Bean Point Beach — Attraction in Anna Maria island

“The Shrimpman of Bean Point”

Locals say Bean Point Beach is the most peaceful spot on Anna Maria Island—sugar white sands, turquoise water, and usually no monsters. Usually.

It was sunset when I saw it. I was walking barefoot, minding my own business, holding a Publix sub and some regrets, when I heard a wet, shuffling sound behind me. I turned—and there it was.

Half man. Half shrimp. Full nightmare.

Its torso was vaguely human, if you ignore the glistening shell, antennae twitching like it was picking up radio signals from the Gulf. Its lower half? All crustacean. Those freaky swimmer legs skittered across the sand like a shrimp in flip-flops.

We locked eyes.

“Cocktail sauce…” it gurgled, voice like a clogged sink.

I ran. Obviously.

Locals didn’t believe me, but the next morning, someone found a pile of discarded Old Bay packets and a single flip-flop with a bite taken out of it.

So yeah. Bean Point is beautiful. Just… don’t...

Nice Beach, not too crowded, very white sand, dolphins,

But...

Parking is a nightmare, especially if you have kids and you have to carry a lot of stuff. Parking enforcement ruined the day after giving us a $50 citation because we parked the car one foot on the paved road (to have enough space to let the children get out of the car on the passenger side). Thank you, officer #892. You are very accurate and did a good job. I learned my lesson and I will not park that way again! Instead, I will not visit Bean Point Beach and this part of Anna Maria Island again. I will not spend my money in one of your restaurants or shops and will not recommend the Island to my friends and family. So, dear officer #892, if I were you, I would be very proud and would ask my boss for a raise right away.

Btw: No bathrooms, no dogs allowed (on Anna Maria...

About 45 mins to an hr from Siesta Key, Bean Point beach shares the same sand made of 99% quartz- so it's still cool to your feet. It has less tourists, feels more secluded, and there are still shops/ places to eat close-by. Pls be prepared- there isn't any public bathroom nearby. In addition, there's only a few access points so you would need to be observant of the free parking signs by some residences as there aren't much parking around- it's quite a walk to the access points depending on where you park. My husband and I found one that's about 5 mins from an access point- but less north. It was still great because we had the experience of strolling along the beach towards the very northern tip and back! We can finally cross that out of our bucket list! This beautiful clean beach is definitely a hidden gem and we highly...