Guest Hook Travel Guides Anna Maria Island | Page 6

MARIE & TOMAS' ANNA MARIA TOP SPOTS... Anna Maria Island has a variety of great dining options to suit all tastes and budgets, our favorite picks are below: 1 Beach Bistro... It's hard to avoid mentioning Beach Bistro in a guide like this. Beach Bistro is considered one of the best restaurants in Florida and is where you can do the best celebrity spotting. If the prices are a barrier for a visit, eat at the bar which has more affordable options. 2 Rod n' Reel Pier... 3 Many people will try and catch their dinner here, but if you want it a bit easier just come to the restaurant at the end of the famous Rod n' Reel Pier for simple and tasty food with views of Tampa Bay and the Sunshine Skyway Bridge. Their fish and chips should not be missed! Skinny's... 4 Tasty hamburgers and a great selection of cold beers are served at Skinny's in a little hut by the Manatee Public Beach. We love their curly fries too. Just remember: Skinny's is closed on Mondays, takes cash only, and has no air conditioning. Starfish Company... 5 Starfish Company is not on the Island, but close by on the mainland. Go over Cortez bridge, turn right on 123rd St and drive to the end. Or you can always go by boat! They also have a market if you'd like to buy fresh fish and prepare it at home. It's cash only, there's no air conditioning, you're practically sitting on a dock, and get served in paper boxes but the food is heavenly! And it was delivered from the fish trading company next door, talk about local produce... The Beachhouse... The Beachhouse is right on the beach in Bradenton Beach. A great place to enjoy a casual sunset evening while eating good food. It's also a popular wedding venue. Happy hour is 3-5 pm MondaysFridays with discounts on selected food and drinks. HIDING FROM THE SUN (OR RAIN?)... The Anna Maria Island Museum and Historical Park on Pine Avenue houses the history of Anna Maria Island. The old jail and the cottage that sat on the City Pier before it fell into the bay are right beside it. The Island Museum and Historical Park are open Tuesday - Saturday from 10am to 1pm (closed all of September), admission is free and there's a scavenger hunt for the kids. While you won't be totally out of the sun, the many shops at Ellenton Premium Outlets are sure to save your skin from too much exposure :-) Mote Marine Laboratory Aquarium is a research center that, among other things, houses a 135,000 gallon shark tank. For a fee you can help feed the sharks! For the less adventurous there are touch tanks, sea turtles, sea life exhibits and don't forget Hugh and Buffett, the manatees. But primarily this is still a research center so maybe that's why it feels like the real thing.