Anna Maria vs Siesta Key

[markmaine]

Hi,

Last February we had a great stay at Smuggler's Cove Resort/Bradenton Beach on Anna Maria. The resort was just okay so we're looking around for 2007. We don't have enough points to get a place through RCI as I've already reserved for Barbados and we're looking to rent for 7 to 9 nights somewhere either on Anna Maria Island or in Siesta Key. Can anyone tell us what Siesta Key is like compared to Anna Maria? Any rental recommendations would also be very much appreciated. We already have our plane tickets for January and even thought the weather is great up North right now, I can't wait for my January vacation

Thanks,
Mark

 

[pcgirl54]

Anna Maria is more laid back,not as much traffic as the other. We loved it there more and more each day. Stayed at Umbrella Beach Club across from the beach.

Siesta Key has one of the nicest beaches anywhere(Crescent Beach-white sand ,never gets hot,incredible sunsets). Near Sarasota where there is a lot to do.Near St Armand's Circle.

 

[SherryS]

PCgirl is accurate about Anna Maria being quieter than Siesta. The traffic can be bad in both locations (especially mid-Feb through Easter/first week of April). Siesta has a fantastic beach for walking, 3 miles long and FLAT. That is not true for Anna Maria. The sand is sooooo much nicer at the Crescent Beach on Siesta, fine, white, and always cool to walk on. Siesta has a village with more shops than Anna Maria, but also has more high rise buildings on the beach (although zoning now restricts to five levels, I think, with parking under), so definitely more prople. Crescent Beach has never needed to be "renourished", so beach sand is same year after year. Anna Maria has been renourished often, so sand is different....can be shelly and coarse and brown colored. The city of Sarasota, near Siesta, seems newer and has been redone downtown....many small shops and galleries... with a lovely Farmers Market each Saturday am. City of Bradenton nearest to Anna Maria is not as nice and still looks older (IMHO!).

 

[markmaine]

I'm just so confused We're going in January, when the weather is "iffy" for Florida so we need to be close to other places to visit. We would also like to have a fitness center nearby as it was a 20 minute drive from Bradenton Beach (we're spoiled as it only takes a couple of minutes for us to get to our local gym at home). We love the restaurants on Anna Maria and it's not too far of a drive to St. Armands or either Bradenton or Sarasota. We highly recommend the Sandbar for lunch and The Sun House for dinner!

Question: Does the road from Anna Maria to Longboat to St. Armands continue to Siesta?

 

[MULTIZ321]

Mark,

No it doesn't - you have to head east to the mainland in Sarasota, head South
a little ways, then back over west to Siesta Key.


Richard

 

[rtasket]

Consider Veranda Beach Club

Mark, consider the Veranda Beach Club, www.verandabeachclub.com . It's gulf-front on Longboat Key, right between Anna Maria Island and Siesta Key (so you can emjoy both). Though I've not stayed there, I did tour it in June, 2006. They have their own onsite gym with decent equipment, along with tennis courts, squash courts, and raquetball courts. They have an outdoor pool that is partially covered in the event of inclement weather, and I think bikes available for guest use. I posted new photos on the TUG review website. Check them out. Very nice interiors. Not sure what their rental availability will be like then. Good luck.

 

[Jim Bryan]

Question: Does the road from Anna Maria to Longboat to St. Armands continue to Siesta?[/QUOTE]


It's a simple matter of going South on Gulf Blvd to St. Armands. Then going over Ringling Bridge and South on 41.

 

[SherryS]

Drive time from Anna Maria to Siesta varies for me from 20-25 minutes with not much traffic to an hour and a half (plus) with lots of beach traffic and bridges opening!!

 

[markmaine]

Thanks everyone! I'm going to check out the Veranda Beach Club and then I found my books I picked up last year to I'll check those out as well. It seems that week 2 isn't the busiest time of year in Florida so I should have a bit more time to see what interests us.

Mark

 

[pcgirl54]

Jim and also Mark,
There are 2 access bridges to the mainland/Sarasota from Gulf Beach Rd past Longboat Key. Or one can take Rt 64 Manatee from Anna Maria to I-75 and drive down to Sarasota for access. There is no connector bridge from Longboat Key which I think LBK is 19 miles.

There are two connector bridges to Siesta. We used the Stickney Pt Bridge fromSarasota to Siesta. There is also a John Ringling Bridge from Lido to Sarasota I think to get to the Edison Estate. We visited St Armand's Circle and ate at Columbia Restaurant outside tables.

Sandpiper is a nice beachfront resort on Siesta. Vernada Beach Club on Longboat I would rate the best,right on the beach as well but some have said the beach replenishment is not up to par. Resort was the best of all we toured. Calini is also in Siesta,front desk clerk was very very rude to us but Sherry said things have changed there. Siesta and then Lido Key have the best beaches.

