Venice Beach Reviews

Had fun celebrating the sunset on Sunday night with a local drum circle! Gorgeous beach, easy parking, quaint old Florida style fun.

A very good family beach. Easy to access and walk. Free parking.
Only suggestion would be more food options.
A great experience

This is the closest beach if you're in Venice. It is wide, has decent sand, you can walk way out at waist level although very few went in. Busy beach volleyball area. Less crowded walking north from main entrance.

Went to Venice Beach on Memorial Day 2019, north of the pier. The water was blue and refreshing, but it's hard to get in and out of the water because of the steep slope. A lot of people were falling down, including us! Also, the sand is dark and full of tiny black particles which make it very hot. I wore an old pair of flip flops which fell apart, and I had to walk back up the path to the parking lot barefoot. My feet got burned bad. Pretty water, but not my favorite beach. Siesta, Lido, and Longboat keys are Sarasota are nicer.

We parked on a side street in downtown Venice and wanted to see how long it was to walk to the beach. It was exactly .7 miles. The walk was along a sidewalk with beautiful homes and mature trees offering lovely shade. The beach is lovely, just lovely. The sand is fantastic but not as white as it is in Siesta Key. The public beach was pleasantly crowded but not as crazy as the public beach at Siesta Key. This beach is a great opportunity to do lunch or ice cream intown and a pleasant day at the beach. All are in close proximity to each other.

Nice beach,clean,not really crowded, fun looking for shark teeth,which a lot of people do,some cool shells

A beautiful beach with amazing views, a must visit you wont be disappointed. Also good for kids and a good place to eat there as well

Nice clean beach. Not many shells for collectors. Although it made walking in the surf easier on the feet. Not very busy even on the weekend. Parking was easy also.

This beach is clean, good condition restrooms and showers. Not to crazy busy like siesta let’s say... Can see sea turtles passing people on the beach which is pretty cool, only one bad thing this beach is getting smaller and smaller every year because of corrosion. Sad(((

the part of the beach we were at was near the south jetty . The beach was eroded so there was a good drop to get down to the water. Later we discovered father down the south side of the island it was better. All beach parking in Venice is free so there is easy access.

Yoga on the Beach with Elin (twice in the am and once in the pm), drum circle at sunset, volleyball at 4:30, clean restrooms, lifeguards, and beautiful sand! Who could ask for anything more?
Parking has never been an issue for me but many travel by bicycle.
I love the mat halfway to the water for those in wheelchairs but I wish it went all the way to the water.

Clean beaches, Clean bathhouse and free parking. Venice is the shark tooth capital so I'm always on the lookout. I also love coming down here and watching the sun set over the water

If you enjoy collecting seashells you’ll love this beautiful beach. It’s loaded with seashells, beautiful sand and great view of the sunset!

We heard about finding shark teeth at Venice Beach and tried it out. Alot of people on the beach with nets screening for small shark teeth. A few locals gave us instructions on what to look for. Stayed for the sunset at the pier. A wonderful evening.

Very large beach, out door showers to rinse the sand off. Plenty of free parking. Also has a place to purchase beach items and food and drink.

Small beach with a big drop off to water n not much space. Sand was coarse and big difference from other Florida beaches, not as light.
Sorry, it may be okay for those who have not seen any other beach locations

This is a beautiful beach with few people on it, which is nice and relaxing. A favorite of my visitors.

We had clear water & were able to see some nice shells. The best ones we found were when we were sitting on the oceans edge and digging down about 4-5”. There was a decent bath house & wheelchairs. Limited parking, but not crowded when we went. Sadly the very next day the red tide came in gangbusters.

Very coarse gritty sand. We did not enjoy walking on this beach. It does not compare to Clearwater and St. Petersburg Beaches

The beach in Venice is so beautiful. Its not crowed and doesn't have a bunch of shops on it. The perfect place to relax soak up the sun and read or just enjoy the view and the sound of the waves. Great beach for walking or jogging also. Several places along the beach have bathroom houses and showers. Wash off and keep the sand out of your car.

I've been coming to Venice Beach for 15 years each summer and this is the worst Red Tide ever. The sneezing and coughing begin in the parking lot and don't dare go onto the beach as this is a serious health problem. Don't believe any beach report, they are dated and inaccurate and seems they purposely understate the condition. The red flag on the beach has been raised several times due to this problem (even though not meant for this type of warning and there is a separate smaller red flag they also displayed). Nearby beaches in Manasota Key, Englewood Beach and Nokomis Beach are all impacted. Take this seriously! Appears Lido Beach in Sarasota and Bradenton Beach have mostly been spared but Lido still gets unexpected contamination.

A great beach to chill out at. Free parking, restrooms and a cafe that serves burgers, chicken fingers, fries etc.
They also serve some simple cocktails or beer. Another great thing is the foot washing station to keep the sand out of your car!
Highly recommended. Wish it was a little closer to our house.

Fun day for 10 of us at Venice Beach. Played sand volleyball. Liked there was a bar there and food. Very clean and better sand than Manasota Beach in Englewood.
Our grandson loved looking for sharks teeth.

Wife & I walked the beach this morning before the heat of the day. Beautiful beach and always soothes the soul.

Gray black grains of sand. Arrived at low tide, and beach is sort of steep to the water. Supposed to be old sharks teeth in the sand, but we weren’t there that long to dig much. A few dead fish on the bank from red tide. Saw a large horseshoe crab on the shore that was obviously sick. Saw some turtle nests that were roped off.

This beach was OK but not the best I visited. It was pretty small and there was not any restaurants or places to buy drinks where we were.

Beautiful view of the Gulf and sunsets. With a few clouds in the sky, the colors are amazing! Often see Dolphin or a Manatee swim by. A sunset cruise on the Gulf is so awesome!

The white soft sand goes far out here where you can soak up some sun and sea. The kids had lots of fun riding the waves and searching for shells in the sand. We could walk far out and still touch bottom.

We stopped at Venice Beach from Sarasota on our way to Naples. The area we stopped was in residential area, where we had no issues with parking. There was a small shop for food and restrooms, with a boardwalk area to walk out to the beach. We didn't stay too long as the weather wasn't the best. The sand is much more coarse and dark than the sand in Siesta Key, and the drop off to the water was much more of a slope as well. I don't think this is the case in all of Venice, just the area we were in.

Friends who are locals brought us to the Venice Beach dog park portion of the beach. We didn't have a dog with us, but we are all dog lovers. We had such a great time playing on the beach and watching all dogs having fun. They were running all over the place and very entertaining to watch. Everyone was real nice and very sociable. The beach was very clean and they had showers by the parking lot where you could clean up before leaving. We had a wonderful time.

We saw a beautiful sunset here and the beach is exactly as I remember it from 7-8 years ago when I last visited. We were lucky to get parking about an hour before the sunset. The beach was clean and we enjoyed walking around a little before enjoying the beautiful sunset. We tried to find some sharks teeth but did not find any full sharks teeth, however there are many small black pieces of sharks teeth within the sand, If you go during the day, arrive early to secure a parking spot. There are bathroom facilities at the beach, as well as a snack bar/restaurant. This is a lovely beach to visit if you are in the area. We also visited Caspersen Beach years ago and found many sharks teeth there, but did not have time to visit this time.

Nice beach to hang out on. We walked several miles of it. It was fairly clean. The sand isn't the soft sand like there is at Clearwater Beach. Parking was at a premium but we managed to find a place in a residential area a couple of blocks away. They was a small carryout restaurant that sold burgers and hotdogs. It's worth coming to.

Nice trip ....beach a bit crowded and it was windy but that made it nice. Parking lot was packed but it was free and we eventually found a space. Restroom facility was close by and a couple of places to pick up water or snacks were right there.

Nice beach. Not a lot of development along the beach which is a nice change from other beaches I've been to.

Sunset or sunrise are a worthwhile reason to venture out.

Very nice beach with free parking. It was very clean. We were there on a Sunday evening & there was a drum circle. It was very cool!

I visited the Venice Beach Drum Circle on a sunny weekend afternoon, and it was truly an unforgettable experience. The moment I arrived, I felt welcomed by the warm, communal energy that radiated from the circle of drummers. There was a drummer named PJ that was so kind and even though I’m not a seasoned percussionist, everyone, including him were encouraging and inclusive, inviting me to join in the rhythms. The mix of congas, djembes, and other hand drums created a rich tapestry of sound that perfectly complemented the ocean breeze and setting sun. Watching people dance freely around the circle added to the vibrant, joyful atmosphere. It’s a beautiful space where creativity, connection, and the spirit of Venice Beach come alive. Whether you’re a musician or just curious, the drum circle offers a unique way to feel part of something bigger. Highly recommended!

I used to have a hundred great reasons to visit Florida - now I have only two: to visit my mother and to do Yoga with Elin on Venice Beach! I practice yoga every morning at home in Michigan, but to be on the beach with an excellent teacher is a fabulous experience. Half -hour sessions at 8:00 am and 9:00 am - a totally awesome way to start the day. And it's Free! (donations accepted.)

This was a large beautiful beach. We came for the sunset and it did not disappoint. Parking was nice and close.

We rented a house in Punta Gorda to be able to take day trips to surrounding beaches. So far, Venice has been our favorite. It is quite and isn’t built up, but that is what we were looking for. If you want more action, try Sarasota or Ft. Myers. The water was beautiful and sand was similar to Clearwater. I loved that we could walk so far out on the sand bars in waist deep water. We didn’t really look for sharks teeth, but I hear it is a great place to find them.

