Punta Gorda, Florida boasts countless fantastic restaurants, from fine dining to casual bites and cuisines from all over the world. One spot popular with locals and visitors is Table 209, at 209 West Olympia Avenue in Punta Gorda. Table 209 features fresh seafood specialties in a small and cozy setting. They have a wide selection of craft beers and microbrews, as well as a very extensive wine list offered by the glass or bottle.
One popular dish is the crab crayfish cake appetizer, that is perfectly tender in the middle and crunchy on the outside. The cake includes an ideal balance of seasoning to compliment but not overpower the crab. A house specialty featured regularly is the Seafood Special that includes three jumbo shrimp and three enormous scallops. There are also plenty of options for diners who appreciate great pasta, such as the Fettuccini with Blackened Chicken. Amazing salads, great cuts of meat, an always changing menu, and spectacular flavors keep locals coming back for more. The atmosphere is intimate and the service is excellent.
For some Spanish-inspiration fused with Asian flair, try Tapas One, located at 258 West Marion Avenue in Punta Gorda. The daily and regular menu features an extensive list of tapas and superb food made with the freshest ingredients. This spot was one of the first to signal a revival of high-end gastronomy in the Punta Gorda area and has become a serious competitor to other fine dining establishments. There is a variety of craft beers and microbrews, as well as Sangria and other cocktails.
A truly unique experience welcomes diners to the Perfect Caper, at 121 East Marion Avenue in Punta Gorda. House specialties include the perfectly Grilled Grouper, the spectacular Petite Fillet of Beef Tenderloin with Lobster Macaroni & Cheese side, and tender, juicy Lamb Chops. Also popular is the outstanding Lobster and Crab Pasta, which abounds with chunks of seafood drizzled with a lobster bisque type sauce. Other guests come back again and again for the Pan Seared Crab Cakes, Beef Tenderloin Salad, which is perfectly pan seared with a nice crust and the interior that’s as smooth as butter.
Thursday, July 7, 2011
Fun Activities and Historic Landmarks of Punta Gorda, Florida
Located on the Gulf Coast, Punta Gorda, Florida is an ideal spot for all sorts of fun water sports, boating and fishing. King Fisher Fleet is at Fishermen's Village in Punta Gorda, offering deep-sea charter boat fishing in the Gulf of Mexico for tarpon, mackerel, King Fish, shark, grouper, snapper and other species. Guests can also try the Back Bay guide boat fishing in the Charlotte Harbor Aquatic Preserve for snook, red fish, trout, tarpon, sharks, cobia and other species. King Fisher features charters for full or half days. Split charters can be arranged. Also available, sightseeing tour boats.
Fishermen's Village, at 1200 W. Retta Esplanade in Punta Gorda, is a bustling vacation destination for harbor-side shopping, dining and fun. The area was once an operating fishing village, and today is a busy waterfront destination and the gem of Punta Gorda. Visitors can enjoy unique shops and boutiques, restaurants, the military heritage museum, and stay at on of 47 spacious daily and weekly vacation villa rentals. There are also fishing charters, a 140-slip marina, daily harbor cruises, boat and kayak rentals, bicycles, heated swimming pool, live entertainment and special events. Village Restaurants offer the freshest seafood selections, hearty steaks and chef's creations with a Florida twist. Live entertainment is featured throughout the week and special events and activities are held year round.
For a little quiet and solitude, many residents and visitors to Punta Gorda head to Babcock Wilderness Adventures, 8000 S.R. 31 in Punta Gorda. At this attraction, guests can discover the natural heart of Florida on a 90-minute swamp buggy tour through Telegraph Cypress Swamp and the unique Babcock Ranch. Visitors will love the excitement of seeing alligators, panthers, Florida Cracker Cattle, birds and other Florida wildlife up close and personal. The excursion offers a once in a lifetime chance to see these creatures in their natural habitat while riding through four different ecosystems. Babcocks’s experienced and knowledgeable guides will make the woods come alive.
