10 Ways to Please Your Mom and Budget in Charlotte County, Florida

Don't break the bank this year trying to give Mom a day that's all about her. Break out of the tired old patterns and baseless traditions that require spending so much money! Charlotte County, Florida is home to many beautiful, unique and historic locations within its cities that can suit the interests of any type of mother for a lovely Mother's Day gift that won't stress a son's or daughter's budget.

Englewood Beach
Englewood Beach rests along the Gulf of Mexico and offers restroom and shower amenities. The wooden plank boardwalks and sandy beaches are complimentary to the gorgeous blue waterscape that expands beyond the horizon. Use Englewood Beach for a morning jog with Mom to the backdrop of the sunrise, a casual snuggle beneath a blanket to watch the sunset, or arrive mid-day to enjoy the sun, surf and fun of the lively beach. With three parking areas relating to three separate beach locations along the island, parking fees vary from one dollar to free.

Peace River Kayak
Active Moms might enjoy a kayak down the historic and beautiful Peace River. Once known as the "Peas River" because of the wild peas that grew along the northern banks of the river, the name was changed around the turn of the twentieth century for tourism purposes. Extending from the Desoto County border until it empties into Charlotte Harbor, the Peace River allows kayakers to enjoy mangroves, manatees, dolphins, alligators, and turtles along its respective areas. If Mom and child own their own kayaks, the cost of this four-hour trip is free. If kayaks need to be rented, services are available for both kayak rental and transport at $20 per person and up.

Walking Tour of Murals
Moms who enjoy art and history would enjoy the artistic display of Charlotte County's history as told on the buildings throughout historic downtown Punta Gorda. A two-mile walk from mural to mural will take advantage of the unique architecture and beautiful scenic views in between murals, as well as enjoying the historic story unfolding in the murals themselves. With the help of a handheld GPS receiver, a two-mile walk can be used from Waymarking WayTours: Punta Gorda Murals Walk.

Geocaching
For the price of a handheld GPS receiver, Mom can be introduced to a new hobby that will provide limitless amounts of entertainment and adventure. Geocaching is a high-tech hide-and-seek game that involves getting coordinates and clues for hiding spots of environmentally safe containers and logbooks. Geocachers put the coordinates into their handheld GPS receivers and then use the GPS receivers to seek out the containers and sign the logbooks with their unique Geocaching.com account username. Then they go back online to the page where they got the coordinates and share on the page that they found the container and signed the logbook. Charlotte County has many geocaches hidden in its parks, walkways, greenways, and parking lots. New geocachers will get a great taste of how many different ways that geocaches can be hidden and how many different types of containers can be found. Searching for a geocache may just reveal a part of Charlotte County that Mom didn't know was there before! Handheld GPS receivers can be purchased for as little as $60.

History Park
Punta Gorda has a park that is unique to its historic culture. With historic homes and features, Moms can walk the hand-crafted stone pathways from mini-museum to mini-museum and enjoy the lush native gardens of History Park. Tours of the Trabue Law & Land Sales Office, the oldest standing structure in Charlotte County, can be arranged by calling the Charlotte County Historical Society at (941) 629-7278.

Fisherman's Village
Fisherman's Village is a renovated and restored version of the original docks that were located at this point along the banks of the Charlotte Harbor in Punta Gorda for fishing and cattle industries to import and export their businesses. It continues the tradition of a prosperous and joyful commerce by offering numerous custom shops, museums, restaurants and little treats, like a candy store and an ice cream shop. Often musicians play for visitors and a wishing well is available to grant a visitor's very special wish for the price of a tossed coin. Boat tours are available of Charlotte Harbor for $15 per adult. Restaurant prices vary from $5 a plate to $12 a plate and each restaurant offers a unique experience in beautiful, scenic waterfront dining. Have a relaxing lunch and window shop up and down the shaded airy boardwalks of Fisherman's Village while enjoying the delightful music. Then, make a wish and enjoy the Charlotte Harbor dolphins as they race alongside the tour boat.

Gilchrist Bridge Walk
Charlotte Harbor can be enjoyed from many views. Fisherman's Village provides a boat tour but why not just walk across the Gilchrist Bridge for free to see it all at once? The Gilchrist Bridge spans over the Charlotte Harbor, connecting Charlotte Harbor Town to historic downtown Punta Gorda. Thousands of visitors, travelers and residents cross this southbound bridge by car every day. Dozens of visitors and residents cross this bridge both northbound and southbound every day on foot. The pedestrian walkway is well protected from traffic and provides the greatest view of the gorgeous Charlotte Harbor. Joggers, walkers and fishermen enjoy this bridge. There is even something available for Geocachers. Take time to show Mom the most gorgeous view in town by walking across the bridge and back.

Laishley Park Picnic
Laishley Park is located along the Peace River coast in Punta Gorda. It hosts a gazebo, a marina, an elaborate veterans memorial, an expansive area for walking, and a memorial called the Spirit of Punta Gorda. Visitors park near the Kiwanis Veterans Memorial. Enjoy and show reverence to the veterans, both survivors and those who paid the ultimate sacrifice, with tablets, memorial stones and bricks, a beautiful mural, a large gazebo, and a freshwater pond with a lively fountain. Then move on to the winding walking paths that lead visitors through peaceful and beautiful landscaping that compliments the natural waterscaped scenery. The marina brings sailboats and fishing boats to the horizon, continuing the tradition of Punta Gorda's joyful recreation and great industry. It was not too far from this point that George Brown ran a successful boat-manufacturing business that was directly responsible for the growth and success of the city. The winding paths will lead visitors to the Spirit of Punta Gorda, a tall symbolic sculpture that memorializes the strength and survival of the Punta Gorda people during Hurricane Charley in 2004. This is a lovely place for a picnic, with a beautiful view and beautiful artwork that cannot be found anywhere else in the world. Parking at Laishley Park is free and the cost is only what you pay to put into your picnic basket. The walk back to the car will help burn off some of those picnic calories.

Bayshore Live Oak Party
If more than one adult child is looking to contribute to one fantastic gift for Mom this year, Bayshore Live Oark Park in Charlotte Harbor Town has a pavilion with fireplace and barbecque facilities that seats up to one-hundred people. For $20 an hour and a four-hour minimum, adult children can chip in to create a celebration that's full of family and friends. Add some hotdogs, potato chips and soft drinks and it's an afternoon full of fun that honors Mom with great food, great company and a gorgeous view of Charlotte Harbor from its northern shore. Call (941) 629-7278 for more information or to make reservations.

Charlotte County Cultural Center Mother's Day Celebration
On May 2, 2009, a weekend before Mother's Day, the Charlotte County Cultural Center will be presenting a Turning Leaf production of Ida Zecko's Estrogen and Tonic, which has been hailed as a Mother's Day Celebration suitable for all ages. Tickets start at $10 per person and go on sale in the middle of April. Watch the Charlotte County Cultural Center's website for more information or call (941) 625-4175.

These ten options are only the beginning of what Charlotte County has to offer a Mom who deserves the best. Choose one of these options or use them as a starting point to brainstorm for activities that get the heart pumping, culture that will inspire, history that will enlighten, scenic views that will enchant and moments that will be remembered forever. May all the Moms out there have a Happy Mother's Day!