The former summer home of 1890's Architect Price was moved to History Park from the riverfront…read morealong Etta Esplanada after 2004's Hurricane Charley. The Punta Gorda Historical Society offers free tours. Inside, period furnishings, not owned by Price but donated and collected by the Historical Society, add to the atmosphere. Price was ahead of his time and recognized that the religious fervor that swept the country was a business opportunity. All the new converts needed a church. So he designed mail order churches that were sold and shipped by the thousands all over the country. Once a shipment arrived, the local parishioners could put up the structure. The Methodists still attend services in a Price design in Punta Gorda. Price's style is recognizable by its faux carillon and pointed arch facade. On the domestic front, Price didn't seem so successful. The docent pointed out the doors that lead to the outside from every room. It was first believed that this was for fire safety, but old timers soon corrected this assumption with the long-lived public knowledge that it was Price's wife who had to have quick and immediater access outside. They said she was an insanely jealous woman who chased down the sound of any woman's voice that might be in the garden with her husband. The Price lovenest was a bit of a takeoff on the cuckoo too. Price didn't build from the ground up, but chose to buy two cottages, then attached them with a center structure. It became a modern split plan with the bedrooms on one side and the kitchen and dining on the other. He also added a porch to the bedroom side of the shingled house.

This was our first time to take the Babcock Ranch Eco tour and it won't be our last. We went in…read morelate March, which is the FL dry season. Our knowledgeable guide Brad told us if you go in the late summer (wet season), 2' or so of water is flowing through it. So, what you see in the two seasons is different. They also have a nice gift shop, small museum and a restaurant. We saw all sorts of birds and animals. Even though they aren't necessarily exotic or rare, you are seeing them in their habitat. The ranch property really represents FL, more so than some other types of tours. And, it is for all ages and reasonably priced. Our visiting late teenage aged grandsons and friend enjoyed the tour every bit as much as we did. Highly recommend!

My kids (8 & 5) absolutely adored this. The tour guide was so patient with kids and very…read moreknowledgeable. I came away with some cool facts, a ton of great pictures and video and two very happy kids. I highly recommended this tour!

The Cigar House is located in the Punta Gorda History Park. The park was formed after the historic…read moreHector House where the city charter was signed was demolished in 1988 because the city didn't have anywhere to move it to. In 1999 the Cigar House was the first of four historic structures to be moved to the park when it was donated to the historical society by owner Mike Nicholson. Before the turn of the century, cigar smoking was a common past time among men. The best cigars were made by Cubans in Key West. After a fire in 1886, cigar production was moved inlaid and closer to the railroad terminals. Aided by the Southern Florida Railway, two Bartow businessmen named Willard Emerson and Warren Tyler obuilding a cigar factory in Punta Gorda. Florida Southern offered six acres of land for the factory in exchange for being able to ship the product. The men accepted the railroad's offer and founded the El Palmetto Cigar Manufacturing Company. The factory was a large wooden structure and a row of cottages for workers was built in the 1890's. The cottages housed two families and did not contain a kitchen. The cottages were moved to Brown Street in 1901 when El Palmetto was liquidated that same year and the fate of the factory is unknown. The cottage contains historical displays and it is open for tours from 10 to 2 daily and by appointment. It has a QR code so you can learn about it even if it is not open.

The Punta Gorda Historical Society preserves this sample of turn of the Century history in the…read morecompound of buildings named History Park. Inside, walls are lined in wood from the days when tobacco drying, turpentine manufacturing, and fishing were the leading industries. The walls of this house are still lined in wood and serve as backdrop for historical photos of the short-lived industrial era. Three keys are framed and hang on one wall. They are homage to the keeper of the ice house who assured that fish stayed away from the tropical heat and that resident's ice boxes could stay cool. Memorabilia from the nearby WWII airfield is also on display for self-guided visits.

I love the colorful art, the beachy vibe and the awesome staff. Fred, a sweet , tuxedo cat is the…read moreofficial greeter. So many beautiful items to choose from but I bought a multi color tuxedo cat painting , since I have tuxedo cats. I would add I did see some small Trump and Desantis items at the register area but the owner has a right to carry items of their choosing, and people have a right to purchase or not.What is deeply troubling to me in previous review , is a visceral reaction which apparently entitles someone to unleash a tirade on a store owner they do not know , it defies logic. This is a lovely store and it is definitely worth checking out if you are in the area.

