Old Florida Charm & Fun Still Exists on Anna Maria Island
BIRMINGHAM PARENT - Carol Muse Evans -
publisher/editor
Tortuga Inn Beach Resort was named "Best Place to Stay."
If you’ve dreamed of taking your children to
the “old Florida” you remember visiting as a
child, it still exists – on Anna Maria Island.
Life is really laid back on the island, located
about an hour southwest of Tampa,
Florida. It is like a hidden jewel and a step
back in time in Florida history and tourism, and
though tourists abound, it doesn’t feel “touristy.” As
one restaurant owner put it, “What we’re selling here
is relaxation.” And relax, you can.
Families who just want a great beach trip will
fi nd everything they need here, and very affordably
priced. Beaches are just steps from resorts and condos
that dot the beach line, and very little walking
and steps are involved. You’ve still got the beautiful,
white sand of the Florida Gulf Coast here, but the
sand’s a little fi ner, and crushed shells are also part
of the mix. In fact, there’s a multitude of shells here,
if your family likes shelling. Surf’s up a little higher
here, and the water is crystal clear, blue-green.
Read full article...
Destination Weddings & Honeymoons Magazine
Anna Maria Island Wedding Festival - March 19, 2010
A few weeks ago, I was fortunate enough to attend the third annual Anna Maria Island Wedding Festival on Florida’s Gulf Coast. We stayed at the charming Tortuga Inn Beach Resort — situated right along the intracoastal waterway and across the street from a private beach. Read full article...
Robert E. Hunt Beautification Award
January 26th, 2010
The Image Manatee Committee is proud to present the 20th Annual Robert E. Hunt Beautification Award to the Tortuga Inn Beach Resort.
Tortuga Inn Beach Resort is a beach-to-bay luxury resort conveniently located on Anna Maria Island. In 2003, David Teitelbaum acquired the resort and over the next six years, totally repositioned, renovated, and refurbished the property. The resort includes six unique buildings of hotel rooms and suites nestled within lush landscaping and swaying palms. With its tropical charm, and scenic sunsets, Tortuga Inn truly embodies island vacationing. Whether it’s relaxing at the sparkling gulf-side sundeck and pool or fishing off the private dock overlooking Sarasota Bay and the Intercoastal, the property at Tortuga Inn Beach Resort is a friendly little paradise found right here in Manatee County.
Read the Herald Tribune article here...
Wanna Buy a Condo in Paradise?
Business buzz - November 23, 2009
The combination of stingy banks and short sales has created some genuine opportunities for cash buyers, says David Teitelbaum, who manages several resort properties on Anna Maria Island and who is a real estate agent there as well.
His flagship property, which gets good write-ups and is managing nearly an 80 percent a year occupancy rate, is Tortuga Inn Beach Resort. Read full article...
"Best of the World" List - World’s 14 Best Islands
by Chris - Islands Magazine - November, 2009
Islands Magazine selected ANNA MARIA ISLAND as "THE WORLD'S BEST QUAINT ISLAND" - in it's November, 2009 LIST OF THE WORLD'S BEST 14 ISLANDS. Tortuga Inn Beach Resort was chosen as it's favorite resort on Anna Maria Island.
AMI Weddings Boost Tourism
By Rick Catlin - The Islander - August 12, 2009
Anna Maria Island’s wedding industry has grown from about 50 weddings a year five years ago to nearly 1,000 in 2008. And a large number of the members of wedding parties return to the Island as vacationers, said Caryn Hodge, marketing director for the Sandbar Restaurant in Anna Maria. Read full article...
Beach Magic
By Wanda McKinney - Southern Living - March 2009
The motto of Florida's Anna Maria Island says it all: "Welcome to paradise without an attitude." Our Insider's guide helps you make it your own slice of heaven. Read full article...
Writers experience Island wedding scene
By Tom Vaught | sun staff writer - Apr. 22nd, 2009
If you're going to write about something, you should experience it first. That's what Lynn Walker did with her husband, Kevin Baker, when she researched her article on Anna Maria Island recently to do articles for Southern Bride magazine and Romantic Destinations Travel. Read full article...
Island spring break is family affair
By Rick Catlin - The Islander - April 2009
Don't look now, but Anna Maria Island could be over-run with spring breakers this week and next.
