Naples Fl vs Venice, vs ?

[donheff]

DW and I are looking into renting a place on Florida's west coast for a month or two next winter and would like advice from some of the Florida knowledgeable folks. We are very interested in Old Naples because it seems to have the ideal combination we like - 2 or 3 bedrooms; walk to a nice beach; walk to lots of restaurants and shops; walk around the neighborhood in general; bike friendly. Oh, and has to take our Golden Retriever. We found a nice place on 11th Ave in Naples - two blocks to the beach and restaurants, seems ideal but the woman may be selling and can't commit. We haven't been able to find anything else yet so now we are ready to look farther afield. We would like to find a 2 bedroom for $5k month or maybe $6K but we are not ready to go way high. (The one we are already interested in is $4K but quite small.)

I have heard that Venice is funky and has lots of old houses (possibly like Old Naples) but I don't really know anything about it. Does it have a central old district with restaurants and shops? If so, are there neighborhoods walking distance to that area that are also walking distance to the beach? If not are there nice walking neighborhoods near the beach that are accessible to restaurants by bike?

We have visited Anne Marie Island and that could be an alternative (walk to the beach and get to some restaurants with lots of others a quick bike ride away. We may also look at Key West, although we have been there several times and were hoping to try another area.

Given what I described are there other areas we should be looking at. We would consider condos (particularly with a pool) if the other aspects are good (walking, restaurants). I have the impression that finding condos that take dogs may be problematic. And we have to be able to take our high end bikes up the elevator .

 

[Moemg]

Venice has some great old Spanish houses . Down town Venice is filled with quaint shops and sidewalk cafes . You can rent a house on what is known as The Island of Venice .It really is not an Island but the inner coastal separates it from the rest of Venice .You can bike and walk all over Venice easily .Lots of restaurants and nice beaches .At the end of the town is Caspersen Beach which is a state park with a boardwalk over the dunes .Gorgeous beach !A quick bike ride from town. Venice also is an easy(car ) ride to Sarasota for even more restaurants and a more upscale downtown . It does get quite at night in Venice but Sarasota is nearby . Nice library which they will give you temporary access and most of the gyms do the same .
Anna Marie Island I also like but during season it is he-- to get on & off the island . The beach is nice and also lots of restaurants .You can ride from Anna Marie Island across longboat Key and end in St.Armand's which is an upscale (tourist rip off ) shopping center with several restaurants . One of my favorites "The Columbia " is there .
I have been to Naples a few times but not enough to form an opinion .http://www.venicemainstreet.com/ http://www.google.com/search?q=casp...QSJkeiVCg&sqi=2&ved=0CH0QsAQ&biw=1024&bih=442

 

[lowflyer]

I can't answer your original question, but we have stayed on Pine Island (Cape Coral area) for the past two years. We seem to end up in Naples every few weeks for one thing or another. Naples is such an interesting place and Old Naples is very unique and likely more peaceful than staying in a condo a bit north of there.

 

[JOHNNIE36]

In my estimation, Naples is a little on the upper crust side of the coin while everything else north of there is more laid back. Even a nice city like Ft. Myers which I love. It's laid back until you get to Sarasota which is a little more upper crust again but not as much as Naples. Then you get to Tampa which for a large city is still laid back in some ways. Over all I love the gulf coast way more than the east coast.

When you get up to Venice, you are really into laid back territory. It's one of the last remaining areas you might call "undiscovered".

 

[Gatordoc50]

I've lived in the Naples area since 1986. It's all you say. Olde Naples is an ideal place for the reasons you mentioned but pricey. Marco Island is a nice place. You may want to consider it. Public access Points to the beach are limited but the beach is great. The Venice downtown area is small. I do enjoy Venice though. We have lived in Marco Island since 1998 and love it. I'd say the differences between the places are small but I feel Marco overall has the most to offer including just a 20 minute drive to Olde Naples.

 

[MooreBonds]

I've lived in the Naples area since 1986. It's all you say. Olde Naples is an ideal place for the reasons you mentioned but pricey. Marco Island is a nice place. You may want to consider it. Public access Points to the beach are limited but the beach is great. The Venice downtown area is small. I do enjoy Venice though. We have lived in Marco Island since 1998 and love it. I'd say the differences between the places are small but I feel Marco overall has the most to offer including just a 20 minute drive to Olde Naples.

+1 on Marco Island.

My parents spend a lot of time on Marco Island, and if you're into biking, want to be close to the beach, etc....then check for some rentals around there. If you're willing to go for a condo (on the beach),definitely walking distance to some restaurants, but perhaps not the staggering quantity of restaurants compared to some areas of Old Naples...but during the summer/fall, perhaps fewer people to deal with than Naples.