Florida's Best Beaches

One can literally find a beach experience to suit any traveler's personality. In the Sunshine State, enjoy the things that matter most for a beach vacation: sun, sand, water, food, and family.

Insider's Guide to Anna Maria Island

The motto of Florida’s Anna Maria Island says it all: “Welcome to paradise without an attitude. Editor Wanda McKinney shares how to enjoy this slice of heaven.

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About the Island
Cary Jobe

About the Island

Surrounded by the Gulf of Mexico, Tampa Bay, and the Intracoastal Waterway, Anna Maria Island is an easy 1 1/2-hour drive from Tampa.

It's only 7 1/2 miles long and less than a mile wide and, for starters, boasts not a single towering condo. (No building over three stories is allowed.) Chain restaurants? Very few of them. The restaurants are delightfully local and extremely good. In other words, you’ve stepped into the Florida of decades ago, with one major difference: New amenities enhance the old charm for a winning combination.


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