The Anna Maria Island Sun newspaper reports this week of the restoration work on the Sister Keys.
It says: Volunteers with Sarasota Bay Watch, the Sarasota Bay National Estuary Program, Bay Buddies and Audubon of Florida removed crab traps, plastic chairs and other debris from the largest of the Sister Keys last week.
Paradise Pointe LLC completed a $1million restoration project on the key last year in mitigation for environmental damage to mangroves, seagrass beds and oyster beds anticipated during its planned Perico Harbor Marina, according to the Florida Department of Environmental Protection. The project has not yet broken ground.
Restoration included removing exotic plant species, planting native trees and creating a two-acre wetland on the north side of the island, said James Linkogle of the town of Longboat Key Public Works Department, who helped supervise the project, now in a five-year maintenance and monitoring period.
The Sister Keys are closed to people, he said, to protect gopher tortoises, birds and other animals on the key.
We love looking at them from afar, though, so thanks for the good work guys.
Friday, 13 February 2009
Tuesday, 10 February 2009
Bridge closures on the horizon
The Anna Maria Islander newspaper reports this week a Florida Department of Transportation press release which states that AMI Bridge contractor Quinn Construction will close the bridge to vehicular traffic for several brief periods during the week of February 16-20.
The closures are to perform tests on the mechanical and electrical systems on the bridge and each closing is expected to last about as long as a typical bridge closing for a boat passing through the draw. The release advises pedestrians and bicyclists that the south sidewalk remains closed, but the north sidewalk is accessible.
Meanwhile, the $10.2million Anna Maria Island Bridge rehabilitation project is due to finish March 3, according to Florida Department of Transportation District One director of operations Ed Gonzalez.
If contractor Quinn Construction Co. of Palmetto completes the project by March 3, the company earns another $60,000 bonus, Gonzalez added.
And that will push the final price tag for the project toward $11 million, including about $600,000 in bonuses to Quinn, Gonzalez said.
The closures are to perform tests on the mechanical and electrical systems on the bridge and each closing is expected to last about as long as a typical bridge closing for a boat passing through the draw. The release advises pedestrians and bicyclists that the south sidewalk remains closed, but the north sidewalk is accessible.
Meanwhile, the $10.2million Anna Maria Island Bridge rehabilitation project is due to finish March 3, according to Florida Department of Transportation District One director of operations Ed Gonzalez.
If contractor Quinn Construction Co. of Palmetto completes the project by March 3, the company earns another $60,000 bonus, Gonzalez added.
And that will push the final price tag for the project toward $11 million, including about $600,000 in bonuses to Quinn, Gonzalez said.
Friday, 6 February 2009
Anna Maria keeps them coming
It seems that Anna Maria Island can still draw in the crowds, despite the global recession hitting home.
Figures released recently by the Bradenton Area Convention and Visitors Bureau and covered in The Islander, suggest occupancy was at 41.3 percent for November 2008, up slightly from the 40.5 percent reported for the same month in 2007. The Islander also reports December occupancy also rose when compared with December 2007.
The BACVB reported occupancy of Island accommodation units for December 2008 at 39.6 per cent, a 2.6 per cent gain from the 37 per cent reported in November 2007. For all of 2008, occupancy of Island accommodation units was virtually unchanged from 2007. The BACVB reported a 57.6 per cent occupancy rate for 2008 against a 57.5 for 2007.
However, it also states that while occupancy was going up on the island, the average daily rate was headed in the opposite direction, from $143.23 in December 2008 to $154.02 for the same month in 2007.
Seems like the ideal reason to rent a vacation unit from Anna Maria Vacations, the island's premier source of luxury vacation accommodation.
Check out www.annamaria.com for details of 32 beautiful condos, villas and cottages.
Tuesday, 3 February 2009
Keep our sea shells on the sea shore
Everyone coming to Anna Maria Island will have their own ideas on how they want to best spend their precious time on the island. Many will simply want to lie on the beach soaking up the sun; some will want to catch as many of the hundreds of fish we have as they can; while others will simply want to wander up and down the beach looking for shells.
For those happy souls there is one important thing to remember, as pointed out by this week's Islander newspaper. It concerns limits being placed on those picking shells, and makes some interesting points for visitors.
It says: Generally, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission requires that residents and non-residents have a recreational saltwater fishing license to harvest a sea shell containing a live organism.
In Manatee County, at the urging of local officials, the state has limited collectors to harvesting or possessing no more than two shells containing live organisms of any single species, except for oysters, hard clams, sunray venus clams and coquinas. The rule applies to mollusks and echinoderms, including tulips, whelks, conchs, olives, augers, scallops, cockles, mussels, starfish, sand dollars, sea urchins and sea biscuits.
