Venice – Experience The Charm of Old Florida at the Sun Coast.
Are you ready for Paradise...?????

Today's Venice is shaped by a rich heritage. It was originally called Horse and Chaise because of a carriage like tree formation that marked the spot for fisherman. In 1888, the city acquired its present name from settler Frank Higel, considered the "Father of Venice," because of its likeness to the canal city in Italy where he spent his childhood. Its Northern Mediterranean Revival Architecture along with is palm tree lined avenues lends Venice its special flair on the Central Gulf Coast.

Top 10 Developing   Second Home Markets Big Lake, AK Brunswick, ME Clear Lake, CA Livingston, MO Minden, NV Murphy, NC Paonia, CO Talent, OR Vashon Island, WA Venice, FL   Source: Forbes.com

Venice is one of the few carefully planned cities in the United States and artistically landscaped with palms, flowers, silver trumpet trees, live oaks and pines. It has been awarded the designation “Florida Main Street City” by the State of Florida for Historic Preservation. Venice is on its path to evolving into a thriving town: from a small fishing village to a destination for vacationers. This is supported by making it on the Top 10 list of developing second home markets as listed by Escapehomes.com and reported by Forbes.com in the article “Buying the Perfect Vacation Home”.

Venice – the place were time slows and worries slip away. Venice’s historic MainStreet district is filled with Northern Mediterranean Revival and Northern Italian Architecture, charming gift shops, antique stores, restaurants and coffee houses.

It is the climate and natural beauty of the area as well as the many attractions and activities that captivates the interest of many visitors to the Venice Area. Venice is very centrally located on what is known as the Central Gulf Coast. As such, it is well positioned to serve as “base camp” for many adventures and excursions. Venice is home to 27 Parks and Recreation Areas of which many are located along the shoreline. Walkers and rollerbladers will enjoy the Venetian Waterway Park which offers 5 miles of paved and beautifully landscaped trails along the Intra-Coastal waterway. There are easily 101 Things To Do in Venice and surrounding areas – an we’ll make sure that you have all the information at your disposal at both our properties.

Interesting Tidbits on Venice:

• Shark Tooth Capital of the World – fossilized, prehistoric shark teeth are washed upon the shores; these teeth rage in size from 1/8 of an inch to 3 inches and are usually black or gray; the best places to hunt for sharks’ teeth: Venice Public Beach and Caspersen Beach
• In the 1960s, the Intra-Coastal Waterway (ICW) was constructed, making Venice an “island” and increased pleasure boating in the area.
• Venice is also known for the fact that in 1962, the Ringling Brothers Barnum & Bailey Circus chose Venice as its winter headquarters due to its moderate climate.

Venice – a world of its own!
 

Venice – Quick Facts

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Location: Florida's west coast between Sarasota / Tampa to the north and Ft. Myers to the south. Located on the Gulf of Mexico; in Sarasota County – a subtropical coastal community that offers the resources of a metro community coupled with the access to quality natural areas and recreation such as pleasure boating, fishing, swimming and birding.

Areas of Interest: Manasota Key, Englewood, North Port, Nokomis, Osprey, Casey Key, Boca Grande, Gasparilla Island, Siesta Key, Sarasota, Lido Key, Longboat Key, St. Armands Key

Cities in the Area: Englewood, Sarasota, Bradenton, Tampa, Orlando

Geography: Sarasota County waterways cover over 50 square miles, 211 miles of which are bay shoreline. Venice alone boasts 14 miles of Gulf of Mexico beachfront.

Wildlife: Sarasota County coastal waters are home to a variety of marine life including bottlenose dolphin, loggerhead turtles, and West Indian manatees. Shorebirds such as Brown Pelicans and the Great Egret are year-round residents, while sandpipers and White Pelicans are seasonal visitors.

Official Bloom: Hibiscus

Average Annual Air Temperature:

	Month	Average High (F)	Average Low (F)
	January	71.8	53
	February	71.0	52.1
	March	79.5	58.7
	April	84.4	64.8
	May	88.1	68.1
	June	88.7	72.4
	July	88.8	74.2
	August	89.6	73.8
	September	89.3	75.0
	October	81.1	69.6
	November	80.3	60.9
	December	81.1	60.9

Population:

City of Venice ~20,000 residents
Greater Venice Area ~92,000 residents
Sarasota County ~228,000 residents

Communities:

The Greater Venice Area is made up of the following 5 communities with their own little charm:

• City of Venice
• South Venice
• Nokomis
• Laurel
• Osprey

Major Access Roads:

• Interstate 75
• US Highway 41 (North-South) connecting Tampa with Miami

Airport(s):

• Sarasota Bradenton International Airport (SRQ)
• Fort Myers
• Tampa

Mileage from FL Cities:

	City	Distance (miles)	Time (approx.)
	Englewood	10 north	10 – 15 minutes
	Sarasota	15 north	20 minutes
	Tampa	70 north	1 hour 30 minutes
	Orlando	150 north	2 hours
	Fort Myers	60 south	45 minutes
	Miami	south	4 hours

Peak Season: The area's peak season begins in December and continues until Easter. The value season is June through September.

Arts & Cultural Community: Venice has numerous galleries and a couple of theatres for your cultural needs. Sarasota is recognized as Florida's Cultural Coast and is home to a professional symphony, ballet and opera. In addition, more than 10 theaters and 30 art galleries are located in Sarasota. The John & Mable Ringling Museum of Art is Florida's State Museum, and the Van Wezel Performing Arts Hall features a dazzling season of music, shows and programs. For more information on the arts offering in Sarasota, check out www.sarasota-arts.org.