Riverwood

Riverwood is a 1,300-acre gated, master-planned community in Port Charlotte, Florida, stretching along three miles of the scenic Myakka River between Fort Myers and Sarasota. Developed primarily by Centex Homes between 1992 and 2014, the community encompasses roughly 2,800 residences spread across 28 distinct neighborhoods, offering a mix of single-family homes, villas, condominiums, and townhomes ranging from cozy 1,500-square-foot residences to 3,200+ square-foot estate homes (with a few custom luxury estates exceeding 6,500 square feet). The centerpiece of Riverwood is its nationally recognized 18-hole championship golf course designed by Gene Bates — a semi-private, 7,004-yard par-72 layout rated 4.5 stars by Golf Digest that winds through wooded pine terrain, salt marsh, and wetlands. The course is open to the public and offers both pay-as-you-play access and resident memberships. Beyond golf, the Riverwood Activity Center serves as the community's social hub, with a state-of-the-art fitness center, library, billiards room, arts and crafts room, and a multipurpose ballroom hosting dance classes, card games, and events coordinated by a full-time activities director. The recreation grounds include a junior Olympic-size resort-style pool with heated spa, six lighted Har-Tru tennis courts, six pickleball courts, three bocce ball courts, a lawn croquet pitch, shuffleboard, and a dog park. Miles of walking and biking trails meander through wooded preserves and along the Myakka River, where residents can spot herons, ospreys, and other native wildlife — Riverwood has earned the Audubon Green Community designation for its habitat stewardship. A community boardwalk overlooks the river, and a kayak launch gives residents easy access to paddle the Myakka. One of Riverwood's signature perks is the private Riverwood Beach Club on Manasota Key along the Gulf of Mexico — a 5,500-square-foot cabana-style facility with covered sundeck, BBQ grills, picnic area, private showers, and direct beach access. The community runs daily shuttles to the beach club, and residents pay a nominal annual fee for access. Riverwood is gated with 24-hour security and is generally marketed as a retirement-focused lifestyle community rather than a deed-restricted 55+ community — it attracts a heavily retiree-skewed population along with seasonal snowbirds and some year-round families. Shopping, dining, and medical facilities are within a three-mile radius, Gulf beaches are about fifteen minutes away, and residents can reach Fort Myers to the south or Sarasota to the north within an hour. HOA fees vary widely by neighborhood and home type — from roughly $117/month for some single-family sections up to $1,045+ for fully-serviced condo and townhome associations that bundle in building maintenance, insurance, cable, internet, and more. An annual CDD assessment also applies.