The Beach Bistro is a fantastic restaurant that offers a dining experience to remember. Several courses are served, or you can order how you like. Reservations are strongly recommended, but you can also try to grab a seat at the bar. The bar has a little more limited menu and provides some “lighter fare” options. If you are looking for a romantic spot with limited gulf views and price is no option then we strongly recommend the Beach Bistro. Average meal prices are well over $35, so be sure you are comfortable with their prices.
Younger children are welcome, but are not recommended if you plan on having a long dining experience. Parking can be a bit of a challenge but if you can find a “legal” spot go for it otherwise be sure to use their valet parking. One additional note, the seating for two is normally fairly intimate so be prepared to get to know your neighboring diners.
We’ve provided some information below to help you contact them or find them once you’re on the island!
Beach Bistro
The Bistro is located in Holmes Beach, FL
Tripadvisor Rating: 4.5 stars – based on 377 reviews
Anna Maria Island Activities for teens – As a teenager myself I know it can be hard to find fun activities for teens on Anna Maria Island without the parents that won’t worry them like crazy. However, here on the island there is such a variety of activities it will seem almost too easy to get away and make memories with your friends.
Anna Maria Island Activities for Teens
1. Bike around the island
A great way to experience the island is biking. With the island only being seven miles long the trip isn’t strenuous, and is a great way to find shops and explore the island. Also, it’s a great way to keep in shape and help the environment, which is something Anna Maria prides itself on. Some great places to rent bikes are Beach Bums, Just 4 Fun, and AMI Beach Fun. Check out the Anna Maria Island bike guide here!
2. Go paddle boarding
Paddle Boarding around the island is one of the most fun ways to explore new places and sea life. For beginners, it’s recommended to find a place with calm water to learn on. Some good places to launch off of are the pier on 63rd street, Bimini Bay, and Bayfront Park. Many places are accessible by Anna Maria’s free trolley that goes through Anna Maria, Holmes Beach, and Bradenton Beach. Find the trolley schedule here.
Bay Front park is a great place for Paddle boarding!
3. Catch ’em all
With the newest app Pokémon Go being released on July 6th, 2016 Anna Maria has become the perfect place to find tons of poke stops and gyms during your stay. Not only is the game extremely fun, it gives you the chance to explore the island, and meet new people along the way. Collect pokeballs and powerups at the Florida Friendly Demonstration Garden while experiencing a place you might not have known about otherwise. Also, since you’re so close to the ocean you get to find water Pokémon such as Psyduck and Squirtle. This helps add to your collection AND find better Pokémon to battle with! Want a playlist to catch ’em all to? Click here to add some spunk to your adventure! Just remember if you’re driving to be safe and #DontCatchAndDrive.
Anna Maria Island is a really fun place to explore with Pokemon Go!
4. Eat!
I can proudly say eating different food is one of my favorite parts of vacationing, and Anna Maria doesn’t let down. Start your day off with Minnie’s Beach Cafe for breakfast on Holmes Beach, where they serve delicious pancakes and sandwiches! For lunch try Anna Maria Island Beach Cafe where they serve delicious sandwiches and platters. Dinner is served at Anna Maria Oyster Bar on the Pier where there is yummy sea food and a pretty view. Also, if you’re craving a treat The Donut Experiment makes tasty made-to-order donuts, or Two Scoops is the home to 32 different flavors of ice cream.
Anna Maria Oyster Bar (AMOB) on the pier is a great place to eat for teens on a budget!
5. Shop Shop Shop!
Who doesn’t love to shop while on vacation? The Island has the coolest shops, providing fun presents for the family and fun activities for teens on Anna Maria Island. Some of the best shops are:
Anna Maria- When vacationing on the coast eating fresh seafood is a must, and Anna Maria Island Oysters are no exception. With countless restaurants on the island, finding some delicious oysters to eat is easier than ever!
Anna Maria Island Oysters
Many people believe humans have eaten oysters since the Roman times from evidence of oyster farms in France and the United Kingdom. Crazy right?
Oysters can be found in all of the world’s oceans. They are bivalve mollusks that have rough irregular shells. While most oysters are edible, there is a difference between food oysters and pearl oysters. Even though it is possible, most food oysters don’t produce pearls. Both are also in two different families of bivalves.
