Venice Florida is in the top 10 places in the US to retire!!! About Venice Florida Venice, Florida is an extremely pleasant community of 21,000 people located south of Sarasota on the Gulf of Mexico. Originally developed in 1925 by the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers as a planned retirement community, Venice is named after the many canals and rivers running through it. Thanks to its central planning, Venice is a top rated community for adults over 55. In many ways Venice is similar to Naples; except with less traffic and far lower prices. The town has wide boulevards lined with palms and banyan trees. Much of the town is in the northern Italian renaissance architectural style. The lively downtown has many interesting shops and restaurants. There are plenty of parks and public tennis courts. Just a few short blocks from the downtown is one of Florida’s best Gulf Coast beaches. The climate of Venice Florida truly compliments the lifestyle of retirement. There are 31 parks within Venice offering swimming, baseball, basketball, volleyball, softball, shuffleboard, football, and soccer facilities. The community hugs the gulf coast so no matter where you are you are close to the beach. The city takes pride in its many parades, art fests, nationally award-winning community theater, and preserved natural environments. The Venice Symphony offers many concerts. The Arts Cultural Alliance is very active. Concerts are held several times weekly in the Centennial Park Gazebo. There is a beautiful new library downtown. Tennis courts, Golf courses, Bird Watching, Fishing, Boating, and even Krokae are among the activities available within Venice. Financially Florida as a whole makes sense to choose for retirement. Florida does not have a state income tax and Florida is a no fault state regarding insurance.