Anna Maria City Beaches

Anna Maria City offers very quiet beaches and the sand is a mix between sugar and flour.  If you are not renting in Anna Maria the search for parking can be a little frustrating.  Of course locals can tell you about a few special spots however we suggest bicycling or walking up to the North End if you are interested in checking out that side of the island.  A very special spot in Anna Maria City just off Linda Lane is a small sand bar that has been formed in the Gulf of Mexico.  This provides great fun for all!

If you do need a great Anna Maria City, Holmes Beach or Anna Maria Island Holiday rental, visit Island Real Estate’s vacation rental website for on-line accurate availability with plenty of pictures to make your vacation rental choice – EASY.

For properties close to the sandbar mentioned in this article…
101 Linda Lane, Anna Maria City Vacation Rental
Sundance, Anna Maria city Rental
207 Coconut just a short Stroll to the Beach

Robinson Preserve Information

If your family is looking for something adventurous and would enjoy a bike-ride on newly-paved trails, a walk along the nature paths, kayaking through the paddle trails, a climb up an Observation Tower or would just prefer to enjoy the wildlife, then Robinson Preserve is the perfect way to entertain the whole family!

The Robinson Preserve is located in Northwest Bradenton, about a 10-15 min drive off Anna Maria Island. Open year-round, Hours: Sunrise to Sunset.  Free Admission and parking.  Tours only by request and usually last about 2 hours.  Make an appointment by calling ahead of time.

Bring your bathing suit if you would like to go for a swim.  The Preserve also has plenty of picnic tables across from the Visitor Center to have a meal or a little snack. Make sure to bring plenty of water and sunscreen as it can be very hot, especially during summer!!

Are you bringing your dog on vacation? Bring them to Robinson Preserve! Just make sure that you bring a leash and plenty of water!

1690 99th St NW

Bradenton,FL 34209
(941)748-4501

Robinson Preserve Downloadable Trail Map, Bradenton Florida

Historic Anna Maria City pier

The Anna Maria City pier is a great site to see when visiting Anna Maria Island, Florida.  Grabbing an ice cream at Two Scoops and walking the pier is a great thing to do while visiting Anna Maria Island.  Another great past time is swing over to Two Sides of Nature and do some shopping or stop in at the Waterfront restaurant for a great bite to eat.   At the end of the pier you can grab dinner, lunch or pick up some hand made jewelery.  If you like fishing then stop in to gab with the fishermen on the pier and see what is biting.

The sign at the entrance of the Anna Maria City pier says it all.  “The Anna Maria Development Company built this pier and wharf in 1911-1912 to provide dockage for ships from St. Petersburg and Tampa.  It has since withstood hurricanes and lesser storms too numerous to mention.  Although parts were damaged in storms in 1918, 1935, 1974 and 1988, it has each time been restored to its approximate  original form.  It is 678 feet long.  The wharf extends another 58 feet into Tampa bay.

Over the years it has nurtured the hopes of fisherman and the dreams of lovers…provided roosts for pelicans and other sea birds and has been a friend to residents and visitors alike.

Over the center of the tin roof, from the third shore bench to the south of this marker, on clear nights can be seen the North star, guardian of the mariners since the first sailor looked up for guidance of the night sea.

Come walk these planks…

Beneath the Roof of this City Pier is the Place to Sit with Shrimp and Beer, While Lightening in the Distance Plays And Thunder Rumbles Across the Bays…                                “Summer Storm”…CMV ”

Silhouettes at Sunset 8~16~09 Anna Maria Island Turtle Hatchling

Turtle season has moved into full swing on Anna Maria Island and we are seeing hatchlings taking place almost daily. As fate would have it, I walked up on a hatchling and was fortunate enough to help escort about 45 baby Loggerheads safely to the water. The crowd of about 60 other onlookers were well informed of the rules in order to participate. Most were visitors from all over. Absolutely no camera flashes are allowed, only infra-red lights although only when necessary. After standing over a nest that had begun to cave in due to the rumblings of turtles cracking through their eggs, the ground began to “boil”. What is so amazing is how this happens for the most part simultaneously where all at the same time the sand moves and out over their nest these little guys scramble to embark towards the water. It is as though they are all wearing a compass as they march like an army to their new environment. There is usually one leader and a few stragglers that seem to be a bit weaker than their brothers and sisters. You could feel the emotion of this crowd as we urged them toward safety with words of encouragement. When the last little guy hit the water the crowd broke out in cheers. We had all just shared a beautiful act of nature.

