Venice Waterway Trail - Shamrock Park Bike Rental

Venice Waterway Park Trail

The Venice Waterway Trail is a biking and walking trail that runs along both sides of the Intracoastal Waterway (ICW). The ICW divides the City of Venice into the ISLAND from the MAINLAND. The official name of the trail is the The Venetian Waterway Park.

There are several access points on both sides of the ICW. Listed below are locations along the Venice Trail that are preferred by our bike rental customers.

Venice Trail Access Points - Mainland Side

Shamrock Park Self-Guided Day-Tour Delivery Location

This is our primary delivery location for folks looking to rent bikes for self-guided day-tours on the Venice Waterway Trail. (AKA Venice Trail).

Shamrock Park is at the southern end of The Venice Trail at 3900 Shamrock Drive, Venice Florida. It has a large playground, tennis courts, restrooms, cold-water drinking-fountains, picnic-pavilions, nature trails, and an excellent nature-museum. Plenty of parking is available year-round.

The back side of the park property is directly adjacent to the Venice Trail. Once you get your rental bikes follow a short, paved park-trail toward the Venice Waterway Trail. Signs show the way. Shamrock park is a convenient place to start because it runs north toward the Historic Venice Train Depot where it connects to The Legacy Trail.

From anywhere on the Legacy Trail you can bicycle to Shamrock Park simply by pedaling South.

This park has daylight operational hours, and the entrance gate closes at night. If you park at Shamrock be aware that your car can become locked in the park if you do not leave before closing time! Check with Sarasota County for times of operation.

Getting to Shamrock Park by Car
We often recommend this starting location to our customers who are coming to the area from points south of Venice. If you are coming from points north of Venice Oscar Scherer Park is a better starting point that will save you some driving.)

It’s not too difficult to get to the park from I-75, but there are several turns. Generally trusting your GPS reckoning should get you there.

Coming from the south, take Exit-191 (River Road), and Turn Left under the Interstate. Pass Venice Avenue, and Turn Right on Center Road. At US Hiway 41 Turn Left and go about half a mile. Turn Right on Shamrock Drive. Go two miles and Turn Right into the park. Upon arrival at the entrance to the park drive all the way in and pick a spot anywhere near the big building.

Use the map below for more accurate routing.

Riding from Shamrock Park to The Legacy Trail.
Many of our bike rental customers like to extend their ride by including the Venice Trail with The Legacy Trail. Both of these sections are on the mainland-side of the Intracoastal Waterway in Venice. To reach The Legacy Trail from Shamrock Park follow the Venice Trail north for approximately four miles. (The waterway will be on your left as you head north.) The junction point of the two trails is at the Historic Venice Train Station. Likewise, from anywhere on The Legacy Trail you can bicycle to Shamrock Park simply by pedaling south.

Circus Bridge

Bike Rental Delivery to this location is by special request. Call us at 941-412-3821 to check availability.
On the mainland side of the Intracoastal Waterway is a section of the Venice Trail. This scenic trail runs between Shamrock Park and the historic Venice Train Depot and is just over 3 miles long. Shamrock is at the south end, and the Depot is at the north end. Halfway between is the Circus Bridge trail-access point. The road that crosses Circus Bridge is US Hiway 41 Business. It is the southernmost bridge in Venice that crosses the Intracoastal Waterway.

At the bike shop we call this location the Circus Bridge Parking Lot. We can deliver rental bikes to this location only by special request as long as doing so fits in with our regular delivery schedule. Circus Bridge Parking Lot is convenient to US 41, but we don’t really consider this a proper trail-head location because there is no drinking water, or restrooms available. (Shamrock Park does have those facilities.)

We recommend that people who want to ride the Venice Trail for a day start at Shamrock Park instead. Booking our Self-Guided Day-Tour of the Venice Trail gets your bikes to Shamrock Park by 9:30.

A note about crossing from mainland to island side and back: The sidewalk of Circus Bridge is several feet wide which makes for a safe way for bikes and pedestrians to to cross between Venice island and the mainland. In contrast, the sidewalk on the Venice Bridge on Venice Avenue is quite narrow. Riders are required by law to walk their bikes across the Venice Avenue Bridge. So if your riding plans include crossing from mainland to island and back, and it’s not too far out of your way, try to use Circus Bridge for crossing

Getting to Circus Bridge by Car
Both sides of Circus Bridge are on US Highway 41 BUSINESS. But one side is on the island-side of that road, and the opposite side of Circus Bridge is on the mainland. There is no proper Google Map address for the Venice Trail access point on the south side of the bridge. However, 70 Center Road Venice Florida 34293 will get you to the parking lot. Upon arrival proceed forward toward the canal. There is plenty of parking next to the trail.

