Anna Maria Island, Florida has wonderful trolley service that travels the entire island.  From Coquina Beach all the way to the public pier on the North side of Anna Maria City, Florida.  The best thing of all is the trolley still remains free!  That’s right Free.  In the late Fall, Winter, and early Spring MCAT uses the mature trolleys which allows for the back half of the trolley to have the windows removed so you can feel the cool breezes of Anna Maria Island.  The Trolley service arrives about every 30 minutes at the many designated stops on the island.  If you are staying at a vacation rental with Island Real Estate Vacation Rentals then be sure to review the free visit bag Island Real Estate provides all vacation renters for more information on trolley stops.

A few tricks of the trade.  The trolley benches are spread apart all across Anna Maria Island.  Starting South to North, the trolley service starts at Coquina public beach in Bradenton Beach City.  All along Gulf Drive there are many benches.  It’s just like catching a bus.  Find one of the trolley stops and await the trolley to arrive.  TRICK:  Be sure you are sitting at a Trolley bench and not a miscellaneous bench.  A trolley bench will be painted Green and say Trolley on it.  If it is a wooden bench without any sign next to it or Trolley painting on the back of the bench then it is NOT a trolley stop. 

The Trolley travels all the way up to Manatee Avenue by way of East Bay Drive past Publix and the outdoor shopping plaza.  TRICK:  The trolley will only stop at the benches to its right.  If you are on one side of the street and you do not want to travel the direction of the traffic then cross the street and find the closest trolley stop going the other way.  The Trolley then picks up on Gulf Drive and travels North on Marina Drive.  Let me say that again, the Trolley travels North on Marina Drive all the way up to Pine avenue where it turns around at the public pier at the East end of Pine Avenue.  The Trolley then heads West along Pine Avenue, South along Gulf Drive and travels South along the Beach.  The Trolley travels ALONG the beach where it closes the loop at Marina and Gulf Drive and travels back to Coquina Beach. 

TRICK:  If you are staying anywhere from 53rd to 81st be careful!!  The trolley travels both Gulf Drive and Marina/Palm which forms a loop.  So, if you are staying at Vista Grande in Island Real Estate’s Vacation Rentals , to travel South pick up any one of the trolley stops along Gulf Drive.  If you want to travel North you must walk EAST to Marina Drive and find a trolley stop on the East side of the street to travel to the North side of Anna Maria Island. 

Visit our special page for the Anna Maria Island, Florida Trolley map and schedule.  Note, the attached trolley schedule may not be up to date and it provides stop times for only a few of the stops as a point of reference.  There are many more stops than those outlined in the Form.   To review the “official” Trolley schedule for Anna Maria Island visit the MCAT website. 

Below is a VERY quick you tube video at a trolley stop…