Fishermen's Village, at 1200 W. Retta Esplanade in Punta Gorda, is a bustling vacation destination for harbor-side shopping, dining and fun. The area was once an operating fishing village, and today is a busy waterfront destination and the gem of Punta Gorda. Visitors can enjoy unique shops and boutiques, restaurants, the military heritage museum, and stay at on of 47 spacious daily and weekly vacation villa rentals. There are also fishing charters, a 140-slip marina, daily harbor cruises, boat and kayak rentals, bicycles, heated swimming pool, live entertainment and special events. Village Restaurants offer the freshest seafood selections, hearty steaks and chef's creations with a Florida twist. Live entertainment is featured throughout the week and special events and activities are held year round.
For a little quiet and solitude, many residents and visitors to Punta Gorda head to Babcock Wilderness Adventures, 8000 S.R. 31 in Punta Gorda. At this attraction, guests can discover the natural heart of Florida on a 90-minute swamp buggy tour through Telegraph Cypress Swamp and the unique Babcock Ranch. Visitors will love the excitement of seeing alligators, panthers, Florida Cracker Cattle, birds and other Florida wildlife up close and personal. The excursion offers a once in a lifetime chance to see these creatures in their natural habitat while riding through four different ecosystems. Babcocks’s experienced and knowledgeable guides will make the woods come alive.
Punta Gorda, Florida Real Estate Market
As many are aware from media reports and local trends, the real estate market in Punta Gorda, Florida has seen sale prices go down as they have in most areas across the state and around the country. Even a perfect gem of a town like Punta Gorda has felt the pains of the economic downturn. Buyers in the current market are being rewarded with benefits, as motivated sellers and more aggressive pricing levels seek to make some profit. It would be a mistake to wait too long and miss the opportunity and take advantage of this extremely favorable buying climate in the real estate market.
Residents of Punta Gorda enjoy a laid back coastal lifestyle that has everything to offer except the hustle, bustle, crowds and traffic of larger cities and metropolitan areas. Prices on new and previously owned homes are highly competitive and inventory of excellent spots is plentiful. Punta Gorda is located on the eastern side of Charlotte Harbor with the town of Port Charlotte immediately to the north and Fort Myers to the south. This picturesque town is situated just along the banks of the Peace River and the Gulf of Mexico in Southwest Florida, and actually traces its heritage to a landing on the Peace River by Hernando DeSoto in 1539. The name means "Broad Point" in the language of the Conquistadors.
Punta Gorda is easily accessed from major Florida highways, and is the county seat and is the only incorporated area in Charlotte County, Florida. The region boasts small-town friendliness with a population of citizens who have a passion for the relaxed coastal lifestyle. There is easy and convenient access to Charlotte Harbor and the Gulf of Mexico, and fishing, boating and sailing opportunities abound. Charlotte Harbor is on average only ten to twelve feet deep, and thus is not impeded by commercial shipping traffic, making is a mecca for recreational boaters and fishermen.
The community features a unique downtown historical district with several sites that are listed on the National Register of Historic Places. With cobblestone streets, a bevy of interesting shops and fine non-chain restaurants, the downtown area is a destination stop in itself. Nearby, the Fisherman's Village area houses many additional shops and waterfront eateries. For Punta Gorda home shoppers, noteworthy subdivisions include the exclusive upscale community of Punta Gorda Isles where most homes offer sailboat access to Charlotte Harbor. There are also Burnt Store Isles and Meadows which provide a variety of housing options and boating opportunities, as well as Deep Creek with its numerous freshwater lakes and beautiful golf courses.
Residents of Punta Gorda enjoy a laid back coastal lifestyle that has everything to offer except the hustle, bustle, crowds and traffic of larger cities and metropolitan areas. Prices on new and previously owned homes are highly competitive and inventory of excellent spots is plentiful. Punta Gorda is located on the eastern side of Charlotte Harbor with the town of Port Charlotte immediately to the north and Fort Myers to the south. This picturesque town is situated just along the banks of the Peace River and the Gulf of Mexico in Southwest Florida, and actually traces its heritage to a landing on the Peace River by Hernando DeSoto in 1539. The name means "Broad Point" in the language of the Conquistadors.
Punta Gorda is easily accessed from major Florida highways, and is the county seat and is the only incorporated area in Charlotte County, Florida. The region boasts small-town friendliness with a population of citizens who have a passion for the relaxed coastal lifestyle. There is easy and convenient access to Charlotte Harbor and the Gulf of Mexico, and fishing, boating and sailing opportunities abound. Charlotte Harbor is on average only ten to twelve feet deep, and thus is not impeded by commercial shipping traffic, making is a mecca for recreational boaters and fishermen.