Venice Trail Access Points - ISLAND Side

Caspersen Park and Beach

Bike Rental Delivery to this location is by special request. Call us at 941-412-3821 to check availability of rental bike delivery here.

At the south-end of the Venice Trail on the island-side of the ICW is Caspersen Beach and Park. From Caspersen the Venice trail runs north along the Island side of the canal. The trail terminates at the Venice Beautification office near Downtown Venice.

While it is certainly possible to ride all around the perimeter of Venice island using a combination of bike trail and low-traffic roads, the Venice Trail itself does not circumnavigate around the island of Venice.

Caspersen Park and Beach is in Sarasota County. The beach parking lots tend to can get crowded during the season. (November through March). But the park itself tends not to.

Getting to Caspersen by Car
To get to Caspersen Park delivery location on the Venice Trail travel down Harbor Drive to Caspersen Beach at the end of the road. Then turn left and drive away from Caspersen Beach into the park. At the back of the park near the playground and restrooms is where you will find the trailhead location. Once you are on your bikes a paved path leads to The Venice Waterway Park Trail.

Riding the Caspersen Loop (5+ miles)

If you choose to get a rental bike delivered to you at Caspersen Park and Beach you have a number of choices of riding scenarios. A Popular short ride is the Caspersen Loop. Start at our Caspersen Park trailhead and head north on the Venice Bike trail. Just before you reach Circus Bridge exit the trail and pedal away from the waterway. You will be on Airport Approach Road near the end of the runway. Use caution in this area as the road is not paved. After a few hundred feet the surface will change over to a asphalt and you’ll be on Airport Road. Airport road has a bike lane. Continue on Airport Road to Harbor Drive, then left, and head south along the Gulf. Pass through from the beach to the park, and you’ll be back at your vehicle.

Airport Approach Road

Bike Rental Delivery to this location is by special request. Call us at 941-412-3821 to check availability of rental bike delivery here.

This access point on the Venice Trail one of the easiest to get to by car if you are Venice Island. There are about a dozen parking spots next to the waterway trail.

From this spot you can head down to Caspersen Park and Beach at the south end of the island-side trail. Or, you can pedal north from here toward the Venice Area Beautification Inc. offices at the end of the trail. VABI is a significant volunteer organization here in Venice and played a major role in the construction of the Venice Waterway Trail.

NOTE: Just a reminder… the Venice Trail only runs along both sides of the Intracoastal canal. It does not circumnavigate around the island as is erroneously believed.

This is also the fastest delivery location for us to reach for same-day service. So if you are looking for a spur-of-the-moment adventure take advantage of our rental bike delivery to Venice Trail at Airport Approach Road trail-head.

Riding The Airport Loop

Our In-Season bike rental customers like this delivery location especially if they are already on the island. But keep in mind that we deliver here by special request. Call us at 941-412-3821 to check availability.

The Airport Loop begins at this access-location on the Venice Waterway Trail. From here pedal south along the Intracoastal Waterway toward Caspersen Beach and Park. At the south end pass through the park to Caspersen Beach. When you reach Harbor Drive turn right and head north along the dunes next to the Gulf of Mexico. Continue past Sharkey’s, then turn right on Airport Road. You’ll be headed back toward the Airport Approach Road delivery location. This route is basically identical to The Caspersen Loop except that you are starting at Airport Approach, and going around clockwise.

From either Caspersen Park, or Airport Approach, this is a nice little loop of approximately 5 miles. The rustic-looking and primitive landscape along the Intracoastal Waterway section of the trail looks similar to how Florida looked forty years ago. You may see mullet jumping in the water, turtles and bobcats crossing the trail, and Ospreys and Bald Eagles in the trees

For Bike Rentals delivered to any of these locations CALL US: 941-412-3821

Adult bikes are $23 per day, $60 per week. Kids bikes are $18 per day, $40 per week. Free Delivery in our service area!

VENICE BIKES

DELIVERY ONLY. Serving Venice, Nokomis, Casey Key, Manasota Key, SW Osprey, NW Englewood