How to Select Beach Rental Locations

on Anna Maria Island

 

How to use this Street-by-Street Guide

First, this guide is not intended to help you pick out a specific rental house or property. I am not a rental agent and I do not offer any properties for rent on the island. The reason I put this guide together is to help you see what the beach is like at each location on Anna Maria Island. So many people email me and say "We are looking at a rental about two blocks from the beach on 46th Street in Holmes Beach. What is the nicest beach in that area? Should we look somewhere else?" This guide will give you a really good look at the beach front houses themselves as well as the beach. It is helpful to use this guide together with Google Maps.

Note: I've just started putting this guide together in December 2010. I started with Holmes Beach. I'll gradually add all the streets and cover every beach on the island.

You can either browse the street list (left column of this page), or you can search the internet for rentals that suit your needs and budget, then check out what the beach is like near your rental. Streets that run across the island (east-west) often dead-end right at the beach. Most of those streets have a walking path to the beach. A few have some on-street parking, but most don't. Always check with your accommodations manager to find out if there is a beach access within easy walking distance, or if you'll need to drive to a public access with parking facilities. Remember that only the main public beach access has restrooms.

How Can We Find the Right Beach Rental?

The best way is to work with a local realtor that specializes in beach rentals. There are a number of highly experienced rental agents on Anna Maria Island. You may find some of them advertising on this site. However, it does not hurt to spend some time looking around on the internet to familiarize yourself with the island, available properties and prices. You may find a "by-owner" rental (there are MANY excellent ones) that will suit your needs.

What 's the Safest Beach for Swimming on Anna Maria Island

ALL the beaches are safe for swimming. However, you should avoid swimming near either end of the island, near the passes (inlets). The water gets very deep very quickly and the water currents are very strong. There is also a lot of boat traffic. Also, as of December 2010, there are some areas at the Manatee County Public Beach where the old pier was recently torn down where there may be some concrete debris in the water. There are warning signs posted. The beaches of Anna Maria Island are excellent for swimming and are very child friendly. They do not drop off steeply and the water is usually quite clear.

What's Holmes Beach? I Thought it Was Anna Maria Island?

The island is about 7 miles long. The name of the entire island is "Anna Maria Island." There are three separate cities on the island, although they are all connected and you don't really know when you cross from one to the next. The three cities are:

Each city has a slightly different character.