The beach offers tranquility and relaxation as it is not that crowded as others in the viccinity. Great natural scenery.

The sand on the V nice beach is not soft and pretty. Also the beaches will not allow dogs...even leashed dogs. The red tide is dangerous for both humans and animals. It causes respiratory issues.

We take a trip every year to Florida and we were looking for different beaches to go to. This year we picked Venice Beach and we’re not disappointed! Not many people on the beach, great shells, calm and beautiful water. A dolphin even made an appearance! We had so much fun. This will probably be a regular trip we take every year.

Love this beach! Very clean, safe and beautiful. It does have limited parking but we found a spot to parallel park in on a side street pretty close to the beach. They do not charge for parking.

Although the sand or the ground under the sand seems harder here than on many beaches we enjoy it here. This is one of the great locations for finding sharks teeth. The people here are friendly and the water is clear. There is a shaded area with a food concession and restrooms where they sometimes have live music. We've spotted wild dolphins here when swimming which is always exciting. Parking can be a challenge, they have 2 parking areas.

Calming,to say the least, a view that every beach goer should be able to have even if just once in a lifetime. From the peacefulness of a beach chair to an exhilarating sunset, from a cold one at the tiki hut to a happy hour at Finn’s no zero zilch times are to be had.

The beach was clean. It had several life guard huts with colored flags out for weather conditions. There are also a couple of beach volleyball nets here. There is a concession stand with a few items and also some gift items for sale. There is also a public restroom.

Can't beat the beach the jetties and the fantastic sunset's. Fishing is pretty good also. Great place to spend some time.

We had the right tools and went to work searching for the shark teeth this beach is noted for. Came away with two after two hours. Other people on the beach weren't doing any better. Beautiful beach to hang out on and watch the ocean.

Venice beach is a great place to get the Gulf experience. Clean waters and plenty of shells. Great white sand beaches with plenty of space.

There seems to always be some free entertainment or something to do at Venice Beach. It’s not THE most beautiful beach (not even in the area lol, check out the keys) but it’s nice enough, easy to access, and there’s public works buildings for rinsing sand, nice restrooms, and a gift shop/restaurant that is pretty good.

Great beach to find shark teeth (bring a sifter and container for collecting)! The sand is hot so you will want an umbrella/canopy and a blanket. Fun place for all ages and beautiful beach!

Beautiful, serene and NOT overly occupied. Town with wonderful restaurants and shopping easy walking distance 😉

The beach was right in downtown Venice a good location. The water was very clean and there was a lot of activity including beach volley ball and yoga.

The sharks tooth capital of the world does not disappoint with lots of big teeth for the finding and emerald and blue beaches that make you want to never leave their sands. The sunsets are like no other!! It’s a must!

Nasty and dirty . This is one of the worst beaches I am see in my life. Access to the beach is good but there are nothing good anything.Do not recommended.

This beach is a nice beach. There is a building just off Venice Ave that has outdoor showers to rinse, and restrooms.
Never had an issue finding parking, and there was plenty of space for people to enjoy the beach without feeling crowded.
Sunsets were absolutely beautiful. I really enjoy the way a sunset brings a community together.

Lots of things to do in the shark tooth capital of the world. Although most people use strainers and scoops to look for shark teeth in the surf we had better luck just walking up and down the beach. Florida has some of the best public beaches in the country. Lots of parking, clean bathrooms and washing stations for cleaning up prior to getting back in your car. While at Venice beach make sure to stop by Sharkies for lunch or dinner and visit the fishing pier (under construction and renovation while we were there).

Venice Beach Fl. 7-25-25
Stopped by this beach on a Wednesday about 12:45pm. It was not crowded, and water was looking great. This beach is clean and safe to swim in. The Sand is so white and very easy to find a spot to lay in the sun and enjoy the water view. Parking was nearby and plenty of open spaces to go around. Only a short distance from the parking lot to the beach. There are plenty of Bathrooms off the parking lot and showers if you need them. These Bathroom were clean when I was there. I love this beach its large and great for hunting Shark Teeth or some special shells. There is a Pier near by that you can walk out on and take pics or rent rods at Papas Bait & Snack Shack to go Fishing. There are 2 restaurants and the end of the Beach towards the parking lot. One is called Sharky's and the other called Fins. Sharky's is casual and Fins is a little more upscale. Sharky’s Bar is right off the Beach with a great view of the water and Beach to quench any thirst you may have. Most days there are some local venders selling Jewelry and such right outside the bar area. Also, there is a Wendel’s Beach Shop apparel right outside of Sharky's off the beach for shirts and odds and ends. Everything is right there within walking distance to make your day better. Just a side note there is a Dog friendly beach to the south if you want to take Fido for a swim or Beach walk. You must put this Beach on you to do list for sure. I give this Beach 5 out of 5 stars.
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Follow Me For More Reviews & Fun
Gulf Coast Terry

Very nice place, lots to do. You can go to the beach soft for sharks teeth and alot of gift shops.recomend for all ages.

Nice beach with easy access. Restrooms nearby . Not dog friendly. Right off of the downtown area. We had someone playing acoustic during the sunset which was very nice .

What is probably a beautiful beach most days, was ruined by the red tide. What are we doing to our ocean & sea life folks? So many dead fish, crabs, & eels along the shoreline, and before we even saw them, there was a smell in the air that was irritating to throat. On the day we visited, the wind was really blowing, so we may have just visited on a bad day. This beach seems like it would be a quite beach and has a little shop with tables under shade on premise (closed on our visit). The beach itself is deep, but the sand is not powdery white if that is what you expect. On our second visit, the smell wasn’t as bad due to lessening winds and the sunset was beautiful.

Day at the beach this is a very active beach and it’s a great place for finding seashells and Shark teeth There’s plenty of parking but it is crowded there are two restaurants there plus the fishing pier

I've always gone to Venice Beach with my family but it had been years since we were there. On this recent trip my husband and I were a couple miles north of the pier where my family always used to go. I have to say it's much nicer closer to the pier. There were a lot of people out the day we were there but we were close to some hotels and rentals condos. we spent 2-3 hours there and found 0 sharks teeth! I was very disappointed. I will say that the water was very warm and calm so it was excellent for swimming.

This beach is really nice, and so QUIET. That was the first thing I noticed when we got there and started walking out- I’m not sure why, but the beach was just so peaceful, not so loud and bustling like almost every other beach, even when I went on a Saturday, so that was a great change up. There’s lot of volleyball nets, a big rest area right off the beach with a small mini mart, nice restrooms, changing rooms, a picnic area, and rinsing stations. And the cute little Venice Beach downtown is a couple minute drive away, that’s definitely worth the walk while you’re in the area. You can find shark teeth at this beach, but from my experience it was a lot harder to find them here than other beaches known for teeth like Manasota Key, because the Venice sand is a lot darker so they blend in. So if you want to find teeth, I’d recommend going to a different beach or making sure to bring a rake or some sort of strainer to look for them here. Lots of small spiral shells to be found as well if you know how to look for them. Super quaint, unique area!

For those people still planning to visit south FL gulf beaches please be careful to do your own research about the status of Red Tide in the area. I was in Venice for 2 mos. last summer (July-Aug. 2018). The reports on the condition of the beaches (Venice, Englewood, Manasota, etc.) were shamefully under-reported as well as the possible dangers to human visitors. I understand the businesses and the State depend massively on tourism but peoples health need to be the first priority. I posted pictures last summer of the devastation to the beaches caused by Red Tide I have recently seen postings of how nice the beaches are now and they neglect addressing the Red Tide situation. First, it is not true that the Red Tide is gone. Just because someone goes to a beach and it looks clear does not mean it is safe or desirable to go into the water. It depends on which way the wind is blowing and the wind direction can change often during the day. The beach can change within 15-30 mins. We met some people who live in Venice and own a business. Even though they live inland, depending on the wind they actually get the fumes from Red Tide and have problems with scratchy throats, coughing, eyes burning and tearing, rashes on their skin and severe breathing problems for one of them who has pulmonary problems. They gave us their phone number and told us to call them before we think about going back to FL. They will give us realistic reports on the Red Tide. After trips to 2 ERs (I have pulmonary problems) we learned not to trust reports in the paper, the local news or some internet posts. IMPORTANT TO REMEMBER: Red Tide has been in FL since Nov. 2017.Thousands and thousands of dead fish, turtles, eels, etc. are on the ocean floor, maybe 18+ ft. deep or more. So you will always be swimming with dead fish. As the waves come in, they churn up the ocean beds and the rancid mass keeps getting stirred up. Dead fish are still on the sand and buried under the sand as the waves bring in more debris. I know reviews like this are not helpful to business owners but Red Tide cannot be dismissed. There is a huge environmental problem with no easy fixes. Shame on FL state officials for allowing this problem to go so far. Red Tide is an issue every year but over the last several years it has lasted longer and covers more area. This year it actually showed up on the Atlantic coast (which is rare) and beaches were closed for several days from Palm Beach all the way down to Ft. Lauderdale and Miami/Dade. The government knows what cause this Red Tide problem (google article "What candidates aren’t saying about Lake Okeechobee crisis" by Randy Schultz, Sept. 2018) and what needs to be done. But what did they do this year? They greatly reduced the budget of the department which oversees the water ways, beaches, etc. Why do they keep getting re-elected? Are they being rewarded for creating "dead zones"?

