Short but sweet visit. These volunteers do amazing work. We go especially to see Luna.. the…read morebeautiful white owl. Free... but please leave an offering. They need funds to do the work.

This place has been an absolute highlight for my son and I during our trip to Punta Gorda…read more Although this preserve is not massive, the love and care that is put into the facility and the creatures they care for is larger than life. The wildlife that call Peace River Nature Preserve 'home' are all animals that will never learn the skills they need to survive in the wild. Here at PRNS, each animal is looked after and given proper medical attention if necessary. Some of their residents are amputees. Most are very social. Each one looks content, healthy and happy. Honestly, it's very heartwarming. The staff here are genuinely excited to share their knowledge with you and answer any questions. Peace River Nature Preserve is run purely based on donations. Let's help them continue their amazing mission to rehabilitate and care for wildlife in need here in Punta Gorda and beyond!!

Free cute little walking area, trails are small but the outdoors were very pretty. We got to see…read moretwo BIG alligators got ice cream inside the info center. Def a great spot to be outdoors

We would not have discovered this place if it were not for geocaching. We took the drive from Ft…read moreMyers and arrived on a beautiful cool day (for Florida). Perfect weather for hiking. The trails are well maintained even though some sections were muddy (not sure when it rained last). The trails are very well marked and with one of their maps in hand it is hard to get lost. We hiked all the way down to the Old Datsun trail and back 5.5 miles total. Being winter the bugs were nonexistent. We didn't see much wildlife given we were out late morning and early afternoon but I am guessing this could be a good place for birders. We were informed at the visitor center that a black bear had been recently spotted on one of their trail cams - yikes! We noticed the extensive list of events and classes. If we were visiting for longer we definitely would look into some of these. We saw that they have a couple large screened in shelters that are probably used for classes and picnics. Overall a very nice resource.

This animal rescue sanctuary is truly a special place. My husband and I loved it. You can feel the…read morecompassion and dedication the moment you arrive. Julie and the volunteers clearly care deeply about the animals and go above and beyond to ensure they are safe, healthy, and loved. The sanctuary is clean, well-organized, and focused on the animals' well-being above all else. It's inspiring to see animals given a second chance at life in such a nurturing environment. Thank you Julie for being our tour guide! It was amazing!! The sanctuary is a must see!!

I'll just go ahead and say it. You can't walk through the gates of Octagon Wildlife Sanctuary on a…read moreguided tour and come out the same person you were before. Not if your heart is beating. Nestled in a secluded animal mecca near the Babcock Ranch proximity of Punta Gorda, live 57ish forms of wildlife who have found their forever home in Octagon, most of whom would not be alive had it not been for the compassionate hearts who saved these sentient beings. Yes, of course, this Disneyland For Wildlife has lions, and tigers, and bears, oh my! (admit it, you saw that one coming), but so much more, including species you would not expect to see at a wildlife sanctuary. For example, the homing pigeons who landed at Octagon because they were orphaned and have no knowledge of how to forage for food. As well as the alligator who grew up in a bathtub (don't even get me started). How about the pair of Macaws that were rescued from a dentist's office after the patients were teaching them one too many curse words ? And the monkey (cue the waterworks, it's ok to cry along with me) who was abandoned in a cage and left at the gates to Octagon on Thanksgiving Day. We can't forget the baboon who spins gleefully on three legs when he thinks no one is watching, which is extraordinary when you learn that he came to Octagon because of a history of being mentally abused. The one thing they all have in common? They're all rescues. All of these majestic creatures have been rescued and offered a New Beginning to live out the rest of their lives in a place where they are happy and well-cared for. In fact, Octagon was rated as one of the Top 10 wildlife sanctuaries in the country for the happiest animal residents. Now, that's saying something. Octagon even has resident "squatters", i.e. animals that don't need to be here but choose to be, for example Blue, the handsome peacock who hangs out to spread his beautiful plumage for the lady hens (hang in there, pal, one day you might get lucky) and the ibis who travel in and out to the sanctuary, to score a free meal and to swap stories with their friends. The feeling of joy is palpable as you walk along the path, as every animal resident (humans too) was thrilled to see my tour guide, Tracey Pirozzi, chuffing at the fence to gain her attention. No animal is ever asked to do anything it doesn't want to do. Every enclosure is arranged to make the animal as comfortable as possible. In fact, enclosures are often customized to the resident to work around any historical triggers they may have. In addition to the opportunity to see these precious animals thriving at their new beginnings, the tour also was extremely educational. I learned so much, as did the others in my tour group. Tracey kept things light and informative, engaging everyone in fun games and quizzes along the way. While fielding questions and engaging us with the animals along the way, Tracey speaks earnestly and passionately about the purpose, about the origins, of Octagon. I shed a few tears (maybe more than a few) when I saw how dear this place is to her heart. And it's easy to see why. Every animal here is given some sort of enrichment, something to keep their mind stimulated, which is critical to their overall well-being, whether it's a large ball that they can push around, a hanging crate of meat that they have to unpuzzle to claim, or a TV to watch their favorite cartoon. And marshmallows! Psst, Tracey, how about another marshamllow, puhhhhleeeeezzzzzz? As a 501(c)(3) nonrprofit organization, Octagon Wildlife Sanctuary depends entirely upon donor support, with no government assistance. As you can imagine, Octagon has a hefty expenditure in just keeping their doors open. Their food bill alone, as you can imagine (we saw one tiger tackle five chickens for breakfast), runs in the tens of thousands of dollars every month. Not only that, but there are no paid jobs here. The facility is managed by a 100% volunteer workforce, and every volunteer we encountered had a huge smile on their face, and a fierce passion upon their brows. We could feel it. The animals could feel it. The guided tour is suited for people of all ages, a terrific way to spend the morning. One little boy in our tour group was so engaged and so spot-on with the answers to Tracey's questions that I'm pretty sure that he'll soon be a tour guide . For Southwest Florida residents or for visitors from out of town, I highly recommend this opportunity to see nature at its best. I give it four paws up. To make your tour extra special, make a reservation for the 9:30am tour on Thursdays, so Tracey can show you this magical place!

