DAY TRIP TO PUNTA GORDA

Out of curiosity, we decided to drive north one day and stumbled upon a cute harbor town, Punta Gorda. It was only twenty miles north of Fort Myers and filled with a lot of history. As you can see, we are trying to make the most of our time here and getting a feel for the areas of southwest Florida. It would definitely be a place that I could settle down in some day (like the thousands of “snow birds” who migrate south). Below is a map of the coast.

According to history, explorer Ponce de Leon established a colony on Charlotte Harbor in the 16th century. We learned about his unsuccessful battle with Indians during our visit to Ponce de Leon Park.  The park contains a boardwalk through a mangrove forest, a non-profit wildlife sanctuary, a fishing pier, a beach area, a small children’s playground and boat ramp facilities.

We took our time and walked around on a particularly bright and sunny day. It was great to smell the fresh air and see the wildlife in the area. Darin also said hello to all of the statues that were scattered throughout the grounds.

While walking the boardwalk above the mangroves, we stopped to read placards about all the living creatures that call this place their home. We saw one man removing tiny crabs from the trees and he was planning to use them as bait. The crabs climbed up the mangrove trees and ate the leaves.

Adjacent to the park is the Peace River Wildlife Center. PRWC is a non-profit dedicated to the rescue, care, protection and preservation of native wildlife. We got to see all kinds of birds, including a couple that were not confined to a cage.

A lady from Pennsylvania drives the twin birds down with her each winter. She rescued them after wing injuries and keeps them as pets. She uses both birds as educational tools a couple of days a week at the Center.

I wonder if we saw any of these cranes last summer in Alaska? Migratory sandhill cranes breed in the Northern U.S., Canada, and Alaska. Each winter they undertake long southern journeys to wintering grounds in Florida, Texas, Utah, Mexico, and California.

After getting our exercise at the park, we headed to Fisherman’s Village. Located on Charlotte Harbor, Fishermen’s Village has over 30 shops, restaurants and services, a resort and marina, a military museum, plus frequent special events. Residents and visitors alike seem to enjoy spending time here.

Besides private boats, there are larger boats that take people out on cruises. You can purchase trips for sightseeing or go out on a fishing charter. The marina has a variety of options and price ranges.

The upper level of the building contains apartments that are rented on a short term basis. I could definitely vacation there – boat all day, eat at good restaurants, shop until you drop, and walk upstairs to sleep. What else do you need?

Of course, I can’t pass up an opportunity to take a picture of Darin with a shark, since he just loves being in front of the camera. Just kidding, I think I usually coerce him to pose for me! We are loving Florida so far…..