Palm Coast Flagler County

Flagler County may not house the largest cities in Florida but its growth in the last six years – over 66% -  certainly makes up for it.  An exceptional increase in job growth coupled with controlled development to preserve the natural beauty landscapes and North Florida’s year-round sunny climate has put Flagler County on the map for people wishing to relocate from all over the United States.

Flagler County has something to offer just about anyone that is considering a move to the area.  It includes Flagler Beach, a sleepy little community that is nestled on a strip of land between the Atlantic Ocean and the Intracoastal Waterway.  It has the recently incorporated City of Palm Coast, which is experiencing a rate of growth that is unprecedented in Florida and even the entire country.  It’s location on the Atlantic ocean on the east side of Florida ensures recreation, great weather, and access to major Florida metropolitan areas such as Jacksonville (just over an hour away), Orlando (just over an hour away), and Daytona Beach (just south on I-95).

Flagler County utility companies are local to the area.  Electric service is provided by Florida Power and Light, water services are provided locally as well.  No tax money is utilized for water and sewer services; they are funded solely through revenues and capacity fees collected from their use.  These include water, reuse, and sewer utilities.  Residential telephone service is provided by AT&T though more service providers are expected to enter the area as growth continues and public demand for competition becomes more evident.  The City of Palm Coast provides garbage and recycled materials collection and Flagler County provides garbage collection and disposal as well as a household hazardous waste collection and recycling drop off center.  Cable television services are provided by Bright House Networks though, like telephone service, more companies are planning to offer their services as well.

Residents of Flagler County enjoy some of the best award-winning public schools in the state of Florida.  The Flagler County school district regularly has standardized test averages that rank well above the state and national average.  The district has five elementary schools that feed into two middle schools which feed into two high schools.  The elementary schools include Belle Terre Elementary School in Palm Coast, Bunnell Elementary School in Bunnell, Old King’s Elementary School in Flagler Beach, Rymfire Elementary School in Palm Coast, and Wadsworth Elementary School in Palm Coast.  The middle schools include Indian Trails Middle School and Buddy Taylor Middle School, both in Palm Coast and the high schools include Flagler-Palm Coast High School and Matanzas High School, both located in Palm Coast.

Other Flagler County amenities and services include a regional airport, public transportation, fire and police services, veteran’s services, public health services, and public libraries.  Flagler County is devoted to its role in protecting its tourism industry but performs an impeccable job of maintaining the Florida charm that its towns and cities possess.

Flagler County is often not the first place that people think of when they want to visit Florida but for many people that regularly come back to enjoy the quiet beauty and variety of recreational activities that Flagler County offers, it can be the most appealing by far.  While other tourist destination in Florida such as Orlando, Daytona Beach, Miami, and Miami Beach cater to throngs of millions of tourists each year, Flagler County is quite content at keeping their tourist numbers low to remain relatively off the radar and off the beaten path.

This is certainly not to say that Flagler County doesn’t promote their tourism, however.  With its location on the Atlantic Ocean and one of the last remaining spots in Florida where new development and scenic beauty complement each other instead of fight for space, Flagler Country boasts scenic beauty that many other parts of Florida just can’t compare with.

For example, Flagler Beach isn’t as crowded as South Beach, Daytona Beach or Panama City but enjoys a level of serenity that those places just can’t provide.  While you will be hard-pressed to find a clean place to lay your blanket on one of those beaches, on Flagler Beach your closest neighbor can be many yards or even miles from you.  Since the amount of visitors to Flagler Beach is relatively low and it remains to be one of “Florida’s Best Kept Secrets,” the City of Flagler Beach does not provide lifeguards so swimming is at your own risk.

Getting to Flagler County and its incorporated towns and cities by air is easy.  Flagler County Airport is located in the City of Palm Coast and Daytona Beach International Airport is located just about 30 minutes south.  Alternatively, flights into Jacksonville International Airport or Orlando International Airport may be cheaper and they are located just about an hour and a half away.

