Anna Maria Island named one of the most charming small towns in FL

[gypsychic]

Originally Posted by beach43ofus

AMI has been overrun by short term renters, and their investor landlords. I feel terrible for the people trying to actually live there full time in their own private residences.

Some of AMI's original natural beauty is still there, but the amount of vegetation that has been cleared away, and the number of 3 level McMansions on postage stamp sized lots is very sad to see for somebody who remembers what it was like 30 years ago.

I remember what it was like in the 60s - it was a true treasure back then. It has unfortunately turned into a tourist trap today. Still prefer it over Siesta, though.

[beach43ofus]

Originally Posted by gypsychic

I remember what it was like in the 60s - it was a true treasure back then. It has unfortunately turned into a tourist trap today. Still prefer it over Siesta, though.

AMI is tough for me to get to from Venice, but this time of year, we typically do a day trip there, and eat at that restaurant on the beach, and walk around a bit.

I used to go to AMI a lot more in the 1990's when I lived near 70 & I-75.

Siesta is much closer to me from Venice, so we go there a few times a year for the beach...usually on the shoulders like right now.

Our favorite Island by far is Gasparilla/Boca Grande. We go there ~4x/year. I can get there from my area faster than I can get to AMI, & it's a much easier drive.

Sanibel/Captive's nice too, but its got Red Tide right now I think.

[FL_Expert]

Originally Posted by beach43ofus

AMI is tough for me to get to from Venice, but this time of year, we typically do a day trip there, and eat at that restaurant on the beach, and walk around a bit.

I used to go to AMI a lot more in the 1990's when I lived near 70 & I-75.

Siesta is much closer to me from Venice, so we go there a few times a year for the beach...usually on the shoulders like right now.

Our favorite Island by far is Gasparilla/Boca Grande. We go there ~4x/year. I can get there from my area faster than I can get to AMI, & it's a much easier drive.

Sanibel/Captive's nice too, but its got Red Tide right now I think.

That’s interesting to hear you like Lee County beaches. I’ve never been a big fan of them because the water is usually murkier there than Sarasota/Manatee County beaches. I think the best stretch of beaches on the west coast is from AMI through Casey Key. (Venice isn’t bad, but the sand is a bit darker.) For me coming from Tampa, there’s never really a reason to go further south than Sarasota County.

[srq57]

We only started visiting in 2009 and purchased locally in 2016, and I can see quite a difference. Sadly, not the quaint, sleepy island it once was.

[Sunshine Rules]

Originally Posted by srq57

We only started visiting in 2009 and purchased locally in 2016, and I can see quite a difference. Sadly, not the quaint, sleepy island it once was.

When hubby and I moved to Sarasota Lakewood Ranch was still cow pastures, University Parkway was a little 2 lane road called County Line Rd and lined with orange groves, Bee Ridge was a 2 lane road that did not intersect with I-75, the Sarasota airport was tiny and you had to climb down stairs from your plane and walk across the tarmac to the airport doors........ you get the picture. Housing was very affordable but jobs were scarce and pay low, even for that time period. A lot of people working for restaurants and hotels barely made it through the summer months financially. Yes, beaches were a lot less crowded and short term rentals were pretty much nonexistent. There was very little to do back then on weekends in the way of events and activities. Much of the local "social life" centered around country clubs and yacht clubs, the Summerhouse on Siesta Key was a popular watering hole with locals. Building codes were also a lot more lax pre hurricane Andrew.

People really started "finding" Sarasota in the early 1990's. As more and more people started arriving in Sarasota, new shopping options and restaurants opened. New cultural arts groups were formed. Bayfront Park went thru a big redesign and Lakewood Ranch broke ground.

Not all change has been bad for our area.

[Jimrob1]

I use to like to go to the Island but its become way to crowded. The drive to it in Bradenton is all traffic congested. I guess Sometimes a person just needs to get away from crowds, and that seems impossible to do in so much of this state.

[beach43ofus]

Originally Posted by Sunshine Rules

When hubby and I moved to Sarasota Lakewood Ranch was still cow pastures, University Parkway was a little 2 lane road called County Line Rd and lined with orange groves, Bee Ridge was a 2 lane road that did not intersect with I-75, the Sarasota airport was tiny and you had to climb down stairs from your plane and walk across the tarmac to the airport doors........ you get the picture. Housing was very affordable but jobs were scarce and pay low, even for that time period. A lot of people working for restaurants and hotels barely made it through the summer months financially. Yes, beaches were a lot less crowded and short term rentals were pretty much nonexistent. There was very little to do back then on weekends in the way of events and activities. Much of the local "social life" centered around country clubs and yacht clubs, the Summerhouse on Siesta Key was a popular watering hole with locals. Building codes were also a lot more lax pre hurricane Andrew.

People really started "finding" Sarasota in the early 1990's. As more and more people started arriving in Sarasota, new shopping options and restaurants opened. New cultural arts groups were formed. Bayfront Park went thru a big redesign and Lakewood Ranch broke ground.

Not all change has been bad for our area.

I lived next to the cow pastures in what is now Lakewood Ranch. Back then, the biggest complaint was the noise from all the citrus carrying big rigs that were speeding along state road 70 from the groves to the Tropicana processing plant near downtown Bradenton. Remember all of Tropicana's Orange and Green rail cars?

I had forgotten that University Pkwy was County Line Road. Back then, anything East of I-75 was the boondocks.

I knew the growth was coming because I saw the same thing occur in SE Forida when I lived over there in the late 70's. Anything West of I-95 was mostly agriculture related, but today people live 10+ miles West if I-95. Today, people are leaving the Westernmost areas and moving closer to the beach and refurbing older homes. We'll see the same thing here, & its already begun. "West of the Trail" property has been hot here for years, & its going to become even more valuable in the future. Same with the Island of Venice.