By VISIT FLORIDA staff
The beaches near Port Charlotte, FL, including Charlotte Harbor and the Gulf Islands are easily accessible yet quiet and remote, attracting a treasure of birds, dolphins, sea turtles and other wildlife.
There are no big crowds here, just plenty of white sand, lapped by gentle waves from the Gulf of Mexico and decorated with colorful shells.
Here are some highlights and details of the best beaches near Port Charlotte, FL, which you should come experience for yourself:
Englewood Beach
-- Wide shorelines, perfect for building sandcastles
-- One of the top beaches for collecting fossilized shark’s teeth and seashells
-- Amenities include a boardwalk, barbecue grills, picnic shelters, volleyball courts, fishing, and restrooms
Port Charlotte Beach Park
-- Tucked away on a mangrove-laced coast where the Peace River meets Charlotte Harbor
-- Families and athletes love the swimming pool, basketball, tennis, beach volleyball courts, picnic shelters, fishing pier, ramps for boating, canoeing and kayaking
Stump Pass Beach State Park
-- Prime location for collecting fossilized shark’s teeth and seashells
-- Pristine coastal habitat
-- Active for sea turtle nesting
-- Protective areas for nesting shorebirds
-- Nature trails
Knight Island
-- Commonly referred to as Palm Island, for the resort of the same name
-- Pristine beachfront, accessible only by car ferry or boat
-- Public beach access
-- Wildlife viewing, fossilized shark’s teeth and shell collecting
Don Pedro Island State Park
-- Travel Channel’s Best Beach You Haven’t Heard Of…Yet (easily one of the best beaches near Port Charlotte, FL)
-- Accessible only by boat, kayak or passenger ferry
-- White-sand beaches ideal for sunbathing, fishing, shelling, finding fossilized shark’s teeth
-- Picnic pavilion, grills, restrooms
Little Gasparilla Island
-- Accessible only by private boat, kayak, water taxi or charter
-- Seven miles of pristine, white sand beach
-- Island has a few homes, no stores, no roads and no cars
