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Hike Bike Paddle Camp Florida with authors Sandra Friend and John Keatley as your guides

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Poinciana tree at Ponce de Leon Park

Punta Gorda

Along the sweep of Charlotte Harbor at Punta Gorda, natural lands provide places to trek and paddle while miles of bike paths beckon

INTERACTIVE MAP

Alligator Creek Preserve

Pond at Alligator Creek Preserve

Charlotte Harbor Preserve State Park  |  Punta Gorda
( 26.874084,-82.027217 )      2.8 miles

At Charlotte Harbor Environmental Center, Alligator Creek Preserve offers two gentle loop trails where freshwater and saltwater habitats meet

Babcock Ecotour Trail

Babcock Ecotour Trail

Babcock Ranch Preserve  |  Punta Gorda
( 26.858184, -81.720377 )      2.3 miles

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

http://www.flickr.com/photos/floridahikes/sets/72157625510239616

Babcock Ranch Preserve  |  Punta Gorda
( 26.945444, -81.754461 )      2.2 miles

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

Cabbage Key Trail

Pine Island Sound      ( 26.6565, -82.2225 )      0.5 miles

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

Charlotte Harbor

Charlotte Harbor

Where the Peace and Myakka Rivers meet, Charlotte Harbor covers more than five square miles, with the Charlotte County Blueway Trails providing paddlers access.

Old Datsun Trail

Old Datsun Trail

Charlotte Harbor Preserve State Park  |  Punta Gorda
( 26.851145, -82.022075 )      1.4 miles

Where pine flatwoods and palm hammocks regain a foothold atop formerly farmed fields, the Old Datsun Trail loops what was once an agricultural school

Peace River Seafood

Peace River Seafood

June 14, 2009    Sandra Friend

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.

Ponce De Leon Park

Ponce De Leon Park boardwalk

Punta Gorda      ( 26.909838, -82.094996 )      0.5 miles

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

Punta Gorda Harborwalk

Punta Gorda      ( 26.938714, -82.051561 )      2.3 miles

Spanning 2.3 miles along Charlotte Harbor, the Harborwalk is a recreational gem in downtown Punta Gorda

Punta Gorda History Park

Punta Gorda History Park homes

Punta Gorda      ( 26.9256, -82.0560 )      0.2 miles

On nine acres in residential Punta Gorda, History Park preserves historic buildings in a garden setting

Punta Gorda Linear Park

Punta Gorda Linear Park

Punta Gorda      ( 26.928200, -82.061985 )      2.3 miles

A greenway through the heart of historic Punta Gorda, Linear Park provides an unexpected corridor of nature

The Pint-sized Ponces of Punta Gorda

Pint sized Ponce de Leon

July 20, 2018    Sandra Friend

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.

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