Is AMI right for us???

Couple in late fifties and early seventies, coming off four months of in and our hospital stays for Mr, looking for place to just relax and rebound once he is OK%26#39;d for travel. We hope to have him off oxygen and cleared for travel by late April to early May. We usually go to Sanibel or Captiva or the USVI, but are looking for someplace new. USVI is obviously out because medical care, if needed, is sorely lacking. Friends have suggested Bonita Bay in Bonita Springs, but I just can%26#39;t get my head around the ';take the shuttle to the beach'; concept. Guess I am spoiled by the ';walk out the door and onto the sand'; ease of San/Cap.

We don%26#39;t need glitz or nightlife, but would like a pool looking toward beach and patio/balcony able to see to and from pool.

Being able to walk and relax on beach is main goal. Know AMI doesn%26#39;t have shells like San/Cap, but are there any coquinas (uninhabited) available on the beach? I%26#39;ve been collecting coquinas in FL for over 50 years, and just can%26#39;t seem to stop.

I know that the med center in Fort Myers is rated as very good, what is the equivalent facility for AMI? (Hope we don%26#39;t need it, but better safe than sorry...)

Any suggestions will be highly appreciated. We hope to be looking at approximately a two week stay, basically the first two weeks in May. Guessing it should be rather quiet at that time, which is just right for us. We really just need to de-stress and relax.

Thanks!

Is AMI right for us???

I think you would love Anna Maria Island. Plenty of places to stay, but you might want to start by looking at LaCosta. At that time of year (after Easter madness) the beach is basically deserted, and the water is warming up nicely. I really don%26#39;t understand why everyone thinks there are no shells on AMI. I was actually disappointed with Sanibel--I can find more, different, more beautiful shells right here. Especially after a storm--and we get a few thunderstorms at that time of year. You will not be disappointed. Sit near a mound of shells, and take your pick of the little coquinas.

As far as medical is concerned. Blake Hospital is about 5-6 miles from the island, and is very good. For more specialized care, Manatee Memorial is about 3 miles farther. An ambulance (and there are some stationed on the island) can reach either in 10-15 minutes. Bayflight to St. Pete will evacuate more serious cases. You are well covered here.

Is AMI right for us???

I think Kris had a great answer for you and I agree, sounds like AMI would be a good fit for you guys.

Check out Bamboo Apartments, newly renovated and a real ';Old Florida'; feel to it. A couple of the units are beachfront, have great views and a short walk to the sand and surf.

You may also want to take a look at Marco Island.

The shelling on Marco is great. The beach is excellent. The island is laid back and quiet in May. You will be able to rent a condo on the beach quite easily in May. There is good healthcare available just off the island in Naples.

There is upscale and casual dining available. All of the beachside condos that I can think of have pools and many are gulfside.

I cannot think of many nicer places to relax and enjoy the beach and all that the beach has to offer.

I%26#39;m just going to AMI for the first time this year but I was in the same situation as you a few years ago and ended up in Lauderdale by the Sea. We didn%26#39;t need a car so took a cab from the airport (abaout $40 roundtrip) and walked to the grocery store. My husband enjoyed just sitting on the beach after being in the hsopital and it was very relaxing. We stayed at Tropic Seas but I%26#39;ve also stayed at High Noon Resort and both were clean and comfortable.

so if you are looking for a place to veg without having to drive, this is great.

You also don%26#39;t really need a car on AMI. There is a free trolley that goes up and down the island (7 miles long), with stops convenient to everything. Great grocery store on island, plenty of restaurants, and you can continue on down to Sarasota with a link at Coquina Beach.

Thanks for all your input. We have been to Naples and to Marco, and both are a bit more glitzy than we prefer. A car won%26#39;t be a problem, we will either be driving from the mid-Atlantic, or renting at the airport, whichever doctor feels is best.

From reading this board, it seems as thought the mid- to north end of AMI would be great for us. One constraint we will have is steps...can%26#39;t do a townhouse or second floor of a non-elevator building. Pointers for elevator equipped condo buildings on the beach (al la Sanibel) would eb greatly appreciated.

You might also want to consider a place on Longboat Key or perhaps Lido Key, although Longboat would be quieter. And yes, there are definitely coquinas on the beach. Sarasota Memorial Hospital is about 3 miles from the south end of Longboat and from Lido. (And with a generally elderly population, you may see others with oxygen in tow!).

On Lido I%26#39;d suggest Lido Beach Resort, though that might be a bit busy for you. On Longboat, consider Longboat Key Resort or Veranda Beach Club for condos with elevators, or Wicker Inn or Little Gull Cottages for ground floor cottge accomodations. All are on the beach, with LBK Resort and Veranda having rooms that face the water.

I agree with cbchrc in terms of LBK%26#39;s serenity. We spent Jan. 25-30 at Silver Sands on Gulf Of Mexico Drive...very much the same vibe as my vacations on Sanibel (Casa Ybel) in %26#39;71-%26#39;73 (before the high rises) though our 1BR+/1BA condo at Silver Sands was definitely 2009 fresh. We wanted clean and comfortable, quiet and low-key; that%26#39;s what we found at Silver Sands.

Amenities included a heated beach front pool, complimentary beach towels and chaise lounge chairs on the beach, daily maid service, coin laundry facilities and Wi-Fi access.

Of course, the greatest asset is LBK%26#39;s legendary tranquil and beautiful beach. Evenings about 6 p.m., we%26#39;d watch from our chaises as that gorgeous glowing globe, so infrequently seen during Cleveland%26#39;s winter, would sink into the Gulf. ';Do you think we%26#39;d ever get tired of this?'; my husband asked me. And then we made plans to return in January 2010.

Oops, I forgot about Silver Sands. That%26#39;s another one of the great small places on Longboat -- on the beach and quiet and restful.

The beach front building (units are lettered) at Bradenton Beach Club has an elevator. Those units are beach front with a pool and screened lanais overlooking the beach.HTH.