Siesta Key named third best U.S. beach by TripAdvisor

Anna Maria Island may be the third best island in the U.S.
but its beaches don't rank on TripAdvisor.
File photo by Grant Jefferies

Florida might have as many beaches as Hawaii in TripAdvisor's latest Top 25 U.S. Beaches, but none are in Manatee County.

Siesta Key ranked third, the highest in Florida, and Lido Beach, also in Sarasota County ranked 22nd, according to the 2014 list released Tuesday. Lanikai Beach in Oahu, Hawaii was the top beach.

“We are thrilled to share this news,” said Erin Duggan, Director of Brand for Visit Sarasota County.  “We are honored so many visitors to our shores love their experience here and are willing to share it with others.”

TripAdvisor survey of 13,000 U.S. travelers found that 81 percent plan to take a beach vacation in 2014, compared to 69 percent that did in 2013. Summer is the most popular season for beach vacations with the most popular months being: July (23%), August (20%), June (19%).

“For those fed up with the long cold winter, there’s really no better cure than an escape to one of these award-winning beaches,” said Barbara Messing, chief marketing officer for TripAdvisor. “Even if you can’t go to one of these stunning beaches soon, just looking at the photos will take you away for a moment, until you can plan a trip.”

Siesta Key dropped from No. 2 to No. 3 from last year's beach rankings. Other area beaches that made the list include Saint Pete Beach at No. 9, Caladesi Island State Park in Dunedin at No. 11 and Clearwater Beach at No. 21.

What's strange is how Anna Maria Island can rank third among U.S. islands, but none of its beaches rank at all in the Top 25. What gives? Was it the dredging equipment? Surely surveyors can come back and see there's enough sand on the beach now.
Here is the complete list

Travelers’ Choice Top 25 Beaches in the U.S.

1.       Lanikai Beach, Kailua, Oahu, Hawaii

2.       Ka'anapali Beach, Lahaina, Maui, Hawaii

3.       Siesta Key Public Beach, Siesta Key, Florida

4.       Hanalei Beach, Hanalei, Kauai, Hawaii

5.       Wai'anapanapa State Park, Hana, Maui, Hawaii

6.       Wailea Beach, Wailea, Maui, Hawaii

7.       Hunting Island State Park, Beaufort, South Carolina

8.       Manini'owali Beach (Kua Bay), Kailua-Kona, Island of Hawaii, Hawaii

9.       Saint Pete Beach, Saint Pete Beach, Florida

10.   Hanauma Bay Nature Preserve, Honolulu, Oahu, Hawaii

11.   Caladesi Island State Park, Dunedin, Florida

12.   Poipu Beach Park, Poipu, Kauai, Hawaii

13.   Ko Olina Lagoons, Kapolei, Hawaii

14.   St. Augustine Beach, Saint Augustine Beach, Florida

15.   Ogunquit Beach, Ogunquit, Maine

16.   Race Point Beach, Provincetown, Massachusetts

17.   Bahia Honda State Park and Beach, Big Pine Key, Florida

18.   La Jolla Cove, La Jolla, California

19.   Pensacola Beach, Pensacola, Florida

20.   Beach at Panama City, Panama City Beach, Florida

21.   Clearwater Beach, Clearwater, Florida

22.   Lido Beach, Sarasota, Florida

23.   Assateague Beach, Assateague Island, Virginia

24.   Kapalua Beach, Kapalua, Hawaii

25.   Navarre Beach, Navarre, Florida

Bradenton Area Visitors Bureau Giving Away 1-Month Vacation

The next best thing to hitting the lottery is winning a dream vacation getaway.

The Bradenton Area Convention and Visitors Bureau is always looking for ways to bring people to Manatee County, and why not through a sweepstakes? 

So far eight sweepstakes are planned in 2014, and the CVB talked to area businesses Tuesday morning at an Ad Buy event to sign up as partners for the contests. Each of the sweepstakes is expected to include a five-day, four-night stay, lunch or dinner, attraction admission, spa or unique experience component.

The best one out of the bunch has to be the Radical Sabbatical,  a one-month vacation here in the area, said Debbie Meihls, executive manager of the CVB. Unlike Europeans, most of us in North America can't take a solid month off  from work, so the prize can be broken up throughout the year allowing the winner to come back, she said. The contest is expected to be launched in summer 2014 to push fall tourism.

The experience includes one week on Anna Maria Island, one week on Longboat Key, one week in Bradenton and one week in Lakewood Ranch.

They're working on providing attraction tickets, restaurant gift certificates, eco tours, Segway tours, kayak and paddle boarding adventures and spa packages. 

Here are the other top sweepstakes pegged for 2014:

Guys Spring Training/Gulf Coast Getaway |  Launch: Winter 2014 

Bring the Budweiser and the buddies for this contest. The contest will promote a spring training getaway at McKechnie Field, golf game, fishing, bars and cigars.

Dog Days of Summer | Launch: Spring 2014

One lucky dog will win a chance to win a vacation for the family. The contest designed to promote the pet-friendly travel in the area by featuring pet-friendly accommodations and restaurants, dog parks, beaches and more. Includes a four-night stay at a pet-friendly hotel, meals, tickets, tours and more.

Fitness and More magazines with Huffy Bikes | Launch: Summer 2014

These two magazines are working on a giveaway that will include 10 Huffy bikes as prizes when the winners arrive in Manatee County to use to explore the various nature and bike trails in scenic Manatee.

SPF 50 (Solar Powered Fun) | Launch: Winter 2014

SPF 50  will offer 50 great things to do for the best Florida vacation ever. One lucky winner will score their choice getaway from 50 featured activities including accommodations, dining and more. Contest is designed to keep visitors online to lean more about the area and to start making their plans.

Legally, these contests are usually open to U.S. residents 18, sometimes 21, and older. So while locals could enter in these sweepstakes, ideally someone new will win to discover the treasured beaches on Anna Maria Island or have a ball at McKechnie Field. 

Keep an eye out for these contests next year and encourage your friends and family to enter so they can win a nice trip and visit you. That way you can be the tour guide and host without taking care of the bills.