AMI on the Fourth of July: Here's your checklist

ANNA MARIA ISLAND – After a record-breaking spring season and Memorial Day weekend, all signs point to the busiest July 4 holiday ever, based on indications from Island innkeepers and renters, flights booked into SRQ and trends studied by the Manatee County Tourist Development Council.

Whether you’re a longtime Island resident or just here for a week, there’s plenty you need to know in order to have a safe and enjoyable Independence Day.

Parking

Parking is a constant subject of local debate in the three cities that make up Anna Maria Island and it is one of the most discussed topics by people planning a visit.

Bradenton Beach has more parking than the other two cities. Parking is available at both county beaches (Coquina Beach and Cortez Beach) where free trolleys turn around every 20 minutes from 6 a.m. until 10:30 p.m., seven days a week, transporting visitors to locations anywhere on Anna Maria Island.

The main parking lot is located off First Street North just east of Circle K. The lot is also accessible off Bridge Street. Additional parking lots are located in the 400 block of Highland Avenue (Police Department) and south of the Public Works facility (under the cell tower). All parking areas are free and all lots are closed at midnight.

Here are some parking prohibitions in the three cities:

Anna Maria

In areas with signs prohibiting parking
On a sidewalk
On a street (all tires must be off the pavement)
Facing the wrong direction
Angle parking
Within 30 feet of a stop sign
Within 20 feet of an intersection
Double parking
Blocking a driveway
Between 10 p.m. – 6 a.m.
In a handicapped zone or space without a permit

Bradenton Beach

On a street
In the grass or on the sand at Coquina Beach
Anywhere that emergency vehicles will be blocked; blocking vehicles will be towed
In a handicapped zone or space without a permit ($300 fine)
Anywhere that is not a designated parking spot.

Holmes Beach

In areas with signs that prohibit parking
On a sidewalk
On a crosswalk or within 20 feet of a crosswalk
On a bicycle path
Within 30 feet of a stop sign
Within 30 feet of an intersection
Within 15 feet of a fire hydrant
Blocking a public or private driveway
In a handicapped zone or parking space without the proper license plate or hang-tag issued by a state and affixed to or in the car
Between 10 p.m. and 6 a.m. at Manatee Beach
Facing the wrong direction
Double parking, either side by side or tandem
On private property without the permission of the owner of the property

Traffic

Anna Maria Island is small – 7 miles long – and the southern portion of the Island is very narrow. Because of the geography, there are few back roads and very few shortcuts.

It likely will be shoulder-to-shoulder on AMI beaches this holiday weekend, so plan on arriving early. – Mike Field | Sun

According to Holmes Beach Police Chief William Tokajer, more than 31,000 cars entered his city on Memorial Day, and there’s no reason to expect less for the July 4 holiday. While Anna Maria and Bradenton Beach don’t track vehicles, numbers are expected to be similar. The best policy for dealing with traffic headaches is to just accept that there is not much that can be done about it, relax and enjoy the scenery. A great deal of the traffic jams on AMI come with views much more pleasant than the daily grind in most American cities.

If you can leave the car at home, there is some help being offered by Manatee County. In an effort to help drivers avoid heavy beach crowds over the Fourth of July weekend, Manatee County Area Transit will offer free rides onto and off of Anna Maria Island via Manatee Avenue next week.

The special fare-free zone allows passengers to board the Beach ConneXion Shuttle to Manatee Beach from July 2-4 at any MCAT stop between 75th Street West and Anna Maria Island.

The AMI Trolley and the Beach ConneXion Shuttle will operate on Independence Day, but regular fixed-route and Handy Bus services are suspended on July 4. Regular fixed route and Handy Bus services are available on Saturday, July 3 and will resume Monday, July 5.

Wildlife

The Island is home to a large variety of wildlife, and while it is a great place to live and visit, it is also their home and needs to be respected. It’s currently nesting season for sea turtles and many shorebird species, including least terns, a threatened species that hasn’t had a successful nesting colony in 15 years on the Island.

Here are a few tips to enjoy your trip and not disturb native wildlife:

Manatees may approach you, but enjoy them while giving them space. Take a picture, but don’t touch them. They won’t harm us, but we can easily harm them.
Birds are everywhere on AMI, from osprey to pelicans to seagulls and many more. They will often come very close to humans, but they also need to be enjoyed from a distance. Don’t feed any birds, and please teach children that chasing them is not ok. Chasing birds could cause them to abandon their nests. Also, cleaning up after your beach visit keeps trash from being entangled in a wing or a leg.
Sea turtles are currently nesting. Please fill any holes you or your children may dig on the beach. A baby sea turtle could hatch at night and fall into the hole, and that’s a meal for a predator. Also avoid flashlights or cellphone lights on the beach at night. It can confuse hatchlings and they will not make it to the ocean.
While the Gulf coast is known to be relatively safe for swimming, be aware that it’s still wild, and the wildlife needs to be respected. Watch for any warnings from beach patrol and lifeguards regarding dangerous marine life. This could be sharks, jellyfish or other marine life of concern. When walking in the ocean, practice the “stingray shuffle.” Stingrays don’t want to hurt you, and if one swims by there is no cause for serious concern. However, they like to bury themselves in the sand at times, and if you step on one, they may sting you out of fear they are being attacked. The “stingray shuffle” means sliding your feet through the sand as you walk in the water rather than using a traditional step. The stingray will know you’re coming and will swim away.

Weather protection

Summer is the rainy season on the Island. This doesn’t mean it rains all the time, but severe afternoon storms are very common this time of year, and the weather should be taken seriously. In addition to protecting your body, using some common sense will protect your property as well.

When a storm comes, take shelter and stay out of the water. It’s not uncommon for a summer storm to produce more than 50 lightning strikes in a radius of just a few miles. If you can hear thunder, you are in range to be struck by lightning. High winds from afternoon storms can also produce dangerous riptides which can cause drowning.
The sun is very strong in the summer, and even if it’s cloudy, you can get a serious burn that can make your beach time much less pleasant for days. Use sunblock, and reapply after going in the water regardless of how “waterproof” your sunscreen claims to be.
Anna Maria Island has a low crime rate, and while violent crimes are rare, anytime tens of thousands of people gather in a small area, crimes of opportunity will happen. Try not to bring valuables to the beach, and if you must, don’t wander away from them. Jewelry, electronics and beach supplies are easy targets for beach thieves.

The beach

Dogs, alcohol, grills, glass bottles and other items are not permitted on Island beaches. If you choose to risk it, be aware that you will be fined if caught by beach patrol. Most public beach access entrances have signs that let you know what is allowed and what is prohibited at that particular beach.