With the uncertainty of our schedule as we returned to work and not knowing if we would be able to work out having the same days off, we planned a trip to visit some of Florida’s Gulf Coast beaches. We didn’t want to travel too far, so we headed south to Anna Maria Island.

I am still fascinated by the beautiful color of the water, so I thoroughly enjoyed the ride as we made our way over Tampa Bay, where it empties into the Gulf of Mexico. After we passed through Bradenton, the drive became even more incredible, with water on both sides of the road as we approached Anna Maria Island.

Anna Maria Island

The island is primarily residential and not built up with high rises and hotels like many other beaches, giving it a peaceful, non-commercial feel. We quickly made our way to the northern end of the island and lucked into a free parking space only a few blocks from our destination, The Sandbar Restaurant.

We had a fantastic lunch with a gorgeous view on the restaurant’s deck. The blue-green water against the pristine white sand beach was spectacular. It was a warm day, but the breeze made it pleasant.

After lunch, we walked down the beach before continuing to the other side of the island to see the pier, less than a mile away. While we intended to walk, we quickly changed our minds once we were off the beach. Without the breeze, the heat became oppressive. We returned to the truck and drove, once again finding a great place to park.

Anna Maria Island Pier

There wasn’t a lot to the pier. It is a fishing spot with a restaurant at the end with a great view of the mouth of Tampa Bay and the Sunshine Skyway Bridge. As we walked along the pier, we passed egrets and herons, young and old.

I couldn’t help but laugh as we watched a pelican feeding. There were thousands of tiny fish in the water. As the floating pelican casually scooped the fish up in his bill, seagulls landed on his head, hoping to steal some of the bounty.

When we left the island, we chose to take the longer route, staying on the coastline until we reached Sarasota. As we continued south, the beaches were more developed with resorts and hotels. Our path took us through several neighborhoods of lovely homes.

Oscar Scherer State Park

We were tired and happy to arrive at Oscar Scherer State Park finally. It is a jewel just outside the city. We were delighted to discover that our closest neighbor was two campsites away. We did have one mild disappointment with our spot, but nothing earth-shattering. I generally pick sites that are close to the bathhouse for convenience. Unfortunately, the one next to us was closed as June is off-season in Florida. However, as there was an open bathhouse not too far, it wasn’t anything concerning.

We quickly set up our tent and proceeded to explore the park. We enjoyed the wildness of our surroundings and kept our eyes out for wildlife. We found a small lake with a swimming area but weren’t comfortable going for a swim with the alligator warning signs on the shore.

Instead of cooking dinner, Chris found a gem of a restaurant nearby. We had an exquisite dinner at A Sprig of Thyme before returning to camp for the night. It was a wonderfully peaceful evening sitting outside listening to the tree frogs all around us. While the sky was overcast with rain expected, the clouds parted as we watched the full moon rise through the trees. With all the commotion from living in a community, it was fabulous to reconnect and get back to just the two of us.

Almost Siesta Key

We planned to spend the next day on the beach in Siesta Key, but it was just not meant to be. We made it to the beach just fine and even found parking quickly. However, we did not realize that there wouldn’t be anywhere close by to grab an inexpensive and quick breakfast, so we ended up backtracking to find a Waffle House.

We returned to Siesta Key and attempted to find a surf shop where we could buy swimwear. Unfortunately, parking was a nightmare in the crowded area. Traffic was insane, and we had several close calls where drivers were not paying attention to the road rules. Between our growing anxiety and the day slipping away, we decided it was best to head home and visit Siesta Key another day.