Top Ten Tuesday: Nifty Bob's List

*It's time for another top ten list! Today we are featuring Nifty Bob's top ten list!*

Nifty Bob's Top Ten Things to do in Venice

#10. Shop Venice Avenue: I like to wander in and out of all the wonderful shops on Venice Avenue.  My wanderings always include a stop at least one of the coffee and cookie purveyors.

#9.Walk to the beach and back: A great thing to do on any day, even when its raining.  Walking in the shade of the trees in Centennial Park is one of my dog's favorite things to do.

#8. Get a snow cone at the Venice Beach Pavilion: Super refreshing on a summer day and a bargain to boot.  You can even get a sugar free version!  A snow cone on the beach; what's better than that?

#7. Shop for plants at MRT: A perfect place to find the right plantings to create your own tropical paradise.  The staff is knowledgeable and friendly, and will help take the mystery out of Florida landscaping.

#6. Meet friends at La Dolce Vita for a glass of wine: A nice laid back place to get a glass of wine or a beer.  Its like sitting in your own living room but with more interesting people!

#5. Ride a scooter around the Island: Most of the island has low speed limits so there's nothing scary about it.  Its fun to explore some of the residential neighborhoods and back roads. There are a ton of places to rent scooters from on and off the Island.

#4.Search for bargains at TJ Maxx/Homegoods : Where else can you get Tommy Hilfiger shorts for $7.00? 

#3. Go to the beach by the airport and watch the planes fly overhead: A great beach for keeping the kids entertained.  They can watch the planes taking off and landing at the airport and hunt for sharks teeth at the same time!

#2. Walk my pooch, Coco, through the Venice Arboretum: My dog loves to visit with her friends in Blalock Park which includes the arboretum.  For plant lovers, its a great place to expand your knowledge of Florida flora.  Many of the trees are labelled with sun, watering and temperature tolerances.

#1. Run on the Venice Waterway Park Trail: One of the best benefits of being on the island.  The Venice Waterway Park Trail follows the Intracoastal Waterway from Caspersen Beach Park to the north bridge.  The trail was completed in 2007 and is perfect for running, walking, biking or roller blading.  You can see manatees in the waterway, gopher tortoises along the trail, and Ospreys and Eagles flying overhead.   I personally run the trail every other day and that helped me prepare for running my first marathon.