Road Trippin' in Punta Gorda

New Community Coming To Punta Gorda

It looks as though Punta Gorda has a new community coming soon. 

D. R. Horton, America's Builder has announced "Waterford" will be coming soon off Airport Road in Punta Gorda. 

This ideal location, close to Florida Southwestern State College is sure to draw some interest and may give KB Homes and it's Creekside community a run for their money.  I will keep you posted as I get more detail but until then, what do you think about having this new community coming to town?

Celebrating July 4th in Charlotte County

July 4th is just around the corner and if you are wondering what you can do in Charlotte County to celebrates, here is a handful of events sure to make your independence day extra special.


Charlotte Harbor Freedom Swim 

The 23rd Annual Freedom Swim starts at 9:00 am on the north side of Southbound US41. Come join over 500 people swimming, kayaking, tubing and paddle-boarding across the Peace River (1 1/2 miles). For more information please visit Freedom Swim.

Fisherman's Village July 4th Celebration

After you swim across the harbor, you conveniently exit the water of the Peace River on the beautiful docks of Fisherman's Village (marina, resort, boutiques & restaurants). Enjoy live music preformed by the Garbage Men from 12 - 3 pm and The Kollections from 5-9 pm. Face paining by Metamasque from 11 - 4 pm and stay to view the fireworks over Charlotte Harbor at 9:00 pm. 

Democratic Party July 4th Celebration

Looking for a fun way to celebrate the holiday and beat the summer heat? Well, head on over to the Democratic Party Headquarters in Port Charlotte between 1 - 4 pm for All-American food, music, door prizes, 50/50 drawling, silent auction & jewelry by Judy. For more information visit Charlotte County Democrats.

Forth Fest at Laishley Park

This one day festival celebrated the USA with non-stop entertainment for the whole family. Enjoy 12 large water-slides, a kids fun zone, live music, food, beverage and merchandise vendors and stick around to watch the fireworks over Charlotte Harbor at 9:00 pm. Gates open at 11:00 am with a admission fee of $3 a person. For more information visit Smuggler's. 

Forth of July Evening Cruise and Fireworks

King Fisher Fleet, based out of Fisherman's Village, is offering a special sunset and firework cruise on beautiful Charlotte Harbor. This all inclusive private party cost $49 a person and will be departing at 7:30 pm. Reservations are required, so call (941) 639-0969 today to reserve your spot.

 I hope each of you have a great Independence Day and are able to get out and enjoy this great community! 

Punta Gorda A Gem of a City

I just came across a wonderful article published by Farmer and Rancher about our beautiful town and I have to share it! It really explains some of the features that make Punta Gorda a gem of a city!

 

 

PUNTA GORDA A Gem of a City on Florida’s SW Gulf Coast

Posted by linda in Celebration, Featured Stories | Comments Off

May 02, 14

 

WARREN RESEN – North American Travel Journalists Association • PHOTOS by JEANNE O’CONNOR

In Act 2, Scene 2 of Wm. Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet, Juliet says to Romeo
“What’s in a name? that which we call a rose
By any other name would smell as sweet…”
Every state has a town or city whose name warrants a second glance, a chuckle, or a head scratching in wonderment of its meaning. One particularly memorable name seen on a sign near Houston, Texas told me that I was in Bottle ‘N’ Smoke. There was absolutely no confusion in my mind as to what the name meant. But when place names use a foreign language, sometimes a translation or clarification is in order.

Aerial Fisherman’s Village

Back in Florida, one of the State’s better known cities is Boca Raton, Spanish for  Rat Mouth or Mouth of the Rat depending on your outlook, perhaps predicting that centuries later a close relative would become Florida’s most famous rodent. The name came from the shape of its inlet opening to the Atlantic Ocean on Spanish sailing charts. But this story is about Punta Gorda or Broad Point on early Spanish maps.  However another translation is Fat Point and that proves Shakespeare’s point.

Fisherman’s Village Villas - All have balconies with water views

Punta Gorda is located in the geographic area known as Charlotte Harbor & the Gulf Islands, nine coastal communities surrounding Charlotte Harbor on Florida’s SW Coast. With 270 plus square miles of open water, it is the second largest harbor in Florida.
The city sits on the southern shore of Charlotte Harbor making it a water lover’s paradise.  The Peace River flows into Charlotte Harbor from the east and the Myakka River from the north.   Opportunities for sailing, power boating, fishing and all other water oriented sports are seemingly endless because of the area’s rivers, inlets, and bays, including the Gulf of Mexico. Sailboats and large power boats have unrestricted access to the bay and Gulf west of the Route 41 Bridge over the Peace River.

Sunset from Fisherman’s Village

There are 830 miles of shoreline in the greater Charlotte Harbor area, nearly 84 percent of which is protected from development. This area offers some of Florida’s most diverse salt and fresh water fishing and there are some two hundred miles open for kayaking and canoeing on the Charlotte Habror Blueway trail.
Punta Gorda is  the only incorporated city in Charlotte County. While relatively small, it boasts amenities usually found only in much larger cities but without the crowds and traffic. With a year ‘round population of about 17,000 full time residents, Punta Gorda is home to less people than some of Florida’s gated communities.

