Ainger Creek Park
Beach Road, Englewood
473-1018
Canoeing, fishing, kayaking, restrooms
Bayshore Pier
Bayshore Road, Charlotte Harbor
625-7529
Fishing, restrooms
Bissett Park
12455 Path Ave., Punta Gorda
505-8686
Basketball, grills, horeshoes, playground, picnic area, restrooms, shuffleboard, tennis courts, visitors center
Carmalita Park
Carmalita & Florida Streets, Punta Gorda
627-1074
Baseball field, football field, inline skating, playground, picnic area,restrooms
Cedar Point Environmental Park
2300 Placida Road, Placida
Kayaking, trails, visitors center
Coral Creek Fishing Pier
Placida Road, Placida, 473-1018
Fishing
Darst Park
537 Darst Ave., Punta Gorda
639-5833
Boat ramp, canoeing, kayaking, picnic area
Deep Creek Park
Sandhill Boulevard, Punta Gorda
627-1628
Basketball, playground, picnic area, restrooms, tennis courts
Edgewater Park
22410 Glass Lane, Port Charlotte
Dog park, playground, picnic area, restrooms
El Jobean Park
4333 Kerrigan Circle, El Jobean
743-2425
Basketball, boat ramp, playground, picnic area, restrooms
Englewood Beach at Chadwick Park
2100 North Beach Road, Englewood
Picnic area
Englewood East Park
11120 Sunnydale Ave., Englewood
Basketball, grills, horeshoes, picnic area, shuffleboard
Gasparilla Piers (North & South)
Highways 775 and 771
Gilchrist Park
400 West Retta Esplanade, Punta Gorda
575-3387
Playground, picnic area, rec center
Harbor Heights Park
3350 San Marino Dr., Punta Gorda
Basketball, grills, horseshoes, playground, rec center, shuffleboard, tennis courts, volleyball
Harold Avenue Park
23400 Harold Ave., Port Charlotte
Baseball field, basketball, grills, playground, rec center, tennis courts
Hathaway Park
35461 Washington Loop Rd., Punta Gorda
Boat ramp, canoeing, kayaking, trails
Higgs Park
150 Higgs Court, Port Charlotte
Basketball, bocce ball, playground, picnic area, shuffleboard
Kiwanis Park
3100 Donora Street, Port Charlotte
575-9253
Grills, playground, picnic area, trails
Laishley Park
100 East Retta Esplanade, Punta Gorda
Boat ramp, fishing pier, walking trail, gazebo, Veteran's Memorial, picnic area, grills, restrooms
McGuire Park
32236 McGuire Avenue, Port Charlotte
Basketball, grills, horeshoes, picnic area, tennis courts
Midway Park
23023 Midway Blvd., Port Charlotte
Restrooms, tennis courts
Oyster Creek Regional Park
6751 San Casa Drive, Englewood
Football field, restrooms
Placida Park
Boca Grande Causeway
Boat ramp, fishing, picnic area, restrooms, RV parking
Ponce de Leon Park
4000 West Marion Ave., Punta Gorda
Boat ramps, raised boardwalk over wetland area, manmade beach, 2 fishing piers, playground, picnic area, shelter, open air chapel, restrooms
Port Charlotte Beach Park
4500 Harbor Blvd., Port Charlotte
Beach, fishing, picnic area, rec center, snack bar, swimming
Riverside Park
Riverside Drive, Punta Gorda
Salyers Park
1333 Veronica Street, Port Charlotte
Trails
South County Park
11040 Pinetrail Road, Punta Gorda
Basketball, playground, picnic area, shuffleboard
Springlake Park
Edgewater Boulevard, Port Charlotte
Boat ramp, canoeing, fishing, kayaking, picnic area, trails
Tringali Park
3460 N. Access Road
Basketball, inline skating, picnic area, rec center, tennis courts, trails
BEACHES
Port Charlotte Beach
Port Charlotte Beach along the Peace River is highlighted by its beach complex, which features a beach club with boat ramp, a very long fishing pier, barbecue grills, a pool and sporting activities such as tennis, volleyball, basketball and horseshoes.
The white sand along the river provides a perfect place to lay in the sun and soak up some rays. The Charlotte County park complex also features a public swimming pool and a snack bar.
Across the harbor from the beach complex you will see the quaint shops and tantalizing restaurants - and the boats - of Fishermen's Village in Punta Gorda.
Boca Grande Beach
The Boca Grande Public Beach is often compared to Caribbean beaches and attracts beach-goers from around the world.
The State of Florida charges a $2 admission fee.
At the beach is the famous Boca Grande Lighthouse and the Lighthouse Museum, which features a look back not only at Boca Grande but the reason for the lighthouse in the first place.
From your lounge chair in the bleached-white sands, you can spot exquisite seashells and watch dolphins swim and jump freely through the lightest of green waters. The best beaches are at the far south end of Gasparilla Island, located along Gasparilla Road.
They're worth a visit, as is Amory Chapel, one of the first churches in this area. It has been restored by local residents and many functions are held there oceanside.
Gasparilla Island is located in both Charlotte and Lee counties, but the state park beach is in Lee County at the south end. If you use a public access way to the Gulf of Mexico or the bay, please respect private property rights. Lee County cleans and maintains the rights-of-way.
In downtown Punta Gorda, this waterfront area offers places to sit and watch the boats go by. You can also suntan, but as far as sand, it's not here.
(Check the playground at Gilchrist Park, other side of U.S. Highway 41.) Laishley is a waterfront area and still attracts many seekers of rays.
Englewood Beach
Beautiful Englewood Beach is located on the Gulf of Mexico near the Charlotte and Sarasota County line in the city of Englewood. Here beach-goers will find great warm sand and wild sea oats growing along the dunes. A path leads to a more secluded white-sand beach that exposes trees, vegetation and wildlife.
The county has undertaken extensive renovations to modernize the facility and upgrade it to world-class resort status with many amenities.
The county-owned beach is the largest for miles around and is popular among tourists as well as visitors.
Chadwick Beach is a must for beach-lovers. Ample parking is provided, but beach-goers must pay a modest parking charge on the "honor" system.
Stump Pass Beach
Another popular Charlotte beach is Stump Pass Beach. At Stump Pass Beach, the most popular activity is just walking in the sand and the clear water, but the shallow bay side is also popular, and visitors can see many shorebirds among the mangroves.
Water lovers also can get to Stump Pass Beach via boat or personal watercraft. Water skiing is another popular sport on the bay side in "Ski Alley."
Stump Pass is part of the Gasparilla Island state park system. Call (941) 964-0375.
