For many people, the name "Venice" conjures up images of canals and cathedrals along the Adriatic Sea of Italy, but there is another Venice, this one in the state of Florida. Like its namesake, Venice, Florida is situated along the shore of a significant body of water, but in the case of the "Venice of the New World, that body of water is the Gulf of Mexico.
The Shark's Tooth Capital of the World
Few places in the world can lay claim to such an unusual status, but Venice, Florida, is indeed considered the "shark's tooth capital of the world" because of the profusion of shark's teeth to be found in the waters alongside it. A popular activity for tourists booked into holiday homes in Venice is to work with a scuba diving firm that will provide not only the necessary equipment but also the training needed to descend into the Gulf waters and look for shark's teeth on the ocean floor.
Such dives are charming not merely for the shark's teeth to be found, but also for the beautiful tropical fish inhabiting these waters and the wide variety of seashells that can be admired in their native habitat.
Venice hosts a Shark's Tooth Festival each year. Visitors to the festival can purchase shark's teeth, some of them ancient and fossilized, if they do not care to hunt for them on their own.
Notable local residents include famous author Stephen King, who lives on an island just off the coast of Venice.