Holmes Beach Reviews

Like all the beaches in the area, it is a fine beach. What makes this beach better is the comfortable and accessible facilities. The pavilion is right at the sand-side and there is ample room to sit and eat, either on the patio or at the tables in the sand. There is even a tiki bar, which really means an outdoor bar. When I was there last Sunday, I had no trouble parking. In general, it is a more user-friendly beach that with Siesta or Lido.

Beautiful broad, long, white sand beach with aqua water. Plenty of space even when busy to set up your umbrella and chairs and just relax. Mostly families and a lot of folks going for long walks on the beach.

Clean wide beach with plenty of room for the numbers of visitors.
on site carry out restaurant with good food and drink.
Only wish there was a bit more shade on scorching days but the water more than made up for the heat.

This was another stop on our road trip to florida, one suggested by the locals I met. Definatly a nice beach. Lots of room we were not crowded, volley ball nets there as well. Bathrooms are close also.

Great Beach with so many places to eat close by. Riding bikes, golf carts, walking or car is some of the ways to get around. Food is great with The Feast, Hurricane Hanks and Ugly Grouper just a few of the places you can get great seafood and more.
Beach is close no matter where you are with spectacular sunsets, warm waters and sugar like sand to sink into! It is great for families and all!!

We stayed in Holmes Beach in a condo called Coastal Sunrise, Sunset Cove. The building only had 5 units and it was beautifully appointed but the mechanics of the place did not work well. This unit is being shown on VRBO and is beautiful. We arrived on July9,2022 to stay for a week but left on Thursday because the air conditioning was so out of balance that 3 of us got sick. To sit in the living room you had to wrap up in a blanket, the master bedroom was so cold and the two back bedrooms were so warm it was hard to sleep in them. When we arrived the fire alarms were going off so we called and a maintenance person came out at about 9pm to put in new batteries into 2 of the alarms. The lights in the dining area would flicker if you tried to dim them. The kitchen cabinet would not stay shut so we had to use a rubber band to hold it closed. The elevator alarm was ringing until we left on Thursday. Management said someone would be out on Monday to balance the air conditioning but that never happened. What good is a beautiful place, if it doesn't function and we paid $8,000 for this experience.

My mom and I LOVED Holmes Beach! We spent a week in a condo that was located on Holmes Beach for a full week and couldn't believe how clean it was. The sand was soft and white and the water was clear. I felt like we were in the Caribbean! Everyday we saw Manatee swimming slowing past us in the shore and looks of different birds too. One of our favorite things to do was find and collect seashells. The area is clean, safe and friendly.

Beautiful area. Can get crowded with traffic and parking difficulties, be smart and rent bikes or golf cart. Lots of unique shops and restaurants.
Daughter lives there I visit often.

We booked, directly we thought, with Sand Dollar Beach side Villas. When trying to cancel (BR28351753) we were told to go through TripAdvisor. Can you help us please?

Parked in an empty lot, no one was even in the lot at 10:30 am and received a $75 ticket for angle parking, trying to make room for others. It was not even busy. Yesterday did the same thing and another golf cart parked next to our cart and no ticket.

No signs that state parallel parking only. Try the fraudulent appeal process, what a joke had an answer in less than 5 minutes, and they quoted the city ordinance.

What a bunch of clowns, why don't they just charge every to park. Feel like I am in Mayberry RFD.

We were disappointed in Siesta Beach - had to walk through several hundred feet of muddy sand to finally see the white beach. But Holmes Beach was beautiful immediately, and the blue gulf water is so inviting! This is way less crowded too - we loved it!

Great beach that was 200 yards from our VRBO house that gave us the most beautiful sunsets we have ever seen!

Such an amazing place. Always stayed on Anna Maria but this time moved slightly further out and wasn’t disappointed. Closer to the shops and perfect location for food and the beach. One of the best stays we’ve had and can’t wait to return!

Really very good level for vacations. Excellent beaches. Very nice buildings. Quiet and familiar place.

We had a blast at Holmes Beach. Our rental was 1.5 blocks off the beach, so we could walk there anytime we wanted. Next time we might Uber out to the beach and just rent one of the golf carts for our stay. Free shuttle makes everything accessible.

Got a chance to visit Holmes Beach last March. A bit windy, but great for windsurfers, and a few brave sunbathers.

My partner and I have visited AMI and Holmes Beach twice in the past two years and we believe this is the best beach we have ever visited. The sand and the sea are nice and cool for when it is too hot, it is never too busy and there is a great choice of bars and restaurants.

After reading some other reviews, I see I was not the only one ticketed by the Holmes Police. After a beautiful day on the beach, we came back to our car with a ticket on our windshield for Car Facing the Wrong Way, REALLY! Our car was parked at the end of a dead end street with no traffic. The only sign posted said No Parallel Parking. My car was not blocking anyone and parked on a non busy street. I guess the Police dept there has nothing else better to do with their time than drive around to ticket visitors wanting to spend $ in their city. What they should have done was given me a Warning and I would have have been educated. Its a $75 Ticket too, and once you send the appeal, you get an instant return email stating appeal denied. What a joke! We were going to have dinner on the island but after this we were so upset, we left immediately and will NOT be returning.
Next day we went to Siesta Key Beach, which by the way has a Huge parking lot,
and loved it.

