ANNA MARIA ISLAND – Every year at this time, thousands of high school and college students come to the Island to get away, trading tests and quizzes for sunshine and sand. Some come with their families, others with groups of friends, many escaping the still-freezing temperatures in much of the country.
“I’m here with 11 of my girlfriends from Auburn. We have two condos next to each other in Holmes Beach,” said Ashley Coffee, a junior at Auburn University. “Even though we go to school in the south, it’s still pretty cold. My grandparents had a place here, so I grew up coming to the Island, but this is the first time here for most of the girls.”
Ashley says her friends are having a blast, and they all love the more “chill” atmosphere here compared to Panama City or Siesta Key. The Auburn students aren’t alone; many spring breakers share the sentiment.
“We did Fort Lauderdale two years ago and it was awful,” said Hannah Smith, who is enjoying a relaxing spring break with three friends in Bradenton Beach. “We’re just not about the crazy party atmosphere.”
While Miami has enacted a curfew on alcohol sales due to spring breakers fighting and rioting in the streets, things couldn’t be more different here. Law enforcement officials on the Island say that with the exception of a recent attack on a local man, everyone is well behaved, and there has not been an increase in crime due to the increase in visitors.
“The week of March 13 through 19, which was spring break for Manatee, Sarasota and Hillsborough, we averaged 31,900 cars per day in Holmes Beach,” said Chief Bill Tokajer of the Holmes Beach Police Department. “We haven’t seen an increase in crime. We are a very visible department and it seems like we have fewer problems every year.”
Chief Tokajer says that many students who come to Holmes Beach year after year learn that things like drinking alcohol on the beach won’t be tolerated so they just don’t do it. While other destinations are seeing violent outbursts that often spill into the streets, on the Island, it’s rare to even see a fist fight. This seems to be a draw for more students each year who want to relax and unwind.
Bradenton Beach police also see no increase in crime during the spring break season.
“We haven’t seen an uptick in crime, in fact, for the most part we’ve had a great spring break season so far,” said Lieutenant Lenard Diaz of the Bradenton Beach Police Department. “We haven’t had any issues with drinking being a problem. It’s really been a great season.”
With college and university spring breaks spread out over many weeks, the spring break season will continue through the second week of April. While crime may not be a big issue, traffic will, so if you’re planning a trip by car to the Island, be aware that traffic will be heavy and allow plenty of time to get on and off the Island.