Also, the harvest of the Bahama Starfish and just the possession of a live Queen Conch is against the law in Florida.
So, come for all the right, wonderful reasons, but do be careful not to take too much of paradise away with you.
Come stay in the ultimate luxury apartments on Anna Maria Island at www.annamaria.com
For those happy souls there is one important thing to remember, as pointed out by this week's Islander newspaper. It concerns limits being placed on those picking shells, and makes some interesting points for visitors.
It says: Generally, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission requires that residents and non-residents have a recreational saltwater fishing license to harvest a sea shell containing a live organism.
In Manatee County, at the urging of local officials, the state has limited collectors to harvesting or possessing no more than two shells containing live organisms of any single species, except for oysters, hard clams, sunray venus clams and coquinas. The rule applies to mollusks and echinoderms, including tulips, whelks, conchs, olives, augers, scallops, cockles, mussels, starfish, sand dollars, sea urchins and sea biscuits.
Also, the harvest of the Bahama Starfish and just the possession of a live Queen Conch is against the law in Florida.
So, come for all the right, wonderful reasons, but do be careful not to take too much of paradise away with you.
Come stay in the ultimate luxury apartments on Anna Maria Island at www.annamaria.com
Tuesday, 27 January 2009
Nice day for a white wedding
ABC 7 Suncoast news reported on the 2nd Anna Maria Island Wedding Festival, which saw hundreds of brides and grooms to be visit venues around the island to see how perfect a place it is to tie the knot.
Their report said:
The Chamber of Commerce was showing off the town and how beautiful a wedding can be on the island.
The Second Annual Anna Maria Island Wedding Festival took place Sunday. The island is called the beach wedding capital of Florida, and no wonder with the sand, surf and sunsets.
More than 400 brides came out to be dazzled with all the island has to offer. More than 40 local vendors showcased their services.
The Anna Maria Chamber of Commerce says the Wedding Festival is a big money maker for the island. It brings in a lot of brides depending on the size of the wedding. Once bride can bring in from 50 to 200 people to stay in area hotels, eat at island restaurants and shop in beach stores. This is why weddings are a big money maker for Anna Maria Island.
Check out this film of the event here
Their report said:
The Chamber of Commerce was showing off the town and how beautiful a wedding can be on the island.
The Second Annual Anna Maria Island Wedding Festival took place Sunday. The island is called the beach wedding capital of Florida, and no wonder with the sand, surf and sunsets.
More than 400 brides came out to be dazzled with all the island has to offer. More than 40 local vendors showcased their services.
The Anna Maria Chamber of Commerce says the Wedding Festival is a big money maker for the island. It brings in a lot of brides depending on the size of the wedding. Once bride can bring in from 50 to 200 people to stay in area hotels, eat at island restaurants and shop in beach stores. This is why weddings are a big money maker for Anna Maria Island.
Check out this film of the event here
Monday, 26 January 2009
Fire actually helping key wildlife
There's no smoke without fire, but Anna Maria Island residents were relieved to discover that the plume of grey smoke filing upwards from Egmont Key last week was part of a controlled burn to help the wildlife on the tiny island.
The purpose of the burn, which covered southern third of the key, was to eliminate dead trees and non-native vegetation, including Australian pines, and clear the sand of exotic vegetation to open up more space for birds which nest in it, such as the royal tern and sandwich tern, and to encourage the growth of the vegetation preferred by birds which nest in cover.
Several bird species, including black skimmers, American oystercatchers and brown pelicans, nest on the southern part of the key – which is a sanctuary – in spring and summer, but they were long gone at the time of the blaze.
According to the AMI Sun newspaper, the key is also 'home to more than 1,500 threatened gopher tortoises. The colony is unique because it is free from an upper respiratory disease that plagues mainland tortoises. A dozen volunteers gathered up as many of the tortoises as they could find over the past two days and moved them in trucks to the north side of the key to minimize mortality'.
So there you have it, panic over. But well done to all the residents who were so quickly on the telephone to local government offices to inquire about the fire.
Visit annamaria.com for all your vacation rental needs
The purpose of the burn, which covered southern third of the key, was to eliminate dead trees and non-native vegetation, including Australian pines, and clear the sand of exotic vegetation to open up more space for birds which nest in it, such as the royal tern and sandwich tern, and to encourage the growth of the vegetation preferred by birds which nest in cover.
Several bird species, including black skimmers, American oystercatchers and brown pelicans, nest on the southern part of the key – which is a sanctuary – in spring and summer, but they were long gone at the time of the blaze.