I have done thousands of swims here and it is one of my favorites. Excellent lifeguards (3 stations) and a very nicely taken care of beach. It is no wonder that there are several hotels overlooking the water. Most people come down for the Winter but I recommend the Summer because the water is SO nice and warm that you can stay in it for hours. Snack bar is immediately available right behind Lifeguard station. Parking is VERY accessible (but get there early on Holidays and weekends) Jetty is at the North end and Fourth of July Fireworks are a real treat here. Right on the other side of the jetty (technically in Nokomis) is "Fish Camp" where you can get bait, beer, soda, ice cream etc. And right next to that is a county park (Nicely taken care of) where you will find picnic tables and charcoal grills. Lots of boats entering and exiting the harbor and of course lots of fishing.

Beautiful beach with public restroom near parking. Plenty of places to find your own space. Always beautiful. Red tide comes and goes everywhere in SW Florida so just check the website before you go.

Beach was beautiful. Ate at Sharkys. Crowded didn’t have to wait long. Food was okay. The scenery and people watching was the highlight.

This beach is great! Sand not as fine as some but lovely never the less. Don't miss the levy and the hot dogs.

Not all the time, but the most of the time the water is crystal clear. You can see in the distance Venice Pier to the South and The Jetty to the North.

We liked this beach - was great to spend part of our day here. Free parking and nice clean restrooms. A nice little boardwalk if you don't want to go all the way down to the sand. Bring your sunscreen as there is no shade down at the beach if it is sunny out. We went to the beach south of the pier as there seemed to be less people this way.

Water was very calm and clear in the gulf in the morning - later the wind picked up a little. Went for a nice swim, wife found some shark teeth (Venice - shark tooth capitol) and we relaxed watching the water. There were a number of 3-4 ft hammerhead sharks (dead) washed up on the beach - not sure what this was about.

There were more people than we like when we go to the beach so we only stayed a couple of hours. Overall the beach was very nice the water very warm and we were glad we checked it out.

We visited Venice Beach and it is beautiful with parking and restrooms facilities. Absolutely worth visiting.

The beach was nice and calm. The sand is hot as hell, you’ll have to make a run from your chair/towel to water and then back— no joke. Water sure is best bc of how hot the sand gets. Water is beautiful and perfect for swimming. There’s changing rooms, bathrooms, outside showers, and there’s also a food thing at the entrance. It’s a nice area. Some Shells along the way as well.

Venice Beach will be our new go to beach. We will be moving to the area in January. I spent a few hours there today and stayed for the beautiful sunset. I can’t wait to live close and for warm enough weather to swim. What amazes me is how uncrowded it is on this beach. We have been driving down looking at the area for months and we stop at Venice Beach every time. It is never busy and we get a very large area to ourselves to enjoy the scenery. Looking forward to moving close by.

This is a lovely beach. I really love the beauty and peace of this beach. The drum circle is something to see!!!

We flew down for a 75th wedding anniversary surprise party in the area and spent some time at the beach. Beaches were beautiful but the water was unfortunately plagued by the red tide, Its a shame as its hurting business for the ones that rely on it.

Had a fun afternoon visiting the pier and watching dolphins! Restrooms well maintained and a beautiful beach and sunset!

Having come up from Naples, this is a five-star beach - really lovely location, big sandy beach, free parking and great sunshine. One of our best memories in Florida. Very underrated.

Very good place to find shells and shark teeth, excellent free parking and nice snack bar if you get hungry

So many things to do here. Of course, it is a great beach for relaxing on the sand. Also, a long pier and watching fisherman pull in fish. To top off, if you want a drink and food, Sharky's is right at the end of the Pier.

We love watching the sunset on Venice Beach. Very clean beach. Grab a lounge chair and you will enjoy spending the day here.

Love the beach... nice collection of shells, Clean bathrooms & changing area. Small shop for beach & snack stuff. Variety of people on beach..but not crowded during the week. People in water throwing frisbee, reading & napping. Some waves...

This beach was beautiful I could see my toes no matter how far we went out. We walked it at night but my daughter didn't like the ghost crabs that were out feeding. But I thought they were cool to watch. We were there every night

We live in St. Petersburg where all the Gulf Coast Beach Municipalities have implemented beach parking meters and some at very hefty prices like $3.25 an hour! Thank goodness we can afford it but we think of all the young families that could be hard stretched to pay over $20 to spend a day at the beach; mom, dad and the kids. We feel that something as basic as our Florida beaches should be free to everyone and we were glad to see that Venice Beach is that way.

We are in our 60s and in our younger years would lay on the beach sand all day. Now we don't have the patience to do that but we still enjoy walking the beach. We are used to pure white sand beaches along the Gulf Coast where we live. Here we found the sand to be grey. The beach wasn't dirty but it just wasn't as pretty as our white sand ones. The water also didn't appear to be a crystal clear as up our way.

The beach is very deep meaning there is a lot of beach between the parking area and the water line. Appears to be well maintained.

We went on a Monday and there were hardly any people there.

Spent the day at the beach, after a long bike ride...Parking free, sand dark and very hot on your feet. The slope down was 8-10 ft in places, definitely not a place for small children or aging adults with gait issues. The concession stand was a little pricey.

A beautiful stretch of beach that is also easily accessible from the city. Just drop by with a drink at sunset. Very nice and romantic!

My town is so serene. Sunsets are beautiful. We call it Paradise! Winters are mild and the Gulf is calm.

This is our go to place to relax and unwind. Venice is not too far from other tourist spots and we have been coming here for years. It's a short drive to Sarasota and even to Tampa and Miami without all of the crowd. If you enjoy a location where you can rest and eat well while being able to take a short drive to night life, this is the place for you.

Week of July 29 dead fish and smell and eye irritation at beach, when will this ever come under control. Some of it is a natural cause but much of it is caused by contaminates from fertilizer. I was here when the last big Red Tide was in the area and it was disgusting, beaches unusable and the whole of the downtown smelled as well as inland for several miles. Now it has arrived again and the beach is littered with dead fish and smell. The beach is fine when clean but now and often during the summer it is a mess. When you go by the parking lot and few cars are there just turn around as the red tide is present. Suggest going to the East coast where there is no red tide and water is clear and warm. Research you vacation spot for Red Tide.

Drove down for the day to enjoy a little shark tooth hunting and relaxing time at beach. Water was flat and warm perfect for tooth hunting. Only found one but it was highly Tide. Very few people on beach . Parking was ample

The sand is very mushy and the birds took up all of the room, the shells were beautiful but we were disappointed when we went early and still had no luck finding sharks teeth. It was very fun, the water was low tide in some spots and some were high tide at different spots.

Not far away from one of the most popular beaches of the USA, Siesta Key, it's a hidden gem off the tracks of big masses.

Will return!

Nice clean beach, pleanty of room and not crowded. Water was clear, warm and waves were great. Nice for a walk on the beach or dig and collect shells and shark teeth. Pleanty of parking, has bathrooms and concessions. Fun fun

The most amazing sunsets! That’s my favorite but the beach during the day is pretty too. We saw a dolphin today which was amazing. Nice clean beach and family friendly.

It was a beautiful day, perfect temperature, breezy, free parking, and not crowded. We had packed sandwiches and kept the seagulls at bay while we ate lunch. We stayed from 11-1 and decided on going South to Englewood for shark's teeth.

Compared to other beaches this one is ok. Lots of Sharks teeth to find tho. Sand is not as white as other beaches but still Fun fun fun

We sat on Venice Beach 🏖 and were able to enjoy the soft sand and clear green water without crowds. The parking lot is free parking. There is a fishing pier and sharks restaurant was open for people to dine at.

We are big fans of the Siesta key Beach but having read TA reviews thought we would give this beach a try. Always great to see free parking and clean restrooms. Sand OK but the water was amazing. So clear and blue. The only reason for not giving an excellent rating was I like to walk on a beach and today the sand much too soft to achieve this, even next to the water. Will definitely come again to this beach when next in Florida

My fiance and I frequent this beach since we live in the area. Yesterday, 5/5/24, we went to walk along the beach and to catch the sunset. We parked near the outdoor shower this time and we were disgusted with what we saw. There was a boy about 7 years old running around naked which was not only disgusting but we both immediately felt uncomfortable. The mother did not care, Venice beach is not a nude beach, the outdoor shower is for rinsing, and what makes a mother think that having her son run around with his penis out acceptable? My fiance and I would not allow our children to do that. We continued to have a relaxing time on the beach and when we were done we wanted to use the outdoor shower to rinse off our sandy feet.
Again, another mother had her 2 year old son showering naked in the outdoor shower for the whole world to see. No one went near the shower because it was uncomfortable seeing a 2 year old's penis. The mother was taking her sweet time too. My fiance was becoming paranoid about being labeled as a pedophile for being in a public place where small children were running around with their penises out in a non-nude beach area. We both wanted to wash our feet but we left to avoid being mixed up in any type of situation. This place immediately became disgusting for us but if you're into seeing little children naked, then this is the spot for you. Whoever is in charge of the beach needs to put up a sign that states no nude children.

Worst case scenario, if someone were to take photos of the nude children here, that person would be arrested. Yet it is open/public area that is non-nude and the mothers seem to not care. So who should really be at fault?!

Pick one of the hottest days of the year to do this but, oh well. Did a shore dive for shark teeth. Was not disappointing

Loved the beach, went hoping to find a shark's tooth but not this time. Crazy the difference in sand from here to Siesta area. Loved the free parking! The beach was nice to walk in either direction, but a windy day made our stay shorter than we planned. Headed down to the south jetty to try a few casts. Definitely an area we'll be back to!

