[Sammy654]

Okay, can't really figure out where we want to live but we will be coming through the SW area in a couple months. Looking into Venice. We are not into the party life, like to walk more than anything in the evening, have a couple of kids, one will be in college by then. I want to come to Venice to see if I can feel what it would be like to live there. I won't have much time but would like to know what I need to see that would show me what life in Venice is really like...good and bad. I sure would appreciate any help. Also, is there a part of Englewood that is not just run down houses, we went through Englewood and it seemed like possibly we took one road that took us to kind of a miss-matched area of one nice gated section and then more less a not so well taken care of area. Anyway any info that would help guide. I like Sarasota but it seems like you practically have to live in Bradenton in order to afford a home $200 or less. Thanks again!!

[FLBob]

Life on the Island of Venice is unique. Everyone that lives here talks about how nice it is to be able to walk to shopping, and restaurants. Walkers, bikers, joggers, dog walkers are on the streets and sidewalks most times of the day. The beach is not crowded, and divers can be seen just off shore.

Off Island is also very nice, but it is the downtown on island and the beaches that are the big attraction. There are a larger number of golf course communities, some gated some not.

Check out South Venice for the most affordable homes west of the trail.

[SoFLGal]

Have you looked into North Port? The average age here is 38. You could get a newer, larger home than in Venice. There would be a lot to choose from if you are looking to stay under $200K. It's just south of Venice and about 20-25 minutes from the beach. Here's something I wrote about the area:

North Port, Florida is located on the west coast of Florida in the southernmost part of Sarasota County midway between Sarasota and Fort Myers. US 41 and I-75 provide easy access to airports in Tampa, Sarasota and Fort Myers. At 103 square miles, North Port is the second largest city in Florida in land size, but it still retains the friendliness and convenience of a small town since it is only 18% developed.

North Port, Florida visitors and residents find the Gulf of Mexico only 20 minutes away on Manasota Key, which has miles of beautiful beaches for boating, shelling, and picnic areas. North Port, Florida is criss-crossed by a network of canals and greenbelts providing breathing room between homes. Water lovers enjoy the canoeing the miles of canals and lakes that wind through the city. Streets were laid out with many cul de sacs and U-shaped sections to minimize traffic in residential neighborhoods. Charlotte Harbor is also close by and is a favorite of boaters and sports fisherman alike. Imagine living in a place where the average temperature in January is 63 degrees and a balmy 82.5 degrees during the month of August.

North Port, Florida became a city in 1959, and its population has more than tripled in the last fifteen years. North Port’s population is around 46,000 now but projected to climb to 250,000 in the next 10-25 years. Concerned with urban sprawl, the city of North Port, Florida is extending more sidewalks and encouraging walking by planning smaller neighborhoods within the city. With a vast inventory of new homes, resale homes and land, North Port, Florida is a fast growing area where you will get more bang for your buck.
Among the city’s attractions is the North Port Library, a beautiful new building with over 50,000 books in print and access to over 500,000 through the Sarasota County Library system. A second library is planned in another part of town.

Another draw to North Port, Florida are twelve parks and recreation areas, where you can bike, hike and bird watch to your heart’s content. The newest one is the Garden of the Five Senses. Kids enjoy the North Port Skate Park, and a dog park is planned for the future. Most of Florida’s Myakka State Forest is within the city limits of North Port, Florida and provides 8592 acres of unspoiled land for hiking and primitive camping along the river.

Each year residents enjoy the Freedom Festival which is held July 4th with a parade and fireworks, and the annual Christmas Parade second Saturday in December ending at Dallas White Park with a community block party.

