Copyright. Barefoot Beachcombers Club.  All rights reserved

2024 Beach Trips

Explore Downtown Historic Venice:

Exploring the beautiful historic district of Downtown Venice is magical. The town was one of the first planned cities to be built, and due to the location along the bays and water the creators were inspired by Venice, Italy. You will find much of the historic downtown area has classic Italian architecture as well as beautifully manicured gardens and palm tree-lined boulevards.

West Venice Avenue, the gateway to the Gulf, captivates visitors with its tropical beauty. Stunning palms tower the street, while hibiscus, jasmine, and other flowering plants provide endless color along the street. An abundance of trees and benches create an inviting environment for shopping and dining or enjoying a stroll on the avenue and then some stillness under a gazebo.

Sculptures and two bronze statues-Maria and Sophia are displayed along the avenue. Further down the street is a mural titled, “Healing in the Enchanted Garden.” showcasing area wildlife in wonderful detail.

There are also thirteen historical buildings showcased during a walking tour. The map can be viewed at  www.visitvenicefl.org. Once you are on the website, scroll down and click on “Historic Walking Tour”!

Return to The Villages:

At about 5:30pm we will depart for The Villages. There is plenty of room for your purchases beneath the buses.  Hope you have a great time!

​Dining:

Your taste buds will delight in the dining options from Italian and Irish cuisine to pub and

American fare. And the Avenue’s special treats include French pastries, fine chocolates, ice cream, gelato, and scones.

Abby’s On Miami: 220 Miami Ave W; seafood; abbysonmiami.com

Bar Harbor Cheesecake Company: 219 Miami Ave; 125 four-inch cheesecake flavors; No website available

Burgundy Square Cafe: 227 West Miami Ave; seafood.burgundysquarecafe.website

Cafe Venice: 101 West Venice Ave #2; tapas, flounder and filet. https://www.cafevenicerestaurantandbar.com/our-menus/dinner

Ciao Gelato:317A West Venice Ave; gelato, sorbet, mousse, and pastries. No website available.

Daiquiri Deck: 300 West Venice Ave; seafood; daiquirideck.com

Devin’s Wine Bar: 101 West Venice Ave. #16; Opens at 4pm. No website available.

Made In Italy: 117 West Venice Ave; Italian pies. Wood fired pizza;  madeinitaly-venice.com

TJ Carney's:231 West Venice Ave. Irish fare; tjcarneys.com

The Soda Fountain of Venice: 349 West Venice Avenue; ice cream parlor; thesodafountainofvenice.com

Venice Avenue Creamery: 249 West Venice Avenue; ice cream. No website available.

Venice Wine & Coffee: 201 West Venice Ave. CLOSES at 6 pm. No website available.

Shopping:

West Avenue offers more than forty different shops and boutiques ranging from products and services including men and women fashions and accessories, coastal apparel, jewelry, home decor, bath and body products, children’s toys, handmade candles, hammocks, stationery, book and paper conservation, and fine wines. Many are listed below.

Abode: 225 Miami Ave West. No website available.

Aqua Silks Studio: 101 West Venice Ave aquasilksstudio.com

B & B Bootery: 311 West Venice Ave. No website available.

Bonnell’s Boutique & Winery: 101 West Venice Ave. #3 No website available.

Captain’s Landing: 243 West Venice avenue; captainslanding.com

Celebration Corner: 303A West Venice Avenue. Toys; No website available.

Dana Tyler:  233 West Venice Avenue; jewelry; danatyler.com

Florida Oil & Vinegar: 307 West Venice Ave; floridaoliveoil.com

Island Gift Nook: 227 West Venice Avenue;islandgn.com

Nest Venice: 233A Miami Ave. W.; nestvenice.com

Twist Boutique: 137 West Venice Ave.venicetwist.com​

​

In a shady spot near the beach pavilion you will find restrooms, showers, and a changing room. There is also a concession with a picnic area. The locals often have their lunch at the Pavillion because the food is so good. A lifeguard is on duty.

This beach is wheelchair accessible. Drinking alcohol is allowed on the beach. NO GLASS is allowed on the beach.

After an abundance of sun we will depart the beach and head for West Venice Avenue for touring, shopping, and dining.

I/we would like to go to Venice Beach with the BBC on Monday, April 21st.  Enclosed is my $42 check (per person). 

Print your name(s):   __________________________________________________

I/we wish to be on the bus with these friends (name up to four)

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

I/we still have a credit with the BBC and I would like to use that credit.  _______

Please provide a phone number that the Club could use in the event we needed to

reach you during the beach outing:   ______________________________

Please provide the name of the Village where you live  _____________________

Trip payment can be mailed or dropped at Barefoot Beachcombers Club, Safe Ship – Colony Plaza, 333 Colony Drive, Box 110, The Villages, FL 32162​​

To get in on the fun, print the reservation form by clicking on the green button above.  On April 5th, we will conduct our lottery and you will be notified shortly thereafter of your seat confirmation or waitlist status. (This means your reservation & check must be at SafeShip by 5pm on April 4th) Mail or drop the reservation form, along with your check (made out to the BBC) for $42.00 per person to: ​

To print a copy of this invitation, click on the Blue Button. 

Please join us as we venture down to a beautiful beach ​famous not only for its 14-miles of world class beaches and stunning natural beauty but also for being a fascinating town with rich history and culture. Venice, just south of Sarasota on Florida’s Southwest Coast, is also a place to go for plentiful shopping with an Old Florida charm.

Approximately a 2 ½ hour drive from The Villages. Venice Beach, a certified Blue Wave Beach is the city’s most popular stretch of coastline, where visitors can look for fossils and reef dive a quarter-mile from shore.

Even though Hurricane Milton foiled our plans to visit Venice Beach last October, we’re still craving a touch of Venice.  We’ve checked the beach, the restaurants and the shops….. and they are definitely ready for our visit!  Sunbathe on the soft white sand, swim the clear turquoise waters of the Gulf and hunt for fossilized prehistoric shark teeth in the Shark Tooth Capital of the World.

​Venice is known as the “Shark Tooth Capital of the World’ because of all the fossilized shark teeth that can be found along its beaches. They date back millions of years to when the area was underwater and a feeding ground for various sharks.

If this is your FIRST EVER BBC trip:  The BBC has a Liability Waiver specific to our club.  Please follow the link:  http://www.bbc32162.com/liability-waiver-1.html; click on the Blue Button to print the Liability Waiver and submit it with your reservation form.  If this is not your first trip,  please skip this step.

Venice Beach  on Monday, April  21st

^​8:30am until 8:00pm

Barefoot Beachcombers Club (‘BBC’ will also suffice)
333 Colony Blvd. #110 *
The Villages, FL 32162

* Be sure to include the mailbox number #110 because there are two BBC's at this Safe Ship Location.

You could instead hand your addressed envelope to a person at the counter at Safe Ship in Colony Plaza, saving you the stamp and ensure its timely arrival.