ITINERARY

The perfect 72 hours on Anna Maria Island with your whole crew

Ten people, three days, one rule: nobody spends vacation coordinating logistics. Here's the plan we give our own visiting friends.

Day one — arrive and exhale

›Check in at 4, claim bedrooms (the bunk room goes fast — adults included), groceries from Publix five minutes away or Instacart before you land

›First night: don't leave. Heated pool, mini golf as the sun drops, dinner from Agrigento stacked on the outdoor table

›Spa on for the adults after the kids fold. You're on island time now

›Coffee run, then load the wagon — chairs, umbrellas, cooler, toys all live in the garage — and hit Manatee Public Beach by 9

›Lunch at The Ugly Grouper — huge patio, live music, sandy kids welcome

›Afternoon split: nappers go home to the pool; the restless ride the free trolley to Pine Avenue for ice cream and shops

›Golden hour: Sandbar dinner with your toes in the sand, or Bean Point sunset with a blanket

›Paddlers: kayak the mangrove tunnels at Robinson Preserve, five minutes from your door

›Boaters: a dolphin tour out of the island marinas — book the morning slot for calm water

›Loungers: nobody will judge a full day at the house. That's what it's for

›Last night: pickleball tournament, grill on, playlist up. The trip peaks in your own backyard