We stopped at A’s Giant Sandwich for a turkey sub this afternoon and drove U.S. 41 down to Venice for our weekly picnic. We walked the Venetian Trail from Michael Biehl Park until finding the perfect table.
The first table overlooked the Venice Train Depot but was way too sunny.
The second table was near the Venice Avenue bridge and wasn’t offering any more shade than the first table.
Finally, we found our table…
That patch of shade under the Charlie Brown umbrella was the best we were going to get, and we were happy to have it. The high was 88 degrees today, but it felt more like a hundred. My recommendation for using the Venetian Waterway Trail is to prepare for full sun. There are long stretches of pavement with absolutely no shade.
But even the tiniest bit of shade can cool you down with a nice breeze, and it’s a great spot to dine with dogs. There’s no water fountain for two-leggeds, but the four-leggeds are covered.
After our picnic, we found our way to the other side of the water to get a closer look at the train depot. Trains ran in and out of the station from 1927-1971. Passengers included World War II army personnel and Ringling Brothers and Barnum & Bailey circus performers.
We couldn’t get inside, but the Venice Area Historical Society offers free tours on Saturdays throughout the summer. Tours start every half-hour from 10 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. The society’s office is adorable, and there is a small adjoining park.
