Venice Beach

Our favorite beach on the Gulf! Beautiful sand and yes even some Shark teeth. Free parking with a short walk to the beach. Life guards on duty. Close restrooms and a nice drink bar/shop. Arrive before noon if you want a close parking spot during peak season. Highly recommend!

From sunrise to sunset, Venice Beach was one of the most beautiful, peaceful, and perfect beaches we’ve experienced. The water was warm and calm, the sand was soft, and the crowds were low. The shark teeth were plenty and easy to find. Some mornings we were able to catch yoga on the beach, some mornings the drum circles. Even when nothing was going on, it was still so amazing, invigorating, and relaxing. It was the perfect anniversary trip. Our hotel was across from the Venice entrance, so stepping out onto the boardwalk felt like walking straight into paradise. The historic town was within walking distance and filled with great shops and restaurants. If you are thinking about vacationing here, it is absolutely worth it!

So much to love about coming here! Parking is free and easy to find, the beach is easy to access, they have ramps to get onto the beach easily, showers, a small stand selling beach merchandise and food/drink if you forget anything, and of course the shark teeth! We didn’t bring any equipment we just walked around and found 4 while we were there. Can’t wait to come back and look for more with real supplies!

A nice beach to have fun. There's also a little shop where you can buy drinks and other beach items like shell sifters, buckets, and tank tops. It was to overcrowded when there.

It was very cold and windy when I came so the fishing wasn’t too great although I did catch a little shark. I was hoping to find some shark teeth in the sand, but it’s nearly impossible unless you have a very small graded shifter. The shark teeth are very small so make sure you get a shifter that they won’t fall in between the cracks

Venice Beach in Venice, Florida is truly a gem! The sand is great for exfoliation, turquoise water, and famous shark tooth hunting make it a favorite for locals and visitors alike. The beach is clean, peaceful, and perfect for swimming, walking, or just soaking in the sun. Spending time here is not only relaxing but great for your health—natural sunshine helps your body produce vitamin D3, which supports bone health, immune function, and mood. The gentle ocean breeze and sound of waves melt stress away. Venice Beach is the perfect mix of beauty, wellness, and tranquility!

Nice mellow beach 🏖️,, not too crowded, some small shells 🐚, smidegon of sea glass, no sharks 🦈 teeth on this visit.

Nice beach not busy or over crowded in a nice area with easy access, beautiful sunsets, and free parking

Tony and I visited Venice Beach & the Venice Pier! There was free parking and it was free to walk out on the pier! There is some damage to end of pier so you can't go all the way The beach is darker and course than Siesta Key Beach! Definitely would go again but honestly not my favorite! Tony Vanoy Lisa Diane Boyce-Vanoy #vacayinthesouth2025

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 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. Sharkey'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

Nice public beach with great amenities - clean bathrooms, changing rooms, decent parking, food shack (sells alcoholic drinks also), and lifeguards. We went on a Thursday afternoon and then a Saturday afternoon. Saturday was pretty busy and finding parking took a minute (had to park at the lot across the street). The sand isn't bright white nor is it powdery. The sand looks like salt and pepper being a mix of white sand and black sand. Lots of shells on the ground and people were finding shark's teeth. The beach was very clean - no trash or cigarettes on the ground.

People should really be mindful of not sitting 1-ft away from you especially when you don't control your pet(s) A lot of poop that is not being cleaned

One of the many trips on our bucket list was to come to the shark tooth capital right here on Venice Beach. We came here on perhaps not on the best day. There was an advancing front bringing rain it was windy and grey and the areas searchable by the water were not calm. Out 1.5 (3 hour return) from Bonita Springs, made this for a rather long and fruitless pursuit. Shark teeth are not plentiful here. And the 3 of us we walked a total of 3 miles combing the beach at different sites all the way to the Jetti. SOL! We probably won't be back. We did enjoy dinner down town, and it was still an adventure, enjoying a new place.

Awesome and unbelievable beach!! You can rent your beach needs at the main pier or enjoy anywhere else along the beach while searching for sharks teeth at the sharks tooth capital of the world!! Very clean and family friendly. The walk on the pier and watching the fishermen fish is amazing. Food and drinks are available at the beginning of the pier.

