Venice Public Beach

Located in the city of Venice, Venice Public Beach is a one-mile-long, wide, and Blue Wave beach situated in front of Roberts Bay. Venice Public Beach has beautiful white sand and is an awesome destination for beachcombing for fossils such as shark teeth. The unique sail-styled pavilion at Venice Public Beach is a historic landmark that was built in 1964 making the beach very popular among tourists. Venice Public Beach is also a great spot for swimming, fishing, picnicking, and watching dolphins and shorebirds. 

Venice Public Beach offers many amenities including lifeguards, restrooms, showers, picnic tables, two volleyball courts, boardwalks, and a historic pavilion. If you are looking for additional amenities, you can drive eight minutes south to Venice Fishing Pier – a 700-feet-long that is a great place for fishing and photography. 

There are many fun activities at Venice Public Beach including swimming, fishing, wildlife watching, birdwatching, picnicking, photography, and beach walking. You can also watch marine turtles nesting at the beach between May and October. 

Getting to Venice Public Beach is very easy – after you get off of U.S. 41 Bypass North, drive west to 101 The Esplanade North to reach the beach’s free parking lot situated right in front of the beach. 

If you are looking for attractions near Venice Public Beach, you can drive 30 minutes to Mote Marine Laboratory & Aquarium that is home to sea creatures including jellyfish, great white sharks, captive killer whales, rockfishes, African penguins, and the Pacific Sea nettles. The Marie Selby Botanical Gardens are spread across 15 acres and feature preserved collections of more than 20,000 plants including orchids, bromeliads, banyans, bamboo, wildflowers, a butterfly garden, a koi pond, and an edible garden. The historical Sarasota Opera House has been the performance stage for many world-renowned artists including Elvis Presley, Will Rogers, Charlton Heston, and Dorothy Lamour. Another great attraction near Venice Public Beach is St. Armands Circle which is well-regarded for its shopping centers, boutiques, ancient shops, and restaurants.

If you get hungry, there are many restaurants within a 10-minute drive of Venice Public Beach. Turtle Beach Grill is a tropical American bar-restaurant featuring live music from Thursdays to Sundays on the patio deck and has outdoor as well as indoor seating. The vegetarian-friendly Turtles on the Little Sarasota Bay is an American Caribbean restaurant with a diverse seafood-focused menu and happy-hour deals. Another good restaurant near Venice Public Beach is the waterfront Ophelia’s on the Bay – it was mentioned in ‘The 100 Most Scenic Restaurants in the US’ list by Business Insider.

If you are looking for a hotel near Venice Public Beach, there are many hotels within a 20-minute drive. Spread across 440 acres, The Resort at Longboat Key Club is a 4-Star beachfront hotel featuring a golf course, spa, gym, an oceanside pool, six restaurants, 20 tennis courts, and bike and water sports equipment rentals. The 3-Star pet-friendly hotel Lido Beach Resort has a pool, bar, gym, convenience store, and two restaurants with one on the roof. If you are looking for affordable hotels near Venice Public Beach, the 3-Star Sandcastle Resort at Lido Beach offers a lounge, pool, gift shop, and restaurant – and Holiday Inn Sarasota - Lido Beach welcomes pets and has a poolside bar, restaurant, and fitness center.