Well, we got picked up right at our doorstep and they took us where we needed to go and when we were ready to come home that evening they picked us up again and dropped us right off at our door. Thought that was pretty special. read more

5 of us plus a baby faced an hour wait for the trolley after dinner. Then we spotted the Monkey Bus and ran over to ask if he had room for us. The driver (I think his name is Edam) was entertaining and played music for the baby. He got us home quick, and we met some fun people on the ride. read more

So two nights in a row the Monkey bus got me and hubby home. First night my hubby could not make the five blocks and the Monkey bus golf cart just miraculously was passing by so we caught a lift right to our door. Next night we Uber to go out to eat but a rainy night on the Island no Uber's in sight so we call the Monkey Bus. The guy on the phone was super nice asked where we were going. I call him back as we crossed the road wanted to make sure we got one heading in our direction home. So we got on the Monkey bus. Could definitely see where this could be a lot of fun going round on this bus! Wow so colorful and cheerful just what you need on this dreary rainy night. Hubby and I loved it! They only work on tips which means I will over tip as it is definitely worth it. These guys and girls are out doing a great service to Ana Maria Island as well as the community during Covid. Everyone has on a mask and you feel safe. As for the driver of the bus he took home a lady who was Local and blind right to her door. This guy is truly a Hometown Hero that no one ever recognizes or acknowledges. Hopefully we will get to take this transportation again before leaving the island. In fact when I got back to our place I called the dispatcher for doing such a great job. Thank you! read more

See all

What a blast! My cousins and I regularly use the monkey bus when we're on the island to go to the bars! They're normally super quick to pick us up and the best part is they always give you the aux/let you play anything you want! The most fun and safe way to get around AMI at night! read more

Island Beach Monkeys - Transportation Near Me

I'm here from Connecticut and cannot believe how much fun I could have on Anna Maria Island. Mostly because ofith Beanie on the Monkey bus. This was the best vacation ever!! read more

Loved Chris and his Monkey Bus ride... The bus is not luxurious but works well and Chris was Wonderful and a good driver plus very courteous. read more

I gave 1 star only because 0 was not an option. driver (whe claims to own company) was rude and late. also had a companion on bus both ways. he was conscious on our first trip. on the way home he was unconscious in the first row of the bus ... just what we wanted our kids to see. just terrible. read more

Should you find yourself in the AMI/ Holmes Beach/ Bradenton area this is a fun way to get around for a little day drinking or a night out. Nice drivers, decked out mini bus, and fun tunes! This FREE shuttle will drop off and pickup. Tips are expected since the service itself is "free" with no set per person charge so be sure to bring cash. Do the right thing and tip a minimum of a few bucks per person, per trip. If you have a large group of around 10-15 they can take you on one trip! We called the day of as a list minute plan when the weather turned blah for a beach day. They were able to pick us up at an agreed upon time and take us to their drop off point near bars and restaurants. From there our group barhopped a little, had dinner, then called when we were ready to go home. They will give you an estimate of when they can pick you up and you're on your way. Be sure to call ahead and get cash. Then you're in for some fun and safe transportation with your group for a night out. read more

Totally unreliable. Left stranded 2 miles from destination. Called several times during 1 1/2 hour wait. Only got run around. Never did show. read more

We used Monkey Bus to transport us from our wedding ceremony on Anna Maria Island to our reception at MotorWorks Brewing. Our driver was on time, super friendly, and there was karaoke on the bus. We had a great time! We had a little bit of trouble getting in touch with the company in order to set up the ride. We were trying to plan it a few months in advance and they preferred that we set it up closer to the date. Not a bad thing, just made us a little nervous. In the end, it all worked out and we had a great ride! Definitely recommend. read more

We only used the Monkey Bus once while we were on the island but it was a great first impression. We had a party of twelve travelling to dinner, including an infant and a toddler. Getting Ubers to drive us around would have been costly and inconvenient so we decided to try this service. The driver was communicative while we waited so we knew exactly when he would show up, and arrived right when he said he would. Both times. They operate on tips so we made sure to take care of the driver nicely which still saved money compared to Uber. I can see where these guys would get really busy so order your ride as early as possible and I suspect you will have the same great experience. read more

Great experience. We just missed the trolley and called the monkey bus. He was great, picked us up in minutes. What a great concept!

