AMI is among Florida’s ‘most charming’ small towns. Is the island still a ‘best kept secret’?
Travel + Leisure released its top 10 most charming small towns in Florida earlier this week and the website ranked Anna Maria Island as No. 2 overall.
It’s hard to imagine if you’ve ever been in beach traffic that the island is still a best-kept secret, but Travel + Leisure writes, “Considered one of the state’s best-kept secrets, Anna Maria Island is home to wide white-sand beaches lapped by emerald and sapphire seas.”
The website points out that while the beaches are “picture perfect,” visitors get a lot more to enjoy on the island, including the many shops, galleries and restaurants.
Travel + Leisure ranked the top best Florida cities with a population of less than 15,000. Coming in at No. 1 was the town of Palm Beach in Palm Beach County, home to the spectacular driving view along A1A and home to some of the most expensive homes in Florida.
The third best returns to the Gulf Coast at Cedar Key.
The remaining top 10 best small towns in Florida by the website’s rankings include:
Mount Dora at No. 4.
Florida Keys at No. 5.
Micanopy at No. 6.
Sanibel at No. 7.
Cypress Gardens at No. 8.
Cape Canaveral at No. 9.
Fernandina Beach at No. 10.
In summing up the rankings of these smaller Florida cities, the travel site writes, “What they lack in size, they make up for in quaint shops, tasty restaurants, easygoing vibes, and enough water and land activities to keep visitors occupied and happy.”
This story was originally published May 25, 2021 at 11:57 AM.