World Atlas has named Venice and the City of Anna Maria to its list of the 11 Most Breathtaking Towns in Florida, a recognition Sarasota Magazine also highlighted. For anyone who has watched the sun come up over Bean Point or pedaled the Legacy Trail into downtown Venice, the honor lands as confirmation rather than surprise.
The two towns offer very different versions of the Gulf Coast. Anna Maria keeps its Old Florida character with pastel cottages, walkable Pine Avenue, and white-sand beaches at Bean Point. Venice pairs a 1920s historic downtown with Gulf beaches, biking trails, and its long-standing title as the Shark Tooth Capital of the World. Caspersen Beach remains the go-to spot for fossil hunters, and the Venice Fishing Pier at Brohard Park stretches roughly 700 feet into the Gulf.
The recognition arrives while both communities continue recovering from Hurricanes Helene and Milton in 2024. The Rod & Reel Pier was destroyed and is now operating from a temporary location in Holmes Beach, while the Anna Maria City Pier is under reconstruction and expected to reopen in fall 2026. That mix of beauty and resilience is part of what makes these towns worth the trip.
Which one gets your vote, Venice or Anna Maria? Let us know in the comments.
