Venice is a quiet, safe little town right on the Gulf coast. Growing up, I was able to ride my bike all around town, go into the downtown stores by myself, and explore the island of Venice without my parents worrying too much about my well-being. My teenage years spent in Venice were a little angsty because I knew I was missing out on the excitements of larger cities, but now that I’m in my mid-20s and have lived outside of Venice (and outside of Florida), I can go back and appreciate it the same way my parents did almost 30 years ago.