Airports
Sarasota Bradenton International Airport (SRQ), tel. 941-359-2770, www.srq-airport.com, and Southwest Florida International Airport (RSW) in Fort Myers, tel. 239-768-1000, www.flylcpa.com, both bring you close to the Charlotte Harbor area. Flights arrive at the two airports from all over the US, from Canada, and from limited international destinations. Major air carriers serving the two airports are listed below.
Rental Cars & Taxi Service
Rental cars are available at the airports and from locations within the immediate area. Try Avis, tel. 800-331-1212, 941-359-5240 (SRQ), or 239-768-2121 (RSW); Hertz, tel. 800-654-3131, 941-355-8848 (SRQ) or 239-768-3100 (RSW); and Budget, tel. 800-763-2999, 941-359-5353 (SRQ) or 239-768-1500 (RSW).
For transportation from SRQ, call Diplomat Taxi, tel. 941-355-5155 or West Coast Executive Sedans, tel. 941-359-8600; from RSW, Aaron Airport Transportation, tel. 800-998-1898 or 239-768-1898; or AAA Transportation, tel. 800-872-2711.
Getting Around
Highway 41 (Tamiami Trail) runs roughly north to south through Charlotte County's major towns. I-75 parallels it to the east and swings closest to it around Punta Gorda. Main county roads – routes 771, 775, and 776 – take you into the area's hidden coastal regions, forming an imperfect triangle in the middle of Charlotte Harbor's peninsula. Rte. 31 runs north-south through the wilderness on the county's eastern extreme. Highway 17 is a major thoroughfare that travels eastward from Punta Gorda, intersecting I-75 at Exit 164.