The Gulf of Mexico only minutes away

There is a Performing Arts Center, Symphony Orchestra, and Visual Arts Center. Shopping, restaurants, waterfront boutiques, art galleries, festivals, live theatre,   museums, historical sites, marinas, parks, and much more and most are generally within walking distance of the city’s central core.
A must visit is the locally famous Fisherman’s Village.  It is a 2-story weather protected open air mall and promenade sitting out over Charlotte Harbor that is also a shopping and dining destination with many unique local shops and restaurants. There are no chain stores or restaurants in here.
A Military Heritage Museum in the Village houses a large collection of WWII memorabilia that brings back memories of a time long ago for those who have become known as “The Greatest Generation.” There is no charge to visit the museum. The Village encompasses a large marina with docking facilities, charter and tour boats, and of course fishing boats for both inshore and Gulf outings.

Kayaking through the mangroves on Charlotte Harbor

Fisherman’s Village is also a complete resort. The second story has 47 furnished 2-bed room vacation units that sleep up to six with fully equipped kitchens, and living room and  all units have water views. Amenities for guests also include a heated swimming pool, tennis courts and more.
There is much to do and see in the area. For local sightseeing leave your car at Fisherman’s Village and pedal through Punta Gorda courtesy of Florida’s first FREE bike loan program. Bikes are available at Fisherman’s Village and other locations around the city. Tour waterfront parks, art galleries, and historic buildings at your leisure or go on a treasure hunt and try to find as many wall murals as you can on buildings throughout the city depicting local history.
Charlotte County is a large area geographically but sparsely populated leaving lots of open undeveloped land. Just east of downtown Punta Gorda is the BABCOCK RANCH Wildlife Management Area. This is a 90,000 acre working cattle ranch and preserve, shared between state and federal jurisdictions, and it is home to Babcock Wilderness Adventures.

Muscle Car Museum

A narrated 90 minute ride here  in an open-sided “buggy” transports visitors to Florida as it used to be. Passing through pasturelands, pine flatwoods and freshwater marshes, including the huge Telegraph Cypress Swamp, will bring you face to face with lots of wildlife if, Mother Nature cooperates.  Remember, this is not Disney. This is real. If you want to be assured of seeing alligators, and lots of big ones at that, the buggy ride through the Telegraph Swamp is the place to do it.
For a trip back in time, head south of downtown to the wonderful Muscle Car Museum.  Housed in a 99,000 square foot building, more than 200 GM performance cars of the 60’s and 70’s are on display. These mint condition cars sit there seemingly waiting for someone to take them out for a spin.
Just inside the door, a lineup of the first Corvettes are show stoppers. Everyone spends their first moments drooling over these earliest production models. When they were on the road, these cars were art in motion.

1954 Corvette

The museum’s offerings recall a time when there were actually exterior design differences between cars. You could tell what kind of car was coming down the road from blocks away. If you ask the museum’s owner, Rick Trewogry, what his favorite car is he will tell you, “the next one.”
When it comes to that all important decision of where to dine, Punta Gorda offers an amazing number of options for such a small city. Having visited the restaurants listed below, and which represent only a small sampling of availabilities, I can personally vouch for their excellent food and service.
In a waterfront city where fresh sea food is king, The Village Fish Market, right in Fisherman’s Village, is highly recommended for either lunch or dinner. A more casual family style fish restaurant would be Peace River Seafood & Crab Shack in an authentic Florida Cracker house and a really special setting for seafood lovers. For a more upscale atmosphere try Laishley’s Crab House overlooking Charlotte Harbor.

1954 Corvette

Evening dining in downtown Punta Gorda can be enjoyed at the award winning The Perfect Caper, featuring “Asian-Fusion foods accented with French and American flavors.” Equally captivating is the Trabue Restaurant “offering fresh and modern American fare.” Dining can be enjoyed inside surrounded by its eclectic decorating or outside in its delightful garden patio.
This article only highlights a few of the many wonderful experiences awaiting travelers to Punta Gorda. At the beginning of this article I quoted those famous  lines from Shakespeare’s play Romeo & Juliet, “…A rose by any other name…” Place names can be deceiving, grandiose, humorous, or misleading. It all comes down to whether or not it is a place you would want to visit, return to and/or live. Punta Gorda ranks high on my list for all of these options.

Incredible Pools

    If you are limited on your backyard space, this may be the pool for you!

           What do you think, would you consider a pool like this?

Coldwell Banker the #1 Online Brand

The Coldwell Banker brand has been a real estate industry champion and pioneer since it was founded on August 27, 1906. Today, the brand remains the trusted source of innovative real estate solutions, creating exceptional experiences for all we serve.

 

Nielson NetRatings announced, ColdwellBanker.com was the #1 ONLINE BRAND in 2013 beating out all of the competition.

 

 

The Amazing Future Of Your Appliances

I know you are probably saying "WOW" after watching this video and who wouldn't be, this is way beyond cool! LG's new HomeChat™ service already allows homeowners in South Korea to communicate, control, monitor and share content with their latest smart appliances. These same appliances are expected to arrive to the U.S. in the near future, but no news on how much they will cost!