Surprisingly enough, oysters breathe much like fish, using both gills and mantle. They can be both male or female, and can change genders one or more times throughout their life.
Health Benefits
Oysters are one of the most nutritionally balanced foods because they have proteins, carbohydrates, and lipids in them. Just eating four or five medium sized oysters supply the recommended daily source of iron, copper, iodine, magnesium, calcium, zinc, manganese and phosphorus!
Where to celebrate!
With so many restaurants on the island, there’s plenty of options for eating Anna Maria Island Oysters! Here’s a few to think of going to:
AMOB on the Pier– Located in Bradenton Beach, enjoy delicious oyster platters such as Grandma Georgie’s Chipotle Oysters, Rockefeller or an oyster sampler.
Eat at AMOB on the Pier!
Island Gourmet Grill– Serving baked oysters with toppings such as cheese, bacon, and jalapenos, there’s no way to go wrong here! You can find Island Gourmet on Holmes Beach.
Enjoy yummy oysters at Island Gourmet!
Island Fresh Market– Specializing in locally caught and grown food, the Fresh Market serves oysters caught right around the island! You can order them cooked or raw. You can find them on Holmes Beach!
Be sure to enjoy Anna Maria Island Oysters on your next visit!
Anna Maria- If you’re looking for a fun activity with the family, why not have a photo scavenger hunt on Anna Maria Island? Great for all ages, grab your camera and go explore some of the best features of Anna Maria! Don’t forget to post your pictures on our Facebook page at the end of your trip!
Photo scavenger hunt on Anna Maria Island
1. Selfie in your vacation rental
What better way to start your vacation? Take a selfie in your new vacation rental and make all your Facebook friends jealous! Plus we always love seeing our guests satisfied with our properties.
Take a picture at your vacation rental!
2. Buried treasure on the beach
Make like a pirate and find some buried treasure while staying on Anna Maria Island! Many times loose change can be found, and every once in a while jewelry! Take a lap around the beach and see what you might find.
Find buried treasure on the beach!
3. Sunset Scavenger Hunt on Anna Maria Island
Anna Maria is home to some of the most beautiful sunsets. Good places to view these lovely colors are White Avenue and Bean Point.
Snap a shot of Anna Maria’s beautiful sunset while on your scavenger hunt!
4. Triple-Decker ice cream cone
When in the hot Florida sun it’s always nice to cool off with some cold ice cream! Stack on multiple scoops for the ultimate ice cream cone. Delicious places to go to are Two Scoops and Holy Cow Ice Cream.
Get some yummy ice cream! Photo courtesy of http://www.njfamily.com/NJ-Family/July-2011/Youll-Scream-for-Jerseys-Best-Homemade-Ice-Cream/
5. Wild Parrots
One of the best characteristics about Anna Maria is the occasional sighting of wild parrots. These beautiful creatures can be found all over the island, and are definitely picture worthy. Just please don’t try to feed or disturb them!
Spot beautiful Blue Crowned parrots on the island!
6. Seagulls (Do not feed!)
Some of the most common birds in Florida are seagulls. Found all over the beach, seagulls are the perfect addition to your vacation photos. However, do not feed them as they can be very aggressive and won’t leave you alone once you do!
Find seagulls on your scavenger hunt!
7. Selfie on the free trolley
A great feature on Anna Maria Island is the free trolley that goes through Bradenton Beach, Holmes Beach and Anna Maria. As you’re traveling around the island make sure to snap a picture to record your travels! You can find the schedule for the trolley here. All we ask is to not take a photo in front of the trolley as it will hold the driver up and put it off schedule!
If you like sweets The Donut Experiment is an absolute must to go to. With delicious donuts that make for great pictures you can’t go wrong here. Plus, you get to choose EXACTLY what goes on your donuts as they are made-to-order. There will be a little wait however as they are extremely popular!
Grab some yummy donuts!
9. Spell your name in shells
Leave a little of yourself behind and spell your name out in the sand! Anna Maria has pretty shells littering the island, and is a great way to get creative on your vacation. Plus it makes your pictures a little more personalized!
