Caspersen Beach Park

Ancient sharks once cruised the waters off modern-day Venice, carcharodon megalodon, a shark more than 52 feet long that outweighed a t.rex. Folks flock to Caspersen Beach today not just because it’s at the end of the road, but it’s the prime spot along the coast to unearth the fossilized teeth of these ancient sharks, buried treasures in the sand.

The beach walk is a fine one, providing more than a mile and a half of undisturbed strand: just you, the wind, the waves, and the palms waving on the hilltop above. And the little-used nature trail is a delight as well: it gives a good overview of the mangrove community along the Intracoastal Waterway. A short hike and a fabulous beach: what better way to spend a lazy summer day?