Anna Maria Island
Logan Richardson
Just south of Tampa Florida there's a small island,
Anna Maria Island. This quaint little beach town is perfect for family
vacations, weddings, or just small day trips if you're in the area. Growing up,
I and my family stayed in a beach house on Anna Maria for a little over a week
every summer. I have the best memories of that place. The first beach house we
stayed in was a little remodeled house that belonged to a family friend where
the back steps were covered by the ocean at high tide. During low tide though, it
was just a few short steps from the back door of the house into the bay. You
could see the Sunshine Skyway Bridge running across the water and lighting up
the horizon at night. When it stormed, you could hear the giant waves beating
against the back of the house, the whole room smelled like salt water. At this
place I learned to swim, have no fear of the water and hunt for shells, crabs,
and other sea creatures with my siblings. The second beach house we stayed in
was two stories with a pool in the backyard and a short walk from the Gulf of
Mexico. This house was great because it was close enough to the beach that we
could walk but still had it's own pool so we could get a little relief from the
salt water.
Anna
Maria Island is home to so many great memories from my childhood so I know it's
the perfect place to create new memories with a family. If you want all the fun
of a beach town without all the craziness of somewhere like Panama City Beach
or Cocoa Beach, this is the perfect place. Anna Maria Island is only a short
distance from Tampa but still seems far enough away that you can relax and get
that small beach town feel. There's plenty to do on Anna Maria that you won't
have to leave though, besides the beach there's the city pier and marina. The
city pier is fun to walk out onto and watch for dolphins and birds. The city
pier also offers a restaurant, snack bar and bait shop if fishing is something
you're interested in. A short walk across the street from the city pier is Two
Scoops Ice Cream parlor, a favorite of my siblings and I. There's also a marina
where you can look at boats or rent one for some deep sea fishing and relaxing.
While I'm sure all of this sounds like things you can find in any beach town,
and Anna Maria has a magical, at home atmosphere that sets it apart from
others. While I would personally suggest renting one of the numerous beach
houses scattered across the island, there are plenty of motels and hotels both
inland and on the water. As far as restaurants, Peach’s is a great spot for a
family breakfast or lunch. The Sandbar Restaurant located at the end of the
historic Anna Maria Pier is another great spot, enjoy the food while watching
fishers reel in their catch or spotting dolphins.
If you do decide you need time off the island there
are plenty of things to do in Tampa that make the trip worth it. A personal
favorite is Busch Gardens, a theme park zoo combo that brings the African
continent to life. Busch Gardens has something for everyone from thrill rides,
family and water rides, live animals, a safari, and themed shows that bring the
cultures of African dance and storytelling to life. This place helped make so
many memories not just for me and my siblings, but the friends we brought and
made along the way while exploring everything the park has to offer. It's
definitely worth visiting and in my opinion gives Disney World and Universal
Studios a run for their money. If educational fun is more of your family’s style
then the Mote Marine Laboratory and Aquarium in Sarasota is perfect and right
off of Anna Maria Island. This aquarium not only offers an up front,
educational experience with marine life and rescued creatures, it also offers
shark encounters, boat tours and a sea horse lab tour. There's nothing better
than an up close and personal visit with a rescued sea turtle or manatee to
make you rethink conservation and how you impact the environment. Seeing these
things and how the animals and beach are affected can make you rethink what
you're doing, and it starts with the little things. Reusing shopping bags,
disposing of fishing lines and nets properly, and picking up trash on the beach
are all small things that can be done to help the environment. If you want to
get more in depth then using all natural, recycled and cruelty free products as
well as eating sustainable, local ingredients while you're there or even when
you go back home can make an impact on the environment. No matter what the
occasion for going or how long the stay, Anna Maria Island is sure to be a
family favorite that you’ll want to go back to every summer.
Works Cited
https://annamariaislandcondorentals.com/update-on-anna-maria-city-pier-repurposing-of-the-wooden-pier-planks/
http://twoscoopsami.com/
https://mote.org/aquarium
http://www.peachs.net/
Dr. Tara Hembrough and English 3903: Professional and
Technical Writing