Finding shark teeth is really hard. I had wanted to try for a bit and finally did.... No luck! So sad. Windy day, but fun digging around the sand anyway: there was high rip current so no going in the water. Lots of shells

I came to Venice Beach in Venice, Florida, in June/July 2002 (9 years old). My parents, sister (one, older), and I were on a summer vacation to Disney World and Clearwater. Venice Beach was one of our destinations during our time away from Disney World. To date, our visit remains the first and only time I have been to Venice Beach/Venice, Florida. The beach was smaller than some of the other ones we visited on the trip. A worker in a nearby shop talked about the shark teeth on the beach, which we spent a fair amount time looking for. We found a number of very small (I mean like 1/3 of a dime coin in size...) shark teeth on the beach. Larger teeth were available from shop(s) near the beach. It was a fun beach to visit and have a different activity to do. The teeth might still be in a bin in the house somewhere (writing this on Monday 18 September 2023).

Very nice public beach more accessible than Siesta Key Beach. Adequate bathrooms, snack shop and gift shop. Great spot to swim or hunt shark teeth. Free parking close to the sand!! Even better down by the Venice Beach Pier and Sharky's...

Beautiful beach, they have very nice beach wheelchairs, which is great for getting my neice to the water. life guards brought the chair to us and were very friendly. They have clean bathrooms and a great gift shop with snacks. Found some sharks teeth, and great shells. Love beaching in venice.

Four years later and this place keeps getting better and better. Still lots of free parking, body showers, a convenience store, and change / rest rooms. Even a cute artsy turtle garbage can to put your plastic bottles in. The beach has tons of shells everywhere that are very hard on your feet as you enter the water, which was far too cold in March (69°). Although, it was still nice to lay out in the 74° sunny weather and get our tans on.

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!

Pretty decent beach to find sharks teeth at. We visited because we heard it was really easy to find them here. At first we were a bit disappointed, it took us a long time to find any. We ended up finding a handful but we really had to look. It's a moderately sized beach, decent for a day chilling at the beach but most people are either shell hunting or looking for sharks teeth here.

We went here for a business trip and decided to do a photoshoot.the sand was more of a lava dirt..burning hurt like blister hot.I would definitely recommend water shoes there.lots of huge rocks so not a beach for children and warm water.but great for photos not for pleasure

Visited this beach toward the end of both April and snowbird season. Busy, but not very crowded. Mostly vacationers and some snowbirds. Water was very nice. Drops off quick so have to be careful with children. Sand is dark in color and gets hot just like on the east coast. Free parking on either side of the bathrooms and snack bar. There are three lifeguards on duty. It is a good walk from cars in parking lot to the water. Overall a nice place to spend the day. In the winter It gets really crowded with retirees. The town of Venice that you drive thru to get to the beach is lined with restaurants and shops. Nice to spend so time after the beach.

Messy beach! They never take any time to rake or clean this beach. It is always full of debris and ruins the whole experience. And the fisherman are constantly there fishing with many lines and hooks in the water which does not allow one to enjoy the water safely. They refuse to put time limits on the fisherman.

This is my absolute favorite beach by far! The kids always have an amazing time but I will say that there's a little bit of history behind the beach but you'll see it when you get there This is also a great hot spot to find shark teeth and some beautiful shells! I will say that be prepared to have sand stuck to you for some reason this sand is the trickiest to get off it's a little more coarse that st.Pete beach but I still enjoy it better

We love Venice Beach. There are some of the most beautiful sunsets you'll see, shark teeth to find, dolphins to watch, and I even swam with a manatee.

Darker sand, crashing waves, beautiful whole sea shells and HUNT wisely to find some shark teeth too! Shark teeth are gray and black. You can find the gum shape like a boomerang but amazingly enough, you can find the sharp fang like tooth attached sometimes too!!!! We hunted for hours and enjoyed getting our feet wet Little shells but so many pretty ones that aren't even broken. You may find crab claws, sand dollars, seaweed, corral, and other gifts from Mother Nature. Find plastic? Pick it up!

Beautiful beach! The white sand and light green water were amazing. The light winds were helpful cooling us down and the covered picnic area with the food stand, gift shop and bathrooms were fantastic. Stop by the jetty!

