Punta Gorda

[121804]

Keep in mind, half of PGI is boarded up in the summer, also One block from Good Shepherd there are 10 homes; 8 were boarded up for the season. I'd say there are 3-4 homes boarded up in PGI on most every block. VERY quiet & very little people around.

We lived two blocks from Good Shepherd Day School. It is a good school but very small, especially after 2nd grade; something in the area of 5-8 kids per grade. Just not a lot of children living in PGI.

My son really enjoyed Gilchrist Park. Fisherman's Village is nice if not relied on as sole entertaiment.

I suggest getting in touch with a realtor who really knows PGI. Not one who is going to sugar coat due to desperation. He/she can tell you the areas of PGI that may have younger families if you are intent on that area.

Burnt Store Meadows is decent (it's off 41) but overpriced.

Deep Creek is just overdeveloped with a mix of run down homes next to overpriced homes. Shady groups of people live there, also. We saw 4 different empty homes when we were thinking of buying that had been vandalized. Even though DC has a PG zip code, my husband & I always considered it to be part of Port Charlotte.

There is a montessori school in PC (in Lake Suzy) & 1 private school, ST Charles. There is also a christian academy off of Kings Highway near Midland.

Your choices for private are going to be very limited in Charlotte County.

Again, most you speak to who live in PGI are either going to have adult children, no children, or retired.

You need to start contacting realtors who are knowlegable of PUNTA GORDA & are going to tell you what to steer towards or stay away from due to the fact you have 8 year olds.

The YMCA for your sons will be in Port Charlotte. There is a soccer club in PG. That is about it for PG. You will probably spend more time in PC or Fort Myers for their activities.
Good luck.

pS..the Publix on 41 near Pompano is by far the best one. Great service & very clean. Monty's Pizza is also in that plaza & is awesome & not expensive. We got addicted to that pizza place.

[paulwize]

to cosima, i hope you find this, i am very positive about the entire charlotte harbor area, esp punta gorda for the small town atmosphere,there is a very nice realtor, originally from michigan, lives in punta gorda, is raising younger son and daughter there, works for prudential village realty place,his name is jerry n bone, (check the local phone book for him or the real estate office)...i love florida, great for kids, can be outdoors most of the time, awsome state and local parks, lots to do, and people seem happier and more friendly to me, i'm from st. louis, mo and am planning to move to punta gorda area when i retire....best of luck to you, hope you get what you want, you'll love florida, don't listen to all the negative people, they won't be happy wherever they are!

[TKramar]

Originally Posted by 121804

Keep in mind, half of PGI is boarded up in the summer, also One block from Good Shepherd there are 10 homes; 8 were boarded up for the season. I'd say there are 3-4 homes boarded up in PGI on most every block. VERY quiet & very little people around.

We lived two blocks from Good Shepherd Day School. It is a good school but very small, especially after 2nd grade; something in the area of 5-8 kids per grade. Just not a lot of children living in PGI.

My son really enjoyed Gilchrist Park. Fisherman's Village is nice if not relied on as sole entertaiment.

I suggest getting in touch with a realtor who really knows PGI. Not one who is going to sugar coat due to desperation. He/she can tell you the areas of PGI that may have younger families if you are intent on that area.

Burnt Store Meadows is decent (it's off 41) but overpriced.

Deep Creek is just overdeveloped with a mix of run down homes next to overpriced homes. Shady groups of people live there, also. We saw 4 different empty homes when we were thinking of buying that had been vandalized. Even though DC has a PG zip code, my husband & I always considered it to be part of Port Charlotte.

There is a montessori school in PC (in Lake Suzy) & 1 private school, ST Charles. There is also a christian academy off of Kings Highway near Midland.

Your choices for private are going to be very limited in Charlotte County.

Again, most you speak to who live in PGI are either going to have adult children, no children, or retired.

You need to start contacting realtors who are knowlegable of PUNTA GORDA & are going to tell you what to steer towards or stay away from due to the fact you have 8 year olds.

The YMCA for your sons will be in Port Charlotte. There is a soccer club in PG. That is about it for PG. You will probably spend more time in PC or Fort Myers for their activities.
Good luck.

pS..the Publix on 41 near Pompano is by far the best one. Great service & very clean. Monty's Pizza is also in that plaza & is awesome & not expensive. We got addicted to that pizza place.

What do you know about Cleveland? There's another area...I forgot what it's called...but it runs along US17 up to around Marlympia, where the Circle K is? It's outside town. Some of that area, as I remember, is called the Ranchettes.

[121804]

Originally Posted by TKramar

What do you know about Cleveland? There's another area...I forgot what it's called...but it runs along US17 up to around Marlympia, where the Circle K is? It's outside town. Some of that area, as I remember, is called the Ranchettes.

Find that whole area to be very undesirable, in the middle of nowhere & flat w/ no scenery. If I remember correctly, the Ranchettes is 55+ (may be wrong); then again, that's most of SWFL.
Sorry, just not my cup of tea down there.
But if one is looking to be in a flat area with very little around them, that may be perfect for them.

Though I have to say the closer one gets to the orange groves along US17, it is cool who you can smell the orange in the air.

[SoFLGal]

Hi Cosima,

I would check out Charlotte Academy in Port Charlotte if you are looking into the private school route. I have many friends that send their children there and seem to be pretty pleased with the school. I have not heard the best things about Sallie Jones but I have no first hand experience with the school either. Sallie Jones is a year round school. My children went to Laurel Oaks Academy in Port Charlotte when we lived in Charlotte county. I would not recommend it. We now live in North Port but I am very familiar with the Punta Gorda area.

If your boys like sharks and dolphins you should take a trip up to Mote Marine in Sarasota. Mote is a shark, dolphin, etc rehabilitation center. We just went up there last weekend and my kids loved it.

Hope this helps

[ameliabedelia]

I dont know if you have already moved here... but the jobs down here are practically not existent-there are plenty of salons that have been hiring down here but i do not think if you were to open your own salon it would make it at this time. There are not as many snowbirds coming down as usual and people are waiting longer to get their hair cut due to the ecomomy instead of say once a month they are waiting every 3 months or so you get the idea. Also there are soo many salons already and they are not getting their regulars and are really slow. Alot of businesses are closing down because of there not being any customers. I dont have children but this part of florida seems to be (to me) only out to improve an elderly lifestyle and by that i mean 65+ they close down stores that younger people would shop at so plan on going to fort meyers or sarasota to buy your children clothes for school. I hope they only like to go to the beach or fish cause there is not much else for younger kids to do in the area. oh ya it will take you at least an hour to get to siesta key. I hope this wasnt too negative but this area just seems to be going downhill bad for the last year. I wish you good luck!

[TKramar]

Originally Posted by 121804

Find that whole area to be very undesirable, in the middle of nowhere & flat w/ no scenery. If I remember correctly, the Ranchettes is 55+ (may be wrong); then again, that's most of SWFL.
Sorry, just not my cup of tea down there.
But if one is looking to be in a flat area with very little around them, that may be perfect for them.

Though I have to say the closer one gets to the orange groves along US17, it is cool who you can smell the orange in the air.

The "middle of nowhere" is the best thing about it.

[puntagordapenny]

Cosima,
I moved from Chester County PA to Punta Gorda. I love it. My kids were 8 and 11 when we moved and are now 12 & 15. They went to Sallie Jones and it was comparable to the elementary school they left in PA. I have heard Deep Creek is better, but I don't know personally. When are you moving? I am involved in Little League and other activities. There are things for the kids, you just need to know where to look.