Guests of Dans Florida Condos, have asked a favor of me throughout the years: “Help keep our little island paradise a secret”. Nestled on Florida’s Southwest Gulf coast just south of Clearwater and north of Sarasota, Anna Maria Island is the perfect vacation spot for a quiet Old-Time Florida holiday.
The cat may be out of the bag, especially now since Coastal Living Magazine has listed Anna Maria Island as the 6th happiest seaside town in the United States.
**Along with beautiful beaches, excellent restaurants and nifty shops, Anna Maria residents might just have another reason to smile.
On June 12, Coastal Living magazine released its 2018 rankings for the 10 happiest seaside towns in the United States, placing the city of Anna Maria at No. 6.
The 10 finalists were nominated on social media and deemed finalists by the magazine. The order of cities in the final ranking was based on popular vote on the magazine’s social media.
It is worth noting the final rankings were based on an online popular vote, with Anna Maria having the second smallest population of the 10 finalists.
Factors considered in the ranking were the percentage of clear and sunny days, wellness index, crime rate, standard of living, the financial well-being of locals and “coastal vibe,” among other criteria.
In naming the finalists, Coastal Living describes Anna Maria as “an old-Florida dream of an island town, with a sweet little main street, community gardens and streets lined with candy-colored cottages.”
“We’re just very proud that we’ve been nominated and recognized for being a happy city,” Mayor Dan Murphy said June 11 in a phone interview. “I’ve always felt that our residents are very happy.
“It kind of makes you happy to even visit our city, I think.”
“Tra-la-la,” Murphy emailed to The Islander.
No. 1 underrated beach town
Meanwhile, the three cities on Anna Maria Island were collectively ranked No. 1 in a June 15 Huffington Post story.
Writer Jess Bolluyt states: “Whether you love the ocean or prefer to spend your beach days at the lake, there are plenty of beaches and beach towns to explore across America. While some have gotten incredibly popular, others remain underrated, especially the most affordable ones.”
The Huffington Post reports that Trip Advisor users named Anna Maria Island as one of the most underrated beach towns in the United States. “This 7-mile-long island, located just across from St. Petersburg, retains its ‘Old Florida’ feel. The island feels laid-back and less developed than the surrounding area.”
Anna Maria Island is No. 1 on the list of beach towns in the post to “add to your bucket list.”
If you have a bucket list.
Coastal Living’s 10 happiest seaside towns in the United States
- Ocean City, New Jersey
- Traverse City, Michigan
- Cape Charles, Virginia
- Vero Beach, Florida
- Bluffton, South Carolina
- Anna Maria, Florida
- Cambria, California
- Hampton/Hampton Beach, New Hampshire
- Bellport, New York
- Cannon Beach, Oregon.
To read more articles highlighting Anna Maria Island, Bradenton Beach, FL and Dans Florida Condos please visit the “Our Blog” section of our booking-free website: http://www.dansfloridacondos.com/blog/
**Source The Islander – June 19, 2018
*Please note – Dans Florida Condos posts blogs of local establishments and events periodically, for the intended benefit of our guests and visitors of Anna Maria Island. We do not receive advertisement commissions or other compensation from these posts. These recommendations are either experienced firsthand by us, or via reputable friends and partners on the Island. This ensures we are informing our guests of the “best of the best” that the Anna Maria Island and the surrounding areas have to offer.
*The content of this blog is not to be copied, adapted or shared without the written consent of Dans Florida Condos .
