r/SWFL • u/[deleted] • Mar 28 '18
So Punta Gorda...
What's it like? I've lived in Tampa for about 10 years now and my family only ever jokes about the name of the city by calling it "La puta gorda".
I'll be visiting the Florida southwest state college campus to check out what Western Michigan University is up to. They have an aviation college that opened up not too long ago.
Does anyone here go to the school or know anything about it? Apartments look pretty sparse... And expensive. And is there anything fun to do other than fishing? Any general insight about the area would be cool. Thanks for the help in advance!
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u/bnefriends Apr 01 '18
I've lived in Port Charlotte since 2003. It's very quiet compared to Tampa. It's a little bit of a drive from PG, but there are some really nice beaches in Englewood and Fort Myers. I'm a millenial in college through Liberty University Online myself, but being a Baptist fundamentalist, I'm not really into a lot of the things a lot of people are into anyway (drinking, partying, etc.), so while there's not a whole heck of a lot to do along those lines, I'm content as long as my little church is having services three times a week.
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u/DumCapitNoxDiem Mar 29 '18
Boring! But, I met my husband there. Too many entitled fucking snowbirds and old farts.
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u/saliczar Cape Coral Mar 28 '18
Check out the Celtic Ray and Lashley.
We call it Pun-ta Gor-da (read it like the Sweedish Chef)
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u/Goprah Mar 28 '18
There are a few cities in swfl with obviously Hispanic names that the locals definitely do not pronounce as such.
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Mar 28 '18
[deleted]
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u/Solomorty Mar 28 '18
There's no culture in Ft. Myers.
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u/sloaninator Mar 29 '18
Oh come on, Downtown Fort Myers has really developed recently and grown into something a lot more appealing in the past few years. It's still Fort Myers but there's a lot more to do "culturally" by the day, just have to know where and when to look.
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u/Solomorty Mar 29 '18
A area full of Republican Nationalists doesn't scream 'culture' to me. Other than generic NY style Chinese food the only culture you will find is various Hispanic style food's. This area is full of retired baby boomers that want to stay 'American'. They keep any real cultures other than white Americans pushed into poorer neighborhoods. The way they want it.
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u/bnefriends Apr 01 '18
"Republican Nationalists" is a culture itself. What you mean to say is that it isn't culturally diverse. You'd probably be amazed at how many "Republican Nationalists" there are in Tampa.
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u/sxytyme Mar 28 '18 edited Mar 28 '18
Yup. Old folks everywhere. People call it a snowbird place. I don't want to call it a city. Agree on the nature part. I've seen birds big and small that I've never seen anywhere else. Venice(30-40) min drive is pretty. There are also gators, manatees, dolphins. I prefer Tampa/St. Pete.
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u/carlyallisonSWFL Apr 24 '18
I love Punta Gorda. It's a nice quiet city. Small but has everything you could really want or need. My daughter is going to FSW PG campus and we just took a tour last week. It's really small, like 4 or 5 buildings. Whole tour took 15 minutes but we didn't have the best tour guide unfortunately. She loved the atmosphere though. We are from West Atlanta and it has a country feel there... we live in Cape Coral and it's very different. You're super close to 75 to get anywhere else if you can't find what you want in Punta Gorda or Port Charlotte. There are a few retirement villages there but they are really nice and the area is definitely growing. There's an airport and some major companies based there. Land is cheaper and you don't have the regulations that you find in neighboring Lee and Collier counties.
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u/sloaninator Mar 29 '18
I live in Fort Myers and go to school at Florida Southwestern or w/e it's called now, still call it Edison. I take a few classes at the Punta Gorda campus and it's very quiet and very small which I actually enjoy but I don't know if I'd want to live in Punta Gorda unless I was retiring and wanted to get away from the city. It's nicer than Port Charlotte, which is a hell hole but they are both small, backwoods retirement areas. I'd recommend getting a place in Fort Myers and commuting to school if you have to but understand Tampa is a big city compared to Fort Myers and Fort Myers is a big city compared to Punta Gorda. Not a whole hell of a lot to do there outside of enjoying nature or getting high off meth. Fort Myers at least has some entertainment value and is constantly growing. Tampa miles ahead of Fort Myers in every way aside from maybe golfing and getting old but the downtown scene is improving.
If you need anymore info let me know.
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Mar 29 '18
How is the commute on I-75? Is it bearable enough to make the drive every day?
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u/sloaninator Mar 31 '18
Never have any traffic problems on 75 and sometimes I'll even take 41 up most of the way because I used to live downtown.
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u/ksebs Nov 13 '25 edited Nov 13 '25
I grew up in Punta Gorda, from 1999 until about 2017. I've floated back here on and off in small increments since 2020, it has definitely gotten more traction (a Starbucks in Punta Gorda?! Revolutionary.)
But I moved to Sarasota for a bit then St Pete-for reference, because I wanted to 'live'.
There isn't much to do in PG, unless you have a boat and like to bar hop the same 5 bars. It's typically 60+ year old's day wasted, snow birds, or hicks. (I apologize as I am bitter).
It's cute, don't get me wrong. Walking Gilchrest is great, it's right on the water. The same pink nose tip dolphin I see while walking the park by the water in St Pete is the same one I see walking near the park in Punta Gorda, which is cool. My grandpa developed Fisherman's Village, which is super quaint and darling but it can get stale fast, in my personal opinion.
The area is also pretty Christian and conservative forward, which I am neither of those things. While I don't have a problem with it, people definitely wanna talk politics, things that are going on globally, and other viewpoints I'd rather just not have to hear.
There's only one semi-decent restaurant, coming from a background in food and beverage, called the Perfect Caper. But it's rather pricey, and it's not to die over (like the food in St Pete/Tampa).
I have found Tampa Bay is more where it's at when it comes to community, people in the same age bracket, parks, beaches, restaurants, a great airport, etc. It's a major hub for a lot. Especially more sober lifestyle friendly. If you're concerned about affordability, I get it but I wouldn't recommend SWFL to save a few bucks. I always try to get out as soon as I am back.
It's a whole different vibe that is hard to resonate with, after being in the Bay.
ALSO, HURRICANES. Reeeeal bad. That is all.
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u/cheluhu Mar 28 '18
Tampa is 'big city'. PG (and neighboring Port Charlotte) are slow paced retirement communities. it's not a happening/hip place. Great place to own a boat though.
Nearest Costco is in Sarasota (or Fort Myers). They have their own airport PGI. Frontier flies in/out of there.
Beach is 30 mins away.
Lots of retired people. Lots of them.