3 Nights in PG....must do list! (big house, construction, quality of life)

[AnotherTouchOfWhimsy]

How did it go?

[Mama Nic]

Originally Posted by AnotherTouchOfWhimsy

How did it go?

Fantastic! The area wasn't just somewhere that looked nice to live........it FELT nice to live. The vibe was relaxed, friendly, the weather was amazing, the nature and wildlife was awesome. There are so many outdoor things to do we could never have an excuse to be bored. I felt in my heart that this was a place we could call our home. It may take me a few posts to fill in what we did. Stay tuned.

[mrs.cool]

We feel the same way, ever since we visited years ago. We can't wait to be able to move down there. I always feel like I've finally gotten home as soon as I get off the plane. Sigh.

[AnotherTouchOfWhimsy]

Coming from New England, the relaxed atmosphere is what made us know that this felt like home. People are much more laid-back here, flipflops are appropriate attire no matter what, and the constant sunshine makes everyone happy... at least, that's my theory!

[Mama Nic]

This was a whirlwind trip but we made the most of every second, and had a blast! Opinions expressed here are my own. I am sure people have differing views but these are just mine.

We flew into Tampa just after noon on Saturday. (We picked Tampa to save some money but in the future I will just spend the extra money.....long drive after a very long morning.). There is something about Florida that when you arrive your pressures just drop. Love that. We drove straight to the Waterfront Inn and Suites in Punta Gorda where they allowed us to check in early. The whole place is under construction which I had no idea when we booked it but found out through there Facebook page the night before! I got a discounted rate and our room was fine and it didn't impact our stay too much. At least the pool was open and the room was clean. Can't say the halls were the same. Looks like they needed a vacuuming to start. But the breakfast was great. Waffle station, eggs, sausage and the usually continental breakfast stuff. It was a pleasant surprise. We checked in and were off again.

We ventured right back out to drive around some neighborhoods. We drove back up north to Harbor Heights and I didn't expect the neighborhood to feel so welcoming to me but it was a nice place for a family and the park there is dreamy! It was picturesque and there were lots of families around, kids playing, large oak trees with Spanish moss streaming down....just lovely. Unfortunately, I hear not many houses go up for sale here but it is somewhere to keep in mind.

Next was onto Deep Creek. Not a place for us. No sidewalks, some pretty busy streets.....nothing felt exactly right for our family. Moving on.

Peace River Shores. Now, we are from the country but this place seems pretty desolate. We saw nobody. It was a little too quiet for us. Being isolated like that seems like a bad idea when we will be trying to make friends in a new place. We never did find the boat ramp.

Charlotte Ranchettes. Same thing but with dirt roads. Enough said. Could be nice but no for us.

Punta Gorda Isles. Lovely homes, nice neighborhood. Canals everywhere. Close to downtown. The only "complaint" if you will is that we need a yard for the kids to run free and the we just didn't see much land with the houses. But it is undeniably beautiful. Ponce de Leon Park was very nice. I love all the parks around the area!

Downtown PG. We loved all the historic homes. So much character. Very nice.

By now we are starving and mighty thirsty so we ended up at Harpoon Harry's. Nice table by the water. Nice people all around. Drinks were good. I tried Alligator! Food was just OK......everything we ordered was fried so how bad could it be? It was fine for a casual bite to eat. The atmosphere was worth going for.

Next stop was TT's Tiki Bar which we walked to from the hotel which was nice. Adirondack chairs in the sand, fire pits, friendly folks, and pretty good margaritas. Our day finally catch up with us and we headed back to get some rest before another any in paradise.

To be continued...........

[MikeM8560]

looking forward to your next day

[Mama Nic]

Day two in paradise. Woke up early with the sun. Weather again was perfect. High of ninety again and mostly sunny. That is my kind of weather! Ate some breakfast at the hotel and met our realtor, who showed us some homes for a potential rental property. We looked at PG, PC, and North Port. North Port was pretty much what I had expected from reading about it. Nice but a bit sterile feeling because it has no downtown area. It was made up of main roads with franchises and chain businesses. There where lovely enough neighborhoods though, and I do like the proximity to Sarasota and the gulf beaches. It was still close by to Punta Gorda, which was by far my favorite! There is potential in North Port for us. You can get more home for your money and the insurance is lower. Something to consider.

Then we ventured over to Venice and hit the beach! Beautiful, of course. When we got hungry we headed over to Sharky's and had some amazing drinks and fantastic calamari. The stuffed mushrooms were alright but the drinks were amazing. Did I say that already? :-) We found the best spot to sit and drink on the rooftop deck. There was only one other couple up there and we had a good time chatting with them abut the area. The pier was an interesting place and we found ourselves amazed at the kids fishing off there. We saw them catch a nurse shark! Pretty cool. We bought a shark tooth off a nice guy on the pier. He was a character. I love meeting all these interesting people! We chilled out until and let the rum leave the bloodstream before heading back to the hotel. It was getting late and we were starved. After a nice dip in the pool we headed out downtown with no plan. We ended up eating at Jack's on Marion. Incredible meal!!! I can't say enough about the food. The menu is delightful from start to finish. We sat outside and I ate the second best meal of my life. (Best was in St. John)

We heard music coming from somewhere and that led us to Dean's South of the Border. What a place that is! We had a blast. Cold beers, a warm night, live music......heaven!! Must go back. We stumbled on home at some point when the music ended and that pretty much wraps up the day. Happy as a clam.

By now I am head over heels with the area. Living here would be a dream. I know everyday life is different from vacation and that it wouldn't be all tiki bars and margaritas.........but to have the sun, the water, these friendly folks as neighbors, and all these places at our fingertips....well that to me is what it is all about. I can see my family living there happily and that makes me feel incredibly lucky to have found this place. Our future place.

Day three coming soon.......

[HarborRat]

Originally Posted by Mama Nic

....... I know everyday life is different from vacation and that it wouldn't be all tiki bars and margaritas.........

Yeah, it pretty much is if you want it to be! I've been here 4 years and still feel like I'm on vacation. I often wonder what the suckers up north are doing....then I think, nah, who cares? Shh, don't tell anyone.

[AnotherTouchOfWhimsy]

Yeah, it still feels pretty vacation-y here to me, after 8ish years. I mean, I still have to deal with some drudgery, working, cleaning toilets, mowing the lawn, changing the kitty litter box, breaking up kid-squabbles... but for the most part, it's easier to deal with when you're living in Paradise.

[rock creek]

Originally Posted by AnotherTouchOfWhimsy

Yeah, it still feels pretty vacation-y here to me, after 8ish years. I mean, I still have to deal with some drudgery, working, cleaning toilets, mowing the lawn, changing the kitty litter box, breaking up kid-squabbles... but for the most part, it's easier to deal with when you're living in Paradise.

Amen to that