How to Use the Island Real Estate Remote Entry System

The island Real Estate remote entry system is easy to use and convenient too! Our manual key box and wireless remote entry systems are something new. We’ve implemented this to help you get started with your vacation as soon as possible. No driving through traffic and waiting in our office to get your key, just head to your vacation haven, take your shoes off and start relaxing on Anna Maria Island.

Island Real Estate remote entry system:

The code to enter your property is automatically fed into the remote lock and is ready to use at 4:30 PM EST on the day of your arrival. It also stops working at 10AM on the day of your departure. This is automatic and there is no human intervention required. Simply enter the code and you are set to go.

Manual Box Entry:

The key to your property will be stored in a manual lock box on the property. At 4:30 PM on your day of arrival, enter the code into the Manual Entry Key Block and retrieve your property key. Upon your departure, just return the keys to the Manual Key Box and head on your way. Simple!

Larry

Meet Larry Chatt. Larry is the Broker/Owner of Island Real Estate – and has owned Anna Maria Island investment property while residing in New England, Ohio, Colorado, Iowa and across Europe. He and his family have been on the island for decades and Larry has served his community in various roles with the Anna Maria Island Chamber of Commerce

November 7, 2013November 21, 2020

Delicious Anna Maria Island Breakfast Spots

Anna Maria is well known for its white sandy beaches and amazing Gulf front dining. But dinner is not the only time to discover one of the island’s culinary gems; breakfast IS the most important meal of the day after all!

It would be impossible to pick “the best” breakfast restaurant on the island, as each has a unique personality. Southern Living touts Ginny’s & Jane E’s at the Old IGA for a special breakfast experience, the fabulous Morning Glory muffin and the funky beach chic boutique. Sink your toes in the sand at the Sandbar during their Sunday jazz brunch. While visiting one of Forbes List of America’s Prettiest Towns, try the Donut Experiment on Historic Pine Avenue. For an international flair, the Island Creperie French Bistro located on Bridge Street in Bradenton Beach serves up a myriad of selections. In the mood to eat alot of pancakes? Try the all you can eat pancake breakfast at the Anna Maria Island Beach Cafe.

Local favorites include the home style of Peach’s in Holmes Beach, the “specials board” is always something special! Minnie’s is a great little breakfast and lunch spot. A petite restaurant offering great service, an intimate setting and nice portions…be sure to bring cash, because Minnie’s, as well as several other local favorites are still cash only!

Discover your favorite breakfast spot by exploring the flavorful delights Anna Maria Island has to offer!

Larry

October 7, 2013January 22, 2021

Anna Maria Island Beaches information

Here on Anna Maria Island we have beautiful beaches and all of the Beaches along the Gulf of Mexico on Anna Maria Island are public. There are private entries and Public Beaches with lots of parking but once you get to the sand and Gulf waters, the beaches are everyone’s to enjoy. You can find a beach access point almost anywhere on the island, just look down the street from your house.

There are three main Public Beaches on Anna Maria Island: Bay Front Park, Manatee Public Beach, and Coquina Beach. Bay Front Park is located at the north end of the Island in the City Of Anna Maria. At Bay Front Park you will find quite beaches, spectacular views of the Sky Way Bridge, and offers lots of free parking, covered picnic tables, grills, public restrooms, and a play ground on the beach for children.

Manatee Public Beach is located in Holmes Beach where Manatee Avenue runs right into the Gulf of Mexico. Manatee Public Beach has free parking, picnic tables, public restrooms, a playground on the beach for children, a café right on the beach with food and drinks, and a lifeguard on duty.

Coquina Public Beach is located in Bradenton Beach just south of Bridge Street at the south end of Anna Maria Island. Coquina Public Beach has lots free parking, picnic tables, grills, public restrooms, a play ground on the beach for children, a café right on the beach with food and drinks, and a lifeguard on duty.

We hear many questions regarding, which beach is the best to go to? All of our beaches have white sugar sand with some shells on the beach depending on the rise and fall of the tide. The number of people on the beach can be dramatically different depending on where you are. Anna Maria City beaches are the quietest followed by Holmes Beach then Bradenton Beach. When comparing our beaches to most other Florida beaches we are VERY quiet.

There is plenty of entertainment to be found on our gorgeous beaches, Shelling, Bird Watching, just walking along the beach or searching for the perfect vacation rental or “peace of paradise”. Going to the beach is the perfect way to relax and enjoy the moment!

