Did you know that Venice is a pet friendly city?

Most people don’t know that Venice is pet-friendly. Take a stroll down Venice Avenue, and you’ll find dog bowls and dog treats to quench Fido’s thirst and keep your pet happy while you shop.

If your pet needs some exercise after your visit to downtown Venice, a tip to Woodmere Dog Park may be on the agenda. Woodmere Dog Park is a great place to take dogs on a hot Florida day. It is an off-leash park and a wonderful spot to exercise our pet, and there’s plenty of free parking! The area is completely covered in shade, and dogs have lots of room to run. The park provides a special area for really small dogs, and there are places to wash your dogs when you leave. Sit on a bench and watch your pet romp, but make sure you bring a bottle of water for yourself–fountains are available for dogs only. Woodmere Dog Park is located at 3951 Woodmere Park Boulevard in Venice.

Another place your pet can work off some of that energy is Brohard Paw Park, located at 1600 Harbor Drive South. This park boasts a fenced dog play yard, dog drinking fountains, showers on decks for dogs only, fire hydrants and leash posts. Other amenities include picnic tables, benches, showers, and drinking fountains for humans as well as their pets.

Brohard Paw Park is adjacent to Brohard Paw Park Beach, the only beach area in the county where dogs are allowed to roam free. Dog lovers have declared this to be the best dog-friendly park in the state–bring your pup, and enjoy the sand and surf together! Parking is available at both the park and beach.

If you’d like to bike ride or take a stroll with your pet, visit the Venitian Waterway Park, located along both sides of the Intracoastal Waterway. This park features five miles of bicycle or walking trails on each side of the waterway. It connects to Legacy Trail at the historic Venice Train Station, 301 East Venice Avenue, creating almost 30 miles of uninterrupted trails.

Amenities along the 10-mile long, 10-food wide linear trail for walkers, joggers, and bikers include benches, litter receptacles, dog clean-up stations, picnic shelters and grills, scenic waterway views and glimpses of wildlife. No motor vehicles are allowed.

Parking on the west side of the ICW is located at the northwest trailhead off of Nokomis Avenue, behind the Venice Theatre; on Golf Street; on the east side of the Gulf Coast Community Foundation; and at the east end of Airport Avenue, on the dirt road, to the south side of Circus Bridge. Parking on the east side of the ICW is at Marina Park and Boat Ramp, the historic Venice Train Depot, and Shamrock Park in South Venice.