Accomodations in Punta Gorda or surrounding area-Availabilit

[bosag]

Hi, sorry this is o/t but being related to Charley-sorta:). My husband is going over to Punta Gorda for business and was wanting to take us over there for a long weekend. I was curious about hotel availability? Are there any Mom and Pop type places w/ no websites that you would recommend?. I mentioned to him that there might not be any vacancies w/ all the evacuees etc-or am I wrong? We were planning on leaving Friday.

TIA

Barb

[CharleySurvivor]

I am not 100% sure but as far as I know, there are only hotels in PG. You might want to call first because a few of them were damaged during Charley and are either being rebuilt or renovated.

You might want to look into Port Charlotte (it's seperated from PG only by a bridge) more hotels and a 'little' less damage then PG did, especially in the norhtern part of Port Charlotte.

[PerfectStorm]

Hi, just to let you know about accomodations. I have several clients in PG and Port Charlotte and am down there often. I would recommend staying somewhere off of HWY 41 (Tamiami Trail). South of PG is ok and north of PG is ok. Port Charlotte does have a few places to stay. Sarasota is a quick 45 min drive and has tons of accomodations. Also Englewood just north of PG is about a 20 to 30 min drive and is not bad either. try orbitz.com for rooms!

[caribepr]

Don't know anything about availability, you'll have to google it, but there is a really funky fun place called the Nav-i-gator that used to have places to stay. It's right ON the Peace River, and right OFF the interstate...great restaurant, very old Florida. For all I know it's not going on now but if so..it's worth checking out (unless you are partial to Hilton like places, in which case don't check it out!)

Oops! I spelled it wrong...here is the link

http://www.nav-a-gator.com/

[inotherwords]

bosag, you can also check Vacation Rental by Owner at http://www.vrbo.com and see what's available in Punta Gorda and Port Charlotte. It's still off season so the availability and selection should be very good and prices reasonable. You can find some very cool places on this site. I have offered my vacation properties here in the past. These are turnkey furnished rentals that will provide you more than a hotel room.

[CharleySurvivor]

Nav-A-gator is a nice place to eat and/or bring the boat to go fishing - no accomodation there. I live very close to it and go often.

It has been known for its famous 'grouper sandwich' for years. A nice place indeed to check out - it is a little drive out of Port Charlotte though (towards Arcadia on Kings Hwy)

One place you MUST see is 'Fisherman's Village' in Punta Gorda. It's all quaint little shops, reataurants, pier, boats tours and more. It's really a place to see when you come in the area.

IF they still have them (not sure since the hurricane), they have accomodation, that would be a cool place to stay as I have known people who did stay there and said it was really nice. Just google Fisherman's Village for more info.

[TheShrimper]

You could stay out here in Matlacha at the Bridgewater Inn on Matlacha Pass or at Knoll's Court, also in Matlacha. It is 18 miles from P.G. traveling down Burnt Store Rd. Matlacha has plenty of fishing and places to eat, it was a commercial fishing village till the net ban went into effect. It has remained unchanged and is very quaint. Disregard posts about staying on 41 S of PG unless you want to be confronted by crack whores on the corners at night. There are a few places north of the Peace River on 41, but not many. If you want quite and enjoy Florida as it was 40 years ago, stay in Matlacha. Sarasota and Venice are crowded and very snobby. It depends what you want. Therei is a Motel 6 at the Jones Joop Rd. interchange off 75 in PG. Dont know if the Days Inn rebuilt after Charley.

[CharleySurvivor]

Shrimper....do you live in Matlacha?

I will edit my post now in case Shrimper doesn't answer...

The 'crack whores' he is talking about is NOT in Punta Gorda. Don't know where that comes from. 'North' Fort Myers is not a safe place to stay as there is a lot of bad things that happens there at times during the night. Perhaps Shrimper is referring to that area which is quite a drive down on 41 South.

I have been living in Port Charlotte for 12 years and a Realtor selling in Punta Gorda/Port Charlotte and know the area VERY well. You cannot go wrong in Punta Gorda or Port Charlotte.

Enjoy your weekend!

[caribepr]

. If you want quite and enjoy Florida as it was 40 years ago, stay in Matlacha. Sarasota and Venice are crowded and very snobby.

Venice snobby??? Bummer! It used to just be chronically psycho when I lived around there! But what is most important...can you still find a zillion shark's teeth at the beach?
I've had some great fishing (lived on my sailboat on the Peace River awhile and loved *most* of it) in that area...the lost Florida coast!

