Kirk and I recently enjoyed a wonderful week of celebrating our anniversary at Joie Inn on Anna Maria Island in Florida. Our week was quite relaxing and filled with beach walks, sunsets, poolside reading, sleeping in, dining out, bike rides, and time spent together. If you think you might want to spend some time on Anna Maria Island someday, I’m sharing our experiences here to possibly make your vacation planning easier.
where we stayed
We chose to stay at the Joie Inn (pronounced “zhwaa”) on Holmes Beach. It is a four-unit boutique inn, and newly remodeled in 2021, by Dino and Ashley Petrone of Arrows and Bow. I’ve followed them on their Instagram and blog for quite a while and when they moved to Anna Maria and began sharing the remodel of their inn, and the beauty of the beaches (and sunsets), I knew it was a place I would like to visit. Originally, Kirk and I were considering going to Sanibel Island–where we honeymooned– which would have been nice too. Who knows, maybe we’ll still go there another time!
We originally reserved the Blush Room, however, the day before we arrived Lynne, (Joie Inn manager) offered us a free upgrade to the Sage Room as an anniversary gift. Lynne, greeted us when we arrived and Gavin (Lynn’s son-in-law) carried our luggage to our room and was around the Inn daily to answer our questions. Everyone we met: Dino, Ashley, Lynne, her husband, Mike, and Gavin were gracious and kind. I will say, our upgraded room (Sage Room) is arguably the best room at the Inn. It’s on the second floor with a great view of the pool and is so spacious and pretty. The pool at Joie Inn is cute and we had it to ourselves every day, except one day when one other friendly guest joined us. Joie Inn is just two houses away from the beach, where we enjoyed daily beach walks and sunsets.
favorite food spots
There are so many restaurants to choose from on the Island! We decided to choose the restaurants recommended by our hosts. We typically don’t eat out every meal when we travel – usually opting for 2 meals a day one of them being a meal out. We buy groceries like cheese and crackers, fresh veggies, yogurt, and fruit so we can enjoy a leisurely breakfast in our room or have snacks in the afternoon by the pool.
peaches | This down-home country cookin’ restaurant serves a quick and delicious breakfast with so many options to choose from. It was a few blocks from Joie Inn so we walked there a couple of times for breakfast.
skinny’s Place | This was the first place we ate when we arrived on the island. It is a short walk from Joie Inn on Holmes Beach and right near the public beach. It is a great place to grab a burger, fries, and a beer while sitting outside to eat. We ate here two times!
poppos – Those who know me well, know I could eat Mexican food anytime and this place does not disappoint – it’s like a Chipotle, only better. So many more toppings, super fresh ingredients, and salsas. The portions were huge!
smoqehouse | This counter-style restaurant on Gulf Drive in Bradenton Beach offers delicious BBQ sandwiches. Kirk had the pulled pork and I had the Cuban. We both liked our choices.
the donut experiment | We rode the electric bikes (provided complimentary by the Inn!) to the North end of the island on our last day and my only regret is that we didn’t try this place at the beginning of the week so we could enjoy these delicious donuts more than once. They make the doughnuts, you choose the frosting, toppings, and glaze. The doughnuts are warm and so good!
the sandbar and kitchen restaurant | This is an oceanfront restaurant where many of the tables are in the sand. We watched the sunset from our table as we enjoyed a dinner of the best fish tacos, a salad, and a drink.
northshore cafe | Northshore is a couple of doors down from The Donut Experiment, so we picked out a couple doughnuts and took them over to this cute little spot on an inlet. The coffee was delightful and the setting serene.
the waffle press | Imagine a slightly crisp waffle with an egg, cheese, and bacon smushed between it. Kirk and I split this “New Yorker” sandwich and it was amazing. These waffles have a pearl sugar cooked in and out on the waffle giving them a sweet + savory flavor. If we weren’t already heading to The Donut Experiment on our morning bike ride I for sure would have had a sweet option as well.
the porch restaurant | A casual, yet nice place full of ambiance and both indoor and outdoor seating. They serve American cuisine and the menu has plenty of delicious entrees. We were eating later in the evening and a heavy dinner just didn’t appeal to us, so we went with a nice glass of wine and a charcuterie board. We also enjoyed the complimentary fresh bread and butter!
getting around on the island
The island is only seven miles long so it doesn’t take long to get anywhere. We didn’t have a car on the island since we took an Uber from the airport to the Island. We didn’t feel like we would need a car with all the options to get around, and we had no intention of leaving the island while we were there.
Anna Maria Trolley | Anna Maria Island has a free trolley service that travels daily up and down the island from 6:00 AM to 10:30 PM about every 20 minutes. Approximately every 2-4 blocks there is a Trolley Stop, with a covered bench for waiting and the trolley has an App so you can see where the different Trolleys are along the route. We rode the trolley several times and found it very easy to catch a ride and get around the Island.
Golf Carts | There are many places on the island where you can rent various size golf carts for 2-8 passengers. Most rental places offer hourly to weekly rates. Golf carts are allowed on the road and you will see them everywhere! The golf cart rental places also deliver to you. We considered renting a golf cart but figured we didn’t need to, we had other options. Also, rentals for a week are over $500.
Bicycles | Another common sight on the island is bicycles. There are many places to rent bicycles and scooters for the hour, day, or week. The Joie Inn has two electric Blue Jay bicycles free to use for guests. We used them for two days and loved riding around the island. Let me tell you, electric bicycles are where it’s at! This was our favorite way to move about the Island. It was fun to ride off the beaten path on our way around the island.
beach + sunsets
The beaches are beautiful with soft white, easy-to-walk-on sand. Shells can be found on the shore, mostly smaller shells, but all different colors. There isn’t an abundance of shells, but you will for sure find some to take home with you. The sunsets are gorgeous and worth planning your evening around. Joie Inn is less than a half block to the beach entrance which was nice for impromptu beach walks and getting to the sunset on time!
final thoughts
I love the ocean, especially the Gulf Coast of Florida, so Anna Maria Island is an easy “yes!” when asked if I would return. Anna Maria is full of housing rentals of all sizes and I’m sure it is real hoppin’ during tourist season. A local told us January to March is the busiest time on the Island (and surrounding areas) so maybe avoid those months if you like a quieter vacation. November is definitely quiet. The temperatures are cooler, however, it was warm enough to sit at the pool or beach and even take a dip in the (heated) pool.
There is an “island” feel to Anna Maria with the rentals, shops, restaurants, golf carts, bicycles, etc. so you feel like you are on vacation wherever you are on the island. There are also beach access points all over the island, which is nice if you happen to forget to plan for the sunset and want to sneak to the beach quickly!
Until next time,