We liked the rental we had, probably the best we have ever rented, everything was close and easy to walk to, the place was clean and the beds were great, and the heated pool and private patio was a big plus, it is nice to stay in places where the renters care about their property. Would stay here again

Spent several hours at the beach. Very clean and quiet. Lots of people around but very relaxing. There is a little snack shack to calm your belly as the beautiful sandy beach and warm sunshine calms your body. Would recommend for a Saturday or Sunday afternoon after a long week of hard work.

Holmes Beach is one of the most beautiful beaches in Florida...white, fine sandy beaches, crystal clear water with just enough surf to have some fun. But the townspeople have burdened the beach itself it with so many rules that one is left with the vague sense that every day is Sunday school. No dogs. No drinking. No music. No loud noises (etc)...even as a middle aged woman with no intention to "party hard," I found myself thinking that they could have replaced the sign with "No Fun" and have more honestly conveyed their intentions. I saw the police stop and hassle a group of two sets of parents and a bunch of little kids because the adults were quietly enjoying beer while the kids built sand castles. Seemed pointless. And local residents seemed to take pleasure in reminding other beach-goers of The Rules! Annoying.

Still, Holmes Beach and Ana Maria Island in general retain an old-fashioned feel that's quickly fading on America's shoreline and its appeal is undeniable, even if one has to contend with a few old busybodies who seem to live to spoil the fun. The "town fathers" should be reminded that without young people and their vibrant energy, towns run the risk of feeling like retirement homes. And we know how most people leave those places!

If you like long walks on the beach, this is the perfect beach. We walked 3 miles in each direction (different days) and back. Never did run out of beach. It’s a beautiful, very clean beach. Great for all ages. Really nice Tiki bar, grill and souvenir shop on the beach. Also had volley ball bets up when we were there. Go early...parking fills up quickly.

Great beach if you can find parking (and you can't). Don't park on cul-de-sac next to beach or you will get ticketed. There are no signs saying 'no parking' but the local cops will ticket you assuming you are a vacationer and won't come back to court to fight it. It is a local government sanctioned scam. Why would you do this to your tourism? You are biting the hand that feeds your economy. Visit another locality with clearly designated parking spots.

Holmes beach is lovely

Big and wide

Soft sand

Great place to sit / lay and chill out

We walked the beach every day - wonderful

Great place to watch the sun ☀️ go down !

Be aware that Anna Maria USED to feel like Old Florida, but is now so built up and in the control of speculators and realtors that you can barely ride your bike semi-safely. The old time quality is pretty much gone; it's become an Air BNB and party area. The beaches are really crowded, pretty much all year around.
Additionally, the red tide has been horrendous these past few years, Piney Point still isn't fixed, and there are still loads of "Do not go in the water". If you fish, be careful what you eat unless you're pretty far off shore.
It's a shame. This was one of the few wonderfully old-fashioned small town places left in Florida, right on the water.

Miles of pristine white sand beach- surf manageable. Beautiful spot on the West Coast of Florida. A very nice place!

Beautiful beach but hardly isolated and quiet! I’ve been coming here for years and the crowds have become almost prohibitive. Eating out is a problem and traffic is frustrating. Not what you want on a vacation

Went to Holmes Beach public beach this weekend. Everything was very clean. We got there early, around 9 a.m. and parking was already filling up, though we found a empty spot quickly, by chance. There are plenty of bathrooms and changing areas with showers and benches to sit on nearby if waiting. Concession stand, lounge chairs and umbrellas for rent and set up for you. Nice white soft sand and clear blue water with minimal seaweed floating by. Already lots of people on the beach and they kept coming. We left around noon to get lunch and people were lined up trying to find a parking space. Multiple cars waiting on us to leave from both directions and an argument ensued over our space as we left. No charge for parking where we were at. Some people who arrived early didn't conserve space when parking and took up one and a half spaces, so parking spots were wasted due to those being inconsiderate.

Accessible by free trolly or or by car. Large white sand beach. Full facilities - changing rooms, restaurant, shops.

Holmes Beach is a beautiful beach when you get here. But getting here is quite the experience traffic is very backed up and when you get to the parking lot, anybody with a New York or New Jersey license plate are not courteous at all. It’s a free-for-all for parking there is a nice concession stand bathrooms and a walk up tiki bar, which are nice. There are only about six handicap parking spots so if you’re handicap, you should get here very early. Hell everybody should get here very early if you don’t wanna race the snowbirds for a parking spot.

Great beach walkable for miles. Anna Maria and Holmes Beach are classic beach towns with a laid back atmosphere. Predominance of 55+ long stay visitors as you go north on the Island.

We are a family of 5. Wife, husband, son(12), daughter(11), and daughter(8). Pretty beach. No places to eat or drink that I could see. Sand is nice. There are a lot of broken shells. Water is typical Gulf of Mexico. Nice waves. Over all very nice experience.

Awesome location, great indoor/outdoor cafe, tiki bar, beautiful beach with shady treelined areas, restrooms with changing area, outdoor showers. What else could a person ask for?!

The beaches on Anna Maria Island are a bit unusual in that they have no vendors who rent beach accessories. There is no one on that beach that provides beach umbrellas, lounge chairs, boogie boards, etc. Thus, you must rent those from a vendor who will hopefully deliver it to your accommodations. Be sure to reserve these items in advance. If you wait until you arrive, they may be unavailable. It seemed like the canopies were the best option because they withstood the wind. The beach itself is lovely. However, it is not a good shelling beach.

The water is so clean and and clear and the beach is impeccably well cared for. Amazing sunsets can be seen from that beach too. You can just walk for miles along a beautiful shore.