After a hatchling occurs, the faithful Turtle Watch volunteers go back to the nest to record shells, eggs that did not hatch and perhaps rescue some that were unable to hatch or just left behind. On a different night I happened up on an excavation. Glenn was elbow deep digging through the remains as Cindy assisted in sifting through the sand. There were 10 babies found still alive that were rescued and taken to safety. Bless these folks that donate their time to endless walks on the beach checking nest and assuring that as many Loggerheads as possible are given their best shot at survival. The work is very rewarding and you all deserve our praise for a job well done!

Written by Melinda Bordes  ~941-705- 0146~melinda@annamariasunset.com~ Whether buying or selling real estate on Anna Maria Island or surrounding area please contact me for all of your real estate needs. Please enjoy the sunset!

Anna Maria Island Vacation Rental F.A.Q.

Anna Maria Island Vacation Rentals – (FAQ) Frequently Asked Questions

What Accommodations are offered on Anna Maria Island?

There are very few hotels on Anna Maria Island.  They can be very difficult to find and when they are found availability can be difficult to find.  There is one Bed & Breakfast on Anna Maria Island we highly recommend, the Harrington House Bed & Breakfast receives rave reviews and we strongly recommend it for guests looking for a romantic getaway.  Vacation Rentals are the most prevalent Accommodation option for visitors to Anna Maria Island, Florida.

What is a vacation rental?

Vacation rentals on Anna Maria Island could be a home, condominium or Multi-Family home.  Vacation rental homes are a growing accommodation option for travelers all across the world. Vacation Rentals offer a fantastic value for families, extended families, friends and groups.  Anna Maria Island Vacation rentals allow visitors to stay under one roof while providing considerably more space than a hotel room.  In many instances, amenities found in Island Real Estate’s inventory offer more choices than your normal home.  Playstations, Big screen TV’s, unlimited long distance, wireless internet, outdoor bars, tiki huts, pool tables, and much much more.

Why do people stay in a Vacation rental when visiting Anna Maria Island?

Many guests choose to stay in a vacation rental for a combination of reasons — value, location, privacy, amenities and overall comfort and convenience. In a vacation rental, Anna Maria visitors are able to reserve a fully furnished beach home with multiple bedrooms and bathrooms under one roof, rather than reserving multiple hotel rooms. The other challenge with reserving multiple hotel rooms is no kitchen.  Island Real Estate’s vacation rentals come fully stocked with kitchen items needed to cook any dinner including a late or early Thanksgiving feast.  Try that in a hotel room and you will likely be disappointed.  Double ovens, blenders, dishwashers, and many other amenities make vacation rentals a perfect option for a value oriented vacation for immediate or extended family.  Don’t forget that most vacation rentals have dining tables that comfortably seat 6-20.  Be sure to check pictures of the dining table or speak with one of Island Real Estate’s knowledgeable vacation specialists to be sure we meet any table size expectations.

Is it like a timeshare? Is any ownership involved?

Vacation rentals are not a timeshare.  A vacation rental does not involve any type of ownership, maintenance fees, or commitments other than your time period booked.  Guests simply rent a vacation home for their getaway, much like a traditional hotel’s reservation and check-in process.

What typical amenities can be found in a vacation rental home?

There are amenities available to fit every guest’s recreational lifestyle. Vacation rental visitors often have access to their own private pools, spas, patios and beach decks.  Inside most vacation rentals have multiple televisions, barbecue grills, DVD players, wireless Internet access, billiard, air hockey tables, PlayStation®, Xbox game systems, and surround sound stereo systems.

What types of rental homes are available to Anna Maria Island visitors?

Island Real Estate offers fully furnished vacation rentals to Anna Maria Island visitors.  Island Real Estate’s inventory of Vacation Rental homes include private pool homes, condos, and multi-family homes. Vacation rentals are available from one to six bedrooms (750 – 4,200 square feet.) and up to six bathrooms, all under one roof. Island Real Estate boasts the largest inventory of luxury vacation rentals as well as a large inventory of Direct Gulf front Beach cottages and condominiums.

Are the vacation rental homes and condominiums individually owned?