According to the AMI Sun newspaper, the key is also 'home to more than 1,500 threatened gopher tortoises. The colony is unique because it is free from an upper respiratory disease that plagues mainland tortoises. A dozen volunteers gathered up as many of the tortoises as they could find over the past two days and moved them in trucks to the north side of the key to minimize mortality'.
So there you have it, panic over. But well done to all the residents who were so quickly on the telephone to local government offices to inquire about the fire.
Visit annamaria.com for all your vacation rental needs
Thursday, 22 January 2009
Trolley not bringing in lolly
We all love the sight of the Anna Maria Island trolley traveling up and down our beautiful island. But it seems some of us take it for granted and are not willing to invest any hard-earned cash in supporting it.
The most recent edition of The Islander carries a story about how no one apparently wants to shell out for the in-trolley advertising system, except Beach Bistro, which does at least benefit from people traveling to and from its location.
The report reads: The advertising campaign for the Manatee Trolley has proven to be less than a stellar success.
Manatee County Area Transit division manager Ralf Heseler said that only one advertiser — the Beach Bistro restaurant in Holmes Beach — took out a $384 12-week ad on the trolley’s interior, scrolling, electronic message board.
The sum of advertising is a far cry from the $50,000 officials hoped to reap annually.
Heseler addressed the Island Transportation Planning Organization Jan. 12. The group is comprised of mayors representing Anna Maria, Bradenton Beach and Holmes Beach.
The Manatee Trolley on Anna Maria Island offers free fares to riders. From Oct. 1, 2007 through Sept. 31, 2008, there were 474,782 riders on the bus, which travels from Coquina Beach to the Anna Maria City Pier 365 days a year from 6:30 a.m. to 10:30 p.m.
Cost of the trolley operation is about $1 million a year. Federal and state grants pay a portion of the tab for its operation, as well as Manatee County.
Last year, Heseler said, the operation faced a $50,000 shortfall. The three Island cities then ponied up $8,000 each to keep the trolley free for riders, with the Manatee County Tourist Development Council picking up the rest of the needed funding.
The agreement with the cities included reimbursement if the advertising program proved successful, which it has not to date.
Read the rest of the story here
The most recent edition of The Islander carries a story about how no one apparently wants to shell out for the in-trolley advertising system, except Beach Bistro, which does at least benefit from people traveling to and from its location.
The report reads: The advertising campaign for the Manatee Trolley has proven to be less than a stellar success.
Manatee County Area Transit division manager Ralf Heseler said that only one advertiser — the Beach Bistro restaurant in Holmes Beach — took out a $384 12-week ad on the trolley’s interior, scrolling, electronic message board.
The sum of advertising is a far cry from the $50,000 officials hoped to reap annually.
Heseler addressed the Island Transportation Planning Organization Jan. 12. The group is comprised of mayors representing Anna Maria, Bradenton Beach and Holmes Beach.
The Manatee Trolley on Anna Maria Island offers free fares to riders. From Oct. 1, 2007 through Sept. 31, 2008, there were 474,782 riders on the bus, which travels from Coquina Beach to the Anna Maria City Pier 365 days a year from 6:30 a.m. to 10:30 p.m.
Cost of the trolley operation is about $1 million a year. Federal and state grants pay a portion of the tab for its operation, as well as Manatee County.
Last year, Heseler said, the operation faced a $50,000 shortfall. The three Island cities then ponied up $8,000 each to keep the trolley free for riders, with the Manatee County Tourist Development Council picking up the rest of the needed funding.
The agreement with the cities included reimbursement if the advertising program proved successful, which it has not to date.
Read the rest of the story here
Monday, 19 January 2009
Welcome Super Bowlers!
From the bay side of Anna Maria Island you can catch the lights of the Sunshine Skyway Bridge, and make out the large expanse of city beyond. Somewhere out there on February 1, just off the Dale Mabry Highway, is Raymond James Stadium, home of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and for one night only, focus of the world's gaze as Super Bowl XLIII hits town.
Thousands of fans from Arizona and Pittsburgh will be descending on our corner of Florida for the week as they get ready to get behind their team's chance to make history. Will it be the Cardinals' first-ever Super Bowl win, or the Steelers' record sixth? It's a tough one to call, but will surely be another classic game held in Tampa.
We also hope that some of those visitors make it over the water to Anna Maria Island, where we can offer the ideal spot to relax while you await the big day, or get over the heartache of losing by putting things back in perspective.
Visit us at annamaria.com for the best selection of private rentals on the island, and forget about your worries and your strife...