Venice Beach is Wonderful! Sweet white sand, warm gulf waters, and plenty of shells and a TON of shark teeth after every tide! Even more enjoyable, dolphins love to play in the waters just offshore. And don't get me started about viewing the sunset from here! A-MA-ZING!

When we were down there this weekend, they had a live band playing in the pavilion at the end of Venice Ave. It was really nice to listen to the music and stroll along the water at night.

Parking is free and there are plenty of benches scattered about. There is an easy handicap accessible ramp out to the sand for those that need the accessibility, like a smooth walk, or want to wheel their gear in with a wagon or wheeled cooler. There is a convenience store right next to the parking lot and it is a bit of a stroll up to the shops and restaurants on Venice Ave. That last block between the beach and the storefronts is a longer one, but it is all good level walking past a hotel on one side or private homes on the other.

The only reason I give a 4 rather than a 5 is because of the longer walk to the main drag to pick up lunch/dinner (or something more than what you can get at a convenience store) and the fact that there is a drop-off about 10-15 feet out from the waterline. Families with young children or people that don't like to swim but love to wade need to be aware... You will be in about 2-3 feet (depending on the tide) of water and without warning there is a drop-off of about 3 feet so you will now be in 5-6 feet of water. This is not a beach where you can wade out 100 ft from shore and still be in barely waist-deep water, so keep an eye on your littles!

All-in-all, this beach is a family favorite and we always try to stop by when we visit the area.

We are Celebrating our 42nd anniversary and wanted to go to a different beach. Some websites recommended Venice Beach, Florida as a great place. We decided to give it a try. I also wanted to go for a bicycle ride so we found the Venetian Waterway Park. I was truly disappointed because it was lame and simple. Yes it is paved, but it runs along a canal with boring views. So we skipped that path and went downtown. It is a small historical district that runs a couple of blocks off the main park. There are some cute stores and restaurants. It is great for a walk or bike ride. From there it is just a short distance to the beach. A great combo for a long day.

We have been checking out all the main beaches from Tampa to now Venice. All beaches have something unique about them and Venice beach is beautiful but...

- There is a big drop off when entering the water vs what we found at other beaches
- The sand is not the soft powdery type like Siesta or LongBoat area. It has a lot more shells - and supposedly shark teeth (we didn’t find any) which is nice but not as nice for bare feet.

The pier looks very new and is great to walk out for a different view. Parking was convenient and easy access to beach - although it was off season and in middle of the week when we visited so may be different at other times.

The Venice beach is know for finding sharks teeth on the sand. We didn’t find any but we had a nice day on the beach. The fishing pier throws a shady area and the rest of the beach is open sun. There are bathrooms and a restaurant with a tiki bar

spent a few hours here. sooooooo not long enough (tears) gorgeous beach and water. family friendly. very clean. restrooms close by. outdoor showers to wash off. resteraunts close by. i love it here! we WILL be back next year for sure!

We could not go to any of the beaches in the Venice area because of the Red bloom or tide. It was hard to breathe and it would make you cough. There were dead fish on the beach. It is a shame that this happens in this area.

great place to relax and enjoy the beach, not overly commercialized like many Florida beaches. They have restrooms, and a concession stand. Also lifeguards patrol this beach

i did not spend a great deal of time here. The beaches are lovely. There are a lot of tacky sovereign shops that charge too much.
Big car park that charges a fix price for the day

Venice Beach Florida it's a beach you can go to if you want to get away from the crowds. I went online to look for a beach away from the crowds on the west coast of Florida. Venice Beach was an hour and 10 minutes from Tampa Bay. We went on a Thursday in the middle of summer, and the beachgoers were very light. The water was crystal clear clean and warm.
The only downside to this was the storm drains poking out of the sand. Before we got in the water, I went on the web to check the water quality. After I was able to walk right into the water without hesitation.
I am an Island girl, and I love a good beach this was it. The sand was not the surgery white like some of the other gulf beaches, but it was still great; with lots of shells on the beach. The amenities by the beach are clean bathrooms, Volley ball area and snack shop that’s open from 9am to 4pm; under an open pavilion. What I really like about this beach was free parking.

It is hard to imagine a better beach. The huge parking areas are paved and convenient with rest rooms and changing areas before you get to the spectacular beach. The Gulf of Mexico provides great views and swimming. If you're u have not experienced SOF sand it is hard to imagine but the sand feels like walking in confectioners sugar rather than course sand.
If you are looking for the perfect beach this one is worth checking out.

Very disappointed. Lots of seeweed and algae in the water. Too hard to look for shells. Only found a few. Usually not like this until later summer. Sand is gray concrete color, not white. Looked to go to Stump pass or Blind Pass Beaches nearby, but I read they are closed from hurricane damage. Preferred not to go to siesta keys or Clearwater. Way too crowded.

A nice beach when it's windy a lot of surfers also scuba divers and beachcombers.
Pretty sunsets, a nice way to spend the day.

Easy parking, not too crowded, small shop with beach supplies nearby. Lifeguards on site. Beach is clean,

I love this place we come here every year and this is the most beautiful sunset I ever seen. Our all family enjoy it

Beach area was nice and wide. There is free parking and there is also a concession stand. Enjoyed our stay there and, of course, the gulf color was beautiful

Well maintained beach, providing a nice atmosphere, by which to take a relaxing walk, just to clear your mind, or with a loved one, to share your thoughts. Hope this helps with your first visit.

Spent 3 hours at the beach aft visiting Caspersen Beach in the morning. Much more appropriate for swimming alright sea was rough and current was strong. 68-degree water temperature didn’t stop us from jumping in. Small restaurant on site with bathrooms. Didn’t see showers nor a park for kids. Parking wasn’t plentiful so be sure to get there early.

The four days we spent in Venice, it was windy and cold so definitely not good beach weather. We did go one day when the sun was out and also a couple nights to see the sunset. We did not get to hunt for sharks teeth due to the weather and the water being so cold, but the beach and sunsets were beautiful.

Good thing is parking is close to the beach and the food pavilion is good. Beach has Life Guards and flags that tell the swimming conditions. But the sand is coarse and brownish and it really gets hot on your feet in the sun. Best Beach is Siesta Key, but it is a drive and often crowded...white soft sand, nice facilities and life guards. Nokomis Beach is also a short drive from Venice Beach and much nicer.

We visited this beach during our holiday vacation. It is a nice tranquil beach with clean service area. The parking space was a bit crowded because of the time but we were able to park within 15 minutes.

Lots of fun on the beach and pier. Don’t forget about Sharky’s, diffidently a most.

Thanks Deb, Rick and Diane😀

Clean!!! Soft sand, large open space so even when it’s crowded it doesn’t feel crowded. This will be a new beach hangout for us. Bathrooms are clean and the food hut is a bonus for hungry teenagers!

First time visit to Venice Beach and hopefully it won’t be the last. Very clean beach. There was a free yoga class or group every morning. One evening a drum ceremony at sunset. Lots of shells!

Wonderful beach with a beautiful pier. Sand is pretty nice and there are trails just off the beach to walk and explore.

This beach was a great surprise. Not too many people even at peak times and the washrooms and showers and store and snack bar were so convenient!! Great for couples as well as family and group gatherings!!

Free parking at this public beach. Hint: arrive early. That means before 10AM. Traffic gets heavy and congested as the day goes on. This is not a white sand beach. Plenty opportunity to hunt shells.

Recently my wife and I were able to enjoy a relaxing evening and witness a glorious sunset on Venice Beach.

We came down for a four-day weekend to enjoy this beautiful beach, but the water was off color and you can still see patches of red tide just off of the beach. We saw no one in the water, and no Wildlife such as Birds except for pigeons at Sharky's at the pier. No fish being caught probably because of the large fish kill from the red tide recently. The weather was fantastic, 75 degrees with clear skies.

Stopped by for an hour and a half on our beach hopping day. Convenient to park, bathrooms, shower and lifeguard. We parked our stuff close to the drop down to the water, near the lifeguard. It may be difficult for someone who has trouble getting down a big step to the water or getting back up.
There were a few groups digging for shark teeth, but we just wanted to swim. The water was a little rough today and there was a lot of seaweed, but we had a lot of fun and found some nice shells.

Wow! Great way to join others stretching and relaxing at no charge but donations are accepted. Don't worry about losing your balance -- your on the sand!!!! Great way to start the day (everyday)

We stopped here with the idea of taking a walk along the shore. This is not the place for that. If you want to have fun in the sand, lie out and tan or perhaps go swimming, this is great. The water is blue and the surf is mild.
However, the shoreline is thin and steep. The waves actually were sucking my sandals off.
It is known as The Sharktooth Capital, and when we were there, there was a diving club that collected handfulls.
There also were walkways and covered areas for dining and relaxing. A great beach - but not for walking.

Fun family day with our friends and teenagers. We parked for free and spent the perfect day on the beach. One of my favorite things to do is collect shells, I found plenty. We all headed in the water to jump the waves as they rolled in. The ocean bottom was perfect, nothing but hard sand. I usually get timid with weeds and rocks but it was just fantastic.
Volleyball was a blast for our teens.
We had a light lunch at the beach as well, they had a small gift shop with food options. Perfect day!

Very easy to get to the beach from the parking lot. The concession stand and changing area a very nice and clean. Also don't forget a bag for those who like to collect shells, there are plenty. Enjoy

The beach is very nicen but the best part is the pier going out into the water with people fishing and taking a stroll out to the end .

