Anna Maria Island's appeal is low-key and deliberate. The beaches are the main attraction — wide, white, and uncrowded by Florida standards — but the island also rewards exploration by bicycle, kayak, and on foot. The north end (Anna Maria city) is the quietest; Holmes Beach in the middle has most of the shops and restaurants; Bradenton Beach at the south end has the historic pier and a livelier bar scene. Wildlife watching is excellent throughout: manatees and dolphins are regular sights in the bay-side waters, and shorebirds are everywhere.