If you’re looking for a day trip or weekend trip ideas in Southwest Florida, then keep Venice, Florida, in mind. Although it’s not quite like two other famous cities with the same name (Venice, California, and Venice, Italy), it has its own charm that will keep you entertained.
Venice is located in south Sarasota County, south of Bradenton and Sarasota but north of Punta Gorda and Fort Myers. It’s a retiree haven, but it’s also family-friendly enough to have a large high school (Venice High School) right near its downtown that’s won several district and state football championships.
Inhabited by Native Americans thousands of years ago and eventually the Spanish, Venice got a boost in the 1800s when the federal government offered free land to anyone who would move there. Frank Higel, a settler in Venice, gave the city its name because of the canals that resembled Venice, Italy, where he had spent some time. Before that, Venice, Florida, was called Horse and Chaise, believe it or not.
The city of Venice was incorporated in 1927, and Venice became the winter home to the Ringling Brothers Barnum and Bailey Circus in 1960 (neighboring Sarasota has a huge amount of circus history). The city’s Intercoastal Waterway was made in the 1960s.
Nowadays, visitors come to Venice for beach fun, a few shark teeth (more on that below), good eats, and a break from real-world stresses.
If you’re planning a visit to Venice/Venice Beach, Florida, here’s what we recommend that you do.
9 Things to Do in Venice, Florida
—Search for shark teeth and enjoy the beaches. Venice, Florida, is nicknamed “The Shark Tooth Capital of the World,” and that’s because over millions of years, shark teeth have made their way to its shores. The end result? Fossil lovers and fun lovers make their way to Venice Beach, Caspersen Beach, and other nearby beaches (like Nokomis Beach) with a “Florida snow shovel,” colanders, or specially designed fossil-finding tools to look for shark teeth. Some people have found massive-sized megalodon-sized teeth (see this link for images) but don’t expect to be that lucky. That’s usually happened with people scuba diving off the shores. Still, sharp, dark-colored shell-looking fragments may actually be shark teeth. So look carefully. Want more guidance on shark-tooth hunting? Find our previous articles here, here, and here. BTW, any of these beaches are great for beach chillaxing time as well, whether or not you choose to look for shark teeth.
—Check out Venice Fishing Pier. If you’re a pier kind of person, you’ll likely love the Venice Fishing Pier on Venice Beach. Located just a few short minutes away from the downtown, Venice Pier is 20 feet high and 720 feet long. Arrive early for peace and quiet, or to fish–the pier is open 24/7. Come during the day for people-watching or to buy a T-shirt or rent a Florida snow shovel from Papa’s Bait Shop. Or, grab a bite at the iconic Sharky’s on the Pier, a monolith of a restaurant that also has the fancier Fins at Sharky’s. Of course, you can always stick around for a Southwest Florida sunset or to watch dolphins playing in the waves, like we saw recently. The pier is also great for photography, whether you’re into nature shots (like the birds that seem to pose for you) or people pics. Bonus tip for dog lovers: Bring Fido to nearby Brohard Paw Park, featuring a dog beach and dog park for your favorite furry friends. You can see Brohard Paw Park’s dog beach while you’re on the pier.
Visit downtown Venice. If you’re into a quaint downtown destination to meander among shops and restaurants, then add downtown Venice to your must-visit list. You’ve got a few blocks of strolling among hanging plants and flowers as well as a picturesque mural representing what Venice has to offer. You can sense the sense of community as you wander from store to store, as owners chat about events that are in town (“That’s the Brew Fest today”). Speaking of, the downtown becomes a real destination during special events like regular art festivals held there. Parking may be tight when an event is in town, although we’ve always managed to find a spot.
—Check out the Venice Farmers Market on Saturdays. The Sarasota area has its share of farmers markets, including the well-known Sarasota Farmers Market on Saturdays in downtown Sarasota and The Farmers’ Market at Lakewood Ranch, a newer market that was recently voted Best Farmers Market in Florida. Yet we count the Venice Farmers Market among our favorites as well (rated 4.6 stars on Google). The market is held year-round on Saturdays from 8 am to 1 pm, and it has more than 70 vendors on its vendor list. You’ll find Florida-raised farm goods from places like Red’s Farm and Petrichor Mushrooms as well as other places like Caribbean Pie Company, Maggie’s Seafood, and Pilar’s Empanadas. The market is located in downtown Venice. Arrive early to beat the heat and crowds!
—Visit the Clyde Butcher Venice Gallery & Studio. Clyde Butcher is an amazing landscape photographer who has spent much of his career taking pictures of the Everglades (we’ve heard others call him an Ansel Adams of the Everglades). His and his wife have a gallery located in the tiny town of Ochopee in the Everglades, but they also have a location in Venice. Come by to browse Butcher’s books and prints and to see a 2,000-square-foot darkroom. Check hours in advance as they are usually limited to Tuesdays to Fridays and by appointment only on the weekends. Yet if you can make the timing work, it’s worth a visit for sure.
—Find out about life with the birds at the Venice Audubon Rookery. If bird watching is your thing, then add the Venice Audubon Rookery Park to your Venice list. It’s small but unique, featuring a rookery island, where you can get a bird’s eye view (haha, get it?) of how birds live. In December to May, which are nesting months, you may see all kinds of egrets, great blue herons, anhingas, ibises, and lots more. During our visit, we saw an enthusiastic group of bird watchers snapping away with phones and cameras or using binoculars for a better view. There’s also a small trail around the pond. The rookery is open from 6 am to dusk year-round and is free. The rookery also has six bat houses, so watching the bats is another thing to do there in the evening. Keep your pets at home if you plan to visit, as they aren’t allowed.
—Get up close with nature at Oscar Scherer State Park. Although technically in Osprey, we’ll add Oscar Scherer State Park to our list as it’s close enough to get some love. Find 15 miles of trails, including a portion of Sarasota’s Legacy Trail for biking. Other highlights at Oscar Scherer include birding (the park is a home for the Florida scrub jay), camping (and glamping!), hiking, fishing, and paddling. The park is open from 8 a.m. to sundown, year-round, with a $5 admission fee per vehicle. Here’s a link to the park’s brochure.
—Eat. You won’t go hungry when you visit Venice, Florida. In true form to its namesake, Venice has some great Italian restaurants, like Cassariano Italian Eatery and Trattoria Da Mino in downtown Venice. You can enjoy dessert over at Ciao Gelato. Yet don’t overlook other types of cuisine in Venice as well. Just a few minutes from downtown, you’ll find eateries like the British Open Pub, offering an authentic pub feel with dishes like fish and chips and its bourbon bacon burger. You’ll want to take your picture with the life-sized cut-outs of King Charles and Queen Elizabeth!
—Shop. You can find some out-of-the-box shopping in Venice, both downtown and elsewhere. One store we always enjoy visiting in downtown is Sea Pleasures and Treasures, which offers typical beach souvenirs and necessities mixed with a cool display of shark teeth and other beach artifacts and fossils. Orchid Envy, also in downtown, features a mix of orchids and orchid-related items along with items made with the skin from python snakes captured in the Everglades (the pythons are not native to Florida and eat much of the natural wildlife). Then there’s Venice Mercato on the Island, an eclectic mix of vintage meets one-of-a-kind items. It’s the type of place where you never know what you’ll find, and each visit there will feel a little different.
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