👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 Family First

A perfect opportunity to reconnect and put family first, while also getting the job done for school, check out  5 reasons why Flagler Beach is hands-down the best family destination in Florida.

👩‍🔬 Science

The world’s first oceanarium, Marineland Dolphin Adventure, is where kids can see up close what a 1.3 million-gallon series of dolphin habitats looks like. There is a slew of interactive programs to continue learning outside the classroom with the marine life on-site, and if you want to get hands-on, the family can do a one-of-a-kind guided swim with these gorgeous creatures! Beyond dolphins, your kids will be wowed by the sea turtles, tortoises, sand tiger sharks, fish, coral and more that live here. As you wander through the exhibits, learn fun facts about the animals, listen to a daily shark talk, count the colorful fish, and see if anyone in your crew can spot a moray eel.

Marineland Dolphin Adventure also serves as a fun history hot spot. It was an underwater filming studio for Hollywood movies, the first place to train dolphins and has a beautiful collection of photos and stories from the area’s earliest days.

🎨 Art

In our funky little beach town, there’s so much cool art to see. Get hands-on with Painting with a Twist and let your child’s imagination run wild with art education and brush-in-hand activities. This adorable studio also has take-home kits you can bring back to your hotel rental for a special family activity, unplugged.

Pottery can also bring out your child’s inner artistic expression. Down to Earth Pottery is open for pottery and jewelry classes for all levels of experience. One of its jewelry classes involves crafting silver clay into a design, and when the clay is fired, it turns into silver as the clay falls away. Making jewelry with glass, metal, natural stones and more are also available.

🚴 Physical Education

Your kids can play in the sun while exploring and getting in P.E. activities in Palm Coast. Start with biking and hiking trails to explore different natural habitats and try paddling the rivers and wetlands with a guided tour from a master naturalist. Our destination even boasts a Homeschool at Hammock Beach package! You get a gorgeous ocean view condo for a discounted rate and let the kids play right on the beach, swim in the pool or enjoy the water slides and lazy river ride. And parents can practice their handicap on one of the two on-site golf courses.

🎵 Music

One of Florida’s most popular bands, Hayfire, is putting on a safety-first, drive-in outdoor concert at Flagler Palm Coast High School on Sept. 13, at 6 p.m. Families can drive up and hear this ensemble as the town works to return the arts to the community in a safe, socially distanced way. The Flagler Auditorium, Flagler Playhouse and City Repertory Theater worked together to put this event on. Expect a special stage with state-of-the-art light and sound being constructed for the event.

👨‍🏫 History

Flagler County was founded in 1917, and there are plenty of historic landmarks to see around town. Kick it off with these Historic and Instagram worthy sites in Palm Coast and the Flagler Beaches.

The always innovative Florida Agricultural Museum is beginning drive-through tours in mid-to-late August 2020. See a fully restored 1890s pioneer homestead and a dry goods store from the early 1900s from the safety of your car. The museum also has five restored buildings from a 1930s Depression-era citrus operation and a 5,000-sq.-ft. dairy barn formerly belonging to Millard Caldwell, a former governor of Florida. Trail riding and horseback lessons are also available on-site.

A peek into the past is waiting for your family at Bulow Plantation Ruins Historic State Park. The old sugar mill ruins can give the young ones a look into what life was like in the early 1800s and understand the rise and fall of sugar plantations in this area of Florida. Let them explore the 150 acres, the plantation house, spring house and several wells as they learn about that era of history. The ruins are on the National Register of Historic Sites.

🌎 Geography

A must see is the coquina rock formations, at Washington Oaks Gardens State Park. These wildly beautiful rock formations that line the Atlantic Ocean are native to this part of Florida and are rarely seen anywhere else. The spot at Washington Oaks Gardens State Park is the second-largest outcropping of coquina rock anywhere and gives visitors a glance back at geologic time. It’s the perfect spot for curious children to explore tidal pools and learn about this ancient rock formed by millions of tiny clams. Fun fact: Coquina is Spanish for "tiny shell."

🐢 Biology

Level up in biology with birding and ornithology. An incredible supplement to regular classwork—and engaging activity—for young ones to go out and search the skies. Birding is one of the most popular activities in Palm Coast and the Flagler Beaches. Six of the area's trails are listed on the Great Florida Birding Trail. There are more than 200 species of birds throughout Palm Coast. If you’re looking for guidance, you’ll find it with the Flagler County Audubon Society.

Sea turtles also nest and hatch on Flagler Beach from May 1 through Oct. 31. Imagine your kids’ excitement as they witness a turtle crawl to the ocean. Reach out to the Volusia-Flagler Turtle Patrol, a local nonprofit organization dedicated to the protection of sea turtles, to see how your children can get involved during their stay.

If you want an A+ for parenting, take your child’s virtual learning lessons to the next level and book an extended stay in Palm Coast and the Flagler Beaches this fall. Time to make school days fun days for Moms, Dads, and kids