Anna Maria Island provides a unique Florida getaway
A glimpse into yesterday
By Phyllis Steinberg
 When you think of Florida, hi-rise hotels with lavish
lobbies and magnificent swimming pools come to mind. But Anna Maria Island,
gives vacationers a different view of the sunshine state. There are no hi-rises
on this island. The speed limit is only 35 miles per hour and there are rarely
any traffic jams. No one seems to be in a hurry either. You aren’t likely to see
McDonald’s golden arches or a Burger King. What you will find on this 7.5 mile
stretch of beach is charming cottages and island villas, passion flowers and
hibiscus, spoonbills and seabirds. And most alluring, you will have the
opportunity to escape from the typical touristy destinations.
 Anna Maria Island is comprised of three cities. Anna Maria, the northern portion, Holmes Beach, in the middle and Bradenton Beach in
south. I stayed in Holmes Beach at the Island Garden Villas in a beautiful one
bedroom villa with a roomy kitchen, living room and dining area. The modern
kitchen was equipped with a stove and a microwave, refrigerator, china, stemware
and pots and pans. The villa was spotless and had lovely furnishings throughout.
There are just a few units at the villas, with excellent service and attention
given to guests.
 Two beautiful fountains and the sound of gently flowing
water welcome guests to the Island Garden Villas. The fountain in the rear of
the villas is surrounded by cozy chairs and piped in soft music plays as soft
lights glisten in the moonlight. Occasionally a friendly feline might stroll by,
but basically the inn is a safe haven for collecting your thoughts. It’s a place
where time stands still and the beauty of the universe comes into view.
 The secluded unspoiled beach is just across the street from
the Island Garden Villas and a special path is available to take guests to the
white sandy beach less than two minutes away. The sand is hard, great for long
walks which I did each morning with my husband. Occasionally, we would see
another couple, but mostly the beach was the sanctuary for lovely foliage, fish
and sea birds. Interesting shells dot the beach along with wildflowers and
sandcastles.
 The restaurants on the island are a good match with the
character of the area—unusual, charming and delicious. The area abounds with
fresh seafood. Some of my favorites were the grouper and the snapper and you can
get it grilled, fried, blackened or broiled at most restaurants. There are
casual restaurants, upscale restaurants and corner drugstore type eateries. For
a delicious breakfast, try Ginny and Jane E’s@ the Old IGA. The crème brulee
French toast was awesome. Ginny and Jane E’s is a combination internet café and
art store. You’re apt to find just about anything at Ginny and Jane E’s from
lighting fixtures and puzzles to jams and jellies.
 Another fun place for breakfast is the Gulf Drive Café
located on the beach. This is a popular spot for the locals. There are tables
outside facing the Gulf of Mexico but they tend to be taken first, so plan on
eating early so you can enjoy your breakfast at the tables on the beach. The
thick homemade hot oatmeal is delicious and so are the pancakes.
Dining out is an incredible experience if you are lucky
enough to get a reservation at Euphemia Haye. The restaurant is
located in Longboat Key, just a short drive from Anna Maria Island. The
restaurant is known for its duck, but everything was delicious including the
Caesar salad mixed tableside and the steak served flaming. Don’t forget to
venture upstairs to the Haye Loft, the dessert room where specialty desserts are served.
Another fun dining spot that I enjoyed was the Beach House
Restaurant. This casual restaurant offers nightly entertainment and freshly
caught fish. Located on the Gulf of Mexico, it is a perfect
place to watch the sunset.
It’s a short drive to nearby Bradenton. Plan to enjoy lunch
or dinner at Mattison’s Riverside. This ultra modern restaurant faces the Twin
Dolphin Marina with dozens of yachts docked along the decks next to the
restaurant. The food is inexpensive and delicious and the view is lovely. They
also have a sushi bar serving some of the best sushi in the area.
 Breakfast and dinner can be enjoyed at the Island Creperie,
an intimate French eatery where the buckwheat crepes are the best I have tasted
anywhere.
Anna Maria Island is the perfect place to chill out and
relax, but if you would like to see the sights, a 30-minute drive to the
Ringling Museum in Sarasota is a fabulous way to spend the day. Enjoy lunch at Traviso in the museum where we savored some watermelon chilled soup. The museum
has three main parts. The first is the Ringling Museum of Art consists of 21
marvelous galleries.
 John Ringling the circus owner multimillionaire used his
wealth and his frequent trips abroad to acquire European art. When he moved his
winter home to Sarasota he built this museum to house his huge collection. Next
is the Ca’ d’ Zan mansion, Ringling’s winter residence. Overlooking Sarasota Bay
it is a wonderful Venetian-style palace. The third part of the museum is the
amazing model circus at the Tibbals Learning Center. It takes a good four hours
or longer to see everything, so wear good walking shoes and plan to stay there
the good part of a day.
The Sarasota Kennel Club is just a few minutes drive from
the Ringling Museum if you would like to catch a few greyhound races after your
visit to the museum. There is nightly racing year round.
 Nature lovers will enjoy the Emerson Point Preserve, a
365-acre, state-owned managed preserve which contains a variety of native
Florida coastal ecosystems. This is a immense place for bird-watching, hiking,
bicycling, fishing and canoeing. Naturalist, Karen Fraley, of Around the Bend
Nature Tours, took us on an insightful tour of the preserve and pointing out
native plants and animals on our nature walk through the area.
Other interesting sights are the Mote Aquarium and the
Village of the Arts in Bradenton where 35 galleries feature everything from fine
art and furniture to clothing and antiques. There is also the South Florida
Museum and Bishop planetarium in Bradenton.
But more than the tourist attractions, Anna Maria Island is
a unique Florida destination that allows you to step back in time and enjoy the
beauty of a sunset, the budding of a flower and the sound of the waves rolling
out to sea.
Photos by Phyllis Steinberg
Island Garden Villas, 5607 Gulf Drive, Holmes Beach,
941-778-4636,
www.islandgardenvillas.com
Village of the Arts, Bradenton, 941-747-0823,
www.villageofthearts.com
Beach House Restaurant, Anna Maria,
941-778-1696,www.groupersandwich.com
Island Creperie, 127 Bridge Street, Bradenton,
941-778-1011,
lelaousa@hotmail.com
Euphemia Haye, 5540 Gulf of Mexico Dr.,
Longboat Key, 941-383-3633.
Gulf Drive Café, 900 Gulf Drive, Bradenton, 941-776-1919,
www.gulfdrivetiki.com
Mattison’s Riverside, 1200 First Ave West, Bradenton,
941-748-8087,
www.mattisons.com
Bradenton Area Convention and Visitors Bureau,
www.FloridasGulfIslands.com
South Florida Museum, 10th St. West, Bradenton,
941-746-4131,
www.southfloridamuseum.org
The John and Mable Ringling Museum of Art, 5401 Bay Shore
Road, Sarasota, 941-359-5700, ext. 110,
www.ringling.org
Emerson Point Preserve, 17th Street West, Palmetto,
941-721-6885
Around the Bend Nature Tours, 1815 Palma Sola Blvd.,
Bradenton, 941-794-8773,
www.aroundbend.com
Mote Aquarium, 1600 Ken Thompson Pkwy, Sarasota,
800-691-MOTE,
www.mote.org
Sarasota Kennel Club, 5400 Bradenton Rd., Sarasota,
941-355-7744,
www.sarasotakennelclub.com
Sarasota Convention and Visitors Bureau,
www.sarasotafl.org
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