We had such a nice time and we will return as this is a beautiful beach and not like other beaches with tourists ! We stayed 2 blocks from the beach and everything you need is there. I’m sure this would be a good place to stay and after school starts in August we think would be a perfect place! The most beautiful sunsets!

spent a great week in relaxing gentle waters @ an uncrowded beach! First time experiencing the Gulf waters. Highly recommend for families, especially those with smaller children. - no rip currents to worry about - the incredible warm blue waters makes one feel like you are experiencing your own gigantic heated pool that happens to include gentle waves, starfish and many shells. Arrive early and stay late(beautiful sunsets). We were able to kayak from shore.. Spent time fishing from shore as well with a highlight being our 9 year old daughter catching a flounder one evening.

Soft white powdery sand.
Plenty of room for everyone.
Beautiful turquoise sea that was refreshing, not freezing

spent 2 mornings walking approx. 1 mile along the beautifully white sand beach and a small time swimming in the warm Gulf waters. café area was well looked after and seem to be cleaned, even with a leaf/sand blower, toilets clean and changing rooms on the beach. Showers also kept clean.

My husband and I visited Anna Maria for the first time and will be back. We wanted a spot on the beach to catch a good sunset our last night at the ocean and stumbled upon Holmes Beach, what a special place. The sand is white and powdery and the sunset was stunning! Go early as this is a favorite spot for locals and visitors alike!

This is a dual review - the Beach and the Anna Maria Parking Authority. Beach was beautiful - the well known white, soft, flour like sand like many beaches on the Gulf Coast. Truly enjoyed our short 1 hour stay. BUT - returning to our car we were greeted with a $50 parking fine at a near to beach side street. The sign said parallel parking allowed, just make sure tires are off the street. We did so but apparently there is a fine if car is not in the correct direction. Being from Virginia we were not aware of the local laws, plus they could have had signs to indicate. I am nearly 70 years old with bad knees and felt it best to take the available spot as soon as I could pull into it, as my wife and I had looked for a parking space for over 10 minutes. A $50 fine when there was no danger, threat, or issues is outrageous and nothing more than punitive and money making issue for the township.

Will not return to this lovely island because of the pitiful parking rules and extremely high fines.

I used to live in Holmes Beach for 4 1/2 years. The beach was a 3-minute walk from my door. The favorite thing I liked to do there was go for LONG walks on the beach around sunset. I never had to worry about when to turn back. Sometimes I'd walk to the north end of the island, other times to the south end, but the part I enjoyed most was the ride home on the nice air-conditioned free trolley bus! My legs and feet would be sore and tired! It felt great to be on that bus!

Long white sand green water beach, beautiful walk on the beach in the morning loved every minute. This is a public popular beach gets pretty crowded. They do have restrooms, showers, changing stations, lifeguards, and a restaurant. Restaurant right on the beach, prices are decent, only got the all you can eat pancakes which were good.

Holmes beach is a great family beach or for a couple. It is quiet compared to most beaches and has beautiful white sand that is great for building sandcastles. Water is clear and a beautiful turquoise color. I spent a week in a home just off the beach and loved every day there. Love the island too!

I can’t say enough about the island and the accommodation on Clark. We thoroughly enjoyed 7 days with lots of beach and pool time. Perfect for all members of the family.

We had great weather in January and the beach was beautiful. Plenty of parking, showers, bathrooms, changing rooms and restaurants/gift shop on site. Small waves and great sand.

Excellent rental at 419 Clark Drive. Screened pool. Quiet. Minutes from beach. Good amenities. Scuba dived in the Gulf. Terrible visibility - only 5 to 7 feet - even 10 miles offshore at 45 feet. Used Florida Underwater Sports - not recommended. Ample fresh seafood in stores and restaurants. Wide beach and not crowded in September. Good variety of shops and restaurants. Pricy but not unreasonably so. Friendly locals. Unfortunately little diversity. I didn't see an African American face during my entire visit.

This is such a wonderful place to relax. White sand,warm water,not crowded and clean beach ,people around very friendly and polite

So glad we made it to Holmes Beach during our stay in Bradenton. Parking was free and the walk from the parking lot to the beach was very short. We enjoyed walking along the sidewalks but the walk along the shore was fantastic. There's a great little area that's covered naturally by trees that offers a perfect spot for just relaxing and gazing at the beautiful beach.

Holmes Beach use to be nice to visit now I would say don't bother. The reason I say that is because there is VERY little parking. I really mean that. The Mayor with help from the police chief eliminated over 1000 parking spaces.
If you think siesta key is bad wait till you drive around and find nothing. Not to mention the road construction that's taking forever to finish.
Your time is worth more than the time wasted in traffic only to find no parking for a restaurant or the beach.

Holmes Beach is absolutely stunning. The sand is soft. The beach area isn’t rocky. The water is clear and warm. The biggest issue we had with Holmes Beach - no parking. It’s awful how bad the parking situation really is. When you arrive - you drive around in circles until someone from the small public parking lot pulls out. But it’s not just you, there are at least 50 cars at any given time looking for a space.

Such a shame for such an incredible place. And it’s not that it’s just so crowded that you can’t find a spot / it’s that the parking area really is that small.

Beautiful beach with fine sand, but it gets full at weekends, so it's better to come during the week. Parking is free.

Much less crowded than other nearby beaches, Holmes beach has easy access, adequate parking, clean restrooms and a snack bar. Come early as it does get very crowded in the afternoon. Also a good idea to bring an umbrella as the glare from the white sand can be blinding. Not a great beach for shell collecting.

