The best places to ride for a introduction to the area's wealth of cycling opportunities are the Island of Venice, the Legacy Trail and the VWP (Venetian  Waterway Park) Trail.  The historic Venice Train Depot and the adjoining Legacy Trail park are good places to access these trails.

The City of Venice Bike Map includes a marked 13 mile Island Loop.  Follow the Orange/Yellow medallions that are located on the VWP and the streets.  Medallions are located at each intersection so you can even follow the route without a map.  Download the map anyway so you will know where you are.  Ride and enjoy!

The Legacy Trail is a 10 mile long motor vehicle free bike trail from the Historic Venice Trail Depot to Culverson Park in Sarasota.  It is a Rails to Trails project that will soon extend an additional 10 miles to downtown Sarasota.

The VWP Trail is a 10 mile long linear trail on both sides of the Intracoastal Waterway.  There are several entry points to the trail, the most popular being the Historic Train Depot.  

From the Train Depot you can ride an 10 mile out back on the Legacy and add the VWP for a total of 30+ miles of motor vehicle free riding.

The best and safest route between the Train Depot and downtown Venice is the "Venice Connect Route."  The route uses the "North Bridge" on business 41 instead of the Venice Avenue bridge.  The "North Bridge" has much wider sidewalks and is much more bicycle friendly.  The route is marked with blue/orange medallions on the trail surface.   Checkout the "Venice Connect Route" map.