The community features a unique downtown historical district with several sites that are listed on the National Register of Historic Places. With cobblestone streets, a bevy of interesting shops and fine non-chain restaurants, the downtown area is a destination stop in itself. Nearby, the Fisherman's Village area houses many additional shops and waterfront eateries. For Punta Gorda home shoppers, noteworthy subdivisions include the exclusive upscale community of Punta Gorda Isles where most homes offer sailboat access to Charlotte Harbor. There are also Burnt Store Isles and Meadows which provide a variety of housing options and boating opportunities, as well as Deep Creek with its numerous freshwater lakes and beautiful golf courses.
Tuesday, June 28, 2011
Climate and Storm History of Punta Gorda, Florida
The city of Punta Gorda, Florida experiences a year-round warm, monsoon-influenced climate that is classified by NOAA as subtropical or tropical savanna by the Köppen classification system. Regardless of the terminology used, the Punta Gorda area has short, mild to warm winters, and long, hot, humid summers. Monthly temperatures average from highs in the mid-60 degrees Fahrenheit in January to mid-80 degrees in August, with the yearly average being approximately 75. Temperature records range from 25°F to 104°F. Most of Punta Gorda’s yearly rainfall falls during the months from June to September.
As mentioned, the winters are relatively warm to mild, an not nearly as hot as the summer season. Punta Gorda rarely experiences frost or snow; therefore, plants such as palm, citrus and many broadleaf evergreens flourish. Punta Gorda was the scene of massive destruction after Hurricane Charley devastated the Gulf Coast region. Charley was a Category 4 hurricane when the storm came through the city of Punta Gorda on August 13, 2004. As a matter of fact, Hurricane Charley was the strongest tropical system to hit Florida in over a decade. The most recent catastrophic storm that hit the state before Charley was Hurricane Andrew, that struck and caused vast destruction throughout Florida in August of 1992.
As mentioned, the winters are relatively warm to mild, an not nearly as hot as the summer season. Punta Gorda rarely experiences frost or snow; therefore, plants such as palm, citrus and many broadleaf evergreens flourish. Punta Gorda was the scene of massive destruction after Hurricane Charley devastated the Gulf Coast region. Charley was a Category 4 hurricane when the storm came through the city of Punta Gorda on August 13, 2004. As a matter of fact, Hurricane Charley was the strongest tropical system to hit Florida in over a decade. The most recent catastrophic storm that hit the state before Charley was Hurricane Andrew, that struck and caused vast destruction throughout Florida in August of 1992.
City of Punta Gorda, Florida: General Information
Punta Gorda, Florida is a city in Charlotte County, with a population of 16,762 according to the U.S. Census Bureau estimates of 2007. It is the county seat of Charlotte County, as the only incorporated municipality in Charlotte County. Punta Gorda is the principal city of the Punta Gorda, Florida Metropolitan Statistical Area and of Sarasota-Bradenton-Punta Gorda Combined Statistical Area for census purposes.
As of the official census figures recorded in 2000, there were 14,344 people living in 7,165 Punta Gorda households, and 5,187 families residing in the city. The amounts to a population density of 1,012.8 per square mile, with 8,907 housing units at an average density of 628.9 per square mile. Of the 7,165 households, 8.3% had children under the age of 18, and 66.8% were married couples. Non families comprised 27.6% and 4.3% households were headed by a female with no husband present. Individuals resided in 24.1% of all households and 15.9% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size had 1.97 people and the average family size was 2.27.
In Punta Gorda, the population was distributed with 8.2% under the age of 18 and 2.1% from 18 to 24 years old. In the 25 to 44 year old age group there were 9.9% of residents, 33.4% were aged from 45 to 64, and 46.4% of Punta Gorda residents were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 64 years. The median income for a household in the city of Punta Gorda was $48,916, and the median income for a family was $54,879. Males out earned females with a median income of $34,054 versus $26,125 for females. The per capita income for residents of the city was $32,460. About 4.7% of families and 6.5% of the entire population had incomes that fell below the poverty line, including 10.9% of those under age 18 and 3.0% of those age 65 or over.