Normally a beautiful beach. Is now ridiculously crowded due to the fact that all non- Holmes beach parking is gone. No more leisurely walks for sunset at the north end of the island. Do not appreciate such limited beach access. We have always been respectful of property owners and proper parking. Will find another place to give our business.

Located on the southern end of Anna Maria Island is Holmes Beach. This is a great place to see many different birds: pelicans, herons, mergansers, seagulls and egrets, just to name a few. These birds seem to know where to find food: they follow the fishing boats closely so that when the boats return to the marina they can find food/fish on those boats. The water here is so rich of aquatic life so that you can see many shore birds in this area. To my surprise on this trip, I saw many Red-Breasted Mergansers that were busy feeding in the water. If you are into birding and photography of different birds, this might be a wonderful place for you. Some very friendly fishermen can offer you a fishing trip so that you could have a great time fishing and bringing home delicious fish for dinner.

Nice soft sand beach, only saw 1 LARGE lifeguard tower.
Beach has about 6 volleyball nets set up.
Lounges and umbrellas are available for rent $19 for 2 chairs and an umbrella,

This is our second visit to Anna Marie island - yes we absolutely loved it the first time - even in August! It was hot but lots could be done in the morning and after 4... But this year the week was pretty much a write off

I would say that having experienced hurricane hermine and all the storms preceding it: I would avoid this time of year next timeI came back.

The roads around it little beach house pretty much flooded every time It rained - which was every day! There seems to be a real drainage problem that the locals could easily shrug off have large trucks that coul plough trough but us with economy type hire cars it was more than a little inconvenient - we were pretty much housebound in bad weather as a result - tip would be to hire a suv or tall vehicle if you plan to be there in the rainy season.

In the morning before the hurricane hit,as visitors we were unsure of what to do... Looking out all the local neighbours had sandbags and big trucks ... We called the letting agent and they said there was nothing to worry about but the water level was already high and rising at high tide to the edge of gardens. (The property closest to the beach across the street was surround by two inches of water)
Despite being told to hang tight, we left late morning and Glad we did when we saw how high the water had got on the bridges and the fact the sheriff told all visitors to leave if they didn't need to be there in the afternoon...

It's a beautiful place some of the prettiest beaches and sunsets in the world and the people are the best Florida has to offer but pick your timing wisely and if you decide to risk it in hurricane season hire a tall vehicle and be prepared for stuff to do indoors

The beaches on Anna MARIA Island are full of red tide. Dead fish everywhere causing toxins in air that make you cough and burn your eyes. It is disgusting. Save your money and vacation elsewhere.

Wanted a beach that had all amenities such as clean restrooms, food options and parking. Found a review for Holmes Beach and decided to try it out.

We got there early (9 AM) and there was plenty of parking. Beach has beautiful white sand and is clean. There is also a nice shaded picnic area under palms and pine trees. If you need to rent beach chairs and umbrellas they offer 2 chairs and an umbrella for $20.

The food area was busy but they seemed to have alot of options. They seem known for the all you can eat pancakes deal. The lines were long and we were thankful we brought our own breakfast. The beach was nice and we will return.

I get excited every trip I take to Florida! My vacation highlight is always a trip to Anna Maria Island and Holmes Beach! A picnic is so much fun! The beach is family friendly and you will not be disappointed with the souvenir shops, beverage choices, and the atmosphere is one of festivity and relaxation! What a ball!

If you are looking for a beach with a "small town" feel to sit and watch the sun set, read a book, or maybe just let the kids play in the surf...this is the place for you. Anna Maria Island hasn't been taken over by the big resorts and condos that have ruined Clearwater Beach and St Pete Beach. Most of the rentals on the island are houses or quadraplexes or small condos.

If you are looking for things to do (other than the beach) or a vibrant nightlife scene....this is not the place for you.

Beautiful water and beach. Very busy for me. Anna maria island has public beach access every two blocks so the crowds are pretty disbursed.
The signs on the beach state no animals, you can totally disregard this as many dogs on the beach. Wish I knew this prior, I would have brought mine. So much for playing by the rules.
Restaurants pretty overpriced for what you get.
Condos vary in costs. We had a two bedroom for about 2500 for a week.
There was one similar next door that I almost booked for 5k. Shop around.

My family rented a condo on Holmes Beach and it was our best vacation to date. The beach is very clean with nice sand and clear, warm water. The water is calm and perfect for swimming and playing. Anna Maria Island in general is clean, laid-back, and extremely family-friendly.

Very beautiful beach. Live close and go frequently. Water is warm and beach is very clean. Sitting quietly and a couple arrived-of course they HAD to sit within 10 feet of me! They then set up an awning along with a HUGE speaker! Proceeded to turn volume way up and play Latino music- the whole beach could then not get away from it!!! In 4 hours I moved 6 times to get away from it. Pounding headache. Others were moving as far away as possible to get some peace and quiet. ----They had room to get out of the way further down the beach. Then 6 others showed up to sit with them. Total disrespect for others. The Beach Patrol did nothing even after asking them to speak with them. Guess they didn't notice that others were 20 ft+ away from them.

We recently visited Anna Maria Island for a week. We stayed in a beautiful multi-family home steps away from the beach and enjoyed typical beach weather. However, we were disappointed in the lack of dining (two that are questionable) and shopping (none) options. After spending our last evening here, we were cited and fined by police for exceeding the noise ordinance (65 decibels) while our children were swimming in the backyard pool.
We would have appreciated this information from our rental agency (Vacasa) or a warning from the police before being ticketed.
I would not recommend this Island to you and will never return.

