A family vacation to Anna Maria Island wouldn’t be complete without a local tour. Luckily for all, there’s an Anna Maria Island Trolley offering them in abundance.
The trolley, powered by MCAT (Manatee County Area Transit) and managed by the Anna Maria Island Chamber of Commerce, transports you across the 7-mile stretch of land to get a close up scenic view of your favorite sights, shops and restaurants. And the best part? It’s completely free! Even more reason for you to ditch the vehicle and visit the island on foot.
For the cyclists among us, the Anna Maria Island Trolley even comes equipped with a loading rack on the front for you to store your bike.
Daily service allowing for flexible travel
Daily service is held at 20-minute intervals from 6 a.m. until 9 p.m. It then runs every 30 minutes until 10:30pm, making this all-day tour a flexible activity to fit into any schedule, no matter how jam-packed your family vacation shapes up to be. It departs from the City Pier at the northern side of the island to Coquina Beach at the southern of the island.
If you’re struggling to reach opposite ends of the island before the Anna Maria Island Trolley departs, it’s worth noting that the tour stops every 2 to 4 blocks of the route. Anna Maria City Pier, Coquina Beach and Manatee Public Beach make up the 3 key stops and provide an ideal opportunity to jump on board should you find them more accessible to reach.
There’s a 3-minute wait at each stop before the trolley continues on its journey. A full-length trip lasts, on average, around 30 minutes.
Clearly marked stops along the route
The community of Holmes Beach will find the trolley running north along Marina Dr. and south along Gulf Dr. Waiting points are not hard to spot either, as each stop has a sign with a miniature trolley icon displayed, complete with covered seating areas for your wait. Not only are wet days catered for, but even the most humid of heat waves are too, as Anna Maria Island Trolleys provide air conditioning within and additional outdoor seating.
View the trolley’s route and scheduled leaving times
If you’re interested in potentially advertising with The Anna Maria Island Trolley, you can call 941-778-1541. By advertising, the trolley is kept free for riders, making it a stand-out family activity for tourists and locals to continue enjoying. The money also helps to fund non-profits. These are a fundamental aspect of the Anna Maria Island community as they protect beaches, museums, heritage and the arts.
Hop on board the free Anna Maria Island trolley!
Choose your vacation rental and come vacation on Anna Maria Island, make sure to schedule in a trolley adventure for a breakdown of the best sights to see. It will help you get familiar with the island, and many find that it’s the most convenient way to get around. A fantastic activity for all the family, hop on board and enjoy everything the island has to offer.