Port Charlotte

Port Charlotte is a city in Southwest Florida roughly 30 miles north of Fort Myers and 40 miles south of Sarasota on the gulf coast of Florida. Nestled in Charlotte Harbor, visitors can take cruises through the harbor, play a round of mini-golf or swim in the harbor.

Understand
Port Charlotte was home to about 61,000 people in 2020. Port Charlotte became nationally recognized when, in August 2004, Hurricane Charley took a last minute turn and devastated the area and surrounding city of Punta Gorda.

Get in
Port Charlotte is accessible by boat, plane or car. Located just off of I-75, Port Charlotte's town center is approximately a 5 minute drive. Visitors can also reach Port Charlotte by traveling along Tamiami Trail (US 41), which runs parallel to I-75. From Tampa, travelers must head south. Fort Myers requires travelers to travel north.

By plane
By plane, travelers should travel to Southwest Florida International Airport in Fort Myers, or travel to Sarasota Bradenton Airport in Sarasota. Both airports are between a 45-minute to 1-hour drive from Port Charlotte.


 * Punta Gorda Airport in Punta Gorda offers regularly scheduled commercial flights.
 * Punta Gorda Airport in Punta Gorda offers regularly scheduled commercial flights.
 * Punta Gorda Airport in Punta Gorda offers regularly scheduled commercial flights.

By car
Port Charlotte has one primary expressway, I-75, which runs north to south. The major roads within Port Charlotte include the Tamiami Trail (which is the name given to US 41 between Tampa and Miami) running north-to-south, and El Jobean Rd/Veterans' Blvd. (FL-776) running east-to-west.

By boat
By boat, visitors can reach Port Charlotte by entering Charlotte Harbor. However, rental spaces for boats are limited and can be expensive.

Do
Activities include miniature golf, rentable jet skis or a boat, parks and sailboat races on the weekends, and fishing tournaments.



Eat
Red Lobster, Olive Garden, TGI Fridays, steakhouses and seafood restaurants are here along with all the major fast food places.

Sleep
Port Charlotte is quickly becoming a tourist destination for those who want the convenience of being close to major cities, such as Sarasota, Tampa, Fort Myers, and Naples, yet want a quiet place to relax. Port Charlotte is home to several hotels, including Best Western, and also has a fabulous rental company, Port Charlotte Florida Homebuilders, which rents out hundreds of homes in the cities. These homes have their own private pools and are quite large, ranging from 2000 square feet to 3000 square feet.