This used to be paradise - a great place where we vacationed for 25 years. Now we live just across the bridge and rarely visit. The local officials have turned this lovely island into an unwelcoming spot (unless you live there). Beach parking is almost non-existent unless you are a resident and have a permit. Parking fines are outrageous and enforced by a third party vendor. You can't even bring the dog to a beachfront restaurant - $500 fine! Don't do this or that signs (parking, noise, alcohol, pets etc.) are plastered everywhere. If you park and your tires are even touching the pavement you will get a $75 ticket (every couple of hours). I agree with another reviewer - the "Welcome to Holmes Beach" sign is only for the residents. Very sad. I would visit elsewhere - perhaps Siesta Key where they at least understand that tourists fund the economy.

We stopped here for a picnic lunch and to check out the beach and island. We were there during lunch on a weekday. The beach had beautiful white sand and look really nice. We would like to go back someday and maybe stay on the island.

We visited Holmes Beach in early October, apparently the best time to visit because it was super quiet. This beach is beautiful! The water is so calm. if visiting this beach dont forget to take a noodle, boogie board or your favorite inflatable. This water is made for floating in the sun(for hours!) And the sunsets are AMAZING! You must plan your day so as not to miss a single beach sunset.

This was our eight year for our immediate family of 15 for our week at Anna Maria, Holmes Beach on the West Coast of Florida. Beautiful beaches, abundant wildlife, white sand, blue waters. Everything you can ask for is here. It is becoming extremely popular and prices our much higher than they were when we first visited eight years ago. Florida's best kept secret

If you're looking to enjoy a relaxing vacation without all the crazy touristy things this is your place. Great restaurants and gorgeous quiet beaches. Wonderful rental homes with more amenities than any hotel. A Shore Thing rental was gorgeous.

Easy access, not busy and plenty of space to settle and set up camp for a day at the beach
The sand is soft and white with spots of shells and coarser sand for those looking to collect seashells. The water is delightful, clear and safe depth with a soft runoff. It's not very wide between the grass and the ocean and this varies base don tide but it was plenty of space for us. Waves could be strong at times which was fun to experience
Its all public access and you can get to it all along the main road running up the Island.
During Turtle season specific rules on lights at night (none) and lots of areas clearly cordoned off to preserve the turtle eggs that are buried each night when mothers come in.

Beautiful beach. We like that its right there close to restrooms, food and you can also rent chairs and unbrellas. We always come here on our trips to Anna Maria Island

They have four volleyball courts and a little restaurant as well as showers and bathrooms. Plenty of free parking!

nice beach and beautiful white sand... parking gets tough after lunch so get here early. The sunsets are amazing

Stayed at this beach house for 8 days this month. It is a 5 minute walk to the beach and a step to the island trolley that takes you everywhere on the island. The house is wonderful with 3 bedrooms, 4 baths and a great pool and hot tub.
I was concerned about the Red Tide but there was no evidence of it on the beach. Anna Maria is spectacular!

We thoroughly enjoyed Anna Maria Island. We found a 3 bedroom / 3 bath home with a private pool within walking distance to the beach. The weather for Mid November was wonderful, coming from Seattle. I highly recommend Anna Maria accommodations for vacation rentals. They also advertise their properties on Home Away. We found the property on the website and booked directly with the Property manager. We were a short drive from Sarasota and Long Boat Key!! We will definitely be going back to see the dolphins and the manatee!! See you there !!

The day before we were at Siesta Keys Beach. This beach is very comparable. The sand is wonderfully soft but not a silky as SKB. What we did like better was how the water itself gets deeper quicker. You did not have to walk out forever to get deep. Probably our favourite beach while visiting the gulf coast this past week.

We stayed right on Holmes Beach and found it to be absolutely beautiful! The sand was perfect, soft and white. The people were friendly and the sunsets were amazing!!!!

Holmes beach was great. So restful, & quiet. There are tons of places to stay. We stayed in the beach. The food was great. The people were helpful and nice as well. Make sure you read trip advisor about the room that you rent! Ours was less than perfect, but location was great.

We always look for beaches that have a bicycle path along so we can have a combo: ride and go to the beach. Holmes beach is great for that. The bicycle path is separated from the road and by the beach. It is safe and goes to the north all the way to Bean Beach which is the north tip of Ana María Island and down south I think all the way to Lido Beach. The beach is clean and peaceful. The small town has some stores and restaurants by the canal.

Our family rented a home on Holmes Beach for the week. Easily walked to the beach, perfect sand. Great island low-key feel, we will return again next year.

This Gulfside beach is miles long,usually uncrowded and features beautiful,very fine white sand .
Beach is exceptionally clean with access paths clearly marked from adjacent roadways.Fantastic gulf sunsets can be seen from the beach.

Live entertainment, indoor or outdoor seating, Friday night fish fry, cold beer, watch the sunset on the beach. What more can you ask for!
Food is good, many choices on the menu.
We’ve been here many times and will be back.

Holmes Beach on Anna Maria Island is simply sublime. The sand on the beaches is like powdered sugar, the water is crystal clear. There are apartments (White Sands Beach Resort) and privately-owned condos (Coconuts Beach Resort) that I recommend. This is heaven on earth! The island has retained the feeling of the 1960s. My husband and I spend several months a year here. The island is about halfway between Tampa and Sarasota. Yes, Paradise... Life just doesn't get better than here.

