This beach was very clean with a lot to offer: a big parking lot, showers, bathrooms, changing stations, grills, picnic tables, chair rentals, and a bar with drinks. The beach itself was also very clean and well-kept. I highly recommend stopping here if you want a relaxing beach day. I came around noon, and there was still plenty of parking. read more

Holmes Beach - Beaches Near Me - Holmes Beach, Florida

A really nice white sand beach. The beach is very clean and well maintained. The water was clean and warm. While there there was a police/security presence which passed by on a regular basis ensuring beach goers were able to enjoy the beach without anyone creating any issues. In the section we were at, we did not notice any lifeguards, but basically everyone was very careful. read more

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Great beach! Parking is tight, but sand & waves are top notch! Bathrooms are clean, concessions are varied and pretty good. Prices are high for beer but not surprising. They also have a lifeguard on duty. The whole experience is probably 4 1/2 -- 5 stars but its all contingent on getting parking. read more

Fantastic beach with plentiful parking and great amenities for families of young children.

Basically, the beach's name is 'Manatee Beach'. Manatee Beach is a top fan favorite. With its wide & long stretches of white sand and great views of the Gulf of Mexico, it's no wonder this beach is one of the most popular in anna maria island and in Sarasota. We reached here in the evening around 4 PM. Whether it's swimming, sunbathing, or simply just walking with your partner along the shore, Manatee Beach is sure to provide you with a memorable experience. However, there's more to this beach than just sandy shores and crystal waters. Anna maria island beach cafe: right on the beach, small tiki bar, food options (seafood- Burgers, salads, and sandwiches), ice cream. order a beer, or cocktail, or enjoy the stunning views of the Gulf of Mexico while you eat. Parking: Municipal Parking, it's free but gets full so wait in one lane for 10-15 minutes, and you can grab a spot. Restroom: Yes! Changing Room: No Shower: Yes! read more

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This is a fantastic beach goers spot! Super soft white Sandy beach and warm turquoise water - what could be better?! They have clean restrooms on site, along with an indoor and outdoor dining cafe and bar area. There are also outdoor showers to rinse off before heading to your car, along with private changing stations. Another great thing about this particular beach location is that there is FREE parking!! Can you believe it?! We arrived around 11:45am on a Tuesday and it was already filling up quite quickly, so this is definitely a popular sunbathing location. Highly recommend coming here for the day- can't go wrong with views likes these. read more

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We loved our beach day. It was so peaceful and chill. We avoid the main beach areas with the parking lot and the shower and the bathrooms and the cafe attached. It's nice to have but it's just so crowded. We went there afterwards to shower and change and wow what a zoo. We love to drive around the island & go down the side streets. It's a bit of hide and seek, but we can find parking close up to the entrance and not have to deal with the crowds. I hate crowds on beaches. Beaches are meant to chill and not have tons of people right next to you especially now. This spot we found was perfect. I wish I took down the street names to know exactly where we parked. read more

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This is one of the nicer beaches in Anna Maria island. it's family-friendly but there's no lifeguard unless you go up to Manatee Beach It has a typical white sand wonderful open spaces that the Anna Maria island is known for and sunsets are really good here. Manatee Beach has the best public parking though. read more

Holmes Beach - just beautiful sunsets - Beaches Near Me - Holmes Beach, Florida

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What's not to love about Anna Maria Island, the charm of "0ld Florida ". The turquoise water is beautiful, white sandy beaches, and the sunsets rule. I love to sit on the beach and watch the dolphins, pelicans, and osprey. Paddle boarding , walking the beach and bird watching is popular. The beaches are perfect for shelling . Occasional you will get a unbroken sand dollar. You cannot bring your dogs on the beach . AMI is laid back and quiet. Social distancing 6 feet apart is a breeze. read more

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One of my favorite beaches on Anna Maria Island! They have lots of free parking, restrooms, showers on either side for feet or body, a bar, snack bar, and clothing/souvenirs store. Everyone here is super friendly. The beach is very big with white sand and the walk into the water is very short when wanting to hangout in it at three-quarters water height. Everyone here respects each other. No drinking allowed on the beach but you can drink at the bar that has lots of tables and chairs. read more