Free ride! Just tip! The drivers are wonderful and informative and just great! Tip BIG! Everyplace should have a monkey bus! read more

Island Beach Monkeys - This is the best and most fun way to get to where you are going! Drivers are awesome! - Transportation Near Me

See all

We had a group of 7 going from the north tip of the island to Bradenton Beach and didn't want to drive and not find a good parking space so we called the Monkey Bus and were picked up within minutes and had a fun ride to and from. Highly recommended!!! read more

Just called and was told, "make it quick, I have another call." When I explained I wanted to book a shuttle from Long Boat Key to Sarasota he told me it would be impossible and hung up on me. Absolutely terrible customer service, definitely don't recommend! read more

In the past, monkey bus has been a lifesaver when trolleys are stopped and there are no other options. Tonight, we called for a ride to the BeachHouse, and they said they would be right there. 40 minutes later, no bus, so we called again and they said they would be right there, no problem at all. At an hour mark, we decided to just start waking to the trolley stop, they passed us on the way, and we flagged them down with flashlights and yells but they did not stop. when we chased after them, we found them in-front of our houses, but now they "cannot go in that direction". so we had to pick another destination, but do to the extreme wait, this restaurant is closed by the time we for there. Extremely disappointed and outraged at the lies and poor service tonight. read more

I waited over an hour and no bus. The island is not busy and there is no excuse for this . I called three times and finally gave up. went into my lyft app and the car was there immediately and it cost the same amount I would have paid if the Monkey bus performed appropriately. So if you want to wait for transportation use the mo key bus read more

This was an excellent and safe way to travel the island. My wife, parents and myself rode onboard the Monkey being dropped off throughout Bradenton, Holmes Beach and Anna Maria. We were treated with respect and had a blast with the on board karaoke. The owners also joined in on the fun. Thanks for making our trip even more memorable aboard THE MONKEY BUS!!!!!!!!! Keep rockin. read more

Island Beach Monkeys - Partying on the Monkey Bus - Transportation Near Me

See all

We love this free transportation, old and new. We use often. We left two Brymate beverage holders on Saturday December 19, 2020. We are waiting on them to contact us. If anyone finds please contact Tony 863-214-3886. Thanks and enjoy the ride read more

I gave these guys a bad review before...but now think they are the best! New drivers are awesome

We were in town for a long weekend with a large group attending a wedding. We used the Monkey Bus REPEATEDLY for 3 days with Doug as our faithful driver. It was excellent! I can not say enough positive things about this experience. HIGHLY recommend. read more

If you expect door to door limo service, this isn't it. As we stay on Anna Maria Island, there is the free trolley, which can take at least 30 minutes. And then there is the "Monkey Bus." Which is also episodic. But cupcakes, let's remember these are free services that allow you to not use your cars. Used it a few times when last in the area, and had no problems. Our expectations were low so we could not be underwhelmed. What was surprising though, was that at least half the riders donated nothing. That's not only rude, but selfish. Drivers have been very pleasant, and sometimes a throwback to the 60s. All good. read more

I have used the Beach Monkeys on many occasions when I've wanted to visit different locations on the island without having to drive. Doug is an awesome driver and we love him! We most recently had the Monkey Bus pick us up for our bachelor and bachelorette parties and even for our WEDDING! The bus made really neat wedding pictures and was a different option than the usual. Highly recommend! read more

Will never take again. My girlfriends and I requested the bus as instructed. We were told to call about 15 minutes before we were ready to go, and ended up waiting over half an hour for the bus. NBD except one of the main reasons we insisted on taking the bus that night was to be able to "party" and sing karaoke en route to our next destination. We're unfamiliar with the island (most of us are from up north) so we were hopeful that the driver would give us ideas on good bars to go to for our sort of crowd. We got nothing of the sort. We're a fun, friendly bunch and, for the record, we weren't rowdy or anything but polite when he picked us up. The guy driving seemingly hated his job and our group boarding was an inconvenience for him. We asked if we could do karaoke and he said "nah it's broken." DOUBT IT. The island beach monkeys bus was the least fun portion of our bachelorette party. And I'm the only one who lives in the area (Bradenton) so I'll be telling the locals who sent me to IBM that their suggestion to take it was severely outdated. read more