Beach is not what we have seen in most of Florida. Sand was gray (black mixed with white) and difficult to walk on (not hard packed). Beautiful sunsets, just don't plan on those long romantic walks on the white sand beaches of Florida.

I nice beach to sit or walk. Enjoyable area to walk as well with beautiful banyan trees and a nice downtown area a short walk from beach. Venice is a wonderful place!

Also call the gold beach, Venice Beach is a great beach for walking the shore line from the South Getty all the way down to Caspersons Beach. Visitors claim this is the best beach for collecting shells and Sharks Teeth. Parking on the north end is free and is a short walk to the shoreline. This is a great area to watch the waves during or just after a storm. The waves will coveer the stone walls at the Getty, ofter the first row of parking is blocked off due to the size of the waves.

Yoga on beach with Elin. Nice start to your day - take a walk on Venice beach after or head to downtown for a coffee and scone.

We enjoyed our walk on this beach and found lots of coquina shells. We didn't find any shark teeth, it might have just been a bad day for them here.

We had a week to spend on the gulf side of Florida and I could have enjoyed everyday here. There is plenty of beach parking, pier and restaurant "Sharky's", a public golf course and downtown area for shopping and meals. Public restrooms were neat and clean and plenty of beach space to spread out among visitors and locals. I walked the neighborhood while the boys golfed. This is a safe and friendly place with plenty of parking for those that need a pitstop for a meal or stretch from driving.

Great place to vacation. Inn at the beach was great. Sharky on the pier great food and sunsets. Seeing alligators live was awesome too.

We stayed at Venice Beach but enjoyed Casperson Beach more. Venice Beach has a drop of right into the water. It was fun but we drove to Casperson (not crowded) and Siesta Keys (very crowded) to play on the beach.

Our first time, very breath taking
Loved the pier. Beach was appealing. Great place to take the family.

Beautiful sandy shore next to the beautiful ocean.
When the tide is low you can find so many beautiful sea shells and conch shells. One of the best places to find shark teeth but my family and I did not find any. (We went a little after sunrise.) If you are afraid of birds/sea birds then just stay a bit away from the water since flocks of them walk around the beach.
Overall a great time!

I have lived in this area for 13 years from a far more southern state as far as personalities go I have been many places in my life, but I will say this is the rudest of them. This city is very safe and very pretty but to be honest with you it is the people that ruining it. That is how I feel about the Englewood Venice area. I have tried for 13 years to understand why people are so rude here I think well is it because it’s a melting pot no, that’s not it because many other states are too other states are welcoming to visitors. Venice people are not Englewood people are not. They are very angry that you were here in Traffic at the minute. The light turns green. They are honking at you. They love to honk their horns. You go down the street. You could say hello to 20 people and not one person will speak back ladies forget a man holding the door for you. It’s not going to happen. There’s a road rage like crazy tons of accidents in snowbird season and they are over developing here is definitely going to be another Sarasota within 2 to 5 years. The traffic on 75 is horrendous. Yes it’s safe so far yes it’s pretty but people want three times the income and three times the rent to even rent a house none of the houses are properly insulated so your electric bill is gonna be between three and $600 a month. You have to run the air conditioner 24 seven. In Snowbird season you’re going to be lucky to get a spot at a restaurant or a beach in the summer. There’s absolutely no work so you will be seriously broke. If you are working person this area is mostly seniors so they will make sure there is nothing for kids to do here other than the beach or shopping. If you take your kids to the pool, the senior citizens give you dirty looks and make you feel uncomfortable. These are facts folks and I hate to say it because I live here and there’s so many great things about the place but if you want to be welcomed, then forget it you want to feel happy smiling cheerful about the place you live well this won’t be it. You’ll be glad to be here for the beaches, the sunshine with the rest of it, you can forget it a nightmare.

Beautiful beach with plenty of free parking. The water is cold this time of year (Jan.), but the water color is worth enjoying. There were a lot of people digging for sharks teeth. I did not, but was told if you want to dig you may find some. The sand is darker and more course than other beaches we have visited in Florida. (Clearwater,Fort Myers, Boca Grand) It is a great place to spend the day. Bring your chairs and umbrellas.

The beach has a slope and sand is more brownish than Siesta Key. It is also not as wide as other beaches in the area. Recommend for families. Many were fishing off the pier at Sharky’s Restaurant “complex”. The complex includes the restaurant, the tiki bar and gift shop. I only took
A short walk on the beach and did walk the length the pier. The water was a beautiful yet cloudy blueish green. The day was overcast with heavy fog. Nice, quiet beach area. Lots of Veterans were milling around, from Korea to Vietnam and WWll. Very little commercial property to be see. Main Street Venice had lots to see, eat and shop.

This is a nice wide and Long Beach with great sand and beautiful water.
Parking can be challenging if you don't get there early. We have always found a spot, but it may take a few minutes.
There are some really nice restaurants nearby so you can really make a day of it.

The water was clear and calm when we first arrived. Then tropical storm Sally came in and stirred it all up. We did get in one day. The waves were quite rough, but we enjoyed our time in the water. It’s a very clean beach. We will return.

We love venice beach. The beach is clean. With lots of free parking. Bring a chair and relax. The venice jetty is also a good place to fish. But the beast part is to see the sun set. So go and enjoy your self.

Got horrible sand flea bites that I've never experienced before on ANY beach, Anywhere! Live in Pensacola, where the sand is pure white and sugar soft, with no sand fleas! What's up with that in the Venice area? Locals say they need to put bug repellent on before going to the beach! Never done that in my 60+ years of beach visits! Not very pleasant!

We rode our bikes to this beach! Easy ride. Clean, and fun! Lots of happy families enjoying the sun and sand! Wear flip flops! Lots of shell fragments in the sand could cut your feet!

Watched the fireworks from Venice Beach and found it very clean and attractive. Lot of folks watching the fireworks from here and the parking was a bit of a hassle but it was well worth it.

Usually a decent beach for hunting sharks teeth, but uninhabitable at this time.
Dead, rotting fish in the water and lining the beach. Multiple deaths of Dolphins, sea turtles and manatees are occurring every day since June.

The beach is great and parking is free (when you can find a spot). It's not as creamy white (or as famous) as Siesta Key, but the sand is still above average. We've also found a fair number of sharks teeth and seashells.

Parking was tough but once parked the beach is a great place to look for shells and shark teeth. Bring you sifting device. Fun

Couldn’t enjoy beach because of red tide and fishy smell. Headed north to Siesta Key for a beach day.

This beach was near our motel so we loved getting up early and walking in the morning. It is also a very good beach to watch the sun go down! Beautiful sunsets! It is a little rough if you want to go swimming here and we didn't find shark's teeth here.

Really enjoyed the water, the waves, exploring, great weather, food, friends, fun, shopping, can't wait to return....

Very nice, semiprivate beach- never crowded, very relaxed atmosphere.
Best place if you looking for turtle nests- best place in USA for this. Nice walks in sunrises and sunsets. You can walk or jog for miles and enjoy the view. Highly recommended for couples and families who is looking for nice well balanced vacation. No crazy teenagers:)

We decided to take the half hour trip after reading about this in brochures and on the internet. Very disappointing. We were told it was the place to be to find shark's teeth. After 2 of us looking all day, we found one. The water was not as clear as Siesta or Cresent beaches.

We had a great time visited. It just happened to be one warm late afternoon visits. We were able to stick around for a signature sunset. The beach is peaceful and relaxing. The location to the immediate downtown made it an easy to stop and grab a bite to eat as we exited the beautiful downtown area.

Has been a few years since visiting and as in past it was great. Always very calm and relaxing beach. We stayed at Inn At The Beach which made visiting just short trip across street. Love this beach.

I loved this beach! Gentle, sloping sand makes it a great place to cool off, swim, sit and read, or let little ones play safely. Not crowded and very clean!

Great beach with white sand, restrooms and a snack bar. There is a party store right next to the beach to grab a drink or snack. Very relaxing and comfortable place for the whole family.

Nice quiet beach. Was cool the day we went and we did not swim. Great place to find sharks teeth! Very few people were at beach and I loved that.

Visited with the family. Great clean beach with lots of amenities. Swam with the manatees around the Rocks.

Lovely beach ❤️❤️

Venice Beach is great as it is uncrowded and unpretentious. Nice not to have huge buildings behind you! The water was a bit choppy when we were there, there were some jellyfish in the water and there was also red tide on the second day, so that was a bummer. Given the propensity for red tide, might be best to avoid in the middle of the hot summer. But the ability to find shark teeth and solitude outweighs any negatives.

Free Parking, no bathrooms that we could see. We love this beach and searching for shark teeth! Not too crowded, perfect weather.

Lots of great seashells, beautiful soft white sand. Lots to do in the area. Great food and not over crowded

We made a short visit to Venice Beach. The beach was very clean not over crowded. Beautiful clear water.

Great beach when there's no red tide! Parking can be tough in season but there are two lots and a nice area with restrooms.

Beach is large and is public.

The best place in the world!!! Very quiet to relax and enjoy. The people is very polite!!!!! Come back soon!!!!

The sunsets here are something you must see!! The beach is gorgeous, and very clean. This was our first time here and we will definitely be back.

Arrived in Venice and immediately took a stroll on the beach. Absolutely beautiful! Then a monster storm came through and about 20 feet of beach was gone! Spoke with one of the locals who said that about 100 feet of beach had been lost to the elements already this year. Sad for those who visit...sadder for those who live in Venice year round.