The sand is incredibly smooth and is groomed. There are lots of shells to look at as well. It’s a perfect place to lay on the beach or to float in the ocean. It’s a little cold in the winter though.

Holmes Beach is on the smaller side, a bit of a boutique in a way, but it's wonderful and very human in scale. Parking can be a bit of a challenge, so go early. The beach cafe is really great - starting with breakfast at the beach early in the morning and continuing all day. Pancakes with sand between your toes - what could be better? Then the beach itself stretches down to a perfect Gulf experience. There are bigger beaches nearby, but this is one of our favorites.

The beautiful beaches on Florida’s southwest coast are easily accessed in Holmes Beach on Anna Maria Island, in the westernmost part of Bradenton. Locals, seasonal residents and tourists alike flock to Holmes Beach for its huge beach, good outdoor restaurant, parking and clean changing/restroom facilities.

We found a little piece of paradise at Holmes beach! It was not crowded and had a beautiful park-like natural setting. It was so enjoyable having lots of space around us to spread out and not feel like we were sitting right next to strangers (which was the case the day we spent at Siesta beach). Dolphins played in the water in front of us and long walks down the islands were nice too!

I was in Holmes Beach for family business and had dinner at the Freckled Fin Irish Pub. Several people at the bar welcomed me there and I made some new friends. Ordered a Guinness of course and it was a proper pour that tasted great. Had the Grouper Tacos with onion rings which were served warm and tasted fantastic. Lots of grouper, cheese and veggies. They also had several traditional Irish entrees to choose from. (“When at the coast, get seafood” is my motto.)
Worth a special trip!

We had an excellent stay in Holmes Beach. We rented through Island Vacation Properties and everything was perfect. We had a very short walk to our beach access point from our rental. The beach was beautiful and not crowded in the location where we stayed. We toured the entire island and loved the beach here the best. There were trees along the beach which provided morning shade. It was beautiful!

Spent the week in Bradenton, and drove to Holmes Beach on Anna Maria Island, for 4 days and parked in a Beach Access parking lot off of Gulf Drive. We parked in the parallel parking, all week facing the street so that we could pull out without having to negotiate a large vehicle in reverse. We received a ticket on Friday, clearly targeting us as out of town visitors, as our rental car had Texas tags, without the ability to go to the courthouse and contest due to checkouts Saturday AM.

It is a $75 ticket, and you are given an opportunity to appeal, but they have an auto response that gives you the Ordnance Code No. and says you are in violation and to pay the ticket. I read on-line that one officer wrote 66 tickets Mother's Day weekend and they knew they'd be writing many more on Memorial weekend. Their current ordinances state that they are irritated that out of town visitors crowd their beaches, leaving trash, clogging streets, parking blocking driveways, mailboxes, etc. They are sick of out of towners and look for a reason to give you a ticket. Targeting rental cars without of state tags.

If you want to take a chance, make sure you are up on the county ordinances! You will get a ticket, and they don't care what you have to say.

Pinellas County to the north is very visitor friendly, and we love their beaches! Also, Sarasota County to the south has beautiful beaches, and many dog friendly beaches too.

Sad to see with this virus that safety is not a big priority. Beaches packed with wall to wall people. Governor opens the state without masks and this brings everyone to be put at risk

This little island is my new favourite place on earth for a family vacation. Small, safe, and has the nicest beaches. It is very easy to get around with the free trolley. We rented a beach house with friends that had a private pool so we enjoyed the hot days at the beach and cooled off at the house. Every restaurant we tried was a hit. We will we back. Stayed May 20-24

Nice ride and chance to walk the beach. The ride was nicer and quieter through town as you went towards the highway it got to busy and felt not as safe riding. Was worth the trip though!

I like this beach but the overall people in charge and parking is 5h!t! Its just awful how crowded it gets and such few parking spots. The parking police is basically handing out tickets left and right. Its almost like they rely on tourist to meet their quota. Just awful. I went to their beach on Saturday and saw them handout 5+ tickets.

Good luck contesting it when you get one.

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!

Beautiful beach, nice sand, clear water. This beach cafe is very nice, very good food. Chairs & umbrellas can be rented.

Free parking in large car park next to beach cafe. Changing rooms, showers,toilets,information kiosk,cafe and lifeguards.
A lovely beach, with clean white sand,ideal for children. A sandbar runs offshore, you can swim to it where the water is then shallow. Watch out for tides as this may make the swim back deeper. Facilities here are good, sunbeds umbrellas for hire. Cafe is amazing, with good choice of food and great staff.

Holmes Beach is one of the more impressive beaches. White powder sand, plenty of shelling opportunities and not too crowded in some of the beach access points. It is a very clean beach and multiple sandbars offer the opportunity to wade out in about knee deep water to get to the sandbar where it rises to about mid calf.

Shhhhh!!! Don't tell anyone ..this place is a Gem of florida and watch the sun go down after a perfect day on there beach 😎

Beach has large expanse, lifeguard station, and small beach restaurant, bathrooms and store. Sand is clean and swimming good. Even has volleyball courts. Good spot but Anna Maria is practically all public beach.

Holmes Beach on Anna Maria Island is a beautiful beach with fine white sand and turquoise waters – that’s exactly how you imagine Florida paradises! The beach is clean, easily accessible and ideal for a relaxing day by the sea. The sunsets are especially beautiful – simply breathtaking!

The atmosphere is overall very relaxed and family friendly. There are plenty of parking options, small cafes nearby and sometimes even dolphins in sight. The beach is also perfect for swimming and walking – sloping flat and without much swell.

