A national online contest by the
Coastal Living Magazine helped to determine how happy Anna Maria in comparison to 9 other seaside towns in the USA is. The ten finalists were from 9 different states with Anna Maria and Vero Beach being the 2 seaside destinations in the Sunshine State. Others nominees were Cape Charles, VA, Bluffton, SC, Cannon Beach, OR, Cambria, CA, Bellport, NY and Hampton, NH, Ocean City, NJ and Traverse City, MI. The yearly contest had picked the top 10 communities via social media nomination and by judging several criteria. The Gallup-Healthways Well-Being Index, percentage of clear and sunny days, healthiness of beaches, commute times, walkability, crime ratings, standard of living and financial well-being of locals, geographic diversity and coastal vibe were taken into consideration.
The Vote
The voting started in January 2018 with the final result being announced in June 2018. There was discussion among the Anna Maria City commissioners what level of participation to take in this tremendous opportunity of free advertising. As with other topics on the island concerns of overexposure need to be weighed against the positive economic impact created by visitors. The Bradenton Area Convention and Visitors Bureau (CVB) and the Anna Maria Island Chamber of Commerce were promoting the online contest at their Facebook pages and other digital media platforms.
After the final count Ocean City, NJ came in as the winner. Anna Maria is the 6th happiest and Vero Beach made it to the number 4 spot. Anna Maria was described as old-Florida dream of an island town, with a sweet little main street, community gardens, and streets lined with candy-colored cottages. It’s pretty hard to be unhappy when you live on a barrier island with a seven-mile strip of white beach!
