Tim & Teresa
Tim & Teresa
Travel & Accomodations
Anna Maria Island, a 7-mile-long stretch of island, sitting in the Gulf of Mexico, is home to the island’s three cities – City of Bradenton Beach (to the south), City of Holmes Beach (in the center) and the City of Anna Maria (to the north). All three cities provide access to spectacular beaches, accommodations and outdoor activities.
The wedding ceremony will be on Holmes Beach (our favorite part of the island) and the reception will be in Bradenton Beach (our favorite area for night life).
The Anna Maria Island Chamber of Commerce describes this pristine place perfectly: “Anna Maria Island is a place where ‘old’ Florida charm can still be found, flip-flops are a way of life, and the speed limit never exceeds 35 mph.” If you’re looking for high-rise condos and fast food-chains, you won’t find them here.
Anna Maria Island offers a wide variety of accommodations including beach-side cottages, quaint bungalows, state of the art resorts, luxury homes, condos and spacious villas. Few buildings are taller than three stories, making each lodging a unique experience with its own flavor and character. Without traditional hotels, most rentals run Saturday to Saturday, with weekly rentals being the more economical option, but there are some exceptions. Booking early is recommended for best availability.
For nightly rentals, please visit: Anna Maria Island Resorts, Waterline Resorts or Silver Beach Resorts (linked below). There are also nightly rentals available via Airbnb or Vrbo.
The Sarasota Bradenton International Airport (SRQ) is the closest airport to Anna Maria Island. It is only about a 30-minute drive. The airport has free parking up to 30 minutes in the short-term parking lot, which is in front of the terminal making it easy to be picked up from there.
Tampa International Airport (TPA)
The drive from Tampa to Anna Maria Island isn’t exactly a straight line and will take a little over an hour. Your scenic drive will take you over the famous Skyway bridge which is scary for anyone that hasn’t been on it. You will also get to see the majestic Manatee River. These attractions make the drive much more entertaining. There is a small toll charge to pass over the Sunshine Skyway bridge each way so make sure you have some cash/change on hand.
BridgeWalk - A Landmark Resort
3 Night Minimum! We have room blocks for each resort - call for 15% off by mentioning the Hendrickson-Porto wedding (discount will be extended outside these dates as well). Bridgewalk is adjacent to our reception venue and Silver Surf is a short trolley or Monkey Bus ride away.
Discover two distinctly different resort hideaways from Silver Resorts, each with a unique feel and vibe all their own. BridgeWalk puts you in the heart of the Bradenton Beach, FL historic district, with its vibrant shops, restaurants, ice cream parlors, and bars, while Silver Surf offers private beach access and a laid-back social setting.
Anna Maria Island Resorts
They have two properties; Tortuga is the most popular one. One one side is the Bay, the other the Gulf - Old Florida Feel and very clean. The other property is Tradewinds Beach Resort.
Waterline Villas & Marina
This option is a bit pricey, but you can use Marriott Points here. Located in Holmes Beach on beautiful Anna Maria Island, FL, Waterline Villas & Marina, Autograph Collection is a sophisticated and stylish boutique hotel inspired by the sea. Our condo-style hotel accommodations boast living spaces and fully equipped gourmet kitchens where you can spend time preparing a favorite dish.
Anna Maria Island Luxury Vacation Rentals (amilocals.com)
AMI Locals is a property management company that has hundreds of weekly rental properties of all sizes. Our team lives here locally, and we all love Anna Maria Island, so we want to make sure all our guests do too. This area is incredibly special, so we want to ensure your experience staying on Anna Maria Island in Anna Maria, Bradenton Beach, or Holmes Beach is wonderful and memorable! For a small discount, call to place your reservation and mention our wedding.
Anna Maria Life Vacation Rentals
Family-owned and operated, Anna Maria Life Vacation Rentals is one of the top Anna Maria Island rental agencies and offers exceptional weekly vacation homes and quality service with a personal touch. From beachfront to bayside, you can choose from a quaint one-bedroom cottage, a waterfront condo with stunning views of the Gulf of Mexico, or a multi-bedroom pool home. Anna Maria Life Vacation Rentals offer authentic island living at an affordable price.
Florida Rental by Owner
For weekly rental homes, Florida Rental by Owner is wonderful. They have all size accommodations without the usual rental company charges.
The Monkey Bus
The Monkey Bus is a fleet of small busses that transport both locals and visitors anywhere you want to go on Anna Maria Island or The Village of Cortez. We are free to ride, asking only that you tip your driver generously, and we promise we’ll show you a great time. We’ve been a fixture on the Island for close to two decades, but are under new ownership as of June, 2022 have added new busses and features on an almost weekly basis, improving what was already great. Our company doesn’t just give you a ride, we take music request, answer any questions about the Island, offer tours, will take you to the store or just about anything else you can think of. Parking is difficult on our small Island, so leave the car at home, relax and leave the driving to us while you wave at the palm trees! To book your ride, call us at (941) 565-6542
Island Trolley
Free Anna Maria Island trolley. Hop on and off as often as you like. Several trolleys loop the island from Coquina Beach on the southern tip in Bradenton Beach up to the City Pier in the City of Anna Maria on the northern end of the island on a daily basis.
Trolley service starts at 6am from both ends of the loop. Trolleys typically run at 20 minute intervals until 9pm, then every 30 minutes until 10:30pm. (times may vary due to unforeseen incidents, traffic conditions or weather) You’ll never be far from a trolley stop, you can usually find them every two to four blocks. With 35 northbound and 35 southbound trolley stops, it’s easy to get anywhere you want to go on the island. You may find a schedule on the MCAT site here.