Photo courtesy of http://trenchesofmommyhood.blogspot.com/2011/04/jacob.html
10. Build a sand castle
What better way to show off the island’s beautiful sand than creating sand castles? Show off your creative skills and build your own or be on the look out for professionals creating theirs! This is also a great activity to do with the family, and adding kids into the picture only makes it cuter! Get inventive and have fun.
Known for their delicious burgers and cold beer, Duffy’s Tavern is the perfect place to go for food. Make sure to document you’re meal for the scavenger hunt on Anna Maria Island!
Get the best burgers and beer at Duffy’s Tavern!
12. Selfie at the beach
The best part of vacationing at Anna Maria is the beach! With pretty water and cool wildlife you’re sure to get some awesome pictures. Take a selfie (or selfies!) with the family, you’re sure to get some Instagram-worthy pictures!
Take fun selfie’s at the beach!
13. Visit the Historic Green Village
Located on Pine Avenue, the Historic Green Village is one out of 100 places worldwide to have achieved the highest possible green building standard. With cool shops such as ami Outfitters and Beach Bums there’s a lot to see and do! Learn more about this historical place here.
Snap a picture at Anna Maria’s Green Village! Photo courtesy of http://www.historicgreenvillage.com/
Have fun with this scavenger hunt on Anna Maria Island, and remember to be safe!
Anna Maria Island – While relaxing on the beautiful beaches of Anna Maria Island you may notice beach warning flags. A notice of swimming conditions, You’ll see them flying from the lifeguard stands at Manatee Beach in Holmes Beach and Coquina Beach in Bradenton Beach. These are color coded flags to warn you about different conditions that you as a beachgoer should be aware of.
What the beach warning flags mean
Double Red – No swimming allowed
Red – Swim with extreme caution due to strong currents or rough surf
Yellow – Swim with caution due to strong currents or rough surf
Green – Swimming allowed, calm conditions
Purple – Presence of marine pests such as jellyfish, sharks, stingrays or red tide
In 2005 the Florida Legislature introduced the uniform beach flag system. Florida’s beach flag program uses four colors accompanied by interpretive signs along the beach to explain swimming conditions. All public beaches in Florida with lifeguards must use the state flag system. With a quick glance at the lifeguard stand beachgoers are informed about the existing water conditions. Life guards will monitor conditions changing the flags throughout the day in order to keep patrons informed. Follow the link for swimming conditions prior to your beach visit.
Just in time for the summer season 2014 additional beach flags will be posted at two fire stations in MANATEE COUNTY. One fire stations is on the island: Fire Station No. 1 at 6001 Marina Drive on Holmes Beach next to the Island Real Estate office and the second fire station is on the way approaching the island via Cortez Road: 10350 Cortez Road, Bradenton.
Lifeguards will communicate with firefighters to change the flags as necessary.
So, just check today’s beach flag color, apply sunscreen and enjoy your day on the beautiful beaches on Anna Maria Island. You might also like to check out what the Island Real Estate team brings along in their beach bags or take a live look at the beach via the Island Real Estate beach cam.
Holmes Beach – During the month of May, the watercolor mirror image titled “Reflections” by Bayshore High School student Erin Kenney will be displayed at the Artists’ Guild Gallery, 5414 Marina Drive in Holmes Beach. Erin is a senior AP art student who plans to work after graduation as a tattoo artist and attend college later. She was selected to be part of Art and Soul in 2013-14 and also Art Slam as well as The River Walk Art Festival. Her art teacher is Claire Hickman.
Pictured left to right, Claire Hickman, Erin Kenney and Guild Education Chairperson Karen Ellsworth Artists’ Guild Gallery
Holmes Beach – We’re proud to announce that effective June 1st all of our Holmes Beach properties will have rear door recycling! No more taking you’re recyclables to the curb!
Recycling will be collected on Tuesdays, while trash is still being picked up on Monday and Friday. See below a break down of what and what not to put in your recycling bin, and where to place it.
There are two separate garbage receptacles available. One is for garbage waste, and one for recyclables listed on the top of the can.
