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By Jackie Perrin, KidsOutAndAbout.com
On a little known island just off Florida’s Gulf Coast, shorts-clad children ride a trolley to school, stunning sunsets come free of charge and since the early 1900’s, time has stood magically still.
Locale
Located 40 miles south of Tampa, Anna Maria Island is a 7-1/2 mile long barrier island comprised of three interconnected small cities – Anna Maria City, Holmes Beach, and Bradenton Beach. With a collective residency of 8,000, its population is slightly less than the village of Brockport, NY.
History
Only since 1922 has the island been physically connected to the mainland.
In the early 1900’s, flush with cash from the sale of his Fig Newton cookie recipe to the Nabisco Foods Company, inventor John Roser joined with his son, George W. Bean, to form the Anna Maria Beach Company. The firm set about laying roads and water lines, but progress was stalled by the Great Depression.
In the decades that followed, most Florida gulf coast towns flourished, erecting high rises and putting in highways in order to keep up with an ever-growing influx of snowbirds and tourists.
Despite its natural and growing appeal (the locale was named the hottest 2007 destination in the US by TripAdvisor.com), Anna Maria Island remains refreshingly untouched. Immune to the frenetic building that has plagued some other beachfront towns, the island claims no chain hotels or mega resorts.
Can you say peaceful family getaway?
Sand Strand
The top attraction on Anna Maria Island, unsurprisingly, is a natural one. Here, lengthy stretches of white sand beach predominate – a perfect venue for the “wear them out till they drop" toddler trot.
Among the six island beaches, popular spots for families include Coquina Beach on the southern end of the island – a life-guarded area with concessions, beach rentals and a playground – and Holmes Beach in the center of the island – a lively wide stretch with plenty of family-friendly amenities.
Trolley Tour
Running the length of the island (and soon, connecting to Longboat Key and downtown Sarasota) is the Manatee Trolley. Passage on the forest green, open-air trolley is free, making it a convenient as well as economical form of transport for your island vacation.
For a delightfully lazy afternoon, take the trolley to the tip of the island, where dining options include the cozy Waterfront Restaurant (111 S. Bay Blvd.), The Rod and Reel Pier (875 North Shore Drive), and The City Pier Restaurant (100 S. Bay Blvd.)
Stop in to Beach Bum Billy’s (427 Pine Avenue, www.amib3.com) for sand buckets, sharks teeth and other provisions for later, and continue down the street for the shortest self-guided tour you’ll ever take.
Adjacent to the Anna Maria Historical Society headquarters – based in a 1920’s ice house – is a stark, roofless concrete structure. “No roof, no door, no windows, no bars – no visitors for years and years," reads the graffiti-painted façade of the long-abandoned Anna Maria Island Jail. Get a leg up on your holiday cards (or else show and tell at school) by donning imaginary jailbird costumes and posing for the camera.
On the return trip, the trolley stops just outside The Anna Maria Island Elementary School in Holmes Beach. If you happen to be aboard at dismissal time, you’ll share your seats with the dozen or more schoolchildren who hop on daily for the short ride home.
The trolley operates on a continuous schedule from 6am to 10:30pm daily. Passage is free. For a route map, call (941) 749-7116.
Diversions
From a kid’s perspective, Anna Maria Island is a great place to be. The beaches as well as the novelty of the free island trolley should easily keep your cadre entertained for the better park of a week. The only thing missing is Wi-Fi.
Should technology withdrawal tremors threaten to take hold, check out some additional entertainment possibilities.
Cortez Critter Charter
Less than five minutes from the mainland in the village of Cortez, Captain Kim is poised to give adventurers young and old the boat ride of a lifetime.
Cortez is Florida’s only remaining commercial fishing village, having survived Red Tide, hurricanes, and other calamities that have destroyed similar coastal operations.
Kim Ibasfalean, or “Captain Kim" as the locals call her, is the third generation in a family of commercial fishermen. Her husband is still in the industry – he’s a crabber – but a few years ago, Captain Kim abandoned commercial pursuits in favor of entertaining and educating tourists about her beloved Cortez Bay.
Utilizing a handcrafted contraption she has coined “The Cortez critter catcher", Captain Kim introduces passengers aboard her charter boat to treasures of the sea. Starfish, sand dollars, sea sponges and even sea slugs are some choice specimens to be seen.
Captain Kim runs charters for private groups, including families, from the docks of the Star Fish Company Market & Restaurant (see listing). She hosts a local TV show, appropriately named “Captain Kim’s Adventures."
Eco Excursion
A bit further out, in Wimauma, Canoe Outpost offers paddling excursions on The Little Manatee River. During winter and spring, peaceful waters make for an easy two-hour kayak tour, providing plenty of paddling practice for young children.
Citrus Circuit
Next to Mickey Mouse, Florida citrus reigns supreme. It’s a big fact to swallow, but at Mixon Fruit Farms in Bradenton, pleasant tour guides put it in kid-friendly terms.
In the state of Florida, agriculture – citrus in particular – is the second largest industry, next only to tourism. Board the Orange Blossom Express and take a tour of a working citrus grove. Tour stops include a citrus packing house and juice facility, and a butterfly maze and a wildlife rescue area. Afterwards, stop in the gift shop for a sweet taste of south Florida.
Snooty the Sea Mammal
Visit Snooty, the oldest living manatee in captivity, at the South Florida Museum. Highlights of a visit to the museum, planetarium and aquarium complex include a paleontology exhibit, a children’s discovery room, and daily manatee presentations, where you’ll learn of the plight of the Florida sea mammal.
Staying and Playing
With average temperatures in the 80’s and 90’s year-round, Anna Maria island is a great spot to hit the beach. Sunscreen, a pair of flip-flops, and an affinity for sugary white sand are pretty much all you’ll need for this laid-back escape.
Rentals – ideal for families - are the lodging of choice as well as of necessity on Anna Maria Island. Choose from among independently-owned beach homes, small to mid-sized condo complexes, and moderate priced motels and apartments.
One of the newest island lodgings is Bridgewalk Resort, a 28 unit apartment-style complex. The largest units – tastefully decorated two-bedroom two floor townhouses – are equipped with full kitchens and dining areas.
Conveniently located across from the beach in Anna Maria’s historic district, BridgeWalk offers a small but serviceable swimming pool and is connected to a shopping promenade hosting a nice selection of resort-style shops and galleries.
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