Have been on the island for a couple of weeks and decided to give the Island Beach Monkeys a try. What a disaster. Initially, it all went well. On Sunday, 2/19, I contacted the company about a ride later that day. A nice young lady took my information, including phone number, pickup and destination, and told me she would call later to confirm availability. A few hours later, she called to confirm that the bus would be there at 5:30pm as planned. At about 5:45pm that nite, the bus had not yet arrived so I called the company number. This time I reached a male who indicated that the reason that the bus had not arrived is because they did not know my destination. I explained that I had already provided that info earlier. He told me that the lady that took my info was no longer working that day. I asked why I wasn't contacted about this issue since I had earlier provided my phone number and had already been contacted once by the company with this same phone number. He responded by shouting "That's because I don't have your f***ing phone number". He shouted it so loud that my 8 year old grandson, who was supposed to be part of this trip, heard it as well. At that point, I hung up. I just hope the owner/manager reads this review and takes appropriate action. No customer or potential customer should ever be treated like this. read more

Horrible driver. Quoted us a price of $20. Even though it is tip based, when he dropped us off he got belligerent and told us it was $35. He was rude and volatile and threw the money. We told him that we paid the amount he quoted us,but he got madder. We told him to settle down and he finally told us to forget it and closed the door on us. Very rude. read more

This was our first time to the island and what a phenomenal way to see it. The driver gave us plenty of information about the island (places to go, things to do and history of things on the island). The driver himself was great; he had karaoke on the bus and had us all singing, including the kids. He brought us right to the front doors of the restaurant and he picked us up after dinner. The bus took us around the island after dinner to see more of the island and brought us to what I think was the nicest spot on the island to watch the sunset. The driver came back after the sun had gone down so we could take all the kids for ice cream and he waited in the parking lot to bring us home. For a small family reunion, we felt like we had hired our own party bus. It was awesome! The bus driver told us they only work on tips, which is a great deal when you have a group of 14 people. We took a limo to sightsee in Florida the year before, so we could fit everyone together and it was $400 plus tip. We tipped the driver $60 a couple and what a steal of a deal for a whole evening of transportation and entertainment. I highly recommend that if you go to the island, you call the Island Beach Monkeys 941-565-6542. It is definitely a party bus for families and would be for anyone any age. We used their service all week and will again next year, and our kids are still talking about it. Thanks Island Beach Monkeys, from soon to be snowy Canada. read more

Fuck this thing. I was trying to get from a gas station back to my house at around 10:30 pm, walking, and tried to get a ride from which i was denied because the driver was "going to the bar." even though I believe the service is free (?) I offered to pay, which he still declined. He then proceeded to pick up someone else and I walked like a mile home. Terrible service and rude driver. read more

We hired Island Beach Monkeys to provide one hour of transportation from our wedding ceremony to a local bar on the island. I sent a $100 check to reserve the hour, which they promptly cashed. We called to confirm with them the day before our wedding and were told they would call back to confirm by the end of the night. We never heard from them and had to call back on the morning of our wedding. They did arrive at the Sandbar on time, but picked up and dropped off two other customers (not part of our wedding guests) along the way- certainly not the private, reserved hour we anticipated. We expressed concerns to the driver who was super friendly and explained one of the vehicles was broken down. We understand things happen, but wished the company had let us know of this upfront. Long story short- we called the owner, Rock, the next day to express our disappointment who was super rude, unprofessional, and told us "do you really want to start your marriage with this kind of karma?". We were asking for a 50% refund, which we felt was fair. Rock refused to tell us where we could pick up the money (after agreeing to it) or take down our address to send the check. Instead, he asked us to contact him the night before we were heading out of town. We had to call multiple times and finally his wife called back. After three weeks, we didn't get a refund check and called Kathy again. She said it would be in the mail- we got it this week, for 50% less than what we had asked for/spoken with them about. I would advise choosing another company for your transportation needs- especially if it's something important like a wedding. Not worth the hassle or unprofessionalism! Also, we could have gotten the exact same service for just a tip, instead of paying $100 to reserve the bus for an hour. read more