentals, they offer golf carts up to 8 passengers, which is perfect for us. We strapped the twins’ car seats right in and off we went. The kids are still talking about it.
This may be a bit of a splurge, but it’s truly worth it.
- Where we rented: Fun and More Rentals
- 8-passenger carts available (perfect for big families)
- They also rent bikes, kayaks, beach gear, and games!
👉 Pro Tip:
Reserve your golf cart ahead of time, especially if you’re visiting during busy months. It’s so worth it!
🏖️ Hit the Beaches
You can’t visit Anna Maria Island without spending time on its world-famous beaches.
Top beaches to visit:
- Bean Point Beach (quiet, natural beauty)
- Manatee Public Beach (playground + café)
- Coquina Beach (great for families, bathrooms, shaded picnic areas)
🌊 Things we loved bringing (or renting):
- Boogie boards
- Beach chairs
- Umbrellas
- Metal detector for treasure hunting
Rental tip:
Use Just 4 Fun Rentals — they deliver everything right to you!
🎣 Bonus Activities to Check Out
If you have a few extra days, here are more activities we loved:
Explore Pine Avenue: Local shops, beach boutiques, and cute cafés
Visit Bridge Street Pier: Cute shops, street performers, and local fishing
Day trip to Egmont Key: Ferry tours available to this nearby island with snorkeling and history
Visit Anna Maria Island Historical Museum: A small, free museum full of charm
Why Go to the Beach
The 663 miles of beautiful beaches are what bring thousands of tourists seeking Florida vacations each year. Anna Maria Island has oodles of opportunities for beach-going.
We recommend using another rental service, Just 4 Fun Rentals, to get all of your beach gear needs. It’s not as much of a staycation if you have to work for it. Relax, avoid filling your car, and let a rental service do it for you.
Our family borrowed beach chairs, boogie boards, sand pails, and a metal detector for our big beach day. It was awesome to not worry about anything. And if you are looking for the ultimate in convenience, they will deliver it to you.
There are so many rental options it’s amazing. You can borrow bicycles, sporting goods, other water sports gear, and even board games if you get rained out. This is a great service for Florida vacations or staycations.
I mean, who enjoys packing anyway?
“I believe in the ocean curing all bad moods. I believe in the waves wiping away worries. I believe in seashells bringing good luck. I believe in toes in the sand grounding my soul.”
Unknown
Go Sightseeing + Wildlife Watching
Walk the beaches. Depending on the time of year you can see all kinds of amazing animal life. Keep your eyes peeled for:
- Manatees floating peacefully
- Dolphins playing in the surf
- Turtle nests (May–October)
- Nesting birds and even bald eagles
- Sand Dollars (they are living creatures so be sure to leave them where you find them)
You can simply walk the beach for sightings or check out guided dolphin tours!
🚤 Take a Boat Tour
From sunset cruises to dolphin safaris, there are tons of boat tours available.
In fact, you can even rent a boat to create your very own expedition and family memories.
Options we recommend:
- Private charters for families
- Sunset dolphin cruises
- Fishing excursions for beginners and pros alike
🚩 Many boat tours leave from the marina next to Waterline Resort—so convenient if you stay there!
“Dance with the waves, move with the sea. Let the rhythm of the water set your soul free.”
Christy Ann Martine
The Best Places to Eat in Anna Maria Island
I don’t know if you can call us foodies, but we do love to eat. I enjoy making new recipes and sharing them with you. So, when we go on vacation, I am always looking for places we can share with you.
Yes, we did use our kitchen at the rental, but it was a vacation after all. We had a couple of splurge meals and mainly went out for dessert.
Here are our list of recommended places to eat in Anna Maria Island:
Poppo’s Taqueria
Stop at Poppo’s if you enjoy Mexican food. They offer customizable tacos, burritos, quesadillas, and rice bowls. It was so good.
Vinnie’s Italian Kitchen
Chef Vincenzo, a native from Italy, prepares all of the genuine Italian dishes in his kitchen by hand, just like his mother and grandmother before him. This is a takeout restaurant, so order ahead for a picnic lunch or a special dinner back at your hotel. We recommend the Stromboli and pizza.
Dips Ice Cream Shop
No Blue family staycation is complete without touring the local dessert spots. Dips is an old-fashioned candy store style ice cream shop. It was our favorite frozen sweet spot in town.
Two Scoops Ice Cream Parlor and Coffee Cafe
The Two Scoops menu is a little more comprehensive. They offer breakfast, lunch, and a wide variety of cold treats. But most important if you need a pick-me-up they have coffee.
The Donut Experiment
We saved the best for last. This is an absolute must-try!
I’ve said it before and I know I’ll say it again—we love donuts. The Donut Experiment was so much fun.
Create your own donuts by choosing the cake flavor, the icing, the topping, and the drizzle. The entire family had a blast, and it was so good.
“At the beach, life is different. Time doesn’t move hour to hour but mood to moment. We live by the currents, plan by the tides and follow the sun.”
Sandy Gingras
Hope you found this Ultimate Anna Maria Island Family Travel Guide helpful for planning your dream trip!
A Few Essentials We Packed for Anna Maria Island
While we rented the beach essentials, and there are a few places to rent baby equipment on Anna Maria Island as well (plus, our hotel provided cribs in our room for the twins), we had a few essentials I make sure I don’t leave home without!
Of course, we don’t leave without our essential oil rollers, like Sleepy Head and Tummy Buddy (and definitely Boo Boo Blend when on vacay too!). Our Hope and Plum ring sling is a favorite in the carrier department for sure and I always keep it in the diaper bag!
Quick Reference Cheat Sheet
(perfect for readers who want the fast info!)
🏠 Where to Stay
- Waterline Villas & Marina Resort
- AMI Locals Vacation Rentals
- Anna Maria Vacations Homes
🛺 Must-Do Activities
- Rent a golf cart (Fun and More Rentals)
- Explore Bean Point Beach, Manatee Public Beach, Coquina Beach
- Go dolphin watching + sunset boat tour
- Visit Bridge Street Pier
- Take a ferry to Egmont Key
- Stroll and shop along Pine Avenue
🍴 Top Eats
- Poppo’s Taqueria (tacos + bowls)
- Vinnie’s Italian Kitchen (Italian favorites)
- Dips Ice Cream Shop (old-school treats)
- Two Scoops Cafe (coffee + ice cream)
- The Donut Experiment (custom donuts)
- Skinny’s Place (burgers)
- North Shore Cafe (acai bowls)
✨ Bonus Recommendations ✨
Here are a few extra restaurants and activities you could add to make your post even more packed with value:
🍽️ More Places to Eat
North Shore Cafe – The best Acai bowls!
The Ugly Grouper — Outdoor seating
Sandbar Restaurant — Famous beachfront dining right on the sand. Amazing sunsets! Great for lunch or early dinner with kids.
Ginny’s & Jane E’s Cafe — Super quirky café/bakery in an antique shop setting. Best cinnamon rolls on the island! Breakfast and lunch are both awesome.
Skinny’s Place — Delicious burgers just a block from the beach (to note: this is a cash-only eatery)!
If you are considering a lowkey Florida vacation away from the busy theme parks, you can also check out our trip to Lake County, Florida.
Tanya Will says
Hi Tabitha, your family looks gorgeous! I will surely visit Anna Maria Island next year once it is safe to travel. On a side note, I’m wondering if you have an idea about the average cost for 2 in 1 week?