Babcock Ranch homes. FILE PHOTO

The brainchild of Syd Kitson, a former professional football player turned real estate developer, Kitson and Partners founded the town of Babcock Ranch after purchasing a 91,000-acre ranch. Committed to preserving 90 percent of it, they sold 73,000 acres to the state and Lee County, leaving 18,000 acres for the now-booming community with half that 18,000 acres to be preserved as well.

This green-focused community off SR 31 in neighboring Charlotte County just across the Lee County border continues to grow and offer an abundance of amenities to its residents.

The first home closed in 2018 and Babcock Ranch has now surpassed 4,200 sold. At capacity, Babcock Ranch will have up to 19,500 homes and 6,000,000 square feet of commercial space. Meanwhile, with more than 50 home designs, prospective residents can choose their home-of-choice across various price points from the affordable to the luxurious.

The community also offers a variety of rental home options from studio apartments to five-bedroom single-family homes. Expansion into Lee County with future plans of 1,630 residential units is pending.

Babcock Ranch offers an abundance of outdoor amenities including dedicated greenways, parks, 50 miles of hiking trails and Lake Babcock, which offers opportunity for kayaking and canoeing adventures. It recently opened a 23-acre sports complex called the William and Mary Ann Smith Sports Complex.

Visitors are welcome.

PLACES TO GO

Information & Discovery Center

The Babcock Discovery Center is open Monday-Saturday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Sunday from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Address: 42850 Crescent Loop, 941-787-5485

Founder’s Square

Founders Square, along the edge of Lake Babcock, is at the northern end of the community’s downtown district. The town’s social hub, Founders Square, offers community events and music, as well as restaurants and shops. Enjoy entertainment at the bandshell, let the kids beat the heat at the interactive splash pad, stroll the boardwalk along the lake or enjoy the fountain lights at night.

THINGS TO DO

Play some golf

If golf is your forte, check out the 18-hole golf course designed by Gorden Lewis, at Babcock National, the golf and country club neighborhood.  Public tee times are available at www.babcock.ezlinksgolf.com.

For visitors considering the golf-and-gated-community lifestyle of Southwest Florida, Babcock National offers its residents a full array of amenities including resort-style pool and tiki bar, tennis courts, pickleball, full-service spa, fitness center, formal dining room and more.

More info: Call 941-347-2200

Community Events

The community also offers an array of weekly events:

• Food Truck Fridays and Saturdays from 5 to 9 p.m., at Founders Square

• Farmers Market, on Sundays from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m., at Founders Square

Eco Tours

Step back in time and learn about Babcock Ranch, as well as an array of animals as alligators, birds, wild hogs, wild turkeys, Sandhill cranes, among other animals as you travel through four different ecosystems of Florida, including Telegraph Cypress Swamp.

The Swamp Buggy Eco-Tour is 90-minutes; the Walking Tour takes individuals off the beaten path through the palmetto prairie; the Specialty Tour are offered sporadically, and the Group/Educational Tours are offered for local youth.

For more info: Visit www.babcockranchecotours.com, call (800) 500-5583, or email info@babcockranchecotours.com