Good Sam RV Travel Guide & Campground Directory

May's Must-Stay Parks:
 Attractions galore in Flagler County, FL

Nestled between the vigor of Daytona Beach to the south and the ancient charm of St. Augustine to the north, Flagler County has its own mix of natural and manmade attractions to visit year-round. Here you’ll find activities like kayaking, hiking, biking, boating, horseback riding and more, as well as 19 miles of untouched beaches, beautiful scenery and tranquil waterways. Check out the Top 5 “must see” things to do while in Flagler County:

1. Princess Place Preserve –This 1,500 acre preserve is located on a knoll overlooking the confluence of Pellicer Creek and the Matanzas River. The oldest standing structure in Flagler County, a hunting lodge built in 1887 by Henry Cutting, still sits within the expansive preserve. Princess Place is named after the widowed Angela Cutting who later married a Prince in the Russian royal family. Now visitors can come to explore the vast hiking and equestrian trails, try kayaking or fishing in the salt marshes, or camp out under the starry lit sky. As part of the Great Florida Birding Trail, Princess Place Preserve is a bird lover’s paradise with great egrets, blue herons, turkeys, raptors and more!

2. The Flagler Beach Municipal Pier – Built in 1925, the pier was originally planned to be over 1,000 feet long, but storms along the Atlantic had knocked it down to 806 feet. The pier is notorious for outstanding fishing and whale watching during the months of December through March when the mothers come from Nova Scotia to our warmer waters to birth and nurse their calves.

3. Florida Agricultural Museum – Visitors to the Florida Agricultural Museum can visit the archaeological site of John Hewitt's water powered sawmill, a fully restored 1890s pioneer homestead, a turn of the last century Dry Goods Store, five restored buildings from a 1930s Depression-Era citrus business, and a 5,000 square foot dairy barn formerly belonging to Governor of Florida, Millard Caldwell. In addition to a wonderful educational experience, the museum is also host to fantastic horseback riding on some of the most beautiful trails in Florida.

4. Marineland Dolphin Conservation Center – Just north on A1A is Marineland, originally known as Marine Studious in the late 1930’s. Marineland is the “World’s First Oceanarium” and today is an educational landmark which not only teaches about dolphins, but also provides visitors with the opportunity of a lifetime – swimming with the dolphins. New to Marineland are Kayak Tours and Kayak Fishing Tours! Enjoy the serenity of paddling through our local preserves and casting your line in some of the finest estuaries in Florida.

5. Bulow Plantation Ruins State Park – The once flourishing Bulow Plantation where the Bulow family grew sugar cane, cotton, rice, and indigo was swept away in 1836 during the Second Seminole War. Today, a scenic walking trail leads visitors to the ruins of the former plantation and sugar mill, listed on the National Register of Historic Sites. At Bulow Plantation you not only get a vast Florida history through the tour and the interpretive center, but there are picnic facilities and a boat ramp that provides access for canoes and small powerboats to scenic Bulow Creek, a designated state canoe trail. If fishing is your leisure, anglers can fish from the dock, a boat or kayak.

There’s sure to be an attraction of interest in addition to these “must sees.” For a complete list of what there is to do and see any time of year, visit www.visitflagler.org

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