Holmes Beach is a small city on Anna Maria Island, a barrier island in the Gulf of Mexico within Manatee County, Florida. It lies just west of Bradenton and the Tampa Bay region and is part of the North Port–Bradenton–Sarasota metropolitan area. With a population of about 3,000, Holmes Beach is one of three municipalities on the roughly seven-mile-long island, sitting between the city of Anna Maria to the north and Bradenton Beach to the south. The area's history reaches back to 1896, when Sam and Annie Cobb homesteaded 160 acres in what is now Holmes Beach, joined soon after by other early settlers. Development accelerated in the mid-twentieth century as the island became a Gulf Coast vacation and residential destination, and Holmes Beach incorporated as a city during that period. Many of the community's early properties evolved into the classic vacation rentals that still define parts of the island today. Holmes Beach is a predominantly residential, low-rise community of cottages and single-family homes, with a substantial seasonal and second-home population. Gulf Drive and Manatee Avenue form the primary corridors, the latter meeting the Gulf at a popular public beach area. The city operates a parks and recreation department that manages beach access and green space, including the 33-acre Grassy Point wetland preserve, which offers open space and environmental education. Public school students attend Anna Maria Elementary School on the island, part of the School District of Manatee County, before continuing to mainland campuses. For those considering a move to Florida's Gulf Coast, Holmes Beach offers a compact, walkable island setting with direct beach access, a strong sense of local identity, and convenient causeway connections to Bradenton, Sarasota, and the wider Tampa Bay area.