Almost all vacation rental homes available on Anna Maria Island are privately owned. Many rental homes are overseen by real estate property management companies who manage the vacation rental, maintenance and reservation process for individual homeowners.  Island Real Estate manages both condominium complexes as well as individual vacation rentals.  Island Real Estate is also the largest Real Estate company on Anna Maria Island and assists many families make their dream a reality by assisting in the purchase, sale, and property management of beach homes on Anna Maria Island, FL.

How do I find a vacation rental that will be sure to meet my expectations?

A variety of industry associations have made it easier for travelers to find their ideal vacation rental.  Island Real Estate suggests you use a Property Management company although it is not necessary.  Property management
companies like Island Real Estate normally have some minimum requirements that their ownership must comply with.  A great question to ask.  How far is the vacation rental company from the vacation rental and if their office is open 7 days per week? Island Real Estate at the time of this writing is the only company to professionally rate each property using 10 categories from overall decor to bedroom furniture and kitchen supplies to name a few.  You may want to call the local chamber of commerce and in our case the Anna Maria Island Chamber of commerce and ask for feedback about the company you are considering.  Speak with a vacation specialist and be sure to list the amenities you must have and work backwards from there.  In addition, “Flipkey” is a new independent rating source for vacation rentals.  Be sure the property management company or individual owner is using Flipkey and if not why?  Perhaps their vacation rental inventory is not up to most travelers expectations?  Be sure to look up Island Real Estate on Flipkey where you will find more than 300 independent reviews from Anna Maria Island visitors.

How do I make a reservation? Is it secure?

Island Real Estate’s web site is fully secure and gives both secure and accurate availability of all vacation rentals in our inventory.  Potential guests can view virtual tours, amenity details, pictures, and descriptions on
their Anna Maria Island Vacation Rental website. In addition, book your vacation rental on-line or call a vacation specialist 7 days per week and book over our secure land line telephone system.

Do vacation rental home visitors have to stay for long periods of time?

Island Real Estate requires most of our vacation rentals to be a three night minimum.  There are few exceptions so please speak or email a vacation rental specialist for more information. Some weeks in high seasons require 7 night stays as a minimum with a Saturday to Saturday stay.

What is the difference between renting from a management company and renting directly from a homeowner?

When renting from a property management company, travelers enjoy additional benefits and services that are not typically offered by individual homeowners.  Island Real Estate’s office is open 7 days per week with a 24-hour customer service contact, concierge services, housekeeping, and the ability to search and reserve a home securely online. If a vacation rental home is not professionally managed, the homeowner is responsible for the property’s maintenance, upkeep, and customer service offered to vacation renters.  All too often the owner is an absentee owner thousands of miles away that can easily lose track of housekeeping and worse yet, maintenance upkeep.  Professional Management companies like Island Real Estate handle all the above tasks for the homeowner, ensuring consistency and quality in both customer service and the level of accommodations.

If I have questions during my stay, do I have someone I can call for assistance?

Be sure to ask the potential rental company if they have an on call emergency staff available 24 hours per day, 7 days per week.  Many do not offer emergency contacts so you are left to fend for yourself.  Not a relaxing
situation if you need urgent assistance.  upon check-in to your home.

When renting a vacation home, will I receive room service, spa treatments, food delivery, etc.?

While all the above experiences are not automatically supplied with your vacation rental be sure to make your request and most professional management companies can assist in meeting your individual vacationing needs.  Island Real Estate offers many additional amenities, including special needs equipment, in-home massages or spa treatments, a personal chef to cook family meals, pre-arrival or after arrival grocery delivery services, child care, transportation services, and much more. Island Real Estate’s staff are local to the area so be sure to ask for restaurant, entertainment, or outdoor activity recommendations or the Island Real Estate informational website for more information on Anna Maria Island things to do.

Is daily housekeeping service available?

While each vacation rental is thoroughly cleaned and prepared for guest arrivals, professional management companies such as Island Real Estate offers daily or mid-stay housekeeping services upon request.  These services require additional fees and we recommend you discuss your cleaning expectations with one of Island Real Estate’s vacation rental specialists.  We can also accommodate all green cleaning on many of our vacation rentals if required.

How does a vacation rental compare to a hotel stay, economically speaking?