[TheShrimper]

yeh, for 20+ years.

[TheShrimper]

There is still a s-load of sharks teeth up in Venice, if you have one of those Fl. Snowshovels

[TheShrimper]

Yes Survivor, I was talking about NFM because someone mentioned staying on 41 S of PG.

[CharleySurvivor]

Venice is not snobby!!! It still has it's wonderful charm! I love to go there just to relax and yes, you can still find shark teeth, not as much but there are still some.

Sarasota is 'yuppi' but it deserves to be called that way. It is a beautiful place with some of the best beaches in the area, amazing art and St- Armands key is...well... what Sarasota is all about.

Take a drive to St-Armands if you have a chance, it is really worth seeing also.

[caribepr]

Nav-A-gator is a nice place to eat and/or bring the boat to go fishing - no accomodation there. I live very close to it and go often.

It has been known for its famous 'grouper sandwich' for years. A nice place indeed to check out - it is a little drive out of Port Charlotte though (towards Arcadia on Kings Hwy)

One place you MUST see is 'Fisherman's Village' in Punta Gorda. It's all quaint little shops, reataurants, pier, boats tours and more. It's really a place to see when you come in the area.

IF they still have them (not sure since the hurricane), they have accomodation, that would be a cool place to stay as I have known people who did stay there and said it was really nice. Just google Fisherman's Village for more info.

Brief flash dash down memory lane...Billy (with me as sidekick) was the one who started the grouper sandwich - along with his awesome cole slaw, which weirdly, I am making tonight;) Remember the *fish lips* sandwich when we would run out of grouper?? He's not there anymore but it's nice to know the sandwich still has its fame.

Thanks for the update on the lack of accomodations. i won't send anyone to stay "at the end of the road, the end of the dock the end of the world" anymore!

[CharleySurvivor]

Your sandwich worked and is still going!

Nav-A-gator has not changed much, I can tell you they really try to keep its 'old' look. That place is almost always pack with people, especially during the evening.

That famous grouper sandwich is what it will always be known for LOL...but it works and people love it.

[TheShrimper]

They have scaffolding set up in there getting the structures fixed up. Alot of the rooms upstairs are being worked on too. dont know what is available or for rent.

[TheShrimper]

Worst catastrophie of PG is that the whole ambience of the Slip Knot Lounge is gone. The rest. is still functioning infront, the trailer park is history. Best Cheeseburgers around.

[bosag]

Thanx Guys!

We were able to find a room at the Best Western Waterfront, which is next to Fishermans Village. and it sounds like there is a nice park (GilChrist Park?) w/ a playground for the kids next door also. (anyone know of this park?.

Thanx Again!

Barb

[CharleySurvivor]

BW is a nice place right on the Harbor. Gilchrest is a nice park, nothing special about it - tennis court, nice kids play area. You can walk to Fisherman's Village as the park is right behind the hotel, nice little walk. You will see some beautiful old houses along the street as you walk to Fisherman's.

You will be very close to downtown PG also, a nice little walk if you like walking. Quaint little shops and beautiful architecture. If you never been here before, you can feel very safe walking, even in the evening.

Lots of 1 way streets in PG, just to let you know.

[inotherwords]

. If you want quite and enjoy Florida as it was 40 years ago, stay in Matlacha. Sarasota and Venice are crowded and very snobby.

Venice snobby??? Bummer! It used to just be chronically psycho when I lived around there! But what is most important...can you still find a zillion shark's teeth at the beach?
I've had some great fishing (lived on my sailboat on the Peace River awhile and loved *most* of it) in that area...the lost Florida coast!

Venice is not snobby in the least and it's not crowded at all this time of year. The poster is misinformed. Venice is full of very old transplanted midwesterners for the most part, and is mostly seasonal with snowbirds from again mostly the midwest, along with some from canada. I have lived a mile from the island for many years and snobby is the last word I'd use to describe it. "Boring" is probably a better descriptor at this point since there's absolutely nothing going on, and if you're awake after 8 p.m. they roll up the streets.

There are a couple of streets of mom and pop antiques and thrift stores that are fun. The food's not too great for the most part, again, very boring and predictable, but we're starting to get some better restaurants. It will not be long before the island starts looking like St. Armand's key, though, and then it will start becoming snobby.

It is pretty, though, and I like it just fine.