We thought the parking was perfect! Large lots, close to beach, paved and no charge! We parked near the fishing pier and had lunch from the vendor. Very nice to sit at the picnic tables near the beach under shaded trees. Lovely park and paved path to walk your dog. Be sure not to take them on the beach or fishing pier as they are not allowed and you could be looking at a $150 fine.

There is a lovely beach area about a 1/4 mile from the pier where your dog can run free and frolic in the waves. There is a very nice hose area before you get to the parking lot from the beach where you can thoroughly rinse them off. Venice has done a very nice job taking care our furry friends have a fun time at the beach too!

Very nice day spent relaxing near the pier. It wasn’t too crowded, the water was great! We were lucky enough to have record hi temps in January- 86 on the day we visited!

We stayed at Siesta Key and took a ride over to Venice Beach because we heard it was known for shark teeth. We found a few small ones. The beach was a little rougher than Siesta Key. The sand was hotter and full of shells. We were by the pier. The surrounding area was very nice.

Manasota Key, Venice and almost all of the beaches on the gulf (now including Lido Beach, Siesta Beach, Boca Grande, etc.). If you have never heard of Red Tide please look it up. It is an extremely dangerous condition that has been under reported by the state of Florida since last November (2017). It is red algae that is poisonous and deadly. It is caused by large dumps of fertilizer, chemicals and other components being released into the gulf water. It takes all the oxygen out of the water, suffocating and poisoning all the sea life caught up in it's path. Not only killing thousands and thousands of fish and other sea life, Red Tide is dangerous to humans. People with pulmonary problems suffer the worst affects and many have died already. Sea life dies within 10-15 mins. after being caught in the red tide. Water may be completely clear when you get to the beach, but the pools of red algae come quickly into shore leaving the area buried in dead fish. Sun bathers immediately start coughing, eyes start burning and tearing and even healthy people start coughing. Frequently people will break out in rashes and hives. People (such as myself) with asthma or other lung conditions will immediately become sick and very often end up in an ER. But because FL is worried about losing tourist dollars it has fragrantly under reported the extent of the Red Tide and when it does write a small article, it focuses on dead fish, not humans. It only recently made national news. Prisoners are being used to shovel up dead fish, 6 ft. deep in some areas. 200 - 300 manatee have died and over 400 sea turtles. You'll never see a death count on humans. Yes, I have been in the ER and was told on that visit that 2 people just that morning had died from the Red Tide. Before coming to FL and thinking you are having a beach vacation, please look up Red Tide on the Internet before solidifing your plans. It's been frightening seeing vacationing parents letting their children play in the gulf water with red algae all around them and floating dead fish. Looking at a beach once the Red Tide has come ashore you feel like you are witnessing the apocalypse. It is incredibly necessary for the state to get some control over this mess but it is more critical to use all media possible to warn humans of the situation and provide guidelines on when the beaches are dangerous and what to do when exposed to Red Tide. There are now notices that the East Coast and the Fl. Keys are experiencing the same problem. This mess will cause major financial problems for FL as it looks like it will continue at least through to 2019. However, regardless of the cost the critical issue is to keep the public fully informed and protect the people, both residents and tourists. The fumes are now bad enough they are coming inland so we aren't safe even if we avoid the beach. If I had know it was this bad I never would have come. I don't know what I will do next year but I do know I will be soon be leaving here. One ER visit is enough....as is the horrible feeling of not being able to breathe or being asked if I will allow being placed on a ventilator if they couldn't get control of my breathing. And at the time I knew about Red Tide and was no where near the beach. Just remember these statistics even if you don't understand them: Usually these dangerous particles in the water could go up to 10,000 per liter. This year the particles are 1,000,000 per liter. What the hell is the state waiting for?

Free parking and lovely sand beach with tons of room to rest and relax. You can walk to Sharkies for good food very busy and a good bar right on the beach

Great place. Has a dog beach at the end with a dog play ground! Can go near the facilities and the restaurants or you can go further down soth with another parking lot and get onto the beach. The further down you go the better chances of finding sharks teeth I could 3 small ones and we were only looking for 40 minutes. Fun outing to see everyone looking for sharks teeth! Great beach to do beach combing on

Many Florida towns have beautiful beaches and great weather, but the biggest draw to Venice for me is Elin’s Yoga on Venice Beach. Elin’s yoga sessions lead to improved fitness and health whether you are 9 or 90. But the even bigger draw is that those who gather for yoga with Elin become a “community within the Venice community.” At yoga I find out about local events, yard sales, or who I might contact for a needed service and the list goes on. Additionally, the yoga group participates in a number of community service projects such as helping the Salvation Army, Humane Society, and Wounded Warriors to name of few of the projects. Yoga participants share produce and such and get to know and look out for each other. Everyone is welcome, just as you are, and everyone becomes part of this caring community!! And, did I mention, we share lots of laughs at our yoga sessions and all of this is free!!

VENICE Beach offers yoga every morning and a few evening. During the afternoon you can enjoy the Gulf and sunshine with a decent amount of parking, restrooms, snack bar and showers to remove the sand. Rarely packed.

Very easy to get to. Best place to hunt for shark teeth in the area. I would recommend getting a shark tooth finder at a local shop.

the beach is not very large but you may walk a long time. It's clean and quiet. Excellent for mussel-collectors. Parking ok, restrooms etc. small. Relaxing.

We love Venice and have been coming here for years. Sadly, this year we saw first hand the result of the red tide blooms. Our day at the beach was cut short, but we will be back

I’m disappointed to have to write this, but June is too early to have seaweed, but currently there is a lot of seaweed at Venice Beach. They have a yoga class every morning at 8 AM. They also have live music.

I certainly like Caspersen over Venice Beach. They are located next to each other but Venice Beach just isn't as clean.

Venice Beach, Florida
Just peace and an awesome view. A place to spend with the family. Live music just wonderful!

Difficult to walk close to the water as the sand was too soft to walk comfortably. Noticed most other walkers up high as well.

After so many rainy days we got to this beautiful beach . Easy access and parking . They also have clean bathrooms and a snack bar with clothing and food . The beach was gorgeous and is a must 🌞

Evidently a busy place, but this weekend in October, temperatures were still warm. Beach was swept to get rid of debris, but shells still to be found. I would go back again!

The sand at this beach was darker in color that any other beach we have been to. The water was nice and warm. We searched for shark teeth, and did not find any, but did find some nice shells. Laid-back beach with few tourists, and a cafe under a covered pavilion that was perfect for lunch.

Beautiful, best way I know how to describe it. The jetties are just north of beach and this area is a great place to walk or just sit and watch the boats

This beach is rated amongst the top beaches of the world, white white sand that is cool and doesnt "stick" to you. The beach itself has a gentle slope to the water with antique sharks teeth strewn along the beautiful sand.
Every Friday night the New Life Church band brings literally hundreds to the beach to greet sundown with a Gospel Concert-what a fun time! Mainstreet cafes and eateries are less than 1 mile from the beachhead, with great food.

we had a great time on the beach. it is a good walking beach and spacious too. we also managed to collect some pretty shells

Its was a ok beach the water was beautiful and I love to be by the water I always say I need a time out I am going to the beach and wen my attitude changes I'll come home but not until then it is a much see

Venice Beach is one of our favorite beaches. With most of the gulf coast beaches closed after Hurricane Ian, Venice Beach appears untouched. The sand is soft, Beach is clean and there's easy entry into shallow waters. Lots of shells to choose from, and some shark's teeth if you sift for them! The restrooms are nice, and the grill has standard fare (hamburgers, hot dogs, chicken fingers, and also a couple wrap sandwiches). Two free parking areas that fill up pretty quickly. Highly recommend this family-friendly beach.

Sea turtle and seeing dolphins. Water warm. Got there at 5 am and the stars were spectacular. Can not say enough positive things.

The sand difference sand was shelly versus white powder. Not super crowded, the water was a little more hazy than its neighbor siesta keys.

I loved the whole area including the beach which has great sand and is an ideal place to watch the sunset into the amazing Pacific Ocean. We paid 9 dollars to park as disabled people have to pay at the weekend which I can understand. You can watch racquet ball, basketball and skateboarding being enthusiastically played with plenty of shops and restaurants to tempt you. There are some dubious characters around wishing to part you from your dollars and there is a constant smell of cannabis in the air but these are minor irritations compared to what is on offer. I live a long way from the place but I would be disappointed if I could not return at least once more in my lifetime. Hopefully it will happen.

Was told red tide was in but visited anyway. The beach was so dirty and smell was awful and was impossible to stay for any length of time. We were told by our hotel staff that the red tide was in but wanted to visit it anyway. Needs improvement .

Great large beach which they have widened in recent years --- easy parking and lifeguard on duty. Family friendly and close to downtown venice.

On of the best Beaches anywhere not as many sharks teeth lately but lots of shells and the water is great

As someone who has visited many many Florida beaches with my children, this was one of the worst beaches. It was very quiet and had easy parking - that was nice. But now I know why - horrible gritty black sand, scary drop off as soon as you walk in the water, very cloudy water as well. I will never come back here. If people are giving it glowing reviews, it is because they haven’t been to better beaches. The beach itself is very dirty too and has huge drop offs even in the sand. Sorry, Venice, make it better.

A good/great place to relax, enjoy the water, take a walk or run and later have a lunch or dinner or just a drink.

Beautiful beach, amenities close by. Sea lovely bit choppy day I was there. Life guard on duty. Look out for shells and shark teeth.