Vacation rental homes and condominiums provide enormous cost savings by allowing guests to make one reservation, rather than multiple, for a group or family. Rates for some three-bedroom vacation homes start at just $100 per night, but sleep eight to ten guests versus just one or two for a hotel room. Vacation rentals also provide a fully equipped kitchen which offers an additional dining out savings.  A group of six could easily save more than $2000 USD for a week stay on Anna Maria Island as compared to a hotel stay.  Not to mention the frustration of finding one of the very few hotels available on Anna Maria Island.

What if I require handicap accessibility?

Be sure to speak with one of Island Real Estate’s vacation rental specialists for additional information on which home would best meet your parties needs.  Many of our homes are ground level or supply elevators and we do have a few choices on Anna Maria for rental equipment such as Beach Wheel chairs.  We have been told that Anna Maria Island supplies some of the most handicap accessible beaches in the state of Florida.  Many of our beach access points are dead end streets and the beach is very flat without hills to climb.  For more information on the perfect beach for your vacation give Island Real Estate a call.  877 778-6066.

May we bring pets?

Island Real Estate does have many homes that are pet-friendly.  Many Anna Maria Island visitors attempt to sneak their pet into a non-pet friendly home and this is highly discouraged.  Most professionally managed homes have cleaning crews that review the tell tale signs of non-authorized pets.  Unauthorized pets at the very least will require significant fines and worse yet, immediate eviction.  A secret of many vacation rental owners and property managers is to enlist the help of their neighbors to inform us when a pet is on the premises.  Please don’t be a casualty of not following a home’s guidelines.

How do I check-in to my vacation rental once I’ve arrived on Anna Maria Island?

Island Real Estate’s office is centrally located on Anna Maria Island and uses an expedited check in process that takes minutes.  We know your anxious to get to your vacation rental after a long flight or long drive and the last thing we want to do is to delay your arrival.  Be careful, most other Vacation rental companies on Anna Maria Island have a lengthy rental check in process that can take up to a half an hour on high demand rental weeks.  Most high demand weeks Island Real Estate sets up their outside tiki hut so we are outside ready to move you on your way.  Island Real Estate also offers a gift bag with a few goodies and lots of Anna Maria Island local activities and restaurant information.

Is there a check in and check out time?

Absolutely, check in time for Island Real Estate is 3-5 PM and check out time is 10 AM.  Whenever possible Island Real Estate makes every attempt to allow for an early check in or late check out.  Very often due to same day
incoming or outgoing visitors we cannot accommodate early or late check times.  Be sure to ask a vacation rental specialist for more details on your

specific circumstance.

Do all vacation rentals have a telephone, Internet access and cable television?

Vacation rentals are furnished with BASIC cable television and television.  Anna Maria Island’s BASIC cable television offers local channels as well as a few other stations.  Channels not included in BASIC cable are ESPN, CNN, CNBC, MSNBC and movie channels.  If you have a very specific channel you wish to see while on vacation be sure to ask about channel accessibility concerning the vacation rental of your choice.  Island Real Estate does have several vacation rentals that offer German and Spanish language channels.  Not all vacation rentals are equipped with internet or wireless internet.  Island Real Estate’s website does provide searching only rentals with internet access however please be careful as internet service and wireless internet services are entirely different.  Be sure to check the amenities table on Island Real Estate’s website or check with a vacation rental specialist for more information.  Island Real Estate does offer a computer, printer and small office set up in several of our luxury vacation rentals.

Are vacation rental homes rated for their quality and services?

Unfortunately, AAA does not rate vacation rentals in the Anna Maria Island area.  Island Real Estate does rate each vacation rental in 10 categories to ensure the amenities you expect can be met in any vacation rental that contains the star rating you demand.  Another fantastic independent source that Island Real Estate uses is Flipkey.  Flipkey sends a survey to past visitors of each vacation rental and asks for a rating from one to five.  The past guest returns the survey to Flipkey which they proceed to post on their website with NO intervention from property management companies or individual owners.  Most vacation rental homes are not using
Flipkey for a number of reasons however you can find all of Island Real Estate’s vacation rentals on Flipkey for an independent guest review of the properties within our inventory.

How do property professionals get paid?  Is there a commission tacked on?

Typically individual property owners pay property managers not the guest.  In some cases travel agents charge the guest a reservation fee and the travel agent passes the guest to a local property management company to ensure at a local level the travelers vacation rental expectations are met.  Typically there is a small reservation fee applied at the time of reservation as well as a cleaning fee and state and local taxes for the rental service being provided.