The new North Port High School and Heron Creek Middle School will be joined by another middle school this year and another high school in the near future. Cranberry Elementary, Toledo Blade Elementary, Glenallen Elementary and Lamarque Elementary meet the needs of grade school students. To meet the demand of a younger population, a new elementary school has opened nearly every year for the past few years with a total of four now and another planned. North Port has a new high school, a performance arts center, and is close to Manatee Community College, which plans a North Port campus by 2010. You will also find numerous pre-school and day care facilities.
To accommodate future growth, new commercial complexes are unveiled constantly along US 41 and in the Price Boulevard and Toledo Blade areas, the two access points to I-75. A new shopping center making a third Publix and numerous other retail stores just opened on Toledo Blade, and a theater and medical complex are in the permitting stage of construction. A second YMCA and library will also be in this vicinity. More specialty restaurants and major chains like super Wal-Mart, Home Depot, Perkins, Walgreen’s, ABC Liquor and Lowe’s are opening every few months, and a major mall in Port Charlotte is only 10 minutes away.
Here in North Port, Florida you are surrounded by lush landscape and indigenous foliage, meticulously maintained homes, lawns and gardens and upscale golf communities. There is a lifestyle to suit everyone. Generally, the waterfront homes that stretch north of US 41 are on the canals or lakes and have no Gulf access, whereas the canal homes on the south side of US 41 have Gulf access.

You will love the laid-back, tropical style of North Port and its surrounding communities. These neighborhoods are home to golf fanatics, boat lovers and nature enthusiasts. Some of the original neighborhoods in North Port, Florida include Country Club Ridge, Highland Ridge, Jockey Club. City water and sewer is available in the original communities and in the newest gated complexes. Everything else has well and septic.

Adjacent to North Port, Florida is the famous Warm Mineral Springs area which was recently annexed to the town. Warm Mineral Springs is an established tourist attraction and home to mineral waters with a year-round temperature of 87 degrees and the third richest density of minerals in any known spring in the world.

Local communities in the North Port, Florida area featuring a golf club environment include Bobcat Trail Golf Course, Sabal Trace Golf Course and Heron Creek Golf and Country Club plus about 30 others within a short drive.

Planned communities include The Woodlands, a Centex development with 2,596 home sites planned in North Port, and the Isles of Athena with 15,000 homes planned on 5,700 acres in northeast North Port.

West Villages, formerly an 11,600 acres cattle ranch on either side of US 41 and River Road, is only in its first buildout phase with Island Walk. This will be a small city itself.

North Port Estates is an equestrian dream. This neighborhood has many recreational areas, horse and hiking trails. Bring your horse and stay awhile! The Myakkahatchee Creek Environmental Park stretches for nine miles, coursing through North Port Estates. Most homes sites are three to five acres mini-ranches and are zoned agricultural. Throughout North Port, Florida you will also find 2 to 10 acre tracts for a sprawling estate in a residential neighborhood.
Country Club Ridge, Highland Ridge and the Jockey Club have underground utilities, central water and sewer, street lights, sidewalks and deed restrictions and are close to shopping, the community pool and North Port Library. Duck Key is a new upscale community surrounding a small lake. Many homes are on the waterfront with direct access to the Myakka River and on out into the Gulf of Mexico. Talon Bay, Lakeside Plantation, Largo Preserve and Charleston Park all provide activities and amenities for their residents.
You’ll find mobile or manufactured homes limited to a few communities along US 41, some with Gulf access.

North Port, Florida still has thousands of lots available for development, and it is working diligently to preserve the pristine environment and balance growth with conservation. You’ll find upscale golf course homes in Heron Creek, Bobcat Trail and Sabal Trace, a variety of deed restricted communities, waterfront canal homes, mobile homes, acreage for horses and vacations villas and condos. Contact us today to find out more about the communities of beautiful North Port, Florida.
NORTH PORT

• Bobcat Trail -Golf, Gated
• Cedar Grove at the Woodlands
• Charleston Park -Gated
• Cypress Falls at the Woodlands -Gated, +55 Community
• Gran Paradiso -Gated
• Heron Creek Golf & Country Club -Golf, Gated
• Island Walk -Gated
• Lakeside Plantation
• Largo Preserve
• North Port Estates -Equestrian
• Sabal Trace -Golf, Gated
• Talon Bay -Gated
• Warm Mineral Springs

[Sammy654]

Thanks so much for the information. Is there a not so great area in Venice...I thought that I had read that there were crimes/gangs in South Venice. If going south on 75, is there a good drive that would be recommended to see both North Port and then Venice....sections and areas that would give some clip of what each of these places are like. We vacation far SW Florida and would like to soak up some insight on our way down, as mucn as we can. Is North Port farther from colleges than Venice? Are there any daily traffic issues in either area on a daily (driving to work) basis that one needs to be aware of? Thanks again!!

