Blog / Siesta Key vs. Anna Maria Island: Which Beach Day Is Right for You?
Siesta Key vs. Anna Maria Island: Which Beach Day Is Right for You?
By the Vacation Thyme team
Both are famous Gulf Coast beaches, and both are worth a day. They just feel different. Here is how to choose, and why many guests do both.
Siesta Key: soft sand and a lively village
Siesta Beach is known for its sand, which is almost pure quartz and stays cool underfoot even on hot afternoons. The beach has been ranked among the best in the country many times. A short walk or free trolley ride away, Siesta Key Village has restaurants, shops and nightlife. There is also a drum circle on Sunday evenings. The main beach lot is large and free, but it fills early.
Anna Maria Island: small towns and shell hunting
Anna Maria Island is seven miles of beach split among three small towns, with no high-rises. You can pick a different beach for a different mood: Manatee Public Beach for families and facilities, Coquina Beach for shady pines and shark teeth, and Bean Point for quiet and big shells such as conch and lightning whelks. Pine Avenue and Bridge Street add old Florida charm, and the free trolley makes it easy to skip the car.
How to choose
- Pick Siesta Key if you want the softest sand, a walkable village for dinner and drinks, and a big, lively beach.
- Pick Anna Maria Island if you want shelling, quieter stretches, local piers and a low-key small town feel.
- Traveling with young kids? Manatee Public Beach on the island has lifeguards, restrooms, showers and a playground.
- Short on time? Choose one beach and give it a full day.
Do both from one home base
You do not need to choose a side. From our home in Bradenton you can spend one day on the island and another in Sarasota County. Many of our guests come back to the pool and tiki bar in the evening.
Stay close to all of itCoral Cabana sits on the mainland in Palma Sola, a short drive from the island beaches.
See Coral Cabana