The only small minus: Holmes Beach is no longer an insider tip – it can get quite crowded, especially on weekends and in high season. So if you want to experience the quieter side of the beach, you should come as early as possible or choose a day of the week.

Nevertheless: The beauty and charm of this place make Holmes Beach a wonderful destination on Anna Maria Island. A place to take a breath, switch off and enjoy – just wonderful!

The beach is beautiful. My husband and I are avid travelers, both domestic and international and decided to visit Anna Maria Island with our dog. This island in general is by far THE most PET UNFRIENDLY place we have ever experienced in all of our travels when bringing our dog. We have never felt so put off and unwelcome by beaches and businesses than we were made to feel on Anna Maria island. PET OWNERS BEWARE!!!! Your pet IS NOT WELCOME on Anna Maria Island.

This is a great family beach. Visited here with my wife, son and 13 year old granddaughter. Beach can get crowded near the snack stand, but large enough to get away from the crowd and spread out.

We found this beach to be a great place for a day away from the hustle and bustle. The water was warm and the sand was cool. Suggest you get there early and find a spot down next to the water.

This is a great beach! I loved the gentle waves and firm packed sand which made our over 1 mile walk very easy since the beach was not steeply sloped. The sand was not hot either. There was a grill for food, bathroom, gift shop, and outdoor shower facility to wash off the sand. It was not too crowded during the week either with plenty of room to spread out and parking.

Haven't been to this beach in years but it looks the same as it did years ago. Very clean and beautiful sand. Went for the "all you can eat" pancakes and sausage on the beach. Really enjoyed that. Can't wait to come back when it's a little warmer....had a few chilly days last week but we will be back in the future.

First off this is not a reflection of Anna Maria Island, Manatee or Sarasota County. The people and businesses were quite delightful and I feel 100% confident that if we chose to come any other time of year besides August we would have had a delightful time. This is a warning to other vacationers who may not want their holiday ruined, because our vacation was complete SH**!!
What could be so bad you ask? Two words… Red Tide! Ill post a link to a recent report of exactly what it does to the area and environment below from ABC news, but in a nutshell it renders the beaches and coast useless! You can swim, you can’t walk down the beach, you can’t eat outside, and you can barely breathe. The stench is horrific!! Imagine millions of fish, turtles, dolphins and manatee’s dead, rotting washing up on shore or floating for hundreds of miles up the coast. We took our boat our 6 miles off the coast into the Gulf of Mexico and still found dead fish floating. Vacation RUINED!!
What can you do? We paid for a beautiful house for 7 days and just swam in the pool. I could have stayed at home and done that for free!!
This is a warning! No one will let you know about Red Tide. It happens every single year, the only difference is the severity of the algae blooms. 2018’s Red Tide was so bad because the algae form 2017 still hadn’t dissipated. We booked our vacation in March and didn’t learn of it till we rolled into town, opened our car doors and almost vomited.
My advice is if you plan a vacation for July – September choose somewhere other than Florida!
My advice to Florida… STOP DUMPING TOXINS INTO THE GULF!!

I always make it a point to set one day for this beach. Come early for there all you can eat pancakes and change into your swimming attire and pick your stop on a gorgeous beach and soak up the sun. A 10 if 10 location.

This was a great beach trip. We experienced great weather while visiting Anna Maria and spent every day in the clear waters and the clean beaches. Our best beach trip in the last few years.

Holmes Beach is a beautiful beach. That said, it is SUPER crowded on weekends with not enough parking. We parked two deep at the hotel we were at and the back of my truck went over the sidewalk. I wasn't blocking anybody and nobody even tries to walk on the sidewalks on that residential street just off of the beach. Probably an hour later I had a nice $75 ticket. I saw no signs about enforcement of parking regarding blocking a sidewalk at the end of the driveway. I totally get ticketing people that are parking in a way that blocks driveways of the residents, etc.. Small towns like that need to figure out what their priorities are.

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.

Heads up for visitors: Holmes Beach enforces a strict “all four tires off the roadway” parking rule.

I received a $75 citation for parking along a residential street where there were no signs posted on the block or in the immediate vicinity. When I appealed, the city stated that signage exists at city entrance points.

In my case, I did not drive through a city entrance immediately before parking (I arrived by Uber and later drove locally), so I never passed any such sign. There was also no curb, paint, or marking indicating where the roadway ended.

This is an easy ticket to receive if you’re unfamiliar with the area. Be very cautious parking on side streets.

Beach was awesome but limited due to the dredging the pipe running down the beach was distracting and lots of crushed shells made walking barefoot hard water was cloudy due to all the dredging still giving this place 5 stars because in a few weeks when all this is done this place will be even more amazing than before ! Can’t wait to come back

This is a very nice beach, wide sandy beach, fine white sand, and well taken care of. What's not to like when you're on the beach?

