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Venice in Sarasota County
Venice in Sarasota County
Venice, a city of 21, 000 population, is often a forgotten gem on the Gulf Coast, south of Sarasota and long before you reach the mighty Palm City of Fort Myers.
In many ways Venice is more reminiscent of a British town than most American small towns. There is one shopping street, aptly named Venice Avenue, with restaurants, tourist shops and bars all along one side of its length. The opposite side of Main Street is largely occupied by a free car park where during the winter months when Venice is home to a large number of snowbirds various shows and events take place.
Many reports of Venice describe it as the Shark’s Tooth Capital of the World and every year there is a festival in April to celebrate the abundance of fossilised shark’s teeth that can be found along its shores.
The city is home to the Venice Theatre, a community theatre whose shows win many State and National awards. There is the main auditorium with performances of musicals and drama plus the Pinkerton Theatre where alternative shows are available.
The whole of the business district of Venice is on The Isle, literally one of the many offshore islands that the Gulf of Mexico is so proud off. At the far end of Main Street is the beach area alongside of which is a small marina and then Humphries Park and south jetty to allow craft into and out of the Intracoastal Waterway. It is very unusual to spend two visits at the jetty and not witness dolphins, they are very keen on that area.
South of Venice is an airport. As with any other development Venice has spread its wings onto the mainland. South of the city towards Englewood and the community of Rotonda where many of the rental homes are located is a large shopping complex. Wal Mart, Books a Million, Target, Beall’s and all the usual restaurants can be found here.
All this is available just 20 miles north of Englewood, so well in reach of an evening of theatre and dinner or lunch at T J Carney’s or Anthea’s just two of the well know restaurants in Venice.
So next time you take a trip on the 41 please don’t take the by-pass of Venice - instead, hop over the bridge onto the Isle and I am sure you won’t regret it.
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