Author: Porter

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Community

Family Spring Break

There is no better place for a family to enjoy spring break than on Anna Maria Island. Many vacation rental companies can accommodate groups of any size and of any ages. The activities offered by the island also accommodate people of all ages.

March 15 was a peak day for Spring Break, 2009, the dates of which vary a little from school to school, but usually they fall somewhere in the first two thirds of the month. The fact that Anna Maria Island is a perfect place for a family spring break was very obvious on the 15th, when people of all ages gathered to watch a St. Patrick’s Day parade.

Sponsored by the Beach Bistro, the parade started at the corner of Gulf and Marina Drives in central Holmes Beach. It proceeded up Marina Drive and Palm Drive to 81st Street, where it ended. The streets were lined with people of all ages: tiny children, teenagers, young adults, “Boomers,” and the elderly.

Participants in the parade also were of all ages. The Grand Marshall was John Castelli, a World War II veteran who served with Patton in Europe. A contingent of gray-haired people on bicycles from the vacation rental and resort Playa Encantada rode in the parade. Also showing some gray hair were the Privateers on their pirate ship float. Two high school marching bands were very impressive, as was the Dunedin bagpipe band.

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Arts

Anna Maria Island Springfest Celebrates Art, Music and Camaraderie

Compared to some of the more exclusive keys along the Gulf Coast, Anna Maria Island is often referred to as the friendly island, where visitors are welcomed to join locals in relaxed enjoyment of this wonderful Florida season. There is no better way to do this than at the festivals that support the Anna Maria Island Art League. There is no admission charge for festival visitors, even though these festivals raise most of the funds that keep the Art League in operation.

The Art League is a modest, but charming, art center in downtown Holmes Beach, where a wide variety of art by island and area artists is presented throughout the year. Classes are taught there, too. Most of the funding for this special island facility and organization comes from two festivals held every year: Winterfest, in December, and Springfest, which is coming up this weekend, on March 14 and 15.

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Categories
Real Estate

Southern Living Magazine Visits Anna Maria

Southern Living, the magazine about southern homes, wrote a very complimentary article about Anna Maria Island in the March, 2009, issue. The image of the City Pier on the opening spread captures perfectly the surprisingly untouched surroundings we islanders and island visitors get to enjoy. The pier is a real, unusually authentic historical attraction. It has not been created to promote tourism. It has been here and been enjoyed for decades. But because it is naturally so appealing, it does promote tourism.

Although it’s always nice to receive positive national publicity, such as that in Southern Living, the crowds on the island this season are evidence that we already have been discovered. Our businesses are full of customers. Our beaches are hosting many visitors, even as temperatures have remained unseasonably chilly this year.

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Categories
Tourism

Seven Ways to Enjoy Spring Break on Anna Maria Island

Anna Maria Island is a great place to spend Spring Break, as long as you’re not looking for a party. Not every college student is an extrovert. Many are looking for something a lot more interesting than joining a herd of students who are experimenting for the first time with alcohol, sex and drugs. For those college students who are mature enough to already be clear about these things, and who are intelligent enough to want to do more with their time than run with the crowds, Anna Maria Island is a lovely destination for Spring Break or any other holiday.

So if you are a college student heading to Anna Maria Island this spring, here are some suggestions for what you might want to do while you’re here.

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Categories
Real Estate Tourism

Why an Island Rental Makes Sense

Why buy when you can settle into a charming island rental as if it were your own home? People love to spend part of winter on Anna Maria Island. Many who fall in love with this beautiful island immediately buy one of the small homes, fix it up, then spend part of the year here when it gets cold everywhere else. But in the current economic conditions, it could make a lot more sense to take a close look at staying in one of the island rental properties that are available and postpone buying anything.

An island rental is often just a home somebody else bought when they fell in love with Anna Maria Island. Maybe they bought it a little too quickly. Then rising property taxes, or financial problems from other sources led the owner to need to rent the property to help defray the cost. Many of the island rental properties have been beautifully improved, with all the amenities of a tropical retreat. A spacious interior with nice finishes and tropical furnishings often opens out to a private swimming pool and beautiful island landscaping. It doesn’t take long to settle into such a place and feel at home.

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