Fishing is one of Flagler’s most popular recreational sports.  The Atlantic Ocean and the Intracoastal Waterway are excellent sources of sport fishing and the Flagler Beach Fishing Pier is well over 600 feet long.  It is not an uncommon site to watch fishermen walking off the pier with stringers and coolers full of fresh catches and if you have access to a boat you can easily catch your fill of Mahi-mahi, tuna, and even the occasional sailfish or marlin just a few miles offshore.  There are even a few fishing charters that run out of Flagler Beach that can be rented on a daily basis that allow you to fish all day and not have to worry about cleaning your catches at the end of the trip.

With over two dozen celebrated golf courses within Flagler County or within a few minutes’ drive, it is a golfing paradise.  On some of these award-winning courses, lush fairways and greens hug the Atlantic Ocean and present golfers with unparalleled views and playability, often for very reasonable prices.

Flagler County kindergartens through grade 12 public schools are among the best in Florida and even in the nation.  Flagler County has done a tremendous job in ensuring that it’s children are receiving an education quality that is superior to the status quo, a feat that is impressive considering the area’s rapid growth and population increases.

Flagler Country school children regularly exceed the state and national averages on all standardized testing criteria and many of its schools regularly receive recognition for high marks and graduation rates the standard, not a goal.  The school district is active in the communities throughout Flagler County and is continuously striving to make every effort to reach out to parents to encourage them to participate in their children’s learning process.

The Flagler County school district website integrates an active forum for use by parents, faculty and even students, which makes it one additional means of communication between the school and the parents.  The website itself is updated constantly with news about each school and the district as a whole and is a great resource for parents of children that are relocating to the area and for parents that have children currently enrolled in school there.  In addition to news and other school information, the Flagler County school district website also feature helpful articles and tips about how to keep your child safe, nutrition for children, and suggested summer reading lists for pre-kindergarten children through 5th grade.

The Flagler County School District includes nine area schools: five elementary schools, two middle schools, and two high schools.

Belle Terre Elementary School is located in Palm Coast and has approximately 1,500 students and 150 faculty members.  It is a state-of-the-art elementary school that utilizes student computers, laptops, smart boards, projectors, audio enhancement and wireless internet capabilities in each classroom.

Bunnell Elementary School is located in Bunnell and has approximately 950 students.  The school prides itself on stressing challenging lessons that stress personal achievement and individualism in its students.  The academic programs center around developing children’s written and oral communication, problem solving, critical thinking, computer usage, data application and research skills.

Old King’s Elementary School is located in Flagler Beach and has several hundred students in attendance as well as an impeccable teacher-to-student ratio.  Old King is dedicated to developing and maintaining a strong link between the school and home as it believes this is an integral part of its student’s academic achievement.

Rymfire Elementary School and Wadsworth Elementary School are located in the City of Palm Coast and work closely with each other and their respective PTA organizations to ensure that their students receive the level of attention needed to for the finest public school elementary education in Florida.  The schools are both actively integrating with multimedia teaching aids such as computer centers, computers in each classroom, and visual aids.

Indian Trails Middle School, Buddy Taylor Middle School, Matanzas High School and Flagler-Palm Coast High School are all located in the City of Palm Coast and maintain an active continuation of the level of learning that students received in the area’s elementary schools.  Each school has a dedication to ensuring that students accelerate through course material at an optimum speed and stress a learning curriculum that will prepare their students for the challenges of college and adult life.  In addition to traditional teaching methods, Flagler County middle and high schools implement the use of technology-based teaching aids where applicable in order to enhance the students’ learning experience and familiarize them with technology.

Flagler County is renowned for its laid-back lifestyle, world-class golfing, active recreation, and one of the largest job and population growth rates that Florida has ever witnessed.  In addition to everything else that Flagler County has going for it, there are quite a few points of interest that are available to visitors and residents alike.

Flagler County is home to Marineland, which boasted the world’s first oceanarium until it was remodeled in 2005 and the 400,000 gallon oceanarium structure was torn down.  Since then it has focused more on becoming a hands-on, interactive ocean biology and geology learning center and there are future plans for a museum as well.  Marineland allows its visitors to interact with, learn about, and even swim with live dolphins for an unparalleled experience.

