Gulf Coast Paradise ~ Bradenton Beach ~ Anna Maria Island Unit A

Lynn is an excellent host! The house is beautiful & comfortable. Plenty of areas to relax and enjoy the views. We had everything we needed for an end of year getaway. Definitely will be back!

Great beach cottage feel, that was cozy & clean with an amazing gulf beach view, along with a very accommodating host. Thanks for the much needed time away from bitter cold up North.

Fantastic location. Beach views from the house were perfect. Enjoyed watching the sunset from the comfort of the air conditioned sunroom. Great communication with host.

This home was a perfect place for our week long girls' trip with our adult daughters. It wasn't flashy, but it checked every box except for the washer/dryer. We would have preferred being able to wash clothes midweek, but as long as you know this you can pack accordingly. We were directly across the street from the beach and fishing pier. I would suggest going to the house before you go shopping at the Publix to see what is currently in the house (example, we brought shampoo, conditioner, body wash, and liquid hand soap in our checked luggage but there were several bottles left behind from others). We left ours behind as well. We wanted the full service so we spent 2 days at Manatee Beach/Holmes Beach; rented an umbrella & 2 lounge chairs for $29 (from 9 am - 5 pm). It was so nice to be able to swim, lay under the umbrella and read a book, then go into the water when we got too hot. There was also a lifeguard on duty (most lifeguard towers were unmanned - look for the flag to know if there's actually a lifeguard on duty). The Anna Maria Beach Cafe on site was really delicious and very reasonable. Fish tacos, taco salad, and wraps were delicious! Our favorite was the All you can eat pancakes for $8; eating pancakes on the beach with toes in the sand was a great way to start our mornings. We borrowed 4 beach chairs from the storage room to take to the beach across the street. One morning we took them over to the little beach near the Anna Maria Island pier when the waves were really rough (bonus was getting to see manatees on the bay side). We bought an $8 foam cooler to use for the week and then left it for the next family in the storage room. We bought a gallon of drinking water from the Publix, froze it overnight and then took to the beach each day. It fit in the foam cooler, kept everything cold and then used it to refill our water bottles. Refill with tap water and freeze overnight and repeat (or buy another gallon if you prefer). The glassed in lanai was the best feature after its location. We were able to watch sunsets and enjoy the beach view while staying cool in the a/c. We felt very safe and are already planning coming back next summer. Be sure to check out the Beach Market at Coquina Beach (Wed. and Fridays 11-2 pm). We had a car so we didn't use the free trolley, but will next time. Download the Mystop app (select AMI trolley) so you know when it's coming. Parking is VERY limited at restaurants/shopping