As of the official census figures recorded in 2000, there were 14,344 people living in 7,165 Punta Gorda households, and 5,187 families residing in the city. The amounts to a population density of 1,012.8 per square mile, with 8,907 housing units at an average density of 628.9 per square mile. Of the 7,165 households, 8.3% had children under the age of 18, and 66.8% were married couples. Non families comprised 27.6% and 4.3% households were headed by a female with no husband present. Individuals resided in 24.1% of all households and 15.9% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size had 1.97 people and the average family size was 2.27.
In Punta Gorda, the population was distributed with 8.2% under the age of 18 and 2.1% from 18 to 24 years old. In the 25 to 44 year old age group there were 9.9% of residents, 33.4% were aged from 45 to 64, and 46.4% of Punta Gorda residents were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 64 years. The median income for a household in the city of Punta Gorda was $48,916, and the median income for a family was $54,879. Males out earned females with a median income of $34,054 versus $26,125 for females. The per capita income for residents of the city was $32,460. About 4.7% of families and 6.5% of the entire population had incomes that fell below the poverty line, including 10.9% of those under age 18 and 3.0% of those age 65 or over.
History of the City of Punta Gorda, Florida
Punta Gorda, Florida is a city that lies along the Peace River where it joins Charlotte Harbor. The first residents were the Howard brothers, who arrived about a decade after the end of the Civil War. Since that time, the rate of growth in the area has remained steady. The railroad network entered the town known as of Trabue in summer of 1886, bringing the first land developers and Southwest Florida’s first batch of tourists from the chillier north. A year later, the town was incorporated and renamed Punta Gorda. Mayoral elections soon took place and a council was formed, with four of the five council members elected not having American citizenship.
Meanwhile, phosphate rock was discovered on the banks of the Peace River just north of the city of Punta Gorda. At the time, phosphate was a valuable mineral for use as fertilizers, and was in great demand worldwide. Initially, the phosphate was barged down the Peace River to Port Boca Grande, where it was loaded onto ships for delivery throughout the world. However, by 1905 it became clear that building a railroad to Port Boca Grande and carrying the phosphate to it by rail would improve the method of shipment. The early years of Punta Gorda’s history show that it was a pretty rough town, as its location at the end of the railway line made it a popular destination for some shady characters. Approximately 40 murders were recorded between the years of 1890 and 1904.
In 1925, a bungalow was built in Punta Gorda by Joseph Blanchard, a successful sea captain and fisherman. The Blanchard House still stands today as a museum, and representation of middle-class African-American life in the area in the early 20th century. The Blanchard House exhibits cover political, civic and religious life; founding families; education; and, the Civil Rights Movement. The attraction highlights the community that thrived from the town’s founding until integration led residents to move away and businesses to close.
The current boundaries of Charlotte County were formed in 1921 after DeSoto County was split. That same year, the first bridge was constructed connecting Punta Gorda and Charlotte Harbor. A decade later, this small bridge was replaced by the Barron Collier Bridge, and then by the current bridge crossing the Peace River.
Meanwhile, phosphate rock was discovered on the banks of the Peace River just north of the city of Punta Gorda. At the time, phosphate was a valuable mineral for use as fertilizers, and was in great demand worldwide. Initially, the phosphate was barged down the Peace River to Port Boca Grande, where it was loaded onto ships for delivery throughout the world. However, by 1905 it became clear that building a railroad to Port Boca Grande and carrying the phosphate to it by rail would improve the method of shipment. The early years of Punta Gorda’s history show that it was a pretty rough town, as its location at the end of the railway line made it a popular destination for some shady characters. Approximately 40 murders were recorded between the years of 1890 and 1904.
In 1925, a bungalow was built in Punta Gorda by Joseph Blanchard, a successful sea captain and fisherman. The Blanchard House still stands today as a museum, and representation of middle-class African-American life in the area in the early 20th century. The Blanchard House exhibits cover political, civic and religious life; founding families; education; and, the Civil Rights Movement. The attraction highlights the community that thrived from the town’s founding until integration led residents to move away and businesses to close.
The current boundaries of Charlotte County were formed in 1921 after DeSoto County was split. That same year, the first bridge was constructed connecting Punta Gorda and Charlotte Harbor. A decade later, this small bridge was replaced by the Barron Collier Bridge, and then by the current bridge crossing the Peace River.
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