Nokomis, FL

About Nokomis

Nokomis is one of the oldest settlements in the area. It began on Christmas Eve, 1868, when Methodist preacher and cattleman Rev. Jesse Knight arrived with his wife and fifteen children. Other pioneers followed: Frank Higel planted citrus and sugar cane in 1882, and Darwin Curry established the area's first post office in 1885 — calling the place Venice. The Nokomis name didn't arrive until 1917, when Alfred F. Wrede opened a post office under that name.

That same year, 1917, Dr. Fred Albee — the same surgeon who would later launch Venice — bought 112 acres and, with partner Ellis Nash, laid out the Nokomis Subdivision: 130 lots with streets radiating from two inner circles along what became U.S. 41. Albee built the 35-room Pollyanna Inn on the highway and completed his own Mediterranean-style winter home, Point 'o Palms, on Dona Bay in 1923. The Nokomis School opened in 1924.

Unlike its planned-city neighbor to the south, Nokomis grew up organically as a working coastal community — citrus, cane, turpentine, and later beach life at Nokomis Beach and the North Jetty. Before the BLE ever came to the region, the design work of three Harvard graduates — Albee, city planner John Nolen, and landscaper Prentice French — was already shaping both Nokomis and Venice, which is why the two towns share so much DNA.

Relocation Guide

Nokomis is a small, unincorporated beach community tucked between Venice and Sarasota on the Gulf — quiet, residential, and built around Nokomis Beach and the Casey Key/North Jetty area. US-41 puts Sarasota 20 minutes north and Venice 10 south.

Population: ~3,200 (2020 Census) · Schools: Sarasota County Schools

Who moves here: beach lovers who want the sand without the crowds, drum-circle regulars (the famous Saturday gathering at Nokomis Beach), and buyers who like Sarasota County at a gentler pace and price.

Housing: beach cottages, older Florida ranch homes, and waterfront properties along the Intracoastal. Prices run below neighboring Venice and Sarasota — value with the beach still in your backyard.

Want the Nokomis lowdown? FL 941-322-4444.

Local Activities

Nokomis Beach — public Gulf beach with calm water, fishing areas, picnic pavilions, and free parking.
Nokomis Beach Drum Circle — twice-weekly sunset drum circles on the beach where locals gather to play music.
Beach yoga at Nokomis Beach — morning yoga classes held on the sand overlooking the Gulf.
Kayak launch at Nokomis Beach Park — paddling access to Dona Bay and the Gulf for kayaking and paddleboarding.
Nokomis Beach Plaza — casual beachfront shops and restaurants near the beach access.
In nearby Venice: Historic Downtown Venice — Mediterranean-style shopping and dining district along Venice Avenue.
In nearby Venice: Legacy Trail — paved 12.5-mile bike and walking trail running through Nokomis to Sarasota.
In nearby Sarasota: Siesta Key Beach — world-renowned white-quartz-sand beach, a short drive north.

Upcoming Festivals

Sun Fiesta — Oct 2026 (dates TBA; typically mid-October), in nearby downtown Venice. Venice's signature fall festival since 1973, with bed races, a parade, arts and crafts, and live entertainment.

Historic Nokomis Day — Feb 2027 (dates TBA), Nokomis Community Park, 234 Nippino Trail E. An annual celebration of Nokomis history and heritage.

Florida Scrub Jay Festival — Mar 2027 (dates TBA), Oscar Scherer State Park in nearby Osprey. A day of guided hikes, games, exhibitors, and live music celebrating Florida's only endemic bird.

Venice Sharks Tooth Festival — Apr 10–11, 2027, in nearby downtown Venice at Centennial Park. A free two-day festival with fossil vendors, live music, food trucks, and a kids' area.

(Festival dates change — confirm with event organizers before making plans.)

Nokomis, FL

About Nokomis

Relocation Guide

Local Activities

Upcoming Festivals

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