This was a very clean beach. Nice and quiet. There are not a lot of things to do, but it is a good place to find shark teeth. Took time and went out on the pier! Walked a quarter mile down to the dog park.

Visited during the red tide so it was in crowded yet still so beautiful. Easy handicap access and plenty of parking during our visit.

Free parking, went in the mornings and had the beach to ourselves. It was safe, clean and just amazing. A must see with Sharkey's right there you can grab something to ear or drink throughout the day.

Definitely taking a trip to the beach to relax unwind and enjoy a lovely day out. Restaurants and bars near by easy walking distance. Can rent chairs and umbrellas. They have drum circle certain nights of the week what is an experience to visit. Make sure to wear your sunscreen 🧴 🏖

Enjoyed the beach, lived in Venice for three years and was at the beach almost daily. The water, the scenery, the walks were rewarding.

We love to walk the beach here. Bathrooms are close, parking is close. The average crowd is polite and much smaller than beaches north of here.

Came here and was impressed. Lots of shark teeth if you're willing to dig and be patient. Not by any means siesta key, but a lot less crowded for the same water.

Normally this beach is absolutely awesome! However, with the Red Tide issues and dead sea life one should avoid it until this clears up. It is always fun to sift through the sand looking for sharks teeth of all sizes especially after a storm when they appear to be more abundant. Hopefully, things will return to normal very soon!

We come to Venice at least once per year and always make time to sit at Venice beach and take in the beach scene. It is a great spot to swim, walk by the surf or do some shell collecting. It is a great beach!

Very clean beach. Gulf waters much clearer than some other area. Not jammed pack with people. Parking free. Well worth the visit when in the area.

Venice Beach was a quick drive after getting some shopping in downtown Venice. Enjoyed watching the sunset and walking for a bit. Easy to access without traffic, and had ample parking.

Driving through the area and stopped by for an hour or two to walk the beach at sunset. It’s a place I’d love to come and spend more time! The town was cute too. Look forward to coming back.

We went to the section of Venice Beach near Sharkey's and the pier. Free parking! Make sure you bring a Florida shovel when visiting. We found a ton of shark teeth which was very cool.

I hesitate to review our beach, as dont want to have it turn into a Sieta Key with the crowds. It's a nice quite beach with shells and sharks teeth to be found. Has a nice jetty area where fishing is pretty good as well.

This is one of the best activities on the beach in Venice!, Elin teaches 2 classes every morning and you can judge the popularity by the size of the group who are there each day. The setting is gorgeous, the friendliness of all who attended is unmatched and it is my Very Favorite Activity in Venice!! Come join us.

Parking at the beach or jetty facilities and food on site. Great view for sunset lovers. Shoreline constantly changes, but you can always walk towards the back where it is flat.

This beach is great place to relax. People are friendly and the areas surrounding are nice and clean. If you want to enjoy yoga on the beach.....this is the place. Every weekday morning and evenings before sunset. They even have special full moon yoga which is awesome. The instructors are amazing and it’s great for all ages and level of experience. There seems to be music under the pavilion most evenings too! The drum circle is fun to experience on Sunday late afternoon into the eve before sunset. Oh.....and the sunsets are amazing!!

This is a nice, clean, quiet beach with so much to offer. Lots of seashells, and sharks teeth if your lucky. There’s a great snack shop on the beach, drop in yoga classes, and a Sunday night drum circle. And the subsets are amazing!

Venice beach is not only a lovely beach but it is one of the best places to find sharks teeth. My grandkids have picked up hundreds of small sharks teeth, The Venice area is a nice place to hang out with great restaurants

Cannot overstate how wonderful Yoga on the beach is- great WD 40 for the joints at no cost. Enjoy the the beach while you exercise. I rarely miss a day.

This is one of my favorites. If you like a quieter beach this is it. Plus it has Sharky's on The Pier nearby.

this is a lovely sandy beach located right at the end of Venice Ave West. Close to downtown and the restaurant strip, and so easy to get to. There's great parking along Esplinade. There's little cultural centre on the beach at the end of Venice Ave West with live music playing most nights. There's also yoga on the beach some mornings. Nice soft white sand, with lots of shells. There's sort of a beach ridge right near the water where you can sit and watch the sunset. Sunsets there are gorgeous, and a big thing in Venice - people come out to watch them. But the beach was never crowded!

We come to Venice beach to find shark teeth and other fossils. Get a shark teeth catcher and you can find lots. The pier has good fishing and bait. Beach is clean and has restrooms.

The Venice Beach area, unlike what I had read before leaving, is very quiet and clean; there is a long seafront full of places where you can drink or eat something. The beach is huge and free and you can train, play basketball or go skateboarding 🛹 all for free. I recommend this area for staying

Great wide sandy beach with lots of handy facilites. Near us was morning and evening yoga and regular music in the evening.

We visited Venice beach while in town and enjoyed visiting and watching the waves, boats and sea birds.

It is a wonderful beach to visit and enjoy a day there! The Venice fish pier is there as well as Sharky’s restaurant. What a great spot!

The fishing pier was a great place to look at the beautiful landscape. Our young grandchildren were thrilled when a fisherman caught a small shark and he let them touch it and told them about the shark before he released it back into the ocean.
Venice Beach is gorgeous. We were looking for shark teeth and we were successful! Another thrilling experience for the grandkids at Venice Beach. Parking is free! There are clean public bathrooms and areas where you can rinse off sand. It was a very good place to take the family! I would highly recommend.

Great place to sneak away to. Not a large parking area, but the less the better. Beautiful seemingly quiet beach.

This was our closest beach while wintering in the area. Limited parking and short walk to the beach. No fees. Plenty of room on the beach.

Venice Beach was clean and it wasn't very crowded, but the sand was course and it stuck to your skin. There were also lots of shells, which makes it fun if you're searching for shells, but hard on the feet if you're hoping to walk the beach! We definitely preferred Siesta Beach!

Did not find and shark teeth but lots of good shelling! Enjoyed watching the Pelicins dive into the water to catch the fish!

We visited Venice Beach Labor Day weekend. We wanted to get away for the weekend. Venice Beach was a nice experience The beach is lovely and the people were nice

The beach was super busy on a Tuesday afternoon with April temps in the low 80’s. Lots of free parking, showers have great pressure, bathroom were ok. Great place to watch the sunset.

Staying in Siesta Key with the soft white sands is totally opposite of this location. But can a beach really be "bad"? Not that I've seen (yet). We walked a lot on this beach. We went right before spring break season and it wasn't as crowded as Siesta Key area. More nature, more birds.

The sand is so soft and white on Venice Beach. The lifeguards are helpful. The ocean was rough the day we visited, but the view was beautiful. Well worth visiting to make memories with your family.

The days we went (Thursday, Friday) the beach was littered with cigarette butts and plastic bottle tops, but it wasn’t crowded (hmmmm). There is a dog beach south of the pier. The area north of the pier had a large drop off—too steep for someone with knee problems or for someone elderly.

Our group enjoyed a great day at the beach. We had a morning Bible Study. What a fabulous way to start the day. We had lunch at the pavilion. It was very clean.
Whatever reason you find yourself wanting to be at the beach, Venice Beach is wonderful.

Wasn’t too busy in Feb. Lots of room to walk either direction in the waters edge or on the “high sand”.

Entertaining for the whole family. Fun to hunt sharks teeth, bright colored shells and coins. Also a great place to skim board if you wait for the tide to go out. Really clean did not see any trash and litter like some beaches. Be careful in the parking lot we did see a gator! Clean area to use the restroom, shower off and get changed. If you like to fish there’s an awesome Pier you can go out on. Great spot to surf too. Small Beach shop on the pier called Papa’s. Also great to fish and walk at dark! Seen a few ppl fishing. Watch out for sea turtle nest thou.

Drum circle on Sunday evening starts about 90 minutes before sunset, nice beach but steep for walking.

We moved here from Key Largo (where there are not a lot of free beaches...most are part of hotel or state parks). It is nice to have a nice free beach to visit. They keep it clean & there is enough of it so you don't really feel crowded on even the busiest day.

I'm Bill Garrison, Sarasota County Realtor, and visit Venice Beach 1 to 3 time per week showing beachfront homes and condos. It's a wonderful place! I was there this morning meeting clients and and showing them around. Downtown Venice is absolutely gorgeous and just remodeled.

You have most likely heard about red tide and the coughing, burning eyes, etc let alone the tons of dead fish on the beach and killing of dolphins and manatees, This is all real stuff. I was in the area June through October and kept in communication with folks since then. The reports from the local government, State, and local businesses have been less than straightforward. At the peak of this problem in 2018 when the beaches were full of dead fish and downtown areas smelled like a sewer in Englewood, Venice, and Sarasota they claimed not much of a problem: beaches were empty due to health concerns. Areas were basically labeled dead zones. Now how does all this go away in several months: dead fish on the ocean floor and beaches and red tide blooms? I've met too many folks that arrived only to have their one and only vacation ruined. So, before you go do your home work, Venice was a disaster last year, at and around the beach and miles inland from the red tide and health problems both near and long term are real. I hope within a year or so Venice can reclaim its' beach and water and be a good vacation spot but proceed with caution.