Thousands of fans from Arizona and Pittsburgh will be descending on our corner of Florida for the week as they get ready to get behind their team's chance to make history. Will it be the Cardinals' first-ever Super Bowl win, or the Steelers' record sixth? It's a tough one to call, but will surely be another classic game held in Tampa.
We also hope that some of those visitors make it over the water to Anna Maria Island, where we can offer the ideal spot to relax while you await the big day, or get over the heartache of losing by putting things back in perspective.
Visit us at annamaria.com for the best selection of private rentals on the island, and forget about your worries and your strife...
Tuesday, 13 January 2009
Yacht a performance
Anna Maria Island will have some presence when Super Bowl 43 rolls into Tampa next month. We don't yet know whose fans will be coming to visit us for the biggest game of the year, but Galati Yachts will be flying the flag for AMI, as it did at the 2001 Super Bowl in Tampa between the New York Giants and the Baltimore Ravens.
Before that game, the NFL filmed did a segment on Galati Marine that was televised leading up to the game. This year, Chris Galati told the Islander newspaper, the NFL made a different offer.
“We’ve been invited to bring a luxury yacht for display alongside Jackson’s Restaurant at Harbor Island in Tampa during one of the parties,” said Galati. The party will be hosted by Jim Carrey and Carmen Electra. “We’re trying to work out the details now." Tough job, but someone's got to do it...
Before that game, the NFL filmed did a segment on Galati Marine that was televised leading up to the game. This year, Chris Galati told the Islander newspaper, the NFL made a different offer.
“We’ve been invited to bring a luxury yacht for display alongside Jackson’s Restaurant at Harbor Island in Tampa during one of the parties,” said Galati. The party will be hosted by Jim Carrey and Carmen Electra. “We’re trying to work out the details now." Tough job, but someone's got to do it...
Thursday, 8 January 2009
Anna Maria firmly on the map
we're still flavor of the month for Vacationers longing for a laid-back, old-time Florida, according to a couple of articles featured in the AMI Sun.
Articles in recent editions of USA Today, Baltimore Magazine and the increased internet traffic have really put our island on the map, it says.
It states: 'According to Chamber figures, visitors increased by 311 percent, with new visits up 280 per cent and internet search engine traffic up 240 percent.'In its current issue, Baltimore Magazine calls the Island "a mostly unknown strip of paradise" that serves as a hideaway for celebrities Stephen King, Jerry Springer, Maria Sharapova, Graeme Edge and Jimmy Van Zandt.
'It’s a great place to escape Tampa’s Super Bowl crowds on Feb. 1 and relax in a beach chair, according to the writer, who recommends the Sandbar, Beach Bistro and Gulf Drive Café for dining and Bridgewalk, Tortuga Inn and Harrington House Bed and Breakfast for accommodations.
'Ringling Museum, Bishop Planetarium and St. Armands Circle also get mentions, as do "poky oldsters" forcing vacationers to slow down and relax on the roads – whether they want to or not. In a Dec. 12 article, USA Today praises what the Island does not have – high-rise condos, chain hotels, fast food burger joints and rowdy, Key West-style sunsets – as much as what it offers.'So it's blue skies all the way for Anna Maria Island in 2009. If you haven't been here yet, better get your skates on.
Visit www.annamaria.com for the very best in vacation rentals
Articles in recent editions of USA Today, Baltimore Magazine and the increased internet traffic have really put our island on the map, it says.
It states: 'According to Chamber figures, visitors increased by 311 percent, with new visits up 280 per cent and internet search engine traffic up 240 percent.'In its current issue, Baltimore Magazine calls the Island "a mostly unknown strip of paradise" that serves as a hideaway for celebrities Stephen King, Jerry Springer, Maria Sharapova, Graeme Edge and Jimmy Van Zandt.
'It’s a great place to escape Tampa’s Super Bowl crowds on Feb. 1 and relax in a beach chair, according to the writer, who recommends the Sandbar, Beach Bistro and Gulf Drive Café for dining and Bridgewalk, Tortuga Inn and Harrington House Bed and Breakfast for accommodations.
'Ringling Museum, Bishop Planetarium and St. Armands Circle also get mentions, as do "poky oldsters" forcing vacationers to slow down and relax on the roads – whether they want to or not. In a Dec. 12 article, USA Today praises what the Island does not have – high-rise condos, chain hotels, fast food burger joints and rowdy, Key West-style sunsets – as much as what it offers.'So it's blue skies all the way for Anna Maria Island in 2009. If you haven't been here yet, better get your skates on.
Visit www.annamaria.com for the very best in vacation rentals
Monday, 5 January 2009
Start as you mean to go on
Happy New Year! Why not make 2009 the year you spend some time with us down on Anna Maria Island?
