ANNA MARIA ISLAND – Thousands of students, many with their families, have flocked to AMI to escape the still-freezing temperatures farther north, trading quizzes and tests for beach volleyball and fun in the sun.
Due to different regions of the country having spring break on different weeks, the season here on the Island runs from the first week of March through the first week of April, making spring break more than a month long. Traffic will be heavy, parking will be limited, beaches will be busier than any other time of the year and wait times at restaurants will be longer, but there’s plenty of fun to be had if these things are factored in when making plans for a day on AMI.
“There is parking, even this time of year,” Holmes Beach Police Chief Bill Tokajer said. “Saturday, March 11, the Manatee Beach lot was full by 11:15 a.m., but at 3 p.m. there were still 52 clearly marked parking spots that were open. On Sunday, March 12, the beach lot was full by 10:30 a.m., but more than an hour later at 11:50 a.m., there were still 88 clearly marked parking spots near the beach.”
Tampa International Airport issued a statement saying March 11 and March 26 were the two peak travel days for passengers coming to the area for the spring break season. When local Island residents are asked what the busiest day of the year is, the answer is often March 15, as it is a metaphorical bullseye in the middle of spring break season.
“We’re with Lone Star Soccer Club out of Austin, Texas. We have a tournament in Bradenton this week, so we get to spend our spring break here,” said Shelby Hollywood, who is here with three of her friends. “The water is so clear, the beach is beautiful and the people are friendly; we’re having a great time.”
Unlike Miami, Panama City, Daytona Beach and even Siesta Key, AMI isn’t known as a chaotic “party” spring break destination. Many young people come with their families, and the Island doesn’t experience many of the problems those destinations see year after year. Bradenton Beach and Holmes Beach see the highest concentrations of spring breakers on the Island, and neither of those police departments have reported any serious crime or violence so far this season. However, police in all three Island cities warn visitors to practice common sense. Lock car doors and keep valuables out of sight, walk in groups after dark, don’t leave valuables unattended while on the beach, and don’t have pets or drink alcohol on the beach. Alcohol is not permitted on any public beach on AMI, and this is strictly enforced, especially this time of year.
“We want everybody to have a great time, but we also want everyone to be respectful and responsible,” Tokajer said. “Just remember you are vacationing in a residential area.”
According to the Holmes Beach Police Department, which has license plate readers that count how many cars enter the city each day, the first week of March saw 214,740 cars, for an average of 30,677 per day. The first weekend of week two (March 11-12) there were 36,718 and 35,468 respectively, a significant increase, showing the crowds are growing as the season peaks.
