Anna Maria Island supports four well-maintained public beaches, Bayfront Park, Manatee, Cortez and Coquina, located along the length of the Island.

Another popular pastime in the area is fishing. Anna Maria Island offers three fishing piers: Anna Maria, Rod & Reel and Bradenton Beach.

If you prefer boating, launch your craft at Kingfish Ramp, Bayside or Holmes Beach City. Didn't bring your boat? Don't worry — you can still go fishing or take a leisurely cruise by renting the craft to fit your needs — power or sail. The choice of fishing styles is as varied as the game fish in the area. You can make deep-sea offshore runs or angle in the flats and shallow waters that surround the Island. There are professionally captained charter craft available to fit any angler's need.

Recreational sailboat and powerboat rentals, including jet skis, are available by the hour, the half day, and almost any other time frame that might be required to meet the specific nautical needs of boating families. And if you have never seen Anna Maria Island from the air, hook onto one of the para-sail craft for the experience of a life time. They run along the inner Bays as well as along the Gulf shore.

Tennis anyone? Grab your racquet and tennis shoes and head out to the public courts in Anna Maria or Holmes Beach. Want to sharpen your tennis game? Bradenton is the home of the internationally famous Bollettieri Tennis and Sports Academy from where so many of the super stars of today have trained and honed their competitive skills. Daily and weekly lessons are available.

If golf is your game then the Manatee/Sarasota bi-county area will provide you with a choice of more than 45 courses ranging from tight executive par threes to challenging championship 18s that will test any golfer's ability from tee to green. And if you want to improve your game, the internationally famous David Leadbetter Golf Academy is also located in Bradenton.

The cultural/social side of Anna Maria Island boasts Island Players, Island Branch of the Manatee County Library, Tingley Library, Garden Club (two), Kiwanis Club, Rotary Club, Art League, Artists Guild, Historical Society, Privateers, Power Squadron, Turtle Watch, Shrine Club, Loyal Order of Moose, Audubon Society, Women's Clubs, Community Center, as well as seven churches and other social organizations which are active on the Island.

The nearby mainland also hosts many educational attractions, including Bishop Planetarium, Tourist Bureau & Information Center, DeSoto National Park & Memorial Mansion, Manatee Players, The Art League of Manatee County, The Asolo Center for the Performing Arts, Ringling Museum of Art, Manatee Community College, University of South Florida, Van Wezel Performing Arts Hall, the Sarasota West Coast Symphony, the Sarasota Ballet of Florida and the Jazz Club, all of whom call Manatee and Sarasota counties home.

Whether you seek natural beauty, cultural outlets or a sportsmen's challenge, Anna Maria Island supplies the setting and inspiration. You'll find it easy to fit in.