Food music and more. Nice live music near a pretty marina. Bthrooms with running water that were…read morenot attended to, smelled awful not enough tissue and very unkempt. They needed seats and tent.

Rotary did a great job making this event a huge success for our little home town Punta Gorda there…read morewere so many people that attended that it felt like the whole town was present... Thanks to all that spent so many hours doing this for our community.. Mark Rosen SW Florida Restaurant Review Group (FB) Gulf Coast Dining Card

I've been a member since 07.02.2024. summer was great! available equipment, able to get into the…read moreclasses no problem. The people are very nice and helpful. the problem with this location is that it doesn't meet the needs of the community. The facility is small, you never get into the classes even when you set an alarm, with-in 30 seconds the classes are full. really disappointing and too much money for not being able to get into classes. the other YMCA's like Ft Myers and Sarasota are way nicer, and bigger. My member ship just went up $55.00 and I can't even get into classes. Rebuild!!! accommodate the locals that live her year round. This place needs a major expansion! Thanks Brenda

I have a love hate relationship with this store. I've found some solid brands....Brooks, Lululemon,…read moreTop Shop and more. But their prices for clothing had gotten a little asinine (Chicos is not designer, boo) and the staff isn't the most welcoming. I dig the full a bag for $7 option but they won't give you the bag. You have to bring your clothes up, they pack it. I like to think I'm somewhat of an efficient packer and can roll items into little rolls but they want to pack it which in then, reduces how much you can fill the bag with. They keep adding stipulations to what is and what is not included also which is a joke. I'm sad that this place has gone downhill. Especially since I had approximately 10 bags of clothes to donate and the attitude of the staff drove me to go to Salvation Army to donate instead.

I've never before had someone turn away 1/2 of my donations and then nickle and dime me over a…read moredonation receipt. She insulted my donations to my face, including the ones she took. I literally had to argue to have them write my donations on the tax write off sheet, as she scribbled over the entire sheet to not allow for the accurate donations given, and she crossed off the value spaces. That felt so horrible donating to them. I never donate to Goodwill as a policy, but I will go there before I return here. She literally scoffed and insulted my donations! Just a gross gross feeling.

This is an amazing resource for SWFL. They serve grieving families with no judgement or bias. Kids…read morelove the home atmosphere and always want to return. You need to check them out!

From the owner: We provide grief support groups to children and their families after a death in their life.read more