[FLBob]

If you exit 75 at exit 200 rt 681. This will bring you in to US41 just above Venice. Once you go past Roberts Bay take US41 business to go over the drawbridge and on to Venice Island.

Once you've toured the Island you can continue south on 41. Once you go over the circus bridge on the south end of the Island you will be driving past South Venice. I don't know where you heard about gangs and crime in South Venice, but South Venice is a nice area with older and newer housing. It's one of my favorite areas to tour Christmas lights. It's been around for decades. It's one area where you can still find affordable housing west of US41. Turn in on Shamrock and check it out.

Once you leave South Venice just continue on US41 heading south until you reach NP. I'll let SoFLGal guide you through NP....

[imagardener]

Originally Posted by Sammy654

I thought that I had read that there were crimes/gangs in South Venice.

Lol. Gangs of what? Oldsters driving badly on US41? Yes. Blocking the aisles at the supermarket? Yes. Clogging up the doctors offices? Yes.

The mental image of senior citizen "gangs" has me laughing. Help I'm being AARP'd

[FringedNFab]

Originally Posted by FLBob

Life on the Island of Venice is unique. Everyone that lives here talks about how nice it is to be able to walk to shopping, and restaurants. Walkers, bikers, joggers, dog walkers are on the streets and sidewalks most times of the day. The beach is not crowded, and divers can be seen just off shore.

Off Island is also very nice, but it is the downtown on island and the beaches that are the big attraction. There are a larger number of golf course communities, some gated some not.

Check out South Venice for the most affordable homes west of the trail.

Having not been to Venice yet, in my researches last year I remember reading somewhere that Venice was unique in that it was the only area in SW FL where the beach was part of the mainland and not on barrier islands. Is there islands in Venice? I've just been stumped about this. Thanks FLBob

[FLBob]

The army core of engineers cut the intracoastal waterway through the city of Venice, creating what is now referred to as the Island of Venice. So there is no natural island, but a man made one.

In fact Naples, is the only other place where the beach is on the mainland in SW Florida.

When they created the intracoastal they also removed the bridge that the residents of South Venice used to cross over to the barrier island that provided beach access to those residents. Now the residents of South Venice have a short ferry ride to take them to the beach.

[SoFLGal]

Originally Posted by Sammy654

Thanks so much for the information. Is there a not so great area in Venice...I thought that I had read that there were crimes/gangs in South Venice. If going south on 75, is there a good drive that would be recommended to see both North Port and then Venice....sections and areas that would give some clip of what each of these places are like. We vacation far SW Florida and would like to soak up some insight on our way down, as mucn as we can. Is North Port farther from colleges than Venice? Are there any daily traffic issues in either area on a daily (driving to work) basis that one needs to be aware of? Thanks again!!

If you are going to check out North Port and Venice I would just drive down US 41. You could drive down I-75 but there's more to see if you take 41. Once you get to Sumter Blvd and US 41 make a left drive up until you get to Price Blvd make a right and go to Toledo Blade Blvd and go right. Which takes you back to US 41. This route would give you the best picture of North Port.

It depends on what college you are referring to. Edison College is in Punta Gorda which is south of North Port. MCC south campus is on the North Port/Venice line and New College is up in Sarasota north of Venice and North Port.

No real traffic in North Port except on Toledo Blade Blvd where they're widening the road.

[SoFLGal]

Originally Posted by imagardener

Lol. Gangs of what? Oldsters driving badly on US41? Yes. Blocking the aisles at the supermarket? Yes. Clogging up the doctors offices? Yes.

The mental image of senior citizen "gangs" has me laughing. Help I'm being AARP'd

Now that was pretty funny!