Flagler County also has three separate beaches with public access.  Flagler Beach is 19 miles of uncrowded, uncompromised Florida beauty with beautiful sand and surf that can be enjoyed without the hassle of finding a spot in a sea of tourists.  As a matter of fact, when you visit Flagler Beach, your closest neighbor can be yards or even miles away!  Beverly Beach is mostly privately owned with the exception of Varn Park, which is located right off A1A between the Palm Coast Bridge and Route 100.  Unlike Flagler Beach, Varn Park does offer bathroom facilities but has no lifeguards.  Varn Park is completely free and accessible for the public.  Finally, there is Hammock Dunes Beaches which is also free for public use and also has bathroom facilities.

The City of Palm Coast in Flagler County is quickly becoming the heart of the county as it experiences tremendous growth and popularity.  Palm Coast no shortage of unique shopping in the European Village, a community that combines the charm of Europe with the offerings of America in one place.  In addition to eclectic and quaint shops the European Village has a top-quality hotel, 16 tennis courts, fine-dining restaurants, and outdoor entertainment.

Flagler County also has no shortage of cultural and arts events that are either held year-round or during select times out of the year.  The Flagler County Art League put on shows at least every few months for art lovers to enjoy and the Flagler Auditorium hosts live music, shows, and other forms of entertainment.  The Flagler Symphonic Society has attracted acclaim from the rest of Florida as well as the rest of the country for being one of the finest associations in the southeast.  The Palm Coast Historical Society is responsible for keeping the history and culture of the area alive and the Little Theater of Palm Coast is extremely popular with residents that enjoy live theater.

Though most people think of golf, fishing, and pristine beaches when Flagler County comes to mind, there is no shortage of other things to enjoy.

Featuring nearly twenty miles of beaches, serene waterways, subtropical forests, rose gardens for public enjoyment, and a thriving coastline, Flagler County has parks and preserves that offer recreation and enjoyment for residents and visitors year round due to Florida’s sunny summers and extremely mild winters.

Flagler County Preserves

Flagler County’s River to Sea Preserve is located near Marineland, one of Florida’s oldest theme parks and the world’s first oceanarium.  River to Sea is a preserve that spans 90 acres and features public beach access, facilities for launching canoes and kayaks, and walking trails as well as a beachside boardwalk with tremendous ocean views.

The Haw Creek Preserve spreads over 1,000 acres and has a boardwalk that extends through an extensive natural Florida swamp complex.  Boat launch facilities for access to the Intracoastal Waterway as well as the Atlantic Ocean is just one of the features as well as other activities that include camping, picnicking, horseback riding, walking, and hiking.

The Flagship Harbor Preserve has a fishing pier and boat launch facilities and features trails and boardwalks that snake through the coastal scrub communities and salt marsh.

The Princess Place Preserve has both fresh and saltwater marshes, pine forest, hardwood hammocks, and oak scrub environments.  The oldest standing structure in Flagler County, the Princess Place lodge was built in 1887 and stands here.

The Bing’s Landing Preserve sits adjacent to the Intracoastal Waterway and has boat launch facilities and places to picnic.  Visitors are allowed to fish in the Intracoastal Waterway from its pier and can also view the Mala Compra Plantation.

Flagler County Parks

The Gamble Rogers Memorial State Park is 145 acres of nature trails, swimming areas and ocean surf fishing.  Located between the Intracoastal Waterway and the Atlantic Ocean, visitors can enjoy the boat ramp, fishing, picnicking, camping, and beach access.

The Washington Oaks Gardens State Park also sits between the Atlantic Ocean and the Intracoastal Waterway and is one part of the “Great Florida Birding Trail.”  The park consists of 389 acres located just south of Marineland and has formal plant-life gardens featuring flowers and plants from around the world.

The Bulow Plantation Ruins State Historic Site is the remains of an early 19th century plantation.  Crops grown here included indigo, rice, cotton, and sugar cane and the foundations of the original house and the workers’ quarters still stand.

Flagler County Public Boat Launches

Russell Landing – Open from dawn to dusk every day.  County Road 2007 in Haw Creek Preserve in Bunnell

Moody Boat Launch – Open from dawn until 11 pm every day.  Moody Lane in Flagler Beach.

