If you’re looking for a family vacation to really get away from it all, then Port Charlotte is a fine destination to consider. Closely nestled in Charlotte Harbor by the beautiful Gulf water, Port Charlotte is one of those lesser known Florida escapes where the locals keep their secrets close to the heart. You’ll find its charms will lure you in, and its friendly people will have you coming back.
While you’re here visiting kid friendly Port Charlotte, be sure to also have a look at what else Charlotte County has to offer in the Charlotte Harbor post here which includes town/cities/fishing villiages/islands of ; Boca Grande, Palm Island, Don Pedro Island, Punta Gorda, El Jobean, Manasota Key, Cape Haze, Placida, Englewood, and my favorite; Little Gasparilla Island, they are all great places to visit for your Florida family vacation.
Port Charlotte is Charlotte County’s geographical center, and home to a waterfront museum, the Charlotte County Historical Center, and the Charlotte Symphony Orchestra. The waterfront museum features an inside look into the area’s varied past.
The first people to call the Port Charlotte area home were the nomadic paleo-indians as they chased big game such as woolly mammoth southward during the last ice age around 10,000 BCE. At the time, it was not a coastal area; the peninsula of Florida was much wider than it is today and much drier. As the ice melted, the sea level rose and Florida assumed the shape and climate it has today and the paleo-indians gave way to the Calusa, the “shell people.” The Calusa thrived on the southwest Florida coast and numbered over 50,000 when the first Spaniards reached the peninsula in the 16th century. The arrival of the Europeans was devastating to the Calusa, as diseases such as small pox and measles decimated the population. Eventually the Seminole would arrive from points to the north and establish themselves on the peninsula.
Kid Friendly Things to Do in Port Charlotte on your Florida family vacation
The beach is always your best choice, as kids love the sand, surf and sun (not to mention us Moms and Dads too!) And if Port Charlotte Beach isn’t your style, not too far away are lots of other beaches to enjoy.
Port Charlotte Beach– 4500 Harbor Boulevard, Ph#(941) 627-1628 –Clustered around this man-made beach, a variety of facilities and activities will keep the family entertained for an entire day. Bring a picnic lunch or buy from the concessions. Play volleyball, basketball, tennis, or horseshoes. There’s also a playground, boat ramps, a fishing pier, and a swimming pool. This fun Beach Complex is a public beach facility at the southeast end of Harbour Boulevard. – The beach complex offers a boardwalk,tennis courts,a boat ramp, sand volleyball courts, horseshoe area, fishing pier, picnic shelters, and more.
Amenities at Port Charlotte Beach Park
- Basketball
- BBQ Grills
- Boat Ramps
- Bocce
- Canoe/Kayak
- Fishing
- Horseshoes
- Picnic Shelters/Pavilion Rentals
- Picnicking
- Playground
- Recreation Building
- Restrooms/Port-O-Lets
- Room Rentals
- Swimming Pool/Beach
- Tennis Courts
- Volleyball Courts
Port Charlotte Beach Park is a paid parking facility. Parking is 75 cents per hour. Obtain a ticket from kiosks located in the park and display it on your dashboard. For the convenience of our patrons, annual parking passes are also available for purchase. Click for more information. Located at; 4500 Harbor Boulevard, 33952 (941) 627-1628
See more Port Charlotte Beaches here.
- Ainger Creek Park
- Allapatchee Shores Park
- Amberjack Environmental Park
- Anger Fishing Pier
- Audubon-Pennington Nature Park
- Bay Heights Park
- Bayshore Live Oak Park
- Bissett Park
- Boca Grande Fishing Pier Park
- Butterford Waterway Park
- Cape Haze Pioneer Trail Park
- Carmalita Athletic Park
- Cedar Point Environmental Park
- Charlotte Flatwoods Environmental Park
- Charlotte Harbor Event & Conference Center
- Charlotte Sports Park
- Chester Roberts Park
- Clark Park
- Darst Park
- Deep Creek Park
- Edgewater Park
- El Jobean Boat Ramp
- El Jobean Fishing Pier
- El Jobean Park
- Englewood Beach/Chadwick Park
- Englewood East Park
- Franz Ross Park
- G. C. Herring Park
- Gulfstream Park
- Harbour Heights Park
- Harold Avenue Park
- Hathaway Park
- Helen Wrobble Park
- Hickory Bluff Park
- Higgs Park
- Kiwanis Park
- Lake Betty Park
- Lincoln Park
- Lister Park
- Maracaibo Park / Kidspace
- McGuire Park
- Midway Park
- Myakka Park
- North Charlotte Regional Park
- Ollie’s Pond Park
- Ott Circle Park
- Oyster Creek Regional Park
- Placida Park
- Placida Rotary Centennial Park
- Port Charlotte Beach Park
- Price Circle Park
- Riverside Park
- Rotonda Park
- Salyers Park
- Scotts Park
- Severin Park
- Sharon Circle Park
- Shirley Park
- South County Regional Park
- South Gulf Cove Park
- South Punta Gorda Heights Park
- Spring Lake Park
- St. Paul Linear Park
- Sunrise Park
- The Learning Garden
- Tippecanoe Environmental Park
- Tringali Park
Fish Cove Adventure Golf–Two 18-hole put-put courses! Located at; 4949 Tamiami Trail (941) 627-5393
Charlotte County Historical Center–Its exhibits teach informally about local natural history, ecology, and history. One gallery is devoted to African animals, another holds dress-up costumes. Other exhibits rotate in and out. 22959 Bayshore Road, Punta Gorda, Florida (941) 629-7278
Charlotte County Stadium, Port Charlotte-2300 El Jobean Rd. Ph#: 941-625-9500–The former spring home of the Texas Rangers, this great baseball facility hosts County baseball and softball leagues throughout the year, as well as concerts, special events, and other activities.
Best Kid Friendly Restaurants in Port Charlotte while on your Florida family vacation:
- La Esperanza Restaurant
- Donato’s
- Sweet Scoops Ice Cream
- Sprinkles Ice Cream…
- Luigi’s Italian…
- Broadway Bagel
- Asuka Japanese Steakhouse
- Chaang Thai Restaurant
- Fortune Garden Chinese…
- City Deli
- Cap’n & The Cowboy Hidden gem!
- jumbo’s subs-best sandwiches and Philly subs!
- Brickhouse Pizza; 1938 Kings Hwy 27 ph
# (941) 766-7499
Choose a Type of Food: Show All | American | Bagels | Bakery | Barbecue | Breakfast/Brunch | Buffet | Burgers | Caribbean | Cheesesteaks | Chicken | Chinese | Coffee | Cuban | Desserts/Ice Cream | Diner | Donuts | European | Fast Food | French | Gastropub | Greek | Hot Dogs | Italian | Japanese | Mexican | Pizza | Pub Food | Sandwiches/Subs | Seafood | Smoothies | Soups | Southern & Soul | Spanish | Steakhouse | Tacos | Tea | Thai
Places to Stay on your Florida family vacation in Port Charlotte; Kid Friendly Resorts and Hotels:
The brand new pet friendly, La Quinta Inn Suites Port Charlotte is your gateway to port charlotte beach, gilded grape winery, deep creek golf and country … more
Come to Port Charlotte for your next Florida family vacation and find out why it’s one of Florida’s best kept secrets…but do me a favor and keep it to yourself!
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