Resources
Resources for exploring the area
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Exploring Punta Gorda
Hailed as where Ponce De Leon made landfall in 1513 before a Calusa arrow cut short his Conquistador career, Punta Gorda is where the Peace River broadens into Charlotte Harbor.
Its name means “Fat Point” in Spanish, and that fat point happens to have some mangrove-tangled waterfront along the harbor.
Founded in 1884, the city retains a very Victorian feel in its residential blocks west of its timeless Old Florida downtown, with a rich collection of historic homes in nearly 50 blocks.
Along the harborfront, the Harborwalk ties together a series of waterfront parks that stretch between Trabue Park and Fishermen’s Village, a distance of 2.2 miles.
With a surprisingly rich and colorful collection of original homes built between 1884 and 1930, the residential district southwest of downtown is bisected by Linear Park.
Although the Harborwalk and Linear Park bring nature to the city, vast open spaces are primarily along the Peace River and Charlotte Harbor and its tributaries.
Trails and Parks near Punta Gorda
Alligator Creek Preserve At Charlotte Harbor Environmental Center, Alligator Creek Preserve offers two gentle loop trails where freshwater and saltwater habitats meet 
Babcock Ecotour Trail At Babcock Wilderness Adventures - a popular ecotourism attraction east of Punta Gorda - the Ecotour Trail is a no-cost option to getting your feet wet on an exploration of wet flatwoods habitats along a well-maintained trail through the palmetto prairie. 
Babcock Ranch Footprints Trail Following old forest roads, the purple-blazed loop of the Footprints Trail through the heart of Babcock Ranch, a vast prairie punctuated by cypress strands, provides a simple introduction to this often-squishy ecosystem.
Cabbage Key Nature Trail Hike the Cabbage Key Nature Trail for a step back in time on an island known for its great cheeseburgers and layers of mystery, from Calusa times to a mystery writer's family retreat
Old Datsun Trail Where pine flatwoods and palm hammocks regain a foothold atop formerly farmed fields, the Old Datsun Trail loops what was once an agricultural school
Ponce De Leon Park A city park with dramatic sunsets over a beach on Charlotte Harbor, Ponce De Leon Park is a delight for birders and paddlers, too.
Punta Gorda Harborwalk Spanning 2.3 miles along Charlotte Harbor, the Harborwalk is a recreational gem in downtown Punta Gorda
Punta Gorda Linear Park A greenway through the heart of historic Punta Gorda, Linear Park provides an unexpected corridor of natureArticles
The Pint-sized Ponces of Punta Gorda (7/20/2018) Ponce de Leon, it seems, was a short fellow. In Punta Gorda, Florida, you'll find pint-sized statues, murals, and even the Fountain of Youth to recollect his 1513 visit to Charlotte Harbor.
Peace River Seafood (6/14/2009) For fresh, local wild-caught crab, Peace River Seafood, a funky little shack along US 17 north of Punta Gorda will have you wishing you could eat here every evening.