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Nice beach. Plenty of parking nearby in small spots along the beach. Not too many people the day we went (a Monday) and people were social distancing. read more

Holmes Beach - Holmes Beach - Beaches Near Me - Holmes Beach, Florida

Going to Anna Maria Island has been on my list of must visit for 2 years. We always go away for our anniversary/my birthday but this year because of COVID, we decided flying was not what we wanted to do. So we decided on a visit to Anna Maria!! The pictures I have seen online do not do it justice. The trip from Orlando took us a little over 2hours but the traffic was not bad at all. When we arrived I enjoyed the beachy town feel as we got closer to the beach area. We found an entrance to the beach near a small hotel and a sweet free parking spot 20 feet from the entrance. The beach is glorious!! The sand is so pretty and the water is bluish turquoise, just beautiful. There were not a lot of people, thank God. Social distancing was not a problem, everyone kept to their own space. We marked our spot, lathered up with sunscreen(safety first), and peacefully enjoyed a hot sun soak. When we got too hot we made our way to the water, it was a little warm, wish it would have been cooler but it was pristine. This is my new favorite beach and will be back. read more

Holmes Beach - Happy Birthday to me! - Beaches Near Me - Holmes Beach, Florida

Delicious food and awesome drinks Beautiful beach that is close to refreshments. Very friendly staff and clean restrooms.

Gorgeous is the only way to describe Holmes Beach. This is a beautiful beach to spend the day on. Holmes beach is a full service beach. There are lifeguards on this beach which is rare on this coast. There are restrooms here and I think changing rooms too. There is a restaurant right on the sand where you can have breakfast and lunch. There were plenty of tables, chairs and umbrellas available to sit at and enjoy a meal or have a drink and people watch. There was an ice cream shop with indoor seating, in case you don't want your ice cream to melt!! Lol. There was a shop where you can purchase gifts or perhaps something forgotten. I also noticed volleyball courts on this beach. There was a chair rental option as well. When we were there we were fortunate enough to see dolphins playing in the ocean! I think this would be a perfect beach to watch a sunset! If you are in the area or feel like a drive to a gorgeous beach, I highly recommend Holmes Beach on Anna Maria Island. I don't think you will be disappointed. read more

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Very beautiful and great sand. Has restrooms and an eatery right on the beach. A playground for small kids and volleyball for big kids. Lifeguards on duty. You can walk down either left or right for a little more privacy. Great time! Trolley runs make it convenient or plenty if parking. We stayed in condo and walked on beach. read more

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Best beach in Bradenton, clean , safe , has tiki bar and restaurant, excellent food and very friendly

Shame on you Holmes Beach parking authority! Wanted a nice beach experience with my grandson while my husband was working in Bradenton, so we headed to Anna Maria Island. Not being familiar with the area, we just headed up the beach road and found a quiet street with beach access, and it turned out to be Holmes Beach. I parked behind an SUV on the left side of the street as it was a private hotel on the right side. When we came back to the car after two hours there was a $100 parking ticket on the vehicle for parking in a spot that is not allowed and for parking on the wrong side of the street. I was truly shocked! No where was there a "No parking" sign, and the "parallel parking only" signage was facing the way our vehicles were parked, so anyone would assume it was okay to park this way. This spoiled what would have been a memorable experience for us, and I will avoid going there again like the plague. Beware of Holmes Beach parking traps!! read more

Holmes Beach - No "No parking" signs. How is one to know? - Beaches Near Me - Holmes Beach, Florida

Why 3 stars? Because it's a nice enough beach, but the entrance gets me every time. What can you say about another beautiful gulf beach? I'm a fan, (obviously) but the dirt area as you walk-up is a bit of a turn-off in my eyes. Look at me, I've become a beach snob. I don't care that it's very touristy and a hassle to park, to me, Clearwater Beach is king. Why? Because it's nothing but white, sugary sand from start to finish. I guess I've been spoiled, but I'm not a fan of a ton of grass, dirty, or any other non-beach on my beach. That being said, I cannot get enough of the beach and will continue to return to Anna Maria when I'm down in the 941. read more

