Holmes Beach
On Anna Maria Island, Holmes Beach is centered between the city of Anna Maria and Bradenton Beach. Tampa Bay and the Gulf of Mexico surround the island. Nearby, mainland, is the city of Bradenton. Spanish explorers, such as deSoto, found the island and its early inhabitants, the Timican and Caloosan American tribes in the 16th century. Not until 1892 did anyone permanently settle. George Emerson Bean homesteaded much of the city of Anna Maria, while, in 1896, Sam and Anne Cobb homesteaded 160 acres of what would become Holmes Beach. Cobbs' daughter Anna Maria Cobb was the first non-Native born on the island. Densely tropical, Anna Maria Island had a thick population of mosquitoes; rattlesnakes slithered; wildcats and panthers roamed. Over time, roads and log bridges were built. After World War II, Jack Holmes, for whom the town is named, developed 600 acres into a community. An airstrip was added. You can see the airstrip in the film, "On An Island With You". The city of Holmes Beach was incorporated in 1950. As of 2004, the population is 5,100. An admixture of residential and business buildings, Holmes Beach is much like the rest of the island in its island pace and time. Locals have a warm sense of community. There is only one post office in the city of Anna Maria. The community agrees that no mail should be sent to homes. It is a social event when the island meets to get mail. On Anna Maria Island, white beaches and blue waters arrest your eyes, and sensations of a vibrant sun and Floridian temperatures are near divine. The environment is cared for as an ecosystem and illustrious scenery of flora and fauna. Two such animals protected that thrive on Anna Maria Island are the sea turtle and manatee.
Coming to Holmes Beach, you probably want the easy life by the sea, fishing, playing the many water sports. But if you venture off island, Busch Gardens, Disney World, and Sea World are within a two and half hour drive. Holmes Beach is home to the Anna Maria Island Art League, and art galleries can be spotted around town. The island's chamber of commerce is another spot to check out and see what is offered. At the Ooh La La Bistro, jazz sets the mood day and night. Wildlife can't escape your attention. Tour guides teach you about the rare and protected animal and vegetation you see around you. Early 20th century piers stand today. Not only are they valued for their history, but their fishing, sea views, and vacation moments. Events are relaxed just as much as the island is. Find a calendar when you arrive, you'll probably find an Anna Maria Island event which suits you and your family. Since Holmes Beach is the most populated part of the island, shopping and dining is more prevalent. Internet cafes brew the best coffee and keep you abreast of emails and the world outside. Get carried away on the beach with your favorite author that the library in Holmes Beach carries. Beachfront restaurants offer seafood that's as exquisite as the turquoise sea from which they come. Fine dining, Italian eateries, pubs, and what have you, flavor your meals, leaving no palette wanting. Your shopping bags won't be lacking either. Island pace translates to local art and jewelry, water sporting equipment, swim wear, T-shirt shops, top wines, and supermarkets. Manatees, dolphins, sea turtles swim the translucent blue waters, where sailboats and fishing boats move about in the distance. From the soft skies the sun-bleached sand in an endless summer. The beach hypnotizes with the sounds of waves, ebbing and flowing. You'll probably want to fish both on- and off-shore, parasail, jet ski, wave run, kite surf, snorkel, scuba dive, swim, or simply lay back with a margarita and feel serenity of vacation. In Holmes Beach, the beach will positively attract. And while not near the surf, play tennis, keep fit at the gym, get a massage, or bike the trails. Holmes Beach is an Anna Maria Island town, with most of the businesses and homes, but it follows the island ways, ways that'll suit a dream-like vacation.
