Jim Hoffman, a friend from high school, told me a while back about the lot that he and his wife, Pat, have at Thornton Creek Motorcoach Resort, and how much they love it. We could come and stay for 3 nights at no charge to check out the resort. We decided to add the three days as we come up the Gulf coast since we want to know what Florida has to offer for possible long term stays in the future. We were not expecting to like it as much as we did. EVERYONE we encountered was genuinely friendly.
About the Resort
Thornton Creek MC Resort is on the smaller side with 99 lots, 6 ponds/lakes, and is only about 4 years old. There will not be any additional sites added because that would put the resort owners in a higher tax level. The clubhouse is really nice and is centrally located. The resort also has two dedicated pickleball courts! I enjoyed playing each of the three days we were there! Thornton Creek MC is only about 10 miles from Punta Gorda which has PicklePlex where the Pickleball World Championship was held the end of December! HOA fees are $150 a month.
Upon arrival the first thing we noticed was how utterly quiet it was. Such a peaceful place! We never heard any typical street noise, aircraft, trains, or sirens! Amazing. The casitas are exactly the size of living space we have in mind as a “home base”. The casitas have a room that can be used for a bedroom! They have a nice full bath, an area for full size washer and dryer, and a small storage garage. The fabulous kitchen and sitting area is under roof, yet open to the outside. The under roof, but not air conditioned space is definitely protected from any wind or rain. The remote controlled screens are hurricane screens that blew me away. The patio area is also fully screened. The majority of the lots face a pond/lake with a fountain.
Aerial views of Thornton Creek Resort
Family Visit
Shortly after we arrived, Lisa Emil, her sister Merch, daughter Megan, AND Lisa’s 3-month old grandson Braedon came to visit! It made my day getting to hold this sweet little guy from the moment they came in the coach!
Punta Gorda
Barry and I made a visit into Punta Gorda to see what it was like. It had a small town feel and was very pleasant. Punta Gorda was only about 10 miles down the road on the 17. We went to the Fisherman’s Village. What a fun little place. There was a variety of shops and 3 different restaurants right on the water with two more coming soon. We had a little lunch at Harpoon Harry’s. Would be a fun spot on a Friday or Saturday night.
Time with Jim and Pat
Our time with Jim and Pat was awesome! Jim and I haven’t seen each other for about 45 years! We weren’t close friends in high school, but this RVing lifestyle brought us all together. Pat is delightful. They were so gracious with their time during our stay! The four of us thoroughly enjoyed our time together. We had so much in common. There was never a lack of great conversation. We had to remind ourselves to go home both evenings. LOL
Jim and Pat shared their journey to selecting Thornton Creek as their winter home, and the amazing construction of their casita. They keep the thermostat set for the air conditioning set at 78 during the summer when they are gone, and electric tends to run only $20 a month. Their highest was $23! OMG!!!
Jim showed us the river parcel that also currently belongs to Thornton Creek Resort. It was beautiful–as the pictures below demonstrate. And yes, it really was as tranquil as it appears!
We look forward to staying in touch with Jim and Pat!