One of the first people to bring paddleboarding to Punta Gorda/Englewood Beach, Paige is used to doing things her own way. As the owner of Hooked on SUP (Stand-Up Paddleboarding), she loves introducing visitors and locals to the beauty of the area’s waters. It’s the connection with nature, being within a few inches of fish, dolphins, and other wildlife, that makes paddleboarding and kayaking one of Paige’s biggest passions. Educating visitors on enjoying and preserving our natural environment is her other passion, and it was the area’s incredible outdoors that brought her from Georgia to Florida’s Charlotte Harbor Gulf Island Coast.

Going to the beach is the ultimate in Florida outdoor experiences. While he does rent out chairs and umbrellas for next to nothing, the Beach Guy actually provides an easier way to enjoy the perfect beach day. His real name is Mark Timchula, but no one knows the Mark Timchula from Maryland. However, everyone, and we mean everyone, knows the Beach Guy of Englewood Beach. On any clear, sunny day, you can find the Beach Guy at Englewood Beach, renting chairs, spiking umbrellas into the sand, and helping everyone make their day at the beach…a day at the beach.

Punta Gorda/Englewood Beach is teeming with a vast array of different wild and plant life, and is steeped in a rich history that tells the quintessential old-Florida story. Terry Covert is where the area’s history and its outdoors meet, and she’s been delighting visitors of all ages on Babcock Ranch Eco Tours since moving to the area from New York years ago. Today, knowing more about Babcock Ranch's history and ecosystem than most locals, Terry enjoys seeing visitors get excited while seeing some of these beautiful creatures close up.

This Olympian is a Punta Gorda native, and is in her element on a bike, on the track, and racing towards the finish. Amanda’s passion for BMX racing has taken her around the world, competing at the highest level in many different countries. However, it’s the people, communities, and outdoor activities of Punta Gorda/Englewood Beach that keep her always coming back home. When not managing Charlotte BMX in Punta Gorda, you can find Amanda on the water with a fishing rod in hand, and a smile on her face.

Punta Gorda/Englewood Beach is full of a colorful array of native wildlife, no more beautiful than the different species of birds that call the area home. Callie Stahl first fell in love with the beautiful beaches and awe-inspiring outdoor activities found throughout Florida’s Charlotte Harbor Gulf Island Coast. However, it was the variety of birds, as well as reptiles, fish, and mammals, that helped Callie make Punta Gorda/Englewood Beach her new home. Working at the Peace River Wildlife Center in Punta Gorda, Callie loves educating visitors and locals on the different animals in the center and where they can find them in the wild.

When Brenda and her family moved from Pennsylvania to Punta Gorda/Englewood Beach, she was already a lover of all things outside, but had little experience being on the water. Brenda found that the charter boat tours available throughout the area were the quickest and easiest way to get out on the water. She loved cruising our area waterways so much that she started working for King Fisher Fleet, helping visitors and locals get out on the water. A charter boat tour, featuring remote islands and beautiful bodies of water, is one of the best ways to see our best side…outside.