Bing’s Landing – Open from dawn until 11 pm every day.  5880 N. Oceanshore Blvd. in Palm Coast.

Disston Boat Launch – Open from dawn to dusk every day.  County Road 2009 on Lake Disston.

Wadsworth Park – Open from dawn to 11 pm every day.  2200 Moody Blvd. in Flagler Beach.

Herschel King Sr. Park – Open from dawn to dusk every day.  1000 South Park Road in Palm Coast.

Shell Bluff – Open from dawn to dusk every day.  Crescent Lake.

Flagler County Public Beach Accesses

River to Sea Preserve – Open from dawn to dusk every day.  9805 North Oceanshore Blvd. in St. Augustine

Varn Park – Open from dawn to 11 pm every day.  3665 N. Oceanshore Blvd. in Flagler Beach.

Old Salt Road Park – Open from dawn to 11 pm every day.  16th Road in Palm Coast.

Malacompra County Park – Open from dawn to 11 pm every day.  Malacompra Rd.

Jungle Hut Road Park – Open from dawn to 11 pm every day.  101 Jungle Hut Road in Palm Coast.

Flagler College is a private, four-year liberal arts college located in St. Augustine, Florida and is one of the southeast region’s best liberal arts colleges according to recent recognition by U.S. News & World Reports.  According to many students of the college and faculty who work there as well as numerous visitors each year, Flagler College boasts one of the most beautiful campuses in the entire United States and is included on the U.S. News & World Report’s “America’s Best Colleges” list.

The college was founded in 1968 on 19 acres.  The grounds center around the Ponce de Leon Hall, which was originally constructed in 1888 as a luxury hotel and is now listed on the National Register of Historic Places.  The college has invested a total of more than 43 million dollars adding new buildings and restoring the existing structures on the campus and it now has an auditorium that boasts a seating capacity of almost 800 people and multimedia capabilities along with a new library, Proctor Library.

Twenty majors and 26 minors are offered at Flagler College as well as two pre-professional programs.  It’s curriculum emphasizes liberal arts just as its founder Lawrence Lewis, Jr. visualized.  Flagler’s business program stands out as having a proven track record of success with many alumni going on to become major, influential players in economic, finance, industrial and law industries.  Flagler’s Deaf Education program is a branch of the highly-praised Laurent Clerc National Deaf Education Center and enables deaf students to learn from and gain inspiration from deaf professionals.

Flagler College is not widely known for its athletics program, which competes under the mascot of the “Saints” but is active in no less than twelve varsity sports including men’s baseball, women’s volleyball, men and women’s tennis, men and women’s soccer, men and women’s golf, men and women’s cross country, and men and women’s basketball.

Flagler College has a student body that consists of about 60% female students with around 2,200 students total for the Fall of 2006.  Though it is a private institution, about 60% of its student population is native to Florida and 38% are from other states.  About 2% of students come from foreign countries.

Flagler College’s yearly tuition for the 2007-2008 school year is $11,800 and room and board is estimated at $6,300 for a total cost of $18,100, though additional fees may apply depending on the classes students take.

Flagler Beach is one of the hidden gems of Florida located just ff the beaten path of Route A1A.  While there are certainly more populated beaches that cater to the tourism industry in Florida, Flagler Beach is not a destination for those seeking a large amount of fellow tourists and hectic nightlife.  When you lay out on a blanket on Flagler Beach, the closest beach-goers near you may be yards or even miles away.

The town of Flagler Beach, Florida is located in Flagler County between the Intracoastal Waterway and the Atlantic Ocean.  It is nestled right between St. Augustine and Daytona Beach and about an hour-and-a-half south of Jacksonville and about an hour east of Orlando.  The population of Flagler Beach is just over 5,000 and that’s the way most residents prefer it, though that number will inevitably increase with the booming population and job growth of nearby Palm Coast.  However, with strict city ordinances that restrict any development on the ocean side of A1A there isn’t much danger of Flagler Beach’s serene beach views being tainted by overdevelopment any time soon.

