Transportation on Anna Maria Island: My Insider Guide

Updated: June 2026

Anna Maria Island is only seven miles long, but how you get around shapes the entire experience. Limited parking, charming walkable neighborhoods, and beaches spread across three distinct towns mean that the right transportation choice can turn a good trip into a great one.

The good news is the island makes it easy. Whether you’re arriving from the airport, heading out to dinner, or just trying to get from one end to the other without circling a parking lot, there’s an option that fits. Some are practical, some are fun, and a few manage to be both.

Quick Guide: Getting Around Anna Maria Island

Best free option: The Anna Maria Island Trolley, runs the full length of the island daily
Most fun: Golf cart rental, open air, no parking stress, delivered to your door
Best for nights out: Monkey Bus, $5 door-to-door until 3:00 AM
Best for airport transfers: Private car services
Most scenic: Biking, flat terrain, coastal views, rentals delivered to you
Most accessible: Beach wheelchair rentals and trolley accessibility options

Free Trolley

The Anna Maria Island Trolley is free, runs the full length of the island, and stops every two to four blocks. For many visitors it becomes their primary transportation, and honestly, it’s enough.

Trolleys run daily from 6:00 AM to 9:00 PM every 20 minutes, and every 30 minutes from 9:00 PM to 10:30 PM. The myStop app lets you track arrivals in real time so you’re never just standing there wondering. Shoes and a shirt are required when boarding, and front bike racks mean you can combine biking and trolley riding in the same outing.

During peak season (December through April), the Beach ConneXion Shuttle runs on Saturdays, Sundays, and holidays from 10:00 AM to 6:00 PM, picking up at Manatee Avenue and 75th Street West and dropping riders directly at Manatee Public Beach. A great way to skip beach traffic entirely.

As I cover in my Do You Need a Car on Anna Maria Island: My Insider Guide, the trolley alone can carry you through a full, stress-free trip.

Golf Carts

Golf carts are the most Anna Maria Island way to get around. Open sides and a breeze off the Gulf. Street-legal carts can be driven on any road with a speed limit of 35 mph or less, which covers all of the island. Most rental companies offer four and six passenger options and deliver directly to your accommodation.

For everything you need including rental companies, pricing, rules, and tips, see my Golf Cart Rental on Anna Maria Island: My Insider Guide.

Bikes

Biking is one of the most scenic ways to move through the island. Flat terrain, bike-friendly streets, and coastal views make it easy to ride to the beach, grab breakfast, or explore neighborhoods at your own pace. Rentals are widely available, most companies deliver to your accommodation, and options include cruisers, tandems, and child attachments.

For routes, rental options, and tips, see my Biking on Anna Maria Island: My Insider Guide.

Monkey Bus

The Monkey Bus might be the most fun way to get around the island. Small buses, door-to-door service across Anna Maria Island and into Cortez, seven days a week from noon to 3:00 AM, for $5 per person. They take music requests, answer questions about the island, and make a night out genuinely easier. If you’re planning an evening on Bridge Street with libations, this is your ride.

Uber & Lyft

Both operate on Anna Maria Island but with a caveat. Service can be inconsistent, especially during peak season and late nights when demand outpaces availability. They work best as a backup rather than a primary plan. For reliable airport transfers and evening transportation, private car services are a better bet.

Car Service

For airport transfers, special events, and getting around without the hassle of driving or parking, Anna Maria Island has a strong selection of private transportation options covering everything from sedans and SUVs to sprinter vans and stretch limos. For the full breakdown of every provider, what they offer, and who each one is best for, see my Car Services on Anna Maria Island: My Insider Guide. For a detailed look at car service vendors check out my Car Service on Anna Maria Island: My Insider Guide.

Boating

Given that AMI sits between the Gulf and Tampa Bay, getting out on the water is one of the best ways to experience the island from a completely different angle. Boat rentals, guided fishing charters, dolphin tours, and eco-tours through the island’s mangrove tunnels are all widely available. Boating is also one of the best ways to reach nearby spots like Egmont Key and the open Gulf sandbars.

For everything water-related on Anna Maria Island, see my Water Activities on Anna Maria Island: My Insider Guide.

Accessibility

Anna Maria Island has options for visitors with mobility needs, including beach wheelchair rentals that make it possible to get right to the water’s edge. For everything you need to know, see my Beach Wheelchair Rentals on Anna Maria Island: My Insider Guide.

Parking

Parking isn’t a mode of transportation but it deserves a mention here. Public beach access parking lots fill up fast during season, and many restaurants and shops have limited lots. This is one of the biggest reasons bikes and the trolley are so popular. They sidestep the parking problem entirely. If you do bring a car, plan to leave it parked at your rental as much as possible once you arrive.

Local Tips for Getting Around Anna Maria Island

Arrive by car, then park it. Many visitors drive onto the island once, leave the car at their rental property, and rely on the trolley, golf cart, or bike for the rest of the stay. It’s the lowest-stress approach.

Download the myStop app. Real-time trolley tracking saves a lot of waiting around, especially during busy season.

Book golf carts and car services early. During peak season (January through April), availability fills up fast. Don’t leave it to the last minute.

Combine your options. Bike out, trolley back. Golf cart to dinner, Monkey Bus home. Mixing transportation modes is half the fun on AMI.

Explore beyond the roads. The Historic Cortez Fishing Village is just off the island and easily reachable by bike, golf cart, or car, and well worth the short trip.

Coastal Close

Getting around Anna Maria Island is part of the experience. Whether you’re cruising on a golf cart, hopping the free trolley, or letting the Monkey Bus take you home after a long night on Bridge Street, most visitors quickly realize they don’t need a car at all. That realization is its own kind of island freedom.

— izzy