This is my secret spot. Many memories here and many more to come. Either I go with 15 friends or just my wife... it is always special. We built our waterfront beach house here 15yrs ago. The beach is private out front of my place so the experience is ideal. The water is crystal clear, the sand is powdery white, the views are incredible and the sunsets are prime (catch the green flash as it sets into the Gulf). Sorry Jersey Shore :/ read more

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Perfect day at this white sandy paradise @ 68th street. People swimming and enjoying their floats, a nice breeze and no signs of the red tide people, having fun times without you all! read more

Holmes Beach - Beaches Near Me - Holmes Beach, Florida

Loved this beach! It offers a much closer walk to the water than Siesta Key, and although its sand is slightly courser and less powdery white, I found I preferred it, plus all the cool seashells its shores offered! The water on the day I went was slightly chilly (mid-May) although it was sunny out. The further along you went the warmer it got. It was very crowded on a Sunday and parking was harder to get. I heard Coquina is a comparable beach with better parking/less crowds which I hope to check out next time around. All in all, this one is a def a fave. read more

Holmes Beach has bathrooms, outdoor showers and changing rooms, a volley ball court, a snack bar, all you can eat pancakes last I checked and free parking, of course. I took the photo attached showing Holmes Beach and what you can expect to see at times during a nice sunset. After nearly five years living in Holmes Beach I sold everything, packed my car and moved back home to New Hampshire. I terribly missed the food I grew-up eating, missed skiing in the White Mountains, missed the old fashioned New England winters. I missed the starry night skies. I missed the rolling hills and mountains and open lands. Florida has too many people, all flat land, roads that all look the same. I especially missed drinking ice-cold mountain spring water that NH offers plenty of. You can't find water nearly as good and pure in Florida unless you buy Figi water every week. I love Holmes Beach and Anna Maria Island for vacations, but to live there or anywhere else in Florida - forget it. I never could get used-to the nasty freak lightning storms SW Florida has, didn't appreciate flash flooding right up to my door, didn't admire the nearly invisible flies that bite hard like they have huge teeth! Didn't care much for the termites that took over my duplex drilling tiny holes in my ceiling for the sole purpose of dropping their poop below! The poop would form small piles on the floor here and there. Not cool. My landlord had to have the house "tented". I didn't like Palmetto bugs that would sometimes get-in the house no matter how well the house was sealed. They'd surprise me at night scurrying across my kitchen floor into my living room sending shivers up my spine whenever I spotted them! Palmetto bug is the polite name given to three-inch Florida cock roaches! Let's not forget the common, poisonous brown recluse spiders you might find in a new houseplant you just bought or in a bush you walk past. I won't forget the large snakes I often found on my patio near my door. They would keep themselves warm on the cement floor then hunt small lizards there the next day. I accidentally stepped on a large snake one night while wearing flip flops. I nearly lost it! I nearly killed the snake as well when I stepped on it. I also never much cared for the crazy drivers on the roads and highways in Florida, hated waiting five minutes or longer at red lights by the boatloads! I never much cared for driving in the constant heavy daytime traffic Bradenton and surrounding areas have! We don't have any of that b.s. in NH! All the city roads in Florida seem to look alike, businesses on both sides of the road are often foreclosed properties, even gas stations! Let's not forget the certain women at Walmarts in Bradenton. They act like they own Walmart! These mother bears step right in front of your car while it's still moving. They don't look, they don't wave, they don't care even if you have to slam your brakes to stop for them. They have four or five children in tow and the children do the same exact thing. One of them might stop directly in front of your car without looking in order to tie a shoelace while you wait. Mother bear continues to walk in front, doesn't turn around to check on them. She continues into the Walmart children in tow. They run around like animals while mother bear shops and blocks the aisle with her shopping cart while she ignores everything and everyone around her! And if you dare say anything to any one of them - God help you! The Walmart on Cortez Rd had its' own Police SWAT truck continuously parked in front. The Bradenton website calls Bradenton "The Friendly City". Talk about a crock of the highest quality! read more

