4000 Gulf Dr, Holmes Beach, FL 34217, USA 
256 miles from Panama City Beach, FL
Located on Anna Maria Island, Manatee Public Beach is a wide white-sand beach with free parking, professional lifeguards, and all necessary facilities, good for swimming, sunbathing, picnicking, playing volleyball, snorkeling, paddle boarding, and enjoying breathtaking sunsets.
Featuring a safe and relaxing ambiance and convenient location, it’s a popular family spot and easily accessible meeting point on the island. If you’re looking for some quiet and seclusion, you should probably choose another beach, but if you’re okay with crowds, you’ll like this place with all its benefits!
Location and Access
Manatee Public Beach is located at 4000 State Road 64 and Gulf Drive in Holmes Beach. There is free and convenient parking within a short walk from the beach. On summer weekends, it gets filled quite quickly, so arrive early to occupy a spot.
There is also a free trolley going around the island’s communities including Holmes Beach, making exploring Anna Maria Island cheap and easy.
Facilities and Rental Services
Manatee Public Beach facilities include free parking, bike racks, public restrooms, outdoor showers, changing areas, grills and picnic tables, umbrellas and beach chairs for rent – everything is clean and well-maintained so that you can relax with comfort. You can rent beach chairs and umbrellas for shade.
If you’re looking for more activity, there are paddleboard rentals. There is also a gift shop to buy some souvenirs and a cafe with live music, hot drinks, and a good choice of dishes (try delicious fish tacos or participate in an unlimited pancake session!). The staff is always friendly and helpful.
Sand and Water
Manatee Public Beach features a mix of soft white sand and rougher shell pieces, quite hard-packed and good for walking, shelling, and building sandcastles. Overall, the beach is clean.
The water is beautiful, clear and with different tints of blue and green. It is warm and not too shallow, offering some good swimming. There are some good shells at the bottom to dive for and there is also a sandbar not far from the shore.
You can feel quite safe in the water since there are professional lifeguards on duty. Nevertheless, there may be strong currents when there are storms in the area, so caution is never too much.
Driving Time
-
1 hour from Tampa, FL
-
1 hour 25 minutes from Lakeland, FL
-
1 hour 45 minutes from Fort Myers, FL
Hotels and rentals
If you're considering staying for one or even a few nights, there are plenty of options available near the beach. Chose your preferred accomodation type and your favourite room provider:
- Nearby rentals from VRBO.
- Nearby rooms and properties from Booking.com.
Beaches nearby
Additionally, there's a number of beaches near Manatee Public Beach which you can visit:
- Bradenton Beach (1 mile)
- Palmetto Avenue Beach (2 miles)
- Cortez Beach (3 miles)
- Bean Point Beach (3 miles)
- Coquina Beach (3 miles)
.jpeg)
Anna Maria, 34216, United States
Drag and zoom the map to view lodging options near the beach.
1 mi away