Whatis Punta Gorda Like ?
 

I have lived on the SE Coast for 35 years and am considering that area down the road for retirement.

Anyone on the Forum live there ?

Thanks

I find the city data forum very useful to learn about different areas...

http://www.city-data.com/forum/punta...etirement.html

http://www.city-data.com/forum/punta...nta-gorda.html

Head over there sometime sprink, it's not a bad little place. They have a ton of canal homes that would be considered cheap by EC standards.

Definitely slower but that's not always bad. I haven't been there in a couple of years but last there downtown looked like they were trying to livein it up some.

Nice town, but more laid back than the East Coast, Fisherman's Wharf, cool shoppes and Harpoon Harry's looking over the bay.

Sleepy town. A good hike from i-75 and a long haul up Charlotte Harbor to get out to the Gulf is the reason I don't care for it.

Lived on that coast for a while, way to slow paced for my liking. Very very very sleepy town. Homes on the water are very cheap compared to SE Florida. If you are a real layed back guy, you would like it, if not, don't move there. Sidewalks roll up real early.

Nice place. I live close by. As others have said, it's very laid back. Lots of snow birds. Summer is a ghost town. Most homes are on canals. Great place to retire if you want a slow pace of life. If you If you want to be closer to the gulf, may want to check out Boca Grande, Pine Island, Placida, Palm Island and the Englewood area.

My folks have wintered there since the mid '80's. By road...45 minutes to a hour from some of the best beaches anywhere. Prices for canal homes are comparable to Cape Coral but generally newer/nicer. Punta Gorda Isles is pretty nice with lots of canal homes. Downtown was hammered by Hurricane Charlie and is very nice now. Lots more upscale, younger, more affluent crowd restaurants right downtown. The boat ride across Charlotte Harbor to Boca Grande is a haul and not much to look at. Water in the harbor can get very rough. Allegiant flies into Punta Gorda airport which is very handy and keeps one out of Fort Myers International. I have a condo in Englewood on Manasota Key but GPI would be desirable if I wanted a boat house and not a beach house.

Sidney

I assume you mean I-75 across Alligater Alley (from Naples to Miami) because I-75 that runs north and south just skirts the edge of the city.

Snow Birds for 13 years,wife missed the grand kids sold our place in Burnt Store Marina. Loved it,would move back tomorrow if we could.If I remember correctly you purchased the purple sport that I found in Ft Lauderdale.Do you still have it...let me know Bud Weisner 312-607-3115 bud [email protected] Thanks Bud

No It is a 1/2 hour to get from 41 to I75 Most of the good parts of Punta Gorda are far West of 41 also.add some time to that 1/2 hour

I am closing on a vacation home in PGI next month. Wife and I have been looking at canal homes up and down the west coast of Florida for 15 years, spent time in Punta Gorda and really liked it. Wanted a quiet laid back place - find the east coast way too crowded/traffic etc. Incidentally there is a home a couple of houses down from us with a nice Sonic on a lift, wonder if he is an OSO member?

OK...From just across the bridge using Route 17 to get from 41 to I-75 is a whooping 2.13 miles. Going to the southern end of PG using Tuckers Grade it's 1.05 miles from 41 to I-75. I'm guessing most of the retired folks down there could WALK that in under 30 minutes! Now then...if you use the west end of Aqui Esta (Middle of the "Good Parts") as your starting point and drive east to 41, then go south to Jones Loop and turn right and drive to I-75 you're up to a mind boogling 5.48 miles.

Guess you need to get out of Naples more often!

Sidney