Holmes Beach - Beaches Near Me - Holmes Beach, Florida

No matter how many beach lovers come here, there is always room for one more beach towel and umbrella! Wonderful, well priced foods and drinks are available at their beach cafe. Ice cream, too! Service and cleanliness is five star! Shopping and souvenirs from your visit to the beach are affordable and of good quality. Every evening offers grwat entertainment and a lovely sunset! read more

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Our second time to vacation on AMI and we love just as much as we did the first time. Holmes Beach is beautiful and not crowded. Plenty of shops, shells and relaxation. The sunsets are amazing! read more

Holmes Beach - Holmes Beach sunset in June. - Beaches Near Me - Holmes Beach, Florida

This is my favorite beach. Vacations were spent on this beach. When it rains, get in the ocean and ride it out. When sun comes out, get in the ocean and enjoy. I've been on the beach when the temperature was warm and cool. However, I've never had 1 bad trip to Holmes. It's always beautiful, always therapeutic, always 'home.' I'm very snooty about my beaches. From the Atlantic to the Gulf-I prefer Holmes. read more

PROBABLY MY FAVORITE BEACH IN THE WORLD! Clear water, light sandy beaches, semi-private, friendly people, very clean! Can't wait to go back soon! Some of the best sunsets you will ever see, the sun slowly disappears into the water :) read more

Holmes Beach - Sunset! - Beaches Near Me - Holmes Beach, Florida

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Great beach! It is definitely crowded at times but beautiful white sandy gulf beach with just the right size waves. The kind that won't carry you down the beach but enough to float you a little at times. Soft sand and some shells. Love it. read more

My favorite beach in the state of Florida. Hands down best beaches on ami. Nothing to be desired. Perfect. It's so worth the hour drive from Tampa and St. Pete. Just make sure you have a sunshine pass for all of the bridges/tolls. You have to go over skyway bridge to get here if you're coming from St. pete. The greater Tampa bay area makes a fortune off of people who don't buy these temporary stickers and I ended up paying out more, by not having one as I spent most of last summer all around Tampa. read more

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Amazing beach. Beautiful sunsets. Soft sand. Calm ocean. Generally can find Dolphins swimming near by. Grab an umbrella with a good book and just sit back and enjoy life. read more

Came to the beach for one day before we flew home. It was really great. Not to crowded and the local shop was very convenient. We really enjoyed swimming out to the sand bar here too. read more

The water is beautiful and blue and there is a lot of room on the beach. The sand near the water and in the water is very soft however quickly becomes coarse with lots of broken up shells the farther away from the water you get. There are also tons of people on concentrated areas of the beach but as long as you go down the beach a little ways from them, there won't be too many people right around you and you'll have some privacy. Overall a pretty good beach. read more

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My favorite beach , clear water and white sand. Getting there is easy and free parking. Best beach !!

Our favorite place on the island has become a cigarette butt dump at the picnic area by Cafe on the Beach. While I realize that this is due to the slobs who have no care for the environment, I don't understand why the city doesn't attempt to clean up the mess. Maybe if it was kept tidy, it would be easier to spot the polluters. My children and I cleaned up two full bags of trash in front of the cafe. This is heartbreaking. perhaps charge to use the beach or have more security monitors paid to police this area. I am very saddened. read more

Worgeous place... no where to park unless you go to the public beach and even so we ended up having to pay for private parking which was not so close to the beach area. Otherwise I would give it 5 stars read more

This beach is awesome we went with three children ages 13, 2 and 1 and we came in later in the day because kids. Its a nice calm beach with so much space although there were many people it was not super crowded. we parked right in the front where there is a bbq area and there is also benches and trash cans. I really enjoyed this beach more than the ones on the Atlantic Ocean such as Cocoa and Daytona. There are no waves so the kids can play freely and there isn't a fear of an undertow. The kids were all on floats and people were pretty far out and it was not deep. The beach was clean although I got bit all over by idk what. However, the sand is packed and white and there is not a ton of seawood floating around. I wanted to walk down the coast but again kids. I stopped at this beach because its the first one but I am sure if you make a left at the light there are a ton of other beaches. Parking was not difficult it took us about 10 mins and we were right in the front. I really liked this beach it reminded me of the one in Destin which is awesome. read more

Great conveniences for kids/families. good water, not as clear as AMI, but still very nice. The water does drop off very