Area Attractions:
Attractions in the area include the Ringling Museum of Art, Bishop Planetarium, St. Armand Circle's famous shopping and dining district, Myakka State Park Alligator Tours, Mote Marina, Sarasota Jungle Gardens, Sarasota Botanical Gardens, tennis at the Bolletteri Tennis Center, the David Leadbetter Golf Academy, the Pittsburgh Pirates spring training facility, greyhound race tracks, and many other museums and performance centers in Sarasota and Tampa, and theme parks within a 90 minute drive.
Activities on Anna Maria Island:
Activities on Anna Maria Island include fishing off the piers, deep sea charter fishing, parasailing, jet skiing, sail boating, scuba diving, snorkeling, kayaking, golfing, biking, scooter rentals, air boat tours, boat rentals, and wind surfing. The island has abundant sea shells for great beachcombing, and an open 7 mile walking beach. Dolphins, manatees, and many wading and fishing birds may be observed from the lanai. The sun rises over the Sarasota Bay, and sets with splendid color over the Gulf of Mexico, where you can enjoy both from the two private lanai that are part of this condominium. Shopping on the island is convenient, so you need not take away from your vacation time to search for groceries, household items, hardware, beach wear, or souvenirs.
Paradise Without the Crowds:
Anna Maria Island is affectionately known as the island in the sun, with Gulf temperatures averaging 84 degrees and 361 days of sunshine per year. The surrounding waters of the island are known as 'the nursery' because of the large numbers of dolphins and turtles born and raised here. Inspired by its natural beauty, the cities on the island prohibit structures higher than 3 stories. The planning commission has set aside 96 acres as a public recreational park overlooking the Gulf of Mexico, with 4 different public beaches complete with playground equipment and lifeguard stations. There is a bird sanctuary, called Pelican Man's Bird Sanctuary, and a park overlooking the Tampa and Sarasota Bays. The result? The beach is never crowded, and you can walk for 7 miles along the Gulf, and enjoy the beautiful ocean views without gates and high rises to obstruct the scenery and block your path.
Golf:
Golf courses in the area range from executive to PGA style courses, to British Lynx courses. Enjoy playing courses designed by world famous architects like Robert Trent Jones, Pete Dye, Jack Nicklaus and
Arnold Palmer. Anna Maria Island is 15 minutes from the David Leadbetter Golf Academy and the Bolletteri Tennis Center. Or choose from a variety of golf schools, academies, learning centers, discount golf shops and pro shops. Enjoy playing golf in the beautiful climate, while observing Florida's considerable wildlife, including thousands of alligators, wading and fishing birds in the many ponds, lakes and rivers.