Really hesitant to give Lovegrove Gallery and Gardens anything more than a 1 star review, but I…read morefeel that a lot of her prints are worth more than the lesser rating I'm giving. The pro-Republican / Trump / DeSantis / GWBush items shut me off from wanting to contribute to a local artist, which is sad because this mix of stances can jeopardize a lot of people (tourists beware). Although there are plenty of Beatles pictures around (on canvas, on paper, on coasters), the sunsets and palm trees were just as splendid, I think the political attitude needs to be kept out of the gallery unless it's a national museum or part of an installation piece. Like a lot of users have stated, there's a disconnect between supporting your rights and supporting nature, surroundings and people. Sure, everyone is entitled to an opinion, however, the Beatles aren't the only band who promote(d) peace and love, and I feel their discography doesn't completely jive with one portion of a governing body. Do painted coconuts know what our leaders do, unless we write something creative on them before we mail them? Are the palm trees fanning the ocean and bridges as the sun sets, or are they shading something wicked from eyesight? After seeing the giant Trump 2024 flag and a corner case full of other Republican memorabilia, I can't put myself on a political bus that looks like it is going down a one way street. I know there is more out in this world than following a one track mind, even though the sculptures and colors were pretty cool. If, by chance, there were positive paintings of Democrats or Liberals alongside the canvas of DJT, I'd totally be on board with this place. Even with the slight obsession with the aforementioned Fab Four... I wonder what they would all think about facility selling their image next to "we love you, George Bush!!"??? Lennon would probably dig it and say there's nothing wrong, but what about the Quiet One (Harrison) or the snare kicker (Ringo)? Macca would probably want his face out of the picture or take 45 compeltely out of the picture. Whatever is easier to remove. Thanks for giving me ideas on creating neat pictures from memorable lyrics, Lovegrove Gallery. I wanted something new to do (and put on my wall)! It just won't be one of your pieces.

Excellent. The best time ever on last St Patrick's Day with the family! The hosts are absolutely…read morefantastic.

From the owner: The Freaky Tiki is a 30 ft, double decker floating tiki with a water slide. Guaranteed fun with…read moreblue tooth sound system to play all your favorites. Perfect for any occasion, birthday parties, bachelorette parties, family get togethers or just a day on the water. We cruise around the beautiful waters and enjoy the sandbars. Dolphins, Manatee and many exotic birds are a bonus. We aim to please with longer tour times and hospitality! The water slide brings laughter and long lasting memories.! Come drop in the blue water with us--Captain Rob and First Mate Sherry. You won't be disappointed! The freaky tiki party boat

I spent 2 1/2 hours with a Veteran guide, Jeff Sherwin, the Gallery Section Captain. Jeff had many…read moredetails, anecdotes and personal experiences to share, it made for a fascinating afternoon. There are many exhibits, well laid out, including artifacts, videos, newspaper clippings, interactive opportunities, and much, much more. It makes discovering facts about our American history a little less overwhelming. Many things I discovered I either never learned in high school or didn't remember. Everyone I encountered who works and volunteers here is friendly and welcoming, with a terrific sense of humor. So many stories, I could go back and spend another few hours and learn even more. I highly recommend a trip to this museum. If you are fortunate enough to have Jeff as your guide, you will learn the 3 things required for victory, common to every war (Hint: W.A.O.). Find out where Kleenex got its start before manufacturing hygiene products and why Lucky Strike changed is packaging from green to white. I am very proud to be an American. The history on display conveys where we came together, where we messed up, how we learned and how we continue to grow as a nation. I learned so much in a short period of time, mostly that history is important for each of us to understand our heritage. "Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it" --George Santayana. Thank you, Jeff, for your service and for spending your time with us.

We visited often. The volunteer staff are knowledgeable and fun to chat with. School trips are a…read morepriority for these folks. Education is key to remember our history

Aidan was a Fantastic captain! We were thrilled to see so many dolphins! Aidan was knowledgeable…read moreabout the area and offered great local recs-including a restaurant we went for lunch! We felt safe and secure aboard and our captain even went back for an overboard hat! 10/10 recommend!!!

Our family dolphin/sunset tour with Captain Aidan was fantastic. Our ages ranged from 72 to 10…read moreyears and we all had a great time. We saw so many dolphins! In addition, there was an array of birds including osprey on the nest, eagles, pelicans, ibis, cormorants etc. We even saw a few turtles. Captain Aidan does a great job hosting, driving, guiding and tolerating dumb questions from landlubbers! We can't wait to do it again.

My boyfriend and I went on a personal tour with one of your sweetest tour guides, Susan, and she…read morewas amazing. She took us to three super cute locations: Patrick's 1481, Bevardi's Salute, and Brick's, and we finished with a gelato spot! All the staff at each location were really sweet, except for the hostess at the first place. But overall, the experience was still so good. We had drinks at all three spots, but my favorite was definitely the watermelon lemonade at Brick's. It even comes with a watermelon garnish At first they were out, but our sweet server Gerald made it happen for me, and I really appreciated that. After that, Susan went out of her way to show us a speakeasy around the corner from the gelato place. It wasn't even included in the tour, she just did it to be nice because she could tell my boyfriend used to be a really great bartender, which made it feel extra special. Overall, it was a great experience, and I would 100% come again!

We had a wonderful time! It was fun tasting different foods and learning about the history of the…read morearea.