It's impossible to deny the popularity of Siesta Key; just ask anyone sitting in traffic on Siesta Drive.
Siesta Key is home to world-famous Siesta Beach, which recently placed as the No. 2 best beach in the country by Tripadvisor. There's also the equally alluring Crescent Beach and Turtle Beach with its charming campground. Sarasota County's most famous island also boasts a bunch of beloved restaurants, bars and nightclubs, including all the ones found in bustling Siesta Key Village.
And, for better or worse, those gorgeous locations have been seen by a multitude of MTV viewers thanks to numerous seasons of the network's reality show "Siesta Key."
But when the editors of the influential entertainment and travel website Thrillist created their list of "The 20 Greatest Beach Towns in America," they skipped Siesta Key and opted for Anna Maria Island, the Key's less famous tourist destination rival that you will find located about 25 miles to the north in Manatee County by the mouth of Tampa Bay. Despite Florida being home to numerous popular beach towns like Key West and Amelia Island, only Anna Maria Island was chosen from the Sunshine State.
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Anna Maria Island praised for its 'old-Florida charm'
Thrillist notes "Anna Maria Island" in the story's subhed, but the 200-word blurb focuses on the city of Anna Maria.
"The northernmost of threecozy beach townson a seven-mile-long island, Anna Maria is packed with so muchold-Florida charm—from its sun-faded architecture and ice cream shops to beachside seafood shacks—it’s essentially a 1950s time warp," writes Liz Newman, who is listed as the site's former Miami editor. "Outdoor adventurers will be happy with its array of paddle boarding and kayaking tours, plus snorkeling trips to nearby spots like Passage and Egmont Keys, where you can see stingrays, manatees, sharks, and dolphins."
The author opines that Anna Maria is "a bonafide sleepy town (the speed limits seldom exceed 35 mph), so be prepared to blissfully check out on its pristine, quiet white sand beaches from sunrise to spectacular sunset."
Which is true, unless you happen to be hanging late one night out at Bortell's Lounge. Definitely not a sleepy town vibe there at last call!
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Rod & Reel Pier and Sandbar restaurants in Anna Maria recommended
The Thrillist piece rightfully recommends dining on a grouper sandwich at Rod & Reel Pier and "anything on the menu" from Sandbar, where a mullet Reuben is singled out for praise.
The author concludes that you shouldn't leave Anna Maria without "biking to Bean Point to frolic in the powder white sands of this lesser-known beach located at the northernmost tip of the island."
Yes, I'm a big fan of Bean Point, featured as the lead item on my Bradenton area bucket list.
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Bucket list100 fun things to do in Sarasota County including restaurants, bars, beaches and more!
Which is better to visit, Siesta Key or Anna Maria Island?
Siesta Key and Anna Maria Island both have amazing beaches with great nearby restaurants. And they're both located by lots of other fun things to do, with Anna Maria Island close to downtown Bradenton and the Riverwalk, while Siesta Key is by downtown Sarasota and St. Armands Circle.
The fact that Anna Maria Island doesn't allow buildings higher than three stories definitely adds to its appeal, especially if you're seeking the kind of Old Florida experience so many of us adore. In addition to Anna Maria, I also spend a lot of time in the island's other two cities: Holmes Beach and Bradenton Beach, which both offer better nightlife and live music options, especially along Bradenton Beach's Bridge Street.
However, nowhere on Anna Maria Island offers a true nightclub experience like what you find on Siesta Key. In fact, one of my best late-nights out of recent memory was spent watching one-man band TL Jentgens perform at a packed Beach Club, the recently renovated Siesta Key Village nightclub established in 1947.
Here's the thing, though. I love spending time and the occasional staycation on both Siesta Key and Anna Maria Island. And I'm just glad to see our Sarasota-Manatee region represented on any national list like this "Greatest Beach Towns in America."
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More Ticket Editor columns by Wade Tatangelo
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Ticket Editor: Beach Bistro founder cancels Sarasota restaurant, expands on Anna Maria Island
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Ticket Editor: Popular Florida restaurant sets opening date for first Sarasota location
Ticket Editor:Sarasota restaurant makes ‘20 Best Pizza Joints in the United States’
Wade TatangeloisTicket Editor for the Sarasota Herald-Tribune, and Florida-Georgia Regional Dining and Entertainment Editor for the USA TODAY Network.Follow him onTwitter,FacebookandInstagram. He can be reached by email at wade.tatangelo@heraldtribune.com.Support local journalism bysubscribing.
