Anna Maria Island: A Bit of Old Florida

The island has only a handful of hotels, and they tend to be mom-and-pop operations. However, most people choose to rent an apartment or house by the week or month. Choose carefully because a lot of the apartments' are decorated in the style of the "Golden Girls"set.

One of the newest places to stay on the island is Palm Isle Village, a small cluster of tastefully decorated one- and two-bedroom cottages just a block from the beach. Rates vary but are usually under $1,000 a week, depending on the season, and bookings are available from Island Real Estate. For something even grander, try the beachfront Sunshine Cottage ($10,000 a month) or Villa Florence ($2,700 a week), available through Duncan Real Estate.

Anna Maria has plenty of great places to eat, but visitors have to remember that they are coming to the restaurants for the food, and not the decor, which is often dated or unabashedly quirky. Keep in mind that most places shut by 10 p.m., so get there early if you can. In addition to the superb Beach Bistro, where dinner for two can easily run to $300, the island's other top fine dining restaurant is the Sign of the Mermaid, which is located in a converted house and has a ramshackle look. Try the Cuban black bean soup or the roasted mahi-mahi with toasted almonds.

For a taste of Floribbean cuisine, head to the Sun House and indulge in dishes such as plantain and yucca chips with pineapple salsa, classic conch fritters or pan fried grouper with a key lime butter sauce. For something less pricey, try Mr. Bones BBQ, where you can pick your beer out of a coffin, or Ginny's and Jane E's Cafe, which is a combination deli, coffee shop and antiques store. And best of all, you can wear flip flops and shorts to any of these restaurants and not worry about making it past a snooty doorman.