Venice Fishing Pier This pier is kin of cool. It has a bait…read moreshop, Fish Cleaning Stations, Fishing Rod Holders, and Benches throughout the Pier. This Pier had some work done it after the hurricanes and its safe and easy to walk on. It's free to walk out on it and the views are spectacular. While we were out on it, we saw a Dolphin playing in the surf. This pier is a great place for pictures, and we took plenty of then. One end of this pier starts at Sharky's Restaurant and ends with lots of Fishing spots. You can walk from one end to the other easily. Make sure you take a walk out on this pier just for pics. Follow me On FB For More Reviews & Fun Gulf Coast Terry

We came to find shark teeth and boy did we. There is ample free parking, which is rare for Florida…read morebeaches. We arrived early and didn't have issues, but if you come late it will be busy. They also have a bathrooms in the parking lot and outdoor showers to rinse off. The beach is nice, but the sand is pretty rough and filled with broken shells. The fishing pier is just a pier where you can walk out and fish if you want. There is a little stand that sells bait, snacks, and souvenirs. Overall a nice place to check out for shark teeth and shells.

A beautiful park at any time of the day. Today happened to be a bit chilly outside but we witnessed…read morean amazing sunset. There are plenty of spaces to fish on the jetties and plenty of parking that you don't have to pay for. It's a win-win situation. I recommend coming when it's dark or at sunset because it is a gorgeous place to visit when you can't find yourself doing anything else.

This is where Venice Jetty is. Restrooms, parking (limited), lots of fishers, pretty water views…read more Unfortunately, no dogs.

Beautiful and quiet. Lots of free parking and clean. Visiting from Tampa and we enjoyed our…read moreweekend here.

I come here for the park then go cool off at the beach mostly around sunset. The shipwreck park is…read morea cool design full of fun nooks and crannies to explore, the rope bridge of course is the highlight. There are also swings for all ages. Covered seating and bathrooms all real close. The bathrooms don't have mirrors but there are plenty of stalls and changing rooms along with outdoor foot washing stations. The boardwalk that leads from the bathrooms to the beach is still blocked off since I can remember but accessing the beach directly is no problem. Most days the parking lot is overcrowded around sunset but there is overflow parking just down the road and across the street which is where we had to park a few times the walk isn't bad, there is a beautiful dolphin fountain there that we enjoy sitting near anyway. The walk to the actual water isn't far from the main entrance and the sand is great so a very reliable park for everything you need. Including great food options just across the street.

First off, did y'all know this is the Shark Tooth Capital of the World?! Because I definitely…read moredidn't... Now I feel like I'm supposed to be out here searching the sand for treasure. But THE WATER ... pictures honestly don't do it justice. That blue-green water looks like something straight out of a movie. Clear, beautiful, peaceful, and the whole beach just has that Florida postcard feel. Between the beach, the pier, the views, and apparently being able to casually find prehistoric shark teeth Venice Beach is easily a 5-star stop for me (I'm so glad my daughter has soccer games down here)..

We've been to Venice Beach numerous times. It's a huge beach and typically there is a lot of…read moreparking available. Unfortunately, we went this past weekend and forgot that it was Spring Break. It took us a while to find parking, but other than that... great experience as always. Lots of beach front to set up your chairs, etc. Lots of people shark tooth hunting. We found a few. You can always grab a drink or snack at Sharky's.

This is a very nice quiet secluded beach located down the street from the main Venice Beach. I like…read moreit because of it being quiet secluded and relaxing. There's no parking, but down the street is public parking so we dropped off our stuff here with me and my husband parked. I love these kind of beaches that are off the beaten path. It's the true definition of beach, beach, chill, and relaxed. Since this is not Siesta Key, the sand is quite different. There are a lot of sand pieces and it feels a lot like gravel. But I'm not looking for that powder sand, I'm looking for the chill beautiful all natural which this is it!

Beautiful park in a rapidly shrinking green space in the once beautiful Sarasota, FL. Park staff…read moreare great, friendly, helpful and generally lovely. Once you're through the entrance, you can pretend Sarasota hasn't been invaded by cancerous northerners who have absolutely trashed the city and destroyed everything in their wake. You can appreciate what Sarasota once was, beautiful, natural, and covered in flora and fauna. God save Oscar Scherer!

I absolutely love nature and going to state parks. You are able to camp here, but I just went to…read moreventure around for a little bit. You do have to pay to enter the park. It was not busy at all. I highly recommend wearing bug spray and wearing long pants. There are trails for walking, hiking, and biking. You can also do kayaking. There is a small pond with sand, but need to be careful of the alligators. It's worth checking out.

Gilchrist Park has a way of feeling alive even on a cool winter morning. I arrived around 9am on a…read moreSunday expecting a quiet start, but the place was already humming with tennis players, dog walkers, and people easing into the day along the Harborwalk. The breeze off the water made everything feel crisp and unhurried. The public restrooms were open, clean, and very welcome after my morning coffee, which is not something you can take for granted in a waterfront park. Parking is probably tight when there is an event, but on this visit it was easy enough to slip into a spot and enjoy the shoreline without any stress. The view of the bridges was especially lovely, stretching across the wide river with a kind of quiet confidence. From here you really appreciate how much engineering went into building and maintaining them, and how gracefully they connect the two sides of the harbor. The seagulls added their own bit of drama. They were unusually active, circling and calling, and once they noticed I was eating a sandwich they fell into formation behind me like a feathery escort. It was a little unnerving to feel so closely monitored, as if I had wandered into a Hitchcock audition. [Review 1589 of 2025 - 2170 in Florida - 25139 overall]

This 11 acre park is named for Governor Albert Gilchrist, a real estate broker, surveyor, and…read morepolitical leader and one of the founding fathers of the City. Gilchrist grew up in Georgia and came to Punta Gorda as surveyor. Governor Gilchrist first served on the City Council, then in the State Legislature before becoming the 20th Governor of Florida from 1909 to 1913. Upon his death, Governor Gilchrist established a $5,000 endowment to the City for the provision of ice cream to all the children of Punta Gorda on Halloween. This tradition still continues today with the help of community sponsors. The park is located at 400 W. Retta Esplanade in historic Punta Gorda, Gilchrist Park runs along the waterfront between the downtown and Fishermen's Village. In the the park you get a view of Charlotte Harbor. Park amenities include a large pirate themed playground, basketball, tennis and pickleball courts, fishing pier (closed), gazebo, picnic pavilions, and open green space. In the center of the park along the water there is a large statue of Spanish explorer Juan Ponce de Leon memorializing when he came ashore as the first European in this area in the 16th century. The statue was donated by the Royal Order of Ponce de Leon Conquistadors,an organization "dedicated to the preservation of the Spanish heritage of Charlotte County and Florida." The statue was dedicated on March 27, 2005. Weddings, craft shows and concerts are some of the events held in the park. Also located within the park is the Bayfront Center operated by the YMCA of Charlotte County. This facility hosts YMCA programs including a sailing center. The YMCA rents this waterfront facility.

Weather permitting, this will ALWAYS be a 5/5 experience! On the weekends or around sunset, finding…read morea good parking spot by the water can be tricky, but not impossible. Beer, ice cream and snacks are available at a nearby concession stand. Dolphins can usually be seen in the distance either in the channel or the gulf. Great spot for watching boats go by, fishing, relaxing or taking pictures by the water. My personally favorite is taking pictures of my trucks around sunset.