Flagler Beach was incorporated in 1925 and was originally a small fishing village.  In that time, it has grown but not enough to lose its original small community charm.  The town is located just six miles from the beaches and has many of the amenities of larger cities though it can still be described by residents of large metropolitan areas as “quaint.”  The city has fine dining restaurants, gift shops, and marinas.

Flagler Beach also has several small marinas that are an ideal place to keep a boat or have it serviced.  Just a few miles offshore is some of the best fishing in the Atlantic and fishermen regularly come back to dock with coolers full of Mahi-mahi, Tuna, and occasionally Marlin.

The beach is Flagler Beach’s main attraction, however, and stretches for miles uninterrupted by throngs of tourists, snack vendors and public bathrooms.  While this may be a hindrance for vacationers who enjoy the bustling energy of large crowds and having every convenience near them, it is a very nice alternative for those who simply wish to sunbathe without the distractions.  Flagler Beach is an ideal destination for tourists that are looking to escape the daily grind and troubles of every day life because of its separation from the crowds and the big cities while still providing many of the conveniences of home – to an extent.

As with most cities and towns in Florida, golf is a big attraction in Flagler Beach as well.  The public course of Ocean Palm Golf Club in Flagler Beach features nine golf holes over 2,300 yards with a par of 33.  However, there is an abundance of golf courses located very near Flagler Beach as well – 24 within 17 miles, some of which are world-renowned, award-winning courses designed with the help of the very biggest names in golf such as Arnold Palmer.

Flagler County is located in northeast Florida adjacent to the Atlantic Ocean.  It encompasses the City of Palm Coast, the City of Flagler Beach, the City of Bunnell, the Town of Beverly Beach and the Town of Marineland.  As of the 2000 U.S. census, Flagler County held 21,294 households and a total of 49,832 people.  However, the next census will prove that those numbers have raised exponentially since the census, particularly due to the tremendous growth of the City of Palm Coast, a new community with a rapid job growth and population growth rate.  In fact, a 2006 U.S. Census Bureau estimates its population to have risen to above 83,000, a 66.7% growth rate which means that it has the most rapid growth-rate of any other county in the United States.

Even though Flagler County doesn’t contain one of the major Florida cities, it is just about an hour south of Jacksonville and about an hour east of Orlando.  Flagler County is one of Florida’s lesser-known but oft-populated tourist destinations.  While it does not contain a major metropolitan city, Flagler County is popular with tourists that want to enjoy the scenic Florida beauty without the traditional packed venues and beaches that other Florida beach towns have.

Flagler Beach has grown from a small fishing village on the east coast of Florida to a bustling community of over 5,000 residents with a healthy tourism industry.  While the city has many of the comforts and accommodations of one with much more residents, it retains the sleepy charm that it held back in the 1920s.  The town is located just six miles away from some of the most pristine beaches in Florida and is considered to be one of the best kept secrets of Florida.  Great fishing, recreation, and sunny Florida living are the trademarks of Flagler Beach.

Palm Coast is fast becoming the jewel of Flagler County. Even though the city was incorporated just a few short years ago, the careful and meticulously planned community is experiencing unparalleled resident and job growth.  This is due in no small part of the strict adherence to regulations put into place that ensures industrial, commercial, and residential development does not disturb the natural Florida scenic beauty.  A large sense of community and safety for its residents as well as the abundance of upper-middle class to upper-class residents have also made this previously small town a draw for new business and residents as well.

The City of Bunnell and the towns of Beverly Beach and Marineland are the remaining incorporated towns of Flagler County, Florida.  Beverly Beach had a total of 312 households and 547 people in 2000, Bunnell had a total of 845 households and 2,122 people in 2000, and Marineland had a total of 3 households and 6 people in 2000.  Marineland is more of a theme park than an actual city and boasts being one of Florida’s first.  It holds the distinction of being the world’s first oceanarium as well.  Though visitors to Marineland were previously able to swim with the dolphins in the 400,000 oceanarium, it was demolished in 2005 and Marineland is now a primarily hands-on educational facility but has plans for condo development on the land where the facilities were previously housed.