We have so much to offer the vacationing family, all through the year.
Seven miles long with perfect unbroken beaches along the length of its western shore, Anna Maria Island has always attracted discerning travelers in search of a little piece of paradise. You can discover it for yourself simply by crossing one of the two bridges connecting the island to the mainland of Manatee County, Florida, and letting the magic of the island do the rest.
Travel along Gulf Drive to enjoy the individual delights of the three diverse cities which make up the island: Anna Maria at the north end, Holmes Beach in the center and Bradenton Beach wrapping around its southern tip. Each adds a different but essential ingredient to the island's unique flavor, making your stay varied and ever-changing.
Despite being home for many of the island's residents, the entire City of Anna Maria has been designated a wildlife sanctuary and you can expect to see a wide variety of birds there, along with bottle-nosed dolphins and manatees in the crystal clear waters around its beaches, which are also a prime nesting ground for loggerhead turtles.
Holmes Beach is the largest of the three cities and covers a three-mile stretch of shoreline looking out to the Gulf of Mexico on its western edge and the tranquil waters of Anna Maria Sound to the east. Holmes Beach offers the opportunity for some retail therapy and plenty of fine restaurants. Bradenton Beach, meanwhile, presents a laid-back, traditional Floridian experience, with miles of uninterrupted sand, beachside restaurants and an eclectic mix of shops in the historic old town district.
Wherever you stay on the island you are never far from a beautiful, sun-kissed beach and 80-degree sea temperatures, guaranteed to help you unwind. But if all that relaxation gets too much there are plenty of opportunities for boating, fishing, all types of water sports, shelling, tennis and the chance to enjoy the numerous top-class golf courses nearby. Anna Maria Island is also just one hour from the many attractions of Tampa and two hours from Orlando.
Whether on your own, as a couple, a family or large party, we want to make your time on the island as peaceful and stress-free as possible. We offer and range of luxury, five-star vacation villas, each with their own private pools, or first-class condos with direct beachfront views. Our standards are high, with sumptuous furnishings, thick pillow top mattresses, freshly laundered towels and linens, clean, fresh kitchens and bathrooms and a rare attention to detail as standard.
So come and stay a while with us in a truly special place – and fall under the spell of Anna Maria Island yourself. Visit annamaria.com for more information
We have so much to offer the vacationing family, all through the year.
Seven miles long with perfect unbroken beaches along the length of its western shore, Anna Maria Island has always attracted discerning travelers in search of a little piece of paradise. You can discover it for yourself simply by crossing one of the two bridges connecting the island to the mainland of Manatee County, Florida, and letting the magic of the island do the rest.
Travel along Gulf Drive to enjoy the individual delights of the three diverse cities which make up the island: Anna Maria at the north end, Holmes Beach in the center and Bradenton Beach wrapping around its southern tip. Each adds a different but essential ingredient to the island's unique flavor, making your stay varied and ever-changing.
Despite being home for many of the island's residents, the entire City of Anna Maria has been designated a wildlife sanctuary and you can expect to see a wide variety of birds there, along with bottle-nosed dolphins and manatees in the crystal clear waters around its beaches, which are also a prime nesting ground for loggerhead turtles.
Holmes Beach is the largest of the three cities and covers a three-mile stretch of shoreline looking out to the Gulf of Mexico on its western edge and the tranquil waters of Anna Maria Sound to the east. Holmes Beach offers the opportunity for some retail therapy and plenty of fine restaurants. Bradenton Beach, meanwhile, presents a laid-back, traditional Floridian experience, with miles of uninterrupted sand, beachside restaurants and an eclectic mix of shops in the historic old town district.
Wherever you stay on the island you are never far from a beautiful, sun-kissed beach and 80-degree sea temperatures, guaranteed to help you unwind. But if all that relaxation gets too much there are plenty of opportunities for boating, fishing, all types of water sports, shelling, tennis and the chance to enjoy the numerous top-class golf courses nearby. Anna Maria Island is also just one hour from the many attractions of Tampa and two hours from Orlando.
Whether on your own, as a couple, a family or large party, we want to make your time on the island as peaceful and stress-free as possible. We offer and range of luxury, five-star vacation villas, each with their own private pools, or first-class condos with direct beachfront views. Our standards are high, with sumptuous furnishings, thick pillow top mattresses, freshly laundered towels and linens, clean, fresh kitchens and bathrooms and a rare attention to detail as standard.
So come and stay a while with us in a truly special place – and fall under the spell of Anna Maria Island yourself. Visit annamaria.com for more information
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