South Venice

With 7,000+ homes, South Venice is the largest subdivision in Sarasota County. The non-deed restricted community is unique in several ways: no homeowner is forced to be a member of the South Venice Civic association; however,  if he decides to become one, the $60 annual fee will grant him access to the community center and many community events. Of course, you can keep your boat or your RV on your property and spend the storage fee for other things. That is the deal of a non-deed restricted community!

Now, what if you want to go out on a thrilling boat ride and do not know where to launch your boat? Easy enough! The community has an own boat launch, and the boat goes right into the Intracoastal Waterway. From there the boater has access to the beautiful waters of the Gulf of Mexico. A small contribution per year opens the chain which blocks the boat ramp for non-paying members of the community.

And it gets even better: South Venice has its own deeded 1,300-foot beachfront property on the Gulf of Mexico. A community-owned ferry takes the sun seekers to the other side – across the Intracoastal Waterway. The ferry will cross the Intracoastal every day except on Wednesdays. This is the only day when the ferryman gets a well-earned rest, and when volunteers keep up the boat. A low monthly contribution will get you to the beach. If you like the ride, you can go back and forth every 30 minutes – until the sun sets, and the captain is done for the day.

The community has even more to offer: Shamrock Park, situated at the north end of the community, offers tennis and basketball courts and a playground for the little ones; a Club House/Community Center, and miles and miles of biking/hiking trails along the Intracoastal Waterway, and Alligator Creek round out the picture.

However, when driving through the community you will notice easily that South Venice is different from other communities. South Venice is one of the few communities in Florida with this “old Florida” charm. If you are looking for a sleek and stylish community with upscale homes, manicured lawns and neatly trimmed flower beds – South Venice is not really the place for you. There are other deed restricted communities where you can find that.

South Venice has a variety of homes: little ranch homes, cottages and beach houses are on typical 80 X 100 lots; however, there are plenty of double or over sized lots as well. The majority of homes are from the 70″s, 80″s and 90″s, with some even older than that; here and there, one can find a brand-new home.