HOLY SHELLS!! This beach is awesome! So many shells everywhere. Beach has course sand, but it won't hurt your feet. There's BATHROOMS and rinse stations. They also have volleyball nets, and a big covered patio that's next to a small food/toy shack. There was a band playing the day we visited! Not to mention FREE PARKING. This is Definitely a snowbird beach, but in a good way.. not crowded at all and it's quiet. It was fun "shelling" only a few feet from the shore. I think it's possible because there's a shelf where it drops about 3-4feet surprisingly close to shore. The sand bar isn't far, and it's very shallow! The sand out there is very soft and smooth, unlike the actual beach. I love how every beach in FL is a little different than the last. But this one now has found memories and it's now among my favorite.

Loved loved loved this beach. WAY better than St Pete beach, which was named number 1. The beach is way closer to the parking, so less walking. Bathrooms and a place to buy snacks/drinks right by the parking. Clean beach. Lots of people hunting for shark teeth or shells. Lots in the water!! Can't wait to come back once it warms up a little and I can go diving with my snorkel mask. They also had a lifeguard on duty.

Beautiful down historical venice beach. Lots of places to sit and plenty of places to shop and eat. Which I could have spent more time but this will happen another time. Did get to shop at a beach store and found many beautiful shells and acrylic piece to display my beautiful conch shell.

Still a very nice beach; we have been coming here for 30+ years and it's still in good shape, though you don't find the shark's teeth here the way you used to. Take a walk on the pier, see the pelicans, and eat dinner at Sharky's!

First time here, a lovely beach and super clean. I found so many beautiful intact shells that I am taking back home with me. I even find a small sand dollar while looking for seashells with my feet. Some one even had a ring of shells makes me think they were doing a spell or ritual, cool! They have bathrooms and showers. Minus the rude people taking forever with their family to rinse off thinking they were taking a shower today, no rinse off and move on. The water felt lovely almost like bath water. Beautiful clear blue-green water that you have see in front of you and a lot of room of sand bar that you can keep swimming out to. I had a women around my age compliment me on my rash guard and talked for a bit. I give this beach a rating of 9 out of 10.

Beautiful beach I loved visiting disappointed I didn't find any sharks teeth but the lifeguard was super friendly and you can't beat this beach. It's so beautiful love this area.

Very nice local beach. Not really crowded and it was a Saturday, was able to get parking with no problem at 11am. Sand isn't as white and powdery as Siesta Key, but I preferred the more local feel and short walk from the car. A bit of seaweed floating around but not nearly as much as Siesta Key today. I will definitely go back!

Beautiful beach, friendly people, great place for solo or family travel. The beach is always clean, the sunsets are beautiful and it's extremely peaceful!!!! This is my happy place!!!!

Beautiful beach . Wider beach with lots of sand before hitting the wavy waters. It gets deeper pretty quickly. I prefer the calm gulf waters of the bays. There is a life guard shack at this location and a shower right at the entrance. Also a fairly close walk to the restrooms and a snack shack.

This beach is a tourist spot. If your in the area and used to Atlantic Beaches, this would be the place to go. The water can be clear, but the water and waves tend to resemble those in the Atlantic. Beautiful place but can get pretty busy. If crowds are rougher gulf waves are your thing then this is your beach.

Venice Beach is my most favorite of all the Florida beaches. It has clear blue water and is the perfect swimming temperature. It doesn't have lovely white sand and when you are swimming the water unexpectedly goes very deep in many areas but it is old Florida at its best. Hotels, bars and t-shirt shops are nowhere in sight. If you like to be around lots of people stick near the fishing pier and main entrance area. Otherwise keep driving down the sandy road along the beach and you will find yourself surrounded by quite nature and have lots of room to spread out a day camp along the shore line. The best part about Venice Beach is the sharks teeth. It is "The Shark Tooth Capital of the World." The story is that about 10 million years ago when Florida was submerged under water there were lots of sharks swimming around. Over time the water receded giving way to land and the prehistoric sharks died. Their fossilized teeth is all that remain. I have spent countless hours over the years combing the sand collecting teeth and listening to locals tell their stories of the biggest finds. Each year the search becomes more difficult as the supply diminishes but the adventure remains.

Very clean beach. Lots of shells if you like collecting shells. The public restroom were clean. Only 3 stalls for women. Not sure about men restroom. Surrounding neighborhood is Beautiful. Great location. Nice beach overall.

