Amenities

Trailhead for Venetian Waterway Trail Park, multi-use trail, butterfly garden, nature center, picnic pavilion, picnic tables, park benches, playground, basketball courts, tennis courts, indoor rental space, restrooms, parking

Experiences

Shamrock Park and Nature Center is ideal for the active visitor, offering more than 80 acres of natural land, including native habitats for endangered or threatened plants and animals. The park contains some of the last remaining scrub habitat in the coastal area of Sarasota County and supports populations of Florida scrub jay and gopher tortoise. Guided bird watching hikes, butterfly garden tours, nature hikes and environmental programs are available throughout the year. Shamrock Park serves as the trailhead access for the south east portion of the Venetian Waterway Trail. The ten mile trail offers visitors the opportunity to walk, bike or roller blade from Shamrock Park to downtown Venice, the historic train station and Caspersen Beach.

The Nature Center has two spacious meeting rooms that can be rented for educational, business and community meetings. A large recreation pavilion can be reserved for group picnics, and facilities for basketball and tennis are located on-site as well.

History

This park land was acquired from the Caspersen family in 1988 through a bond referendum to provide additional recreational facilities for the Venice area.

Habitats

Scrub and scrubby flatwoods, tidal swamp, mangrove swamp

Acreage

80 acres

Watershed

Lemon Bay

Who Owns and Maintains

Owned and maintained by Sarasota County

Website

www.scgov.net

SCAT Bus stop and route

Route 24; Shamrock Dr.