The Banstead-based advisor recently made a two-week booking to the destination for a family of 17 – and believes she couldn’t have done it without the first-hand experience.

“I’d visited Florida before, but I wasn’t familiar at all with Bradenton,” Francesca told TTG. “So this was all new to me – and I absolutely loved it.”

The exclusive fam trip was therefore the perfect opportunity to explore the area, which is just a two hours’ drive from Orlando. Unlike the inland hotspot, however, Bradenton is perched on the sunshine state’s West Coast and offers a relaxed, beachy experience for visitors.

“It was nothing like Orlando,” said Francesca. “It felt boutique, residential, and exclusive.”

The TTG Luxury Journey hosted the five agents on Anna Maria Island, a seven-mile barrier island reachable via a 40-minute boat ride from Downtown Bradenton. Here, they stayed at Beachly Beloved, a seven-bedroom luxury villa just five minutes’ walk from the white sandy shore.

Francesca Stevenson

“The decor was so thoughtfully designed and easy on the eye, with colours and materials that echo the beach and sky around you,” Francesca said, before adding that the island’s high proportion of rental properties make it ideal for discerning clients.

She also praised the food of Bradenton, emphasising how different it tasted to the state’s mainstream cuisine.

“This wasn’t fried Florida – we had loads of fresh greens, acai bowls and poke bowls,” she said. “Sometimes you don’t eat very well on holiday, but Bradenton has lots of healthy options.”

Highlights included Island Fresh Market, where customers can try blue crab and wild caught shrimp, and Ginny’s & Jane E’s Cafe and Gift Store, which is famed for its giant cinnamon rolls and creme brûlée French toast. North Shore Cafe, a beachy joint serving avocado toast and dragon fruit smoothies, was another winner.

Francesca particularly enjoyed Anna Maria Island’s walkability, noting how refreshing it felt to explore a US destination without a car. 

“You can easily cycle around it because it’s a flat and accessible, or you can rent golf carts or ride on a trolley bus.”

The proximity to wildlife, such as the Atlantic bottlenose dolphins who swim around the island year-round, was another major attraction for Francesca. “It was amazing, you could see them right on the beach,” she said.  

Francesca has tagged her first-ever Anna Maria Island booking onto an Orlando trip, knowing well it’s the perfect place to unwind after a busy week of rollercoasters. However, she is also keen to sell Bradenton as a single destination – admitting she’d “go back in a heartbeat” to the unspoilt gem. “It just goes to show how valuable fam trips are,” she said. “It helps so much to sell it.”