Find Old Florida fun, eco-outings in Florida’s Flagler County


If You Go

Flagler County is about seven hours from downtown Atlanta. Take I-75 south, veering off on I-16 to go through Savannah and pick up I-95 in Jacksonville, headed south. Or you can take I-75 south to Lake City, Fla., and then cut over on I-10 east to Jacksonville, headed south.

Stay

Hammock Beach Resort is an oceanfront property with condos and villas plus amenities, including golf, a spa, a marina and a 91,000 square-foot water pavilion with a lazy river and water flume. Rates start in the $130's. 200 Ocean Crest Drive, Palm Coast. 866-841-0287; hammockbeach.com

White Orchid Inn & Spa offers oceanfront accommodations and amenities, including spa services, a pool, a heated mineral pool, full breakfast and afternoon wine and appetizers. Rates start at $129. 1104 S. Oceanshore Blvd., Flagler Beach. 800-423-1477, whiteorchidinn.com

Island Cottage Inn & Spa is a small property on a private beach, with a heated pool, spa and rooms with fireplaces and Jacuzzis. Rates start at $195 for rooms and $329 a night for villas. 2316 South Oceanshore Blvd., Flagler Beach. 877-662-6232; islandcottagevillas.com

Visitor info

Flagler County Chamber of Commerce & Affiliates

386-437-0106; PalmCoastandtheFlaglerBeaches.com

Dining Out

Whether you want seafood served up on the shore or Italian alfresco, Flagler County’s restaurants try to satisfy all tastes. Here are a few options:

Java Joint: This oceanfront serves breakfast, lunch and yes, coffee. Dogs are allowed on the deck. 2201 N. Oceanshore Boulevard, Flagler Beach. 386-439-1013; javajointflagler.com

Captain's BBQ: Try this local establishment's take on barbecue and walk it off while exploring the nearby Bing's Landing, a former old fish camp that was turned into an eight-acre park along the Intracoastal Waterway, and the remains of the Mala Compra Plantation. 5862 N. Oceanshore Blvd., Palm Coast. 386-597-2888; captainsbbq.com

High Tides @ Snack Jack's: This Old Florida eatery that opened in 1947 on Flagler Beach offers a mixed menu of seafood, wings, burgers, sandwiches, tacos, salads and alcohol in a surfside setting. (Its website includes a daily surf report.) 2805 S. Oceanshore Blvd., Flagler Beach. 386-439-3344; snackjacks.com

Funky Pelican: Located at the Flagler Beach Pier, you can dine on fried seafood, wings, fish dishes, sandwiches and burgers inside or on the deck overlooking the waves. There's a "funky hour" daily from 4-6 p.m., with specials on drinks and snacks. 215 Highway A1A, Flagler Beach. 386-439-0011, FunkyPelican.com

Hammock Wine and Cheese Shoppe: It opens at noon, but could be a pre-dinner stop (beer, ales, art and gifts also are sold), and you may catch some live entertainment. 5368 N. Oceanshore Blvd., Palm Coast. 386-445-3357; hammockwine.com

Blue at the Topaz: Dine inside or on the Victorian-style wraparound porch with ocean views. The menu includes seafood, steaks, pasta, duck, lamb and chicken dishes, as well as vegetarian options. 224 S. Oceanshore Blvd., Flagler Beach. 386-439-4322, blueatthetopaz.com

Flagler Fish Company: The fish market also has a restaurant with a varied menu, from Cuban and Po' Boy sandwiches, salads, soups and chowders to seared tuna and lobster. 180 S. Daytona Ave., Flagler Beach. 386-439-0000, flaglerfishcompany.com

La Piazza Café: A family-owned Italian eatery with indoor and outdoor dining and a menu with pasta favorites and steak and seafood dishes. 101 Palm Harbor Parkway, Palm Coast. 386-246-6366, lapiazzacafe.com

 Couples who like to be active but want to avoid Florida's crowded tourist destinations can find a full slate of activities during a getaway to Palm Coast, Fla., and the beaches of Flagler County.

Kayaking, swimming with dolphins, horseback riding and other outdoor pursuits are available, if relaxing and enjoying the endless ocean views (and a spa treatment or two) isn’t enough action.

Palm Coast, not to be confused with Palm Beach which is three hours south, offers eco-adventures and oceanfront activities and dining, but with smaller crowds than St. Augustine to the north or Daytona Beach to the south. On a couples’ getaway, you can do everything from rent bikes to meander along trails or say your vows in a beachfront wedding in Flagler County.

Up close and personal with nature

Early birds can start off the day watching the sunrise from the Flagler Beach Pier, a prime fishing spot. From there, go either direction. You can take leisurely strolls along the county’s beaches and should you bring your dog, pets on leashes are allowed north and south of the pier.

Flagler County's biggest attraction — and a nod to Old Florida — is Marineland Dolphin Adventure (marineland.net), which dates to 1938 and originally provided a spot for TV and movie studios to film underwater footage. Stars such as Tarzan — OK, Johnny Weissmuller — filmed there. Now you can swim with bottlenose dolphins in shallow or deep water and earn cool points with your kids or grandchildren. Advance reservations are recommended for the 30-minute swim with the dolphins ($209-$229).

You might just bump into a manatee or dolphin, an ultimate thrill for Florida vacationers, from a kayak, a stand-up paddleboard or while peddling a water bike. One option is a sunset kayaking tour offered by Ripple Effect Ecotours (rippleeffectecotours.com/kayaking-tours/marineland) from Marineland. The kayaks light up during the two-hour river tours (generally starting at 6 p.m. on weekends), which provide opportunities to soak up the area's natural beauty and wildlife. Other options include early evening cruises, bird-watching tours and kayaking and boating experiences throughout the day, including a boat that runs on vegetable oil recycled from local restaurants.

Peaceful pursuits

Some outings won't leave you waterlogged. Hop on horseback at the Florida Agriculture Museum for guided trail rides in a rural setting ($50 per rider per hour, myagmuseum.com/horsebackriding.html). The county also has more than 125 miles of bike trails, from paved ones with Intracoastal Waterway views and lush native trees and plants to off-road adventures, such as Graham Swamp Preserve, a more technical 6.5-mile trail.

In addition to renting bikes from local outfits and via your accommodations, parks as such Gamble Rogers Memorial State Recreation Area (named after a folk singer) offer bike, canoe and kayak rentals. Washington Oaks Gardens State Park (washingtonoaks.org) is known for its tranquil gardens and coquina rock formations that create a unique shoreline. The park is between the ocean and the Intracoastal and features exotic and native species, including oak hammock, citrus trees, butterflies, wildflowers and shady oak trees for picnicking, fishing, biking and hiking. You can fish in the salt marshes along the Matanzas River and elsewhere in the 1,500-acre Princess Place Preserve, which also has camping.

Golfing and getting out

If you can't imagine a vacation without hitting the links, Flagler County's golf options include Jack Nicklaus- and Tom Watson-designed courses at Hammock Beach Resort (hammockbeach.com) with picture-perfect backdrops.

Live entertainment options include tribute bands, community musicals and other performances at the 1,000-seat Flagler Auditorium (flaglerauditorium.org).