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Port Charlotte, Charlotte County, Florida

A relatively new community developed in the late 1950’s, Port Charlotte is the site of 165 miles of man-made waterways, golf courses, tennis courts, estuaries and nature trails, with… water… water everywhere for boating, fishing, and gazing at picture perfect sunsets along the banks of the Peace River and the Myakka River.

Port Charlotte encompasses the unincorporated area of Charlotte County and is comprised mostly of single family homes with a spattering of condos and town homes. The population of unincorporated Charlotte County, including Port Charlotte counts approximately 127,500 heads.

Covering 820 square miles, Port Charlotte is located north of the Peace River with 165 miles of canals and waterways accessing Charlotte Harbor and the Gulf of Mexico. There are also miles and miles of natural shoreline bordering the Peace and Myakka Rivers, making it an ideal choice for waterfront living and recreation. In all, 14,004 private boats, 28 marinas, 15 public beach access sites, 13 boat ramps and two sailing schools dot the county’s extensive shoreline. The county also boasts about two dozen parks, numerous recreation areas and a federal wildlife refuge.

Port Charlotte Beach State park has a wide expanse of sand where walking is a favorite pastime for many. Here you can kayak or canoe along the banks of the pristine Peace and Myakka Rivers.

The Charlotte Harbor Environmental center spans 840 acres, providing nature trails, picnic areas and enrichment programs. The Cecil M Webb Wildlife Management Area is another favorite with locals. The 100-acre game reserve offers hunting, fishing, frogging and camping. Eco-tours through parts of the 90,000-acre Crescent B Ranch in eastern Charlotte county allow visitors to see the old, original Florida. Swamp buggy trips through Telegraph Cypress Swamp provide plenty of adventure with views of wild turkey, alligators, and more.

It’s also worth noting that the Everglades National Park, one of the most spectacular natural ecosystems in the United States, is only a short drive away.

Twenty-one golf courses, tennis courts (10 public) and public pools, as well as four YMCA”S get lots of use from residents. The waterways are sites for a host of competitive events, including fishing tournaments and boat/yacht races. If you don’t own a boat, you may rent boats and jet skis at various locations.

The Texas Rangers make the 6,000 seat Charlotte County Stadium their spring training home. There’s Grapefruit League action from February to early April, followed by minor league games throughout the summer.

The CC Speedway serves up auto racing thrills on an asphalt oval track; while youth sports abound with Pop Warner football, Little League baseball and one of Florida’s best BMX tracks. There’s even a skateboard park!

The 2,000 seat Memorial Auditorium/Civic Center brings big name entertainment with an annual Celebrity Series attracting concerts, ballet, Broadway shows and comedy stars. It also welcomes antique and art shows.

Theme parks and other sightseeing are in abundance with Disney, Sea World and Universal Studios approximately 3 ½ hours north while Tampa’s Busch Gardens and Water Park a mere 2 hours away.

Twenty-five shopping centers offering 4 million square feet of merchandise make the area a shopper’s bonanza. The largest single location is the Port Charlotte Town Center; a modern mall with over 800,000 square feet and lots of amenities.

The climate is sub-tropical making it possible to enjoy the outdoors year round. Temperatures average 64 degrees Fahrenheit in January; in August they average 81.9, with the average high of 91.5 degrees Fahrenheit. Expect about 54 inches of rainfall yearly with brief showers in late afternoon occurring mainly in summer and fall.

So, come and enjoy a relaxing lifestyle you’ll want to call home!

 

Facts on Charlotte County

  • Established in 1921; population approximately 152,814
  • 693.60 square miles; 448,640 acres
  • Florida Fish and Wildlife Research Institute relays shoreline mileage for Charlotte County at 830 miles including river passages, mangrove-edged aquatic preserve and 28 miles of sandy beaches.
  • Approximately 84% of the Charlotte Harbor shoreline is preserved land.
  • Canoe/Kayak Blueway Trails - 53 trails for a total of 192.9 miles throughout Charlotte Harbor
  • 365 miles of canals; 190 miles of saltwater and 175 miles of freshwater
  • Charlotte Harbor, fed by the Peace and Myakka rivers, is the 17th largest estuary in the nation and the 2nd largest estuary in the state encompassing 270 square miles.
  • The 106-mile long Peace River is one of the longest rivers in Florida; it finds its terminus in Charlotte Harbor. The Spanish are credited for naming the waterway in 1544 as Rio de la Paz, "river of peace."
  • The Charlotte Harbor Preserve State Park is the 4th largest state park, of which 30,000 acres are in Charlotte County. Enjoy the vast hiking opportunities including the Old Datsun Trail.
  • Babcock/Webb Wildlife Management Area encompasses 79,013 acres or 124 square miles of the largest undisturbed pine flatwoods in SW Florida and the 7th largest management area in the state.
  • Designated as one of the "10 Greatest Places to Sail in the United States" by SAIL magazine.
  • Ranked "Third Best Place to Live and Play Golf in America" by Golf Digest; "... golf has surpassed baseball as the national pastime for a generation of Americans now more than intent on playing than watching sports."
  • Named one of MONEY magazine's "Best Places to Live in the South".
  • Designated as one of "America's Best Healthy Places to Retire" by U.S. News & World Report.
  • TripAdvisor™ TravelCast named Englewood, Florida a "Top Ten U.S. Destination for 2009".
  • Englewood, Fla. named "Best Affordable Place in America to Retire" by NeighborhoodScout.com.
  • Port Charlotte, Florida named "Best Place to Retire" by Money Magazine.

Trivia on Charlotte County

  • Ponce de Leon arrived in Charlotte Harbor in 1513, after landing in St. Augustine and returned again in 1521.
  • Punta Gorda was the southern-most stop on Florida’s west coast railroad system in 1886.
  • Esso produced an upside down map (South at the top, North at the bottom) from New York to Florida in 1961 to make it easier for tourists to get to Florida.
  • Teddy Roosevelt fished in Charlotte Harbor in March, 1917, and caught a 16 foot manta ray.
  • Charlotte Harbor was named after the British Queen Charlotte by surveyor, Bernard Romans in a 1774 visit.
  • Gasparilla Inn on Boca Grande has been host to famous visitors, John F. Kennedy, J.P. Morgan, and Presidents George H. and George W. Bush.
  • Punta Gorda hotels have had notable visitors Thomas Edison and Al Capone.
  • How did Tamiami Trail get its name? It runs between Tampa and Miami. It was completed in 1928 for a cost of $13 million.
  • In the 1700s, there were Cuban fishing villages throughout the islands in the Harbor, known as "ranchos" to facilitate the commercial fishing trade with Cuba.
  • Punta Gorda was described as a "small tourist town" in March, 1921, on a postcard that John Licht sent to his daughter in Michigan, describing bathing and splendid fishing.
  • Films shot in the Charlotte Harbor area include: Out of Time starring Denzel Washington, Just Cause starring Sean Connery and Lawrence Fishburne, Palmetto starring Woody Harrelson, Pink Cadillac starring Clint Eastwood and Gone Fishin’ starring Joe Pesci and Danny Glover.