Red tide, ugh. The smell this August has been disgusting and so has the presence of dead fish and eye irritation and coughing. Stay away for now. Florida doesn't seem to have the interest in resolving these level of red tide that make beaches unusable. Vacation elsewhere such as the East coast. The smell is awful. Seems as though the local government tries to downplay the severity as do restaurants (which some of them have closed for now during this week of Aug 23, 2021). This has been going for years and ruining folks vacations so consider changing your travel plans to go elsewhere. The smell at Englewood Beach, Manasota Key and Venice Beach is to the level of a sewer. For me and many other, this has ruined and wasted our vacation

Excellent beach, Clean, not very crowded and very easy to get to. I would recommend this beach for family

Unheard of most all other places, Venice Beach always has plenty if FREE parking year around. There are complimentary bathrooms and showers that are very clean. No riff raff or homeless bums anywhere. This is a very quiet a d clean beach. If you are looking for a wild and crazy spring break kind of beach with loud music and thong bikinis, this is not your beach.

Plenty of locals, older folks, and families to enjoy the beautiful sand. The beach is perfectly clean, with life guards, and places to get food and drinks.

This is the best if old school Florida that hasn't been invaded yet. Truly a great place to spend the day with family and friends.

A wide and pleasant sandy beach full of sharks’ teeth. Kid friendly with lifeguards and bathrooms, showers and changing room. Handicapped accessible. Snack bar and pavilion for shade.

Red tide. Didn't get in the water. I did encounter coughing and sneezing.
Beach has ample parking and clean restrooms.
I recommend Sharkey's restaurant .inside and outside dining. I prefer eating outside watching the surf. Great food,usually busy.

Limited free parking, so arrive early! Short walk from parking lot to the beach. Decent bathroom facilities. Wonderful inexpensive snack bar to get hot dogs, burgers, chicken strips, etc. for a quick lunch. Tables available, but we chose to eat on the beach, which was really nice. Easy ocean access and lots of pristine shoreline to walk. Gets busy, but social distancing was not an issue. Highly recommend!

Watching my husband look for shark teeth and just being on the beach,people were nice and I love to people watch

First time we were there. Loved the place. I read the red tide was there last week but gone by the time we arrived. Arrive early to get into the free parking lot or be prepared to do street parking. Some snack lares open but we found the restaurant at the marina (Crows Nest) to be great. Walked everywhere. Walked to downtown and back. Fun time.

Easy to get to, free parking, bathrooms and water to wash off the sand before getting back into your car. A shop to buy supplies, t-shirts and food.

the beach was clean and the sand was white and we had plenty of free parking at the end of the street

Large slope( like a wall) to climb can not get out of the water. Sand is more like dirt. Very hard to get out with out falling for older people. Sand is hard and dark . There is a place to buy food which is good, but not recommended for older swimmers unless you have someone to help you out of the water. Also slope is dangerous going in for young children who go from a foot to 2 feet with 1step. Just avoid Venice beach and go to siesta Key it’s BEAUTIFUL! No slope and much safer for kids. Clear water and smooth white sand.

Had heard about it for years and thought we should check it out. Very impressed. We will go back..great location..even if you are staying in Tampa area or Ft Myers is is a great spot for a day trip

People fish off the pier. Pretty shlocky actually. The very popular but terribly overrated Sharky's Restaurant is part of the property and is actually owned by the city.

Spent two nights at Inn on Beach (awesome!) and walked across street to Venice beach. Beautiful sand, shells and magnificent sunsets. Lots to do downtown and live music at night a beach entrance. Swimmers beware, there is a sand shelf that drops off not far from shore.

Our hotel was very close to the Venice Beach. The waters were stunning and very clean not too crowded just perfect to enjoy the sun and the clear waters on the gulf with amazing sunsets

We ended up passing this beach by and going to Caspersen Beach instead. There was just no where to park at all and it was very crowded. We were there around Christmas and it wasn't even a very nice day, so be aware. Get there early and expect a crowd.

Great beach! Beats Siesta by far. That beach has back to back traffic for miles during off hours during February break. Go here instead for less crowds. Here you can rent fishing poles and seashell grabbers! Closer walk to beach from the parking too.

Very nice beach, nothing special compared to fort meyers, siesta beach, or Captiva beach. This beach is down the street from many ice cream shops, Italian food, and bar food. I loved the area. I recommend visiting this area to eat!

My husband and I walked back and forth on the beach on Christmas Eve. We were there at high tide - so it was a little more difficult walk in the thick sand. But no complaints - it was a beautiful day on a beautiful beach.

Loved this beach! We spent a lot of our time here it was not crowded at all The beach was beautiful and the environment was very friendly.

This is not my favorite beach in Venice. Usually too crowded and parking lot is generally full. Nice sand and nice views tho, so worth checking it out, and they have life guards, so that is important to some.

This is a beautiful beach with clear water and a pier to walk on. I guess the water is turquoise blue on calm days.

Short distance to reach the water from the parking lot, benches for sitting and relaxing and no charge for parking! Don’t miss an opportunity to spend some time here even for just a short while!

Nice beach, tons of shells along with everyone looking for sharks teeth. Not too crowded and free parking.

Find the pipe that runs out to the Gulf on this beach after a storm and you can see all of the filth running out where people swim. Not too many swimmers now because of the red tide and all of the dead fish. The smell is horrible.

Love Venice Beach! it feels like a hidden treasure. The beach is beautiful with soft brown sand. The public facilities (bathrooms, tables and store) are all really nice and clean.

This is a nice town with a cute downtown area filled with restaurants and shops ; many restaurants have outdoor seating. Lots of parks and beaches to enjoy as well.

Nice beach, maintained well by lifeguards and park employees with trash cans very clean and nice bathrooms

Our first day we were disappointed. There was red seaweed everywhere and it was really thick. After a couple days it got less and less. So we have really enjoyed the last few days of our stay. The people at the beaches are pretty nice. However the people at the stores in downtown are not so nice. We have not been thrilled with the lack of hospitality here in Florida. Downtown is beautiful and the beach is beautiful. Finding shark teeth, not an easy task.

This was our first visit to Venice and we fell in love with it. One of the wonderful things was of course is the Beach. We visited the Beach everyday for a week. One can of course search for shells and the Beach is well known for possibly finding sharks teeth. You can also meet for early morning group Yoga lessons on the Beach - very popular. One evening we listened to live classical guitar by Jon-Paul. Another evening there was a group jam of drummers. But perhaps one of the best things is looking out at the sunset over the Gulf.

So many better beaches to visit. Other visitors leave a mess, are inconsiderate to those around, and generally unfriendly. The lifeguard seemed unhappy, but was attentive. Found a few nice shells, just not the day for sharks teeth. I’d recommend beach shoes. Sand gets hot, and lots of uncomfortable areas to walk…not sharp, but similar to walking on legos.

I would not tell people to NOT go there, but if you have limited time on vacation-find another beach.

Venice Beach was nice & clean, looked for shark teeth and didn’t find any, but it was a beautiful day and had a great time.

We found Venice Beach to be a lovely, inviting, clean beach. We spent a most pleasant several hours on this uncrowded beach.

Clean, beautiful and with great sunsets. Nice having food and restrooms close by. Great for couples and families. Busy but not overcrowded.

Average beach. Ranges from fishermen to sightseers. Place to go if you want to find sharks teeth in the surf.

Easy parking. Nice pier, local spot vibe with restaurant near by. We found this beach trying to escape red tide…. The water was clear blue and choppy waves.

Mornings on the beach were so relaxing. Beautiful sand, lovely views of boats passing by, and quiet and peaceful.

We spent a week in Sanibel but drove up to Venice on the day before leaving out of Fort Myers. It was a great afternoon searching for shark teeth, we found at least 5 good sized teeth and lots of small ones too! Highly recommend the city's website that recommended renting a $7 sand sifter, we got tips and tricks from the guy at the rental place on the fishing pier!

the beach is beautiful, clean and busy most of the time. They
even have yoga on the beach in the mornings.

Very nice beach, not to crowded, other than being there during a red tide (which i had never experienced before).

We recently moved to Florida right on the Englewood/Venice line , my wife and I went out for dinner and then drove down to watch the sunset on Venice beach which we hadn’t been to yet . The beach is very beautiful and large area for all , the sand is awesome . I would highly recommend this beach 🏖

Red Tide has been a problem this summer season but today was a beautiful day with clear conditions and no rain! We love this beach because there is a great restaurant/bar (Sharkey's/Fins) and they need our support during this tough season. We were happy we came.

We stopped off for a stroll on the beach and lunch in town driving to the airport to return home after a 3 week, 3 totally digestive locations all over Florida. It is a stunning beach and pretty, bustling town with many lovely shops, cafes and restaurants.

A couple of benches on the sand but no shade making it uncomfortable on sunny days for those who do not care to lie in the sand.

We were there the first week of April. It was like having my own private beach. There were hardly any people around. It was beautiful. I collected some unique shells, too. Absolutely LOVED it!

We can hardly pass a chance to visit the Beach to get an earful of the Surf and breath in the calming Sea Air. The negative about this Beach is the Huge Drain Pipe that juts out of the Sand in the middle of the Beach. Positives are the existence of Lifeguards which is a Great plus for Families with children.

I use to travel to the USA twice in a year and search for Italian restaurants.
I traveled to Florida and triedTrattoria da Mino.
Well i can assure that it is the Real italian cookin way, food it’s tasty and healthy,very good ingredients
Everything was delicious indeed!

A well-kept beach with all the amenities you require. And, near downtown Venice. This beach has maintained its sand while many others have been diminished by the sea

Stay away from southwest Florida this year. The beaches are covered with dead fish due to an abnormally large and powerful algae bloom known as red tide.