Traveling anywhere is a unique experience as you witness the culture of a different place. There is a ton to explore, and you can benefit from opening yourself up to new adventures.
However, when traveling to any location with your kids, you may have to conduct additional research about activities you can enjoy with children. Anna Maria Island can be a great destination to travel to if you have your kids with you.
You can do many things with them on the island as it offers several kid-friendly activities – from kayaking and surfing to trips to historical locations and museums.
Here are a few things to do on Anna Maria Island when traveling with kids:
Visit the Scenic Beaches
Anna Maria Island has miles of beautiful beaches, perfect for fun in the sun. Kids will love building sandcastles, playing in the waves, and searching for seashells. You can also take picnics here, fire up a grill, play beach sports, and indulge in water sporting activities.
Many beaches also have a nearby park where kids can play on swing sets and other toys. A few best beaches on the island include Bean Point, Manatee Public Beach, Cortez Beach, Bradenton Beach, Holmes Beach, and Coquina Beach.
Spend an Afternoon at the Anna Maria Island Historical Museum
Suppose you want your kids to learn about the island’s history at the Anna Maria Island Historical Museum. The museum has exhibits on the island’s early settlers, local wildlife, and the island’s unique ecology.
Your kids can glimpse Florida’s history and take a picture at the Anna Maria City Jail. A trip to the museum can be the right thing to do to spark a liking for exploring different places and cultures in your kids.
Grab a Bite at the Island’s Restaurants
During your vacation, your kids will likely want a break from your everyday foods and want to indulge in different local delicacies. To ensure that they get a taste of the local flavors, their favorite items, and desserts, you can take them to eat at any of the island’s best eateries.
Anna Maria Island has several family-friendly restaurants like Ginny and Jane E’s Café and Coastal Store, The Donut Experiment, Poppo’s Taqueria, Waterfront Restaurant, Sandbar Seafood & Spirits, Dips Ice Cream, and Hometown Desserts.
Discover Marine Life With Fun Underwater Activities
Your kids may be interested in water-based activities, and to indulge them, you can enroll them in snorkeling, a popular option for adventure lovers. You can also buy your kids a cute snorkeling set and encourage them to snorkel with a professional or under your supervision.
By doing this, they can witness the marine life near the Anna Maria Island beaches. They may be able to see limestone reefs, tropical fish, starfish, sting rays, and other crustaceans. If your kids are lucky, they may see the occasional octopus on the ocean floor.
The most popular spots to snorkel around on the island are Holmes Beach, Bradenton Beach, Coquina Beach, and Egmont Key.
Learn to Surf the Waves
Surfing is one of the top vacation activities for your kids during a beach vacation. If your kids know how to surf, you can take them to the island’s famous beaches. On the other hand, if they need to learn how to surf, Anna Maria Island has many surf camps where you can book a coach.
They conduct individual sessions to teach your kids how to surf for a reasonable fee. The island also has many surf shops where you can buy or rent surfboards and other required appliances. Ensure you or a qualified professional supervises your kids while surfing or learning the process over open waters.
Play Mini Golf
Miniature golfing is a trendy tourist attraction enjoyed by kids. Many children interested in the game or want to test their skills frequent mini-golf spots. During your vacation, if you want your kids to enjoy some athletic time and showcase their inner golfer, you can take them to play mini golf at one of the many miniature golf courses on Anna Maria Island.
The Fish Hole, Smugglers Cove Adventure Golf, and Popstroke are some of the most renowned mini-golf courses on and around the island. Apart from playing, you and your family can enjoy the lush greenery, tropical foliage, ponds, and fun facts about the holes. Spend a day playing a competitive golfing game with your kids to make this trip the best to remember.
Go Fishing on Many Spots
Anna Maria Island is known for its excellent fishing, where you can take your kids on a fishing excursion and bond with them. There are several top fishing spots on the island, like Anna Maria Island City Pier, Rod & Reel Pier, Bradenton Bridge Street Pier, and Coquina Beach Piers.
You can teach your children how to fish for small fish and how to cut them. Some areas in Florida may have age restrictions or license requirements for fishing. Therefore, ensure you know the proper rules before fishing to avoid unnecessary trouble.
Take a Segway Tour
Segway tours can be a fun, unique way to explore Anna Maria Island with your kids and are popular among tourists. The Segway is self-balancing transportation that carries you from one place to another noiselessly and efficiently.
Exploring the island’s local culture during your vacation is a great option instead of taking your vehicle. However, since you are traveling with your kids, it is also essential to consider their age and experience level to avoid any further issues. You can easily enjoy a fun tour with your whole family using Segways.
Experience Parasailing
Any beach vacation is incomplete without parasailing. Parasailing is a thrilling and exciting activity that people of a heterogeneous group can enjoy, including kids, as long as they have someone supervising them.
If you want your kids to have the time of their life, ensure they can experience parasailing and get an aerial view of the sparkling island waters. You should also check their age and weight restrictions with the parasailing company.
Many companies require children to be at least six years old and weigh at least 90 pounds to parasail alone, while some companies may allow younger children to parasail with a parent or guardian. Ensure that your kids wear the proper safety gear.
Ride Around on Bikes
Anna Maria Island is only about two miles long and seven miles wide, making it convenient to explore on a bike. Depending on where your rental is situated, you can rent bikes and visit the nearby attractions.
It can be a good learning opportunity for your kids to navigate the island alone, ride along the beaches, and completely immerse in the local culture. Many local shops on the island offer good rental bikes based on your specific requirements and different options, like men’s, women’s and kid’s bikes.
Go On a Dolphin Tour
Many kids love dolphins at their age due to the creature’s fascinating portrayal in movies and cartoons. You can take your kids on a dolphin tour on the island to see these intelligent marine mammals in their natural habitat. Many tour companies on the island offer dolphin-watching tours for the whole family. You may also be able to witness other aquatic animals, which your kids might enjoy.
Visit the Mote Marine Aquarium
You can take your kids to the Mote Marine Aquarium if they want to know more about marine life. Since the aquarium lies in Sarasota, you can take a short drive to visit this marine research facility.
Your kids can see several interactive exhibits and tanks filled with aquatic life like manatees, sharks, and stingrays. The aquarium requires admission tickets, so booking your tickets in advance is essential.
Kayak Your Way Through Anna Maria
You can enjoy kayaking on Anna Maria Island throughout the year. Rent a kayak and paddle through the Bayfront Park, Robinson Preserve, and other renowned kayaking locations. You can fish from your kayak, enjoy the local life, explore the ecosystem of this place, and see manatees, dolphins, alligators, and more marine animals.
Sail on a Sunset Cruise
Along with its pristine beaches, Anna Maria Island is known for its gorgeous sunsets. You and your kids can cruise to see the beautiful sunset colors over the Gulf of Mexico. The sunset cruises on Anna Maria Island offer a relaxing and memorable experience for the whole family and will enhance the overall experience of your trip.
Shop Til You Drop
Once you enjoy most of the island’s things, you can do one last thing before leaving. Your kids will like to have a souvenir or buy some things for themselves to remember the fun of their vacation. So, you can stroll through the island’s unique shops, boutiques, and markets. Kids will love browsing the stores and buying clothes, toys, or knick-knacks to remember this trip.
Take Help From Property Managers
If you plan on doing most of the above activities with your kids during your vacation, you will need a relaxing accommodation to unwind after an action-packed day. We at Anchor Down Vacation Rentals provide you with the most spacious and customized vacation rentals in Anna Maria Island. Whether you need a house near the beach or want to bring your pets on vacation, we have you covered.
Know more about what we provide by visiting our Anchor Down Vacation Rentals website.