
Hailed as the place where Ponce De Leon made landfall in 1513 before a Calusa arrow shortened his career as a conquistador, Punta Gorda – “Fat Point” in Spanish – is where the Peace River broadens into Charlotte Harbor.
Founded in 1884, it retains a very Victorian feel in its residential blocks west of its timeless Old Florida downtown, with a rich collection of historic homes.
Along Charlotte Harbor, 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. Nearly 50 blocks of Punta Gorda features historic buildings.
Although the Harborwalk and Linear Park bring nature to the city, its vast open spaces are primarily along the Peace River and Charlotte Harbor and its tributaries.