Venice Florida was named due to its striking resemblance to the famous canal city in Italy. The City of Venice is an Award winning city. It was named one of Coastal Living Magazine’s “Happiest Seaside Towns in America” in 2015. The City was recognized by the League of American Bicyclist as a Silver Bicycle Friendly Community. The Venice Municipal Beach has won the Best Restored Beach Award and is a certified Blue Wave each for it’s healthy environment. Our city is loaded with history and fun!
Adventures:
Hop on over to the Jetty which is full of sunset viewing, dolphin watching, fishing, and surfing. Downtown Venice keeps a calendar packed full of outdoor events throughout the year. Special holiday events, parades, classic car shows, outdoor arts and craft festivals, and other exhibits are fun to go to during the year. Take an afternoon and visit Deer Prairie Creek Preserve! Take a horseback ride with your family, for kids ages 8 and up. The horseback tours last one hour and you will be guided by trained professionals. Experienced or Newbie kayakers can take their adventure to Venice, with a variety of rental companies to help you on your adventure.
Beaches:
Venice Beach or Venice Municipal Beach is known to beachcombers for interesting finds such as fossils and shark teeth. It offers many amenities such as: volleyball courts, lifeguards, a concession stand, free parking, public restrooms, several areas for having picnics, and even free yoga classes which begin at 8 AM. In 2008 this beach won the Best Restored Beach Award. The Venice Municipal beach is also a certified Blue Wave Beach which is a national environmental certification for beaches specifically designed to help maintain healthy vibrant beaches that are safe and clean.
Capersen Beach is the longest beach in Sarasota County. Visitors come from all around to hunt for shark teeth, shells, and other fossils. Enjoy activities such as: a stroll on the boardwalk, enjoy fishing, swimming, snorkeling, or even talk a walk through nature in their ¼ mile long walking trail. Some amenities include free parking and public bathrooms.
Brohard Beach is Sarasota County’s only public beach where dogs are allowed. This beach offers amenities for your furry friend including: doggie fountains, showers, waste disposal bags, separated fencing areas for small breeds and larger breeds, and leash posts. It also offers amenities for the pet owners including: trash cans, boardwalk to the beach, covered picnic areas, benches, and restrooms. All dogs must have current license tags and vaccinations.
Nature:
Explore nature with a river boat tour along Myakka River. This offers a unique opportunity to see wildlife such as: alligators, snook, herons, turtles, and more! Pay a visit a little hidden gem called South Venice Beach where you need to venture via the water way. You can take the Venice Ferry to get there, and a mini tour of the Intracoastal is a bonus to your adventure. Find your own means of water travel through boat rental and travel up near Alligator Creek to search for more wildlife including: Snook, herons, Mullets, and crabs!
Entertainment:
Go shopping at the 130 quaint downtown shops, boutiques, and art galleries. Grab a bite to eat at a variety of downtown restaurants Downtown Venice. Centennial park offers green space in Downtown Venice. They offer free musical entertainment each Friday night, featuring a range of different music genres.
Fishing:
If you like fishing you will love Venice Fishing Pier. This pier stretches 700 feet into the Gulf. Enjoy the convenience of the pier’s own bait shop. Restrooms are conveniently located nearby. Enjoy your catch of sea trout’s, barracudas, king mackerels, and more! No fee or license required to fish from the pier. You can launch your boat for a day out on the water at Higel Marine Park or Marina Park.
History:
All over the city you can find historic signs and markers enriching you on the history of Venice along the sidewalks and on significant structures. Take a trip back into time in historic downtown Venice with architecture modeled after Northern Italy. You can learn about Venice’s past at the Venice Museum & Archives which offers free admission. At the museum you can pick up a map for a self-guided tour of the Venzia Park district. The Venzia Park distric is home to 1920’s era Mediterranean Revival dwellings with features such as; tile roofs, arched windows and doorways, and beautiful trim. Visit the Historic Venice Train Depot to find out how the train brought investors to town many years ago. Take a stroll past the Lord-Higel House, the second-oldest house in Sarasota County, acquired by the city of Venice in 2005. In Heritage Park on West Venice Avenue you can find a replica of the entrance to the Venice Army Air Base, along with information on the city’s history. Take a ride of the Venice Ferry through the Intracoastal Waterway that goes through Venice Florida was built to keep American shipping safe from ocean storms as well as coastal attacks during World War II.
Parks:
Venice has more than 30 parks. Paw Park is great for dog lovers, where your dog can take a long walk on the beach. At Venetian Waterway Park you can bike or hike on a 5 mile long stretch along both sides of the Intracoastal Waterway. Spend time at the Shamrock Park and Nature Center. This massive 80 acre park offers: kid’s playground, tennis courts, basketball courts, a butterfly garden, and 1.2 mile multi-use trail that goes through the central portion of the park, picnic areas, and grills. Dog friendly parks include: East Blalock Park, Centennial Park, Heritage Park, John Nolen Park, Legacy Park, Patriots Park, Paw Park at Brohard Park Beach (off-leash), Prentiss French Park, Ruscelletto Park, Venetian Waterway Park, Venice Myakka River Park, and West Blalock Park.
Sporting:
The City of Venice was recognized by the League of American Bicyclist as a Silver Bicycle Friendly Community. Some great biking trails include; Legacy Park, Venetian Waterway Park, and Venice Myakka River Park. Those looking for basketball or tennis courts should try out Hecksher Park, Shamrock Park, or Pinebrook Park. Canoe and Kayak Launch locations include; Higel Marine Park, Legacy Park, and Venice Myakka River Park. Walking trails are available at: East Blalock Park, Heritage Park, John Nolen Park, Legacy Park.Pinebrook Park Exercise Trail, Prentiss French Park, Venetian Waterway Park, Venice Myakka River Park, and West Blalock Park.