By Carrie Pack

I used to fancy myself a bit of an amateur photographer. I say used to because it quickly became apparent to me that any talent I exhibited was pure dumb luck.

That doesn’t deter me. I still like to take a ton of photos on vacation, but I could certainly use some tips. For those of you who might want to learn some tips and tricks and go beyond the family snapshot, you should check out a basic photography course being offered at the Florida Agricultural Museum.

The course begins March 6 and runs from 10 a.m. to noon every Saturday in March. There’s a bonus day on April 24.

This class is for anyone, whether you can barely work your new camera or if you’re a photography buff. Local photographer David Millonig will cover both technical and artistic topics during this workshop. David is an accomplished photographer who is very active with the museum.

The cost of this series is included in a membership to the Florida Agricultural Museum. It’s just $20 for an individual or $35 for the whole family.

The Florida Agricultural Museum is located at 7900 Old Kings Road in Palm Coast. For more information on this event, please contact James Fiske at flaagmuseum@yahoo.com.

By Carrie Pack

 

Did you know Florida’s first in-ground swimming pool is in Flagler County? It’s just one of many fascinating tidbits of history you’ll learn at Princess Place Preserve.

The pool, like many early freshwater pools in Florida, is fed by a continuous-flowing artesian well. Though the pool isn’t safe for use today, Princess Place’s knowledgeable tour guides can tell you about all the fun that happened there years ago, and how this property became a social gathering spot for many prominent northern families as well as world-famous dignitaries and even royalty. But it’s the quaint, homey feeling of the remaining buildings that makes this place a gem to me.

You can see the building attached to the pool is leaning to one side, but you can almost imagine yourself walking out of the building and directly into the swimming pool. Women were especially discreet, so the pool is practically an extension of the bathhouse.

Visitors can explore all the historical buildings on the site, including the newly restored hunting lodge. And of course, there’s a lot of nature to explore with hiking trails and camping. The park is open from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. daily.

Oh, and some people say Princess Place is haunted. If you’re brave enough, you can camp on site and investigate for yourself.

By Carrie Pack

Thinking about Florida’s first in-ground swimming pool last week reminded me of the lazy river pool at the Hammock Beach Resort in Palm Coast.

I know it’s still a bit too cold right now for swimming, but I’m kind of lamenting how much I miss the warmer months and can’t wait for summer. So I started daydreaming about one of Flagler County’s best luxury resorts.

One of the things I love most about Hammock Beach Resort is the atmosphere; the lazy river is a big part of that. It’s just the most laid-back — yet still fun — pool I haven’t seen in a while. It has twists and turns, and even a few “waterfalls” along the way. Just grab a raft and float with the current.

This is just one of the activities you’ll find in the resort’s water park. The kids can try out the water slide or even build a sandcastle while mom and dad enjoy food and beverage service with the choice of sunny or shaded lounge areas. With an upper and lower pool, the aquatics area also includes an adult pool, a swimming pool-sized spa, and a zero-entry beach pool. Enjoy the water park from 8 a.m. to dusk daily, and don’t forget about the beach!

The indoor pool complex is open from 6 a.m. to 11 p.m.

Looking for a great deal on a getaway? Right now you can check out Hammock Beach Resort’s Spring Escape where you can save 50 percent off their regular rates.

By Carrie Pack

A close friend of mine is planning her wedding right now, and she’s getting married at Marineland Dolphin and Conservation Center. It’s part of their Dream Dolphin Weddings program. It’s a really great opportunity if you are getting married and want to share it with the ocean’s smartest resident.

But it got me thinking; I haven’t been back to Marineland in years. I think it’s time to plan a trip. After browsing through online pictures of some of the Marineland dolphins, I am reminded of how much I love to watch these water-bound mammals interact with humans.

I mentioned Marineland’s Facebook page in my last post, and after I saw that comment about the Right Whales, I also noticed all the comments people were leaving on the “wall.” It’s filled with photos and memories from people who have experienced Marineland over the years.

One man posted photos from when he was an employee at Marineland back in the 1980s. He says he made minimum wage — around $5 — at the time, but he didn’t mind because he was getting paid to play with the dolphins.

Others have made comments about how a certain dolphin encounter made their day. One woman writes how it made her 40th birthday a day she will never forget.

One of the things I love about businesses that use social networking is it allows us to see the stories of the everyday people who frequent those businesses. It’s one thing to go to the official Marineland Web site — you’ll get the official line and all the flashy marketing — but it’s another thing entirely to read when a woman writes about how cool it was when Tocoi the dolphin splashed her face. Even the smiles on people’s faces are more genuine.

