Oh, I think I found my favorite beach.

It’s all in the name—Venice. It sounds like somewhere you’d find gondolas floating through canals in Italy, but this little slice of paradise is right here in Florida and, thankfully, much closer to home.

Did you know that Venice is known as the “Shark Tooth Capital of the World?” Millions of years ago, Florida was covered by a shallow sea, and fossilized shark teeth continue to wash ashore today, making this one of the best places in the world to hunt for them. The city even hosts an annual Shark’s Tooth Festival celebrating this unique treasure.

We arrived on a Friday night and couldn’t wait to head to the beach the next morning.

On this beautiful Saturday, our first stop was Fossil Frenzy. Since Venice is famous for its shark teeth, we were determined to find some of our own. We picked up an ocean sifter, a basket sifter, and even a few gems from the shop before making our way to the shore.

As we headed toward the beach, we stumbled upon the sweetest surprise—a Little Free Library. There’s just something magical about finding books by the sea.

The sand was soft, the ocean was crystal clear, and the water temperature was absolutely perfect. The first thing you notice when you arrive at Venice Beach is that everyone is on the same mission: searching for shark teeth. Everywhere you look, people are hunched over, sifters in hand, scanning the shoreline for tiny black treasures.

And guess what? We found plenty!

The water was incredibly calm, which made the day even better, and the girls absolutely loved every minute of it. We swam, searched for shells, collected shark teeth, and simply enjoyed being together.

Then came the sunset.

Let me just say… the sunsets at Venice Beach are truly magical. The sky transformed into shades of pink, orange, and gold, and before we knew it, the day had slipped away from us. We had planned to walk out onto the Venice Fishing Pier, but time got the best of us. I guess that’s just another reason to come back.

The next morning, before heading home, we decided to explore Downtown Venice and pick up a few souvenirs. We wandered into Sea Pleasures & Treasures, and let me tell you—that place is massive! There was so much to see, and my old mermaid soul wanted to take home every single shell, trinket, and coastal treasure.

To finish off our trip, we stopped at Venice Avenue Creamery for some ice cream. We ordered the Cookie Monster flavor and, oh my… you absolutely have to try it. It was so creamy, delicious, and the perfect treat on a hot Florida day.

Venice Beach completely captured my heart.

In just one day, I found my first shark eye shell, several shark teeth, and more seashells than I could carry. More importantly, we made memories that I’ll treasure forever.

We had an absolute blast, and one thing is certain:

We’ll definitely be back.