This is a beautiful beach and pretty water ( not clear ) but still Beautiful, nice sand and not many people here either :). Definitely will be back

free parking and we were able to find a spot relatively easy, food stand for lunch, small restroom, smaller beach with not much walking from parking lot, and seemed pretty family friendly.

You wouldn't know that this beach houses the most sharks teeth in the USA by just walking out to the water. But once people start showing up, you know something is up. So much fun and so relaxing on this beach. Found a few teeth too. Want to go back!

I love Venice beach it's so quiet. There are much less sharks teeth than there used to be but they still have some nice cute shells. This place has many older people but I don't mind, it's quiet and well kept for someone looking to get away.

Before you go check out Red Tide warning from several web sites. This season, July-Aug 2021 the beach water smelled, dead fish and eye irritation. Some web sites and especially restaurants making lite of the matter but it is serious and who in the heck wants to eat at a restaurant near the Gulf with the stink and eye irritations!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! The beach is nice, sand is average and water is rarely clear enough to see one's feet as is characteristic of Atalantic coast beaches such as Fort Lauderdale) but the beach in the summer is rarely crowed, good parking nearby. If you go to any nearby beaches also check a variety of sources for Red Tide.

Would not recommend going here. The beach is not clean, has algae everywhere. We saw a couple of dead fish and fishing nets. There is not that many showers or restrooms alongside the beach. The sand is fairly rough and has cigarette buds in some places.

Oh, when the sun beats down and burns the tar upon the roof And your shoes get so hot, you wish your tired feet were fireproof --The Drifters, Under the Boardwalk That's exactly what came to mind when we visited Venice Beach on a hot day in July! The sand is dark and coarse, so you'd better wear your shoes on a hot day, or you'll do the Captain Ben Sisko shuffle all the way to the water! We weren't there for long, since we had somewhere to go afterwards, so there wasn't enough to find any of the famous shark teeth. Everyone else I talked to said that had found oodles of them, so perhaps next time!

Great sandy beach. No smells, no dead fish, it's back ! Lovely place to walk and to watch the sunset. Swimmers are back, people are back ! Restroom available, restaurants nearby to eat. Ample parking available. Had a wonderful time .

Blah. Not a fan. It wasn't bad, but Lido Beach blew it away. Better amenities, better parking, much better sand. Again, not terrible, but I'd go to Lido in Sarasota before Venice again in a heartbeat.

This is more of a natural beach that has good access and a lot of nature to be found. There's good fishing and lots of shells and shark teeth that can be easily found by a novice. There are bathrooms and changing areas close by but not a lot of food. This beach has dark sand which is a little warm in the summer but is nice in the fall winter and spring. The water is pretty calm here. Parking is pretty good too

Love this beach. Parking is a breeze and the beach is always clean. The water is such a beautiful blue. Bathrooms and showers and a place to grab food as well. My family and I love this beach. It's great all year round! Florida gem

Best beach for finding sharks teeth! Not too crowded! The fishing pier is awesome because the city of Venice actually pays for your license to fish off the pier so you do not need to have a fishing license. Also clean area and friendly people all around. The shop on the pier has bait, snacks and other goodies and the owner is a sweetheart. All around this beach is highly rated in my books and is a nice hidden gem in florida. So glad I found this place.

WELCOME TO THE LAND OF SHARK'S TEETH! This beach is clean, not over crowded and the water is clear and wonderful! Sand is a bit grainy but more beautiful and serene then most other beaches. The water was warm and calm and added major points to a peaceful day at the beach. There is also a lot of fishing going on and the Venice Fishing Pier is only a hop away. The Pier was pretty long providing amazing views and it was clear that the area brought a lot of visitors and fishing veterans as well as novices. This was one of my favorite beaches in the area. This Philly girl can't wait to return! Well done, Venice Beach!

This beach is beautiful. Loved it. Reminds me of Naples without the crowds. Enjoyed it very much, friendly, social and pristine. Love the sand. Didnt find any shark teeth which is a bummer but the sunset and atmosphere was awesome!

Never crowded, small beach town feel, plenty of parking and lots to do in the area. Our new home away from home.

The beach is not the go to beach Venice unless you live across the street. It is simply your average non-descript beach. The sand was much darker than others nearby and there are not many shallow areas once in the ocean.

Beautiful beach. It wasn't crowded at all when we went. There isn't that much parking at the area we were (Service Club). The covered picnic tables were a nice surprise.