Larry

October 3, 2013January 22, 2021

Top Four Reasons to Stay on Anna Maria Island

If you’ve seen or stayed on Anna Maria Island before you know just how beautiful it is along the white sand beaches. Anna Maria Island is an island paradise with many of the comforts of civilization without taking away from that laid back island feeling. Aside from that what makes Anna Maria Island so great though? Well, let’s count them out for you.

1. The beautiful coastal weather.

The average temperature on Anna Maria Island is 74.8 degrees Fahrenheit (23.75 celsius). This makes for a lot of wonderful beach days even in the fall! When the leaves are falling in other parts of the country we’re still tanning on the beach or sporting shorts and flip flops.

2. An average of 361 sunny days a year.

Anna Maria Island fits in well with the rest of Florida featuring 361 days of sunshine a year. While there may be afternoon showers (we see them most often around 5-6 pm in the summer) usually lasting for less than an hour, that still leaves beautiful mornings and nights to catch a sunrise over Tampa Bay and sunset over the Gulf of Mexico. Nearly every day is a beach day!

3. The laid back island atmosphere.

Anna Maria Island still has that old Florida feel while maintaining modern living. Days are determined by sunrise and sunset rather than clocks. Golf carts are allowed on all Anna Maria Island roads so you can take a cruise to the store, patronize your favorite restaurant, or swing by the beach all on one charge.

4. The strong sense of community.

Anna Maria Island is a small enough community that you’ll see familiar faces everywhere you go. There are plenty of fun social events in the winter months to get involved with, and a lot of volunteering groups that are constantly improving our personal piece of paradise. The Chamber of Commerce routinely hosts bigger events and has friendly games of horseshoes every Wednesday and Saturday morning.

So what are you waiting for? We’ll be patiently awaiting your arrival!

Larry

August 13, 2013November 21, 2020

Experience the Anna Maria Island Nightlife

Anna Maria Island Nightlife

Looking for something to do at night on Anna Maria Island? There are several choices in nighttime entertainment to choose from…

Live Music

Blue Marlin Restaurant’s Courtyard offers live music on Thursday, Friday and Saturday in a relaxing outdoor setting.
Island Time Bar & Grill has live music running from Thursday through Sunday. Wings, burgers, and fried grouper sandwiches are also available.
The Anna Maria City Pier has live music on Friday and Saturday starting at 6:00PM.
D Coy Ducks is an option for those wanting to stay out later, open until 1:30AM. Live music Wednesday-Saturday with Thursday being karaoke night.
Ace’s Lounge, a short jaunt off the island, is a great choice for live music. Rock, Blues, Country, Jazz and Reggae can all be found here.

Happy Hours

Check out our full list of ten Anna Maria Island happy hours to get the night started right!

Bars & Billiards

Sport’s on Bridge Street in Bradenton Beach has billiards, darts, and shuffleboard!
Slim’s Place has two billiards tables and drinks to go around. A large bar and televisions to watch the game.
Bortell’s has darts, pinball, video games, and billiards tables, and .

More information on night spots can be found in some of our other top blogs!

Larry

August 8, 2013November 21, 2020

Myakka River State Park

Looking for the perfect destination to go hiking, fishing, canoeing, kayaking, biking, or nature watching? Well Myakka River State Park is where you should be heading if you are interested in any of these activities!

Fees for entry are extremely affordable. A single passenger car is $4, a car with 2-8 passengers is $6. Pedestrians and bicyclists can enter the park for $2. Canoes, kayaks, and bikes are also available for rental. Canoes are kayaks are $20 for the first hour and $5 for each additional hour. Bikes are $15 for 1-2 hours, $25 for 4 hours, and $40 for 5 hours or until park close.

The 57 square mile state park boasts an impressive 38.9 miles of trails. Camping grounds can be found along the trails, and carry a fee of $5 per person per night.

Some of the wildlife you can expect to see during a trek are fish, lizards, snakes, frogs, bats, raccoon, deer, birds, bobcats, and of course alligators! Dogs are allowed in the park, but not allowed in the concession areas, buildings, on tours, or in the Wilderness Preserve south of S.R. 72. It is advised that dogs are not allowed near open water as alligators have been known to attack dogs along shorelines or from ditches.

The park is open for use everyday from 8:00AM until sunset. The park staff can advise on the time of sunset upon entering the park.