This link has maps to the whole area,restaurants and shopping from Anna Maria to Sarasota. So scroll down and click on the links.

http://www.bestbeaches.org/siestakeymap/

Key.http://www.2fla.com/island_restaurant_guide.htm

It took us aboout 30 minutes from Anna Maria to Sarasota. Traffic in early November was very hectic.

 

[Vodo]

I would definitely prefer Siesta Key. If you're taking a beach vacation, it's all about the beach, and Crescent Beach on Siesta Key is fabulous. It has the most wonderful powdery white sand.

We enjoyed the Sandpiper Beach Club on Siesta Key. It's right at the end of Stickney Point bridge, so you can easily hop back over to the mainland for shopping and civilization, or you can never leave the beach and feel like you've escaped from the world.

I found the Longboat-Anna Maria area too far removed from everything. It was too much of a drive to go anywhere. And that beach renourishment project on Longboat ruined the beach as far as we're concerned. The sand is an awful gray color that's almost black at the water's edge where it's wet.

Just my humble opinion, of course.

Cindy

 

[Jim Bryan]

Jim and also Mark,
There are 2 access bridges to the mainland/Sarasota from Gulf Beach Rd past Longboat Key. Or one can take Rt 64 Manatee from Anna Maria to I-75 and drive down to Sarasota for access. There is no connector bridge from Longboat Key which I think LBK is 19 miles.


One bridge from St. Armand's Circle to Sarasota. That would be the Ringling Bridge and it is no longer a draw bridge. Bear to the right at the light after Ringling Bridge and follow 41 South and watch the signs for Stickney Point.

S. Long Boat has a draw bridge at New Pass.
Cortez Road would be N. of Long Boat at Bradenton Beach. Head East and then South on 41. I would prefer Cortez also coming from Town of Anna Maria. Cortez is still a draw bridge.

 

[JLB]

There are more than one Floridas. There is the Orlando Florida and then there is the Snowbird Florida.

Sure, Orlando is not busy Week 2, but Week 2 is at the the beginning of snowbird snowbird, the annual migration of cold-blooded creatures to the warmth of Florida. Week 2 is a peak week from Sarastoa on down. That is the time of year that all the golf discounts and so forth stop, until it starts toget really hot again and the Snowbirds migrate back home.

I've been searching January almost every day since 1997.

We will be going to Siesta Key for the first time in January, 2008, as the better resorts in SW Florida are no longer available for exchanges that time of year.

The Beach at Siesta Key is rated one of the Top 10 in the world by the Travel Channel, one of only two Florida beaches in their Top 10. It is highly rated by just about every beach rating service. It is the one beach in Florida that they all include.

It seems that week 2 isn't the busiest time of year in Florida so I should have a bit more time to see what interests us.

Mark

 

[markmaine]

My dream is to be a snowbird I can't stand the Maine winters any more even though I have about 10 more years until retirement, if my company keeps me that long, but that's a story for a different day and board!

Has anyone been to Old Orchard Beach, Maine? I love OOB, but it's quite honky-tonk and if Siesta Key is like that, I'm not interested.

 

[maddaug]

Mark, we have 11 years and I sure hope there will be somewhere for us to winter in Florida. Hubby and I talk alot about the "snowbird" days that we so greatly anticipate. We always brave the heat because of kids being out of school so I can't wait for the warmer Florida winter and escape the cold winters here in the midwest.
Siesta Key is not a beach to be missed. Loved the sand. The day we went though Red Tide was in full force so it wasn't a great time. Next year we'll be back. No honky-tonk in the Sieasta Key area unless they were hiding from us. We also want to check out the Venice area. Shark teeth searching husband wants to go. Have a great time.

 

[markmaine]

One more question.......Will we find some great outdoor restaurants right on the beach like they have on Anna Maria? We thoroughly enjoyed the Sandbar for lunch. We're big salad eaters and they had great ones that fit into our WWs lifestyle.

Mark

 

[SherryS]

Try Turtles Restaurant on the south end (the quiet end where I live!)of Siesta. They have a deck on the intercoastal waterway and lovely views.
Siesta Village has a few outdoor restaurants, but not a water view.

 

[Jim Bryan]

One more question.......Will we find some great outdoor restaurants right on the beach like they have on Anna Maria? We thoroughly enjoyed the Sandbar for lunch. We're big salad eaters and they had great ones that fit into our WWs lifestyle.

Mark

I've always liked The "Old salty Dog" on City Island S. of Long Boat Key. I also prefer the Docks & Piers. There are plenty in the area. The Water Front restaurant is back open on Anna Maria but Mama Lo's closed.