For those so inclined, we have a number of nature preserves including one that offers tours by swamp bus and a 100 square mile state preserve for those who hunt with camera or gun. The city consists of two parts, the original historic district with it's old quaint homes and shops, and the newer subdivisions of Punta Gorda Isles, Burnt Store Isles, and Seminole Lakes. Most of the subdivisions are located on a network of deep salt water canals, providing sail and power boat owners quick and easy access to Charlotte Harbor and the Gulf of Mexico or they are located on or near Golf courses. These are deed restricted communities with city water and sewers, paved streets, and power, cable, and telephone service. The canal lots all have concrete sea walls maintained by the city.
All residential improvements are upscale and are tightly controlled by the building commission.
The vast amount of the land is zoned single family residence with small areas zoned for duplex or low rise multiples. . The city originally was founded in 1887 on the idea that all the waterfront land would be public parks. That changed when homeowners eventually outvoted the man running the city and started a new destiny for the town by the harbor. The harbor itself is somewhat unique, as it is the point where the Peace River meets the ocean. The city is bounded by the harbor on one side and by rural land on the other.