Summer hours for the Myakka Outpost are in effect June 1st-December 15th with the park being open 10:00AM-4:00PM Monday-Friday and 8:30AM-5:00PM on Saturday & Sunday.

Winter hours for the Myakka Outpost are in effect from December 16th-May 31st with the park being open 9:00AM-5:00PM Monday-Friday and 8:30AM-5:00PM on Saturday & Sunday.

Myakka River State Park
13208 State Road 72,
Sarasota, FL USA 34241
(941) 361-6511

Larry

August 8, 2013November 21, 2020

Yoder’s Restaurant | Homestyle Amish Food Sarasota, FL

Yoder’s Restaurant in Sarasota has some of the finest homestyle Amish food you will ever taste. Make sure to save room for dessert because the pies are quite possibly the best part of the whole experience.

Not only is the restaurant locally acclaimed, it has been featured on Man Vs. Food and 101 Tastiest Places to Chow Down. Since 1975 Yoder’s has served food with southern hospitality and passed on Amish traditions. Mrs. Yoder makes her pies fresh insisting on only using fresh fruit fillings and an impeccable crust.

Any Amish comfort food you can imagine can be found at Yoder’s, and you can be sure the taste will satisfy your cravings. Fried chicken is one of the signature plates to be found at Yoder’s, and boy golly is it the best fried chicken in the area.

Yoder’s is open 6:00AM to 8:00PM on Monday through Saturday. Yoder’s is closed on Sundays.

Yoder’s Restaurant
3434 Bahia Vista Street
Sarasota, FL 34239
(941) 955-7771

Want another choice in Sarasota? Be sure to try the Columbia restaurant. Pretty much a staple choice to visit if you need to take a trip into Sarasota.

Larry

August 8, 2013November 21, 2020

Van Wezel Performing Arts Hall | Sarasota, FL

Hosting numerous performances throughout the year, the Van Wezel Performing Arts Hall is a top of the line live entertainment venue. Music, dance, theater, and comedy can all be found within the spacious walls and lush acoustics of the Van Wezel. Remodeled in 2000, the Van Wezel hall can now seat 1736 guests in the concert hall. A 6000 square foot Grand Foyer was also added which can comfortably seat up to 350.

The Van Wezel also has many community outreach programs that teach about the arts. Performances are often held for school children to begin to engage them in the creative thought process of the arts.

Ticket prices vary depending on the event, but you can expect it to be reasonably priced for the quality. Student and teacher tickets are available on the day of the event for $15.00 per person with valid ID. Group discount options start with groups of 20 or more.

Van Wezel Performing Arts Hall
777 N. Tamiami Trail
Sarasota, FL 34236
Box Office 941-953-3368
Toll Free 1-800-826-9303
Administrative Office 941-955-7676

Want some more local night life choices? Fear not, we have the nightlife information page just for you!

Larry

August 8, 2013November 21, 2020

Sarasota Jungle Gardens

Sarasota Jungle Gardens in Sarasota, FL makes a great day trip from Anna Maria Island. The zoo features reptiles, mammals, birds, and most notably flamingos!

Currently there are a couple exhibits available throughout the day where you can interact with the animals!

Let out your inner Steve Irwin with the reptile encounter which takes place daily at 11:00AM and 1:00PM.
The jungle bird show can be seen at 12:00PM and 3:00PM in which the birds perform daring acts. You can catch up with the stars after the shows and even get a picture while holding them.
You can also check out the Wild Life Wonder which stars a variety of animals from within the Sarasota Jungle Gardens habitat.

There is plenty of reason to explore the park on your own as well as taking part in the exhibits. The habitat is gorgeous, and you can catch many a butterfly fluttering about near the butterfly garden. You can find the butterfly garden on the north side of the Sarasota Jungle Gardens park.

If you are interested in “adopting” an animal to help support the park that is also available! You will receive an adoption certificate, a photo of the animal you chose for adoption, and the satisfaction of having helped protect this delicate ecosystem.

Admission to the Sarasota Jungle Gardens for adults is $15.00; children 3-12 $10.00; seniors 60 & up $14.00. There are also annual passes available for about the cost of 3 admissions. If you have a group of 10 or more you may also qualify for a discounted rate.

Sarasota Jungle Gardens
3701 Bay Shore Road
Sarasota, FL 34234
(941) 355-5305

Another fabulous option is to visit Busch Gardens. Just a little over an hour away from Anna Maria Island. A great all day excursion from the beaches of Anna Maria.

Larry