Anna Maria Island – Anna Maria Island birds and wildlife are very important to locals, and the success of our environment. Bird nesting season is here and the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, FWC for short, is asking beachgoers to watch out for and avoid disturbing nesting shore birds. With nests built out of sand, respecting local wildlife is especially important during high traffic times like Spring Break. A lot of these birds face conservation challenges and taking into consideration a few do’s and don’t can go a long way towards helping preserve our local ecosystem.
Anna Maria Island birds and wildlife
Rules for beachgoer’s
Keep your distance, whether on the beach or paddling watercraft along the shore. If birds become agitated or leave their nests, you are too close. A general rule is to stay at least 300 feet from a nest. Birds calling out loudly and dive-bombing are giving signals for you to back off.
Never intentionally force birds to fly or run. They use up energy they need for nesting, and eggs and chicks may be left vulnerable to the sun’s heat or predators. Teach children not to chase shorebirds and kindly ask fellow beach-goes to do the same.
Respect posted areas. Avoid posted nesting sites and use designated walkways when possible.
Do not take pets to the beach.
Keep the beach clean and do not fee wildlife. Food scraps attract predators such as raccoons and crows, which can prey on shorebird chicks. Litter on beaches can entangle birds and other wildlife.
Rules for wildlife photographers
Remain beyond the posted area, with no part of you or your camera equipment extending beyond the string or signs.
Restrict photography to no more than 10 minutes. Too much time photographing near the nest may stress birds.
Don’t “push” birds around the beach. Stay far enough away so the birds do not change their behavior in response to your presence. They need to feed and rest without disturbance.
If you see someone disturbing nesting birds report their behavior to the FWC Wildlife Alert Hotline at 888-404-FWCC(3922), #FWC or *FWC on a cell phone or by texting Tip@#MyFWC.com.
Black Skimmer feeding it’s babies during nesting season on Anna Maria Island.
Anna Maria Island – Atlantic Bottle Nose Dolphins may be one of our nicest finned friends, but they are still wild animals protected under law by the Marina Mammal Protection Act. Here are some do’s and don’ts for interacting with them.
Anna Maria Island Atlantic Bottle Nose Dolphins
Do’s
Stay at least 50 yards away from dolphins when viewing from a vessel or watercraft.
Limit time spent observing marine mammals to 30 minutes or less.
Avoid making loud or sudden noises near these aquatic mammals.
Move away slowly if a dolphin’s behavior indicates the animal is stressed or disturbed.
Look before you book! Book wild dolphin viewing tours with businesses that responsibly view dolphins in the wild and help cetacean conservation.
Put your vessel’s engine in neutral if in the close vicinity of dolphins.
Dont’s
Pursue, swim with, pet or touch wild dolphins, even if they approach you.
Encircle or entrap dolphins with vessels.
Operate or maneuver vessels in a manner that may cause dolphins to change their current behaviors. Specifically, do not direct a vessel or accelerate toward dolphins with the intent of creating a wake.
Separate mother and calf pairs.
Drive watercraft through or over groups of dolphins.
If you see a dolphin in distress call Mote Marine’s Stranding Investigations Program at 941-988-0212.
Holmes Beach – It’s that time of year again, City Fest is coming back to Holmes Beach, Anna Maria Island!
On Friday, March 27th from 5-10pm and Saturday, March 28th from 10am-10pm, this 2-day event will be taking place at the Holmes beach City Hall Field.
Continuous band music will be provided by a host of live entertainers on stage in addition to a Food Court with local island restaurants and vendors, the LaPensee Classic Car Show on Saturday featuring vintage cars, AMI Fitness Kids Zone, Island Fine Arts, Jewelry & Crafts, Wine, Beer , Rum Runners, Margaritas and more!
Island CityFest is being held at the Holmes Beach City Hall “Field” 5801 Marina Drive, Holmes Beach (next to City Hall). For Vendor or Sponsor Information see attachments or call 941-778-1541.
The Beach Bistro is a fantastic restaurant that offers a dining experience to remember. Several courses are served, or you can order how you like. Reservations are strongly recommended, but you can also try to grab a seat at the bar. The bar has a little more limited menu and provides some “lighter fare” options. If you are looking for a romantic spot with limited gulf views and price is no option then we strongly recommend the Beach Bistro. Average meal prices are well over $35, so be sure you are comfortable with their prices.