This end of the island is amazing!
Firstly parking. I parked out in Gulf Drive and it took about ten minute to find a spot. We went to this part as we wanted to visit the Sandbar restaurant in the evening which was great. There are tow away signs all over the place so be careful but I don't know how strict they are on this. We went on a Saturday mid August and there was plenty of parking if you look.
There are no sunbeds or parasols so make sure you take your own. It was boiling when we went so you will need it. There are trees for shade bit loads of pine needles and set back for the water. Loads of Americans had gazebos and big cool boxes. Beware of the Sheriff. They patrol on buggies and clamp down on alcohol. They made a bunch tip theirs away and what they hadn't opened made them take it back to their car. Not a bad rule as the last thing they want is a bunch of drunk people kicking off and ruining the tourism.
The sea- fantastic! Clear water and just the right temp to cool off. My kids spent most of the day in there. Not much for kids to do at this part so wouldn't recommend a family holiday here unless you find something for them to do.
Sights - in the evening we saw what looked like massive birds dive bombing for fish. Never seen it like this other than on the telly. Don't worry they do it away from swimmers. Saw a bunch of green exotic birds sit down next to us in the bushes. Loads of with in the sea. They swim off as soon as you get near so don't be scared. But the best thing, a small pod of dolphins swam past about 30m out. Not close enough to touch but I was so pleased to see it. It wasn't expected at all.
And if you want to rent bikes, kayaks and all sorts of stuff, there is a place on Pine Ave about ten minutes walk from here called Beach Bums. Very helpful staff. They sorted me out will a small problem I had.
Anna Maria Island is an amazing place and the people who live here are so lucky. If I could pack up work and retire to a place like this, I'd be more than happy.
We drove two hours to get here and it was worth every minute.

This was a nice place for sunning and swimming. I found some pretty shells and saw a dolphin swimming off in the water. There were lots of little fishes swimming around a birds walking up and down the beach with me. It was a nice morning here.

Rented the Sandcastle duplex through Florida Dreams Realty for several weeks. We picked this place because of the description, photos and reviews on the Florida Dreams website. Very disappointed as the listing was very misrepresented. The photos were taken years ago when this used to be a nice place but it has not been kept up. Our reviews on their website were not allowed as they obviously won’t post any negative reviews. The decades old pet stained carpet should have been taken out years ago. The peeling wallpaper and ceiling paper, hole in the wall on the landing, the rodent droppings in the lower level and the back stairs were some of the worst examples. The folks at Florida Dreams did their best to clean things up: had the carpets shampooed, threw out old outside cushions and the filthy sofa/foldout bed in the second bedroom, provided 2 new patio loungers. However, apparently the absentee owner will not pay for the updates to bring it back to what it probably once was.
We love AMI and Holmes Beach where we have vacationed for several years, but this unit spoiled our time here and others need to be forewarned.

Anna Maria island vacations

Great service with this company- downloaded their own app to keep updated, which they did from start to finish- stayed at beach hideaway in Haverkos drive,Holmes beach - AMV emailed code for door the day before so we could go straight in - emailed them to see if we could get early access which we could. Lovely quirky property with largish pool and jacuzzi - pool was lovely and warm and jacuzzi was hot. Beds were really comfy with ceiling fan as well as AC. There were plenty of pool towels and utensils. Didn't know how to work alarm to get out back - phoned AMV- got through quickly and gave us instructions- had further minor issue with fridge which they sorted straight away - fab holiday- good company to deal with - but gonna unsubscribe from emails as feeling depressed enough to leave without getting emails of lovely property on beautiful Anna Maria!! Would use them again.

House was in nice neighbourhood with trolley stop at end of road. Trolley service was brilliant. Bradenton has better beach area and more bars/restaurants, but with trolley service didn't matter only took few minutes to get there. Go to rod and reel pier to see dolphins.

My complaint with house was lack of sun loungers - there were five of us who like to sunbathe but only 2 Sun loungers to fight over - plenty of chairs - there was room for more Sun loungers.

Beautiful beaches, fine sand. Lots of space, few people
Preserved environment , magnificent flora and fauna
Do not miss the sunsets 🌅

We rented a condo unit in Homes beach area in late January. We were a five minute walk from the beach 7 miles of white sand and great walking. The area was quiet and the shops and restaurants were very good. The traffic getting on to Anna Maria Island can be bad going over the bridge, but it thins out as you go north to Homes Beach and Bean Point. Make sure you go to Ginny’s and Jane E’s Island Bakery and cafe. Great homemade breakfasts and lunch!! Also our favorite fish restaurant was The Blue Marlin, a little pricey but very good.

Holmes Beach is a beautiful beach with white sugar sand. It stretches for miles and we loved walking there every day. Some days we walked down to Bean Point where you can see sunrise and sunset! We enjoyed seeing the pelicans fishing and the many gulls, herons and terns. Can’t wait to go back!

tell be more about ana maria island florida and to be min carakters 100

Anna Maria Island, Florida, is a charming barrier island on the Gulf of Mexico. It offers beautiful beaches, historic sites like Bean Point, and the Anna Maria City Pier. The island is known for its relaxed atmosphere, wildlife, and limited development, preserving its natural beauty. Popular activities include beach relaxation, fishing, and exploring Historic Pine Avenue with its shops and restaurants.

Holmes Beach used to be a lovely and welcoming place however, over the past year Mayor Judy Titsworth and her subordinate City Council have banned and eliminated most of the parking in a not so veiled attempt to eliminate visitors from enjoying the beaches and island. They still allow parking on public streets but one has to have a permit and the only way to get a permit is to be a resident. Mayor Titsworth and her City Council have insouciantly refused to budge on this matter, as if they think the island and it's beaches belongs to residents and no one else is allowed. Manatee County taxes renourish and support those beaches, but Holmes Beach does not welcome Manatee County residents from 5 minutes away in Bradenton. They do not own the island or the beaches, but seem to be confused on this matter. They seem to be further confused as they have a "Welcome to Holmes Beach" sign at the roadway entrance, and yet they do not welcome anyone but residents. If you had thought of visiting but are not a resident, then visit elsewhere. The residents (who are also from elswhere) bought places before you and now no longer want you on "their" beach.