Islanders and beach goers, however, can rest easy. Spring breakers on Anna Maria Island are not the same spring break crowd that over-runs Panama Beach, Clearwater Beach, South Beach and Daytona Beach at this time of year, Island accommodation owners and managers say. Read full article...
National publicity sparks interest in Island
By Cindy Lane | sun staff writer - Jan 4, 2009
Vacationers longing for a laid-back, old-time Florida
beach vacation during the holidays found it on Anna Maria Island, courtesy
of USA Today, Baltimore Magazine and the Internet. Read full article...
Marianne Cushing Blog Post
Blog: Because I said so… Anna Maria Trip Tik Day One
A Hidden Island
Anna Maria on Florida's West Coast promises a sunny escape for the winter weary.
By Suzanne Loudermilk
Definitely come here for the sunsets, but plan to stay for the sunrises, too. Anna Maria Island - a wisp of a seven-mile island
along Florida's West Coast - is a place that revels in the end of day. Read entire article.
Laid Back Low-Cost Florida
by Kitty Bean Yancey
Been looking for a place that's low cost, unpretentious and fun? Read entire article...
Tortuga Inn Beach Resort. Old Florida Charm & Old Florida Style.
eCity of Travel.com Article by Ken Panton
Read entire article.
LAID-BACK ANNA MARIA IS FLORIDA'S BEST-KEPT SECRET
Islands Magazine Visit
Chris Tauber with Islands magazine visited us recently. Read what he had to say on his blog:
Islands Magazine Blog
Check out the video footage below from Chris Tauber's visit:
Nestle yourself in at the charming and casual Tortuga Inn Beach Resort,
where you'll find serene and lovely apartment suites, hotel rooms and studios set amongst lush foliage and tropical
flowers. True heaven for families. Two shimmering pools and a fishing pier on the Intracoastal and a
private beach entrance and do we have to leave?
Only if it means we can scoot down the road to the Tradewinds Resort,
a true gem of a spot where pastel-colored cottages with flowering vines
on the arbors line a private, palm-tree-filled oasis. Tranquility reigns
supreme here as it does all over the island so once you arrive, go ahead
and adjust your watch to laid-back island time.Click here to read the entire article
Bradenton Area Tourism Leaders Appointed to
Statewide Marketing Council
BRADENTON, Fla. (July 10, 2007) - Taking their places among some of the tourism industry’s best and
brightest, Susan Estler, Director of Marketing & Public Relations for the Bradenton Area Convention
and Visitors Bureau (BACVB), and David Teitelbaum, board member, Manatee County Tourist Development
Council (TDC) have been appointed to VISIT FLORIDA’s 2007/2008 Marketing Council. Click here to read the entire article
Overlooked: Anna Maria Island
from Elliot - first aid for travel, July 17, 2007
Just when I thought I had thoroughly explored Florida's coastline and discovered its best vacation
destinations, I stumbled upon a place like Anna Maria Island, a quiet resort area near Bradenton,
right across the bridge from Longboat Key. Click here to read the entire article
Five hidden, affordable beach destinations
by Molly Feltner, SmarterTravel.com Staff - May 14, 2007
Last summer, when you were sitting in an endless traffic jam waiting to get on the ferry to Martha’s Vineyard or laying down a month's pay for a family trip to Maui, you may have wondered if your relaxing beach vacation was all worth it. There must be alternatives, you think and you're right, there are. With a little guidance, you can still find beach destinations unmarred by development, with opportunities for adventure, culture, great food, and yes, even reasonable prices. After doing thorough research and consulting with numerous other travel writers, I found five places in the U.S. and Canada that fit the bill. Click here to read the entire article
Finding a new Florida
TRAVEL COVER STORY By Karen Jones and Gina Salamone
There’s no better way to beat the winter blues than with a quick trip down to Florida, and you won’t find many New Yorkers arguing it of the 77 million travelers who visited the Sunshine State in 2005, 11.9 % were from New York. But where to spend the weekend? Miami’s got nightlife and dining, and Orlando’s great for family fun, but sometimes all you need on a winter getaway is sand, surf and a few good meals. For a lower-key escape, consider two Florida destinations that might not be on your radar. Click here to read the entire article
