About three months ago, we went to Anna Maria Island with some friends for the weekend and it was just lovely. This charming island is on the east coast of Florida and has some of the most beautiful beaches I have seen in Florida. It's a very small, walkable island, with plenty of beach access, island food, and quaint shops to keep you busy! We dined at The Waterfront restaurant and I was happy to find some gluten and dairy free options! It was delish and the view was spectacular!
The next morning I woke up with Leon and took him out to the bay side of the island for sunrise. He chased birds, pickup shells, and played in the water while I snapped pictures :) Sunrise is quickly becoming my favorite time of day on vacation and I have Leon to thank for it!
We hit the beach after a quick breakfast at Ginny & Jane E's Cafe. Leon had so much fun playing in the sand with his BFF Parker! They argued over shovels (even though they each had one) and drank from eachothers sippy cups, typical toddler behavior. Oh and I bought Townsend and Leon matching suits from JCrew because I couldn't resist :)
While the boys napped, my friend Amber and I went on a bike ride through the island, stopping at various places along the way. We ended along a string of shops where we bought different flavors of olive oil, pasta, and sea salt! Biking is probably the best way to explore the island so if you have the time, rent some while you are there.
That evening we tried for a sunset photo session but the clouds got in our way. It still turned out to be really beautiful light and a perfect backdrop for some photos! Amber took some gorgeous photos for us which is much appreciated since we rarely get in focus pictures of the three of us. And then Leon and I went to chase the birds :)
The second morning Leon and I had another sunrise date, this time we chased crabby babies as Leon calls them, they were all over the place!
We spent our last day hanging by the beach and pool before packing up to head home. Thanks to our sweet friends for inviting us for a lovely weekend in paradise, just an our away from home!