Consider me sold. I’m ready to take a trip back to Marineland. Who’s with me? They’re hosting Family Fun Day, Feb. 28, with free admission all day and family-friendly activities from 1 to 4 p.m.

By Carrie Pack

The North Atlantic Right whales are back in Flagler County. This week they were spotted near Marineland and the Flagler Beach Pier.

Right whales are a type of Baleen whale, and folks have been spotting these giant creatures off the coast of Flagler County for years now. The locals will tell you this is one of the major perks of living in this pristine coastal community. The lack of development and warm waters make an ideal spot for these whales to come during the colder months. The females come to the coasts of Georgia and Florida to give birth to their calves.

These beautiful animals can grow to about 50 feet in length — and they can weigh about 120,000 pounds, but for all of their sizes, they’re really quite agile. A check of Marineland’s Facebook page shows you how even those most familiar with aquatic life still marvel at their acrobatics.

“A pair of Northern right whales surprised us this morning with a fantastic display of breaches and tail lobs! What a show!” the page says.

If you’re looking for a place to check out the whales, just about any location along the coast will do, and many people will tell you that you just have to “get lucky” if you want to see them. But in my observations, they tend to make appearances most frequently in the morning.

You’ll find the Flagler Beach Pier is probably the most popular spot for whale watching, but many people have seen them at one of Flagler County’s beachfront restaurants, or even while lounging on the beach.

Just remember to bring your camera!

… to the Florida Agricultural Museum 

By Carrie Pack

After my horseback riding experience, I’m dying to get back to the Florida Agricultural Museum in Palm Coast. Don’t let the name fool you. This place is less of a museum than it is a living history experience.

And coming up in early January is the Pellicer Creek Rendezvous, a first-of-its-kind event from Jan. 9 and 10. Even though this event is new, it’s really the epitome of what this unique Flagler County site is all about: learning about history through interaction with experts and locals.

Guests of the Rendezvous will experience recreations of historical encampments of trappers, traders, Native Americans and frontiersmen of the early 1800s.

When I was there for my trail ride a few months ago, I got to see a glimpse of this growing museum, but I know there’s a lot more to see, including traditional cracker homesteads and a replica of an old country store. The museum is also active in the conservation of heritage livestock including rare Florida Cracker Cattle and Horses. You really need to see these beautiful animals up close.

Admission for the special event is just $6. The Florida Agricultural Museum is located at 7900 Old Kings Road, Palm Coast. Regular admission to the museum is $5 for adults and $3 for children.

For more information contact (386) 446-7630 or famuseum@pcfl.net.

 

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By Carrie Pack

 

A couple of weeks ago, I mentioned how great Washington Oaks is this time of year for exploring. There’s just so much to see and do. Last time I talked about how much I love the formal gardens and the history of the Young family who lived there, but truly my favorite part of the park is that it gives me a glimpse of what Florida must have looked like to natives and explorers hundreds of years ago.

With towering oaks and lush foliage, this park is without a doubt one of Flagler County’s crown jewels. On my last visit, I actually followed a turtle (or maybe it was a tortoise) as she made her way across the path. It was the most incredible experience because not only was she so close that I could have reached out and touched her shell, but she was also running. Yes, running. This turtle was “hauling the mail,” so to speak. I have never seen a turtle move so fast!

I’m always so amazed when I get to see an animal that close up in its natural habitat. I love zoos, but there’s just something about coming across a turtle that might be on her way to dig a nest for her eggs, or maybe she was looking for a good place to rest for a while. Either way, she was completely at home at Washington Oaks.

If you have some time to spend with nature, this park really won’t disappoint you. It’s definitely one of Flagler County’s must-see attractions.

Washington Oaks Gardens State Park is located two miles south of Marineland, on A1A. Admission is just $5 per vehicle and the park is open from 8 a.m. to sundown year-round.

 

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By Carrie Pack

In my family, when we sit down for Thanksgiving dinner, everyone at the table usually talks about what they are thankful for each year. Sometimes it’s the little things that matter most or even the unexpected.

This year I’m just looking for a stress-free celebration. So we’re keeping it small and low-key at home, but if you’re looking for a place to eat out for Thanksgiving, you might be thankful that Finn’s Beachside in Flagler Beach will be open Thanksgiving Day.

If that’s not enough, they’ll be offering free dinner from 1 p.m. until the food is gone. Yes, it’s really free! If you’re feeling adventurous, you can follow that up with ladies’ night and “Harryoke” at 9 p.m.

If you’ve already got plans to go to grandmas, you can always hit up Finn’s for lunch or dinner. Or maybe you will just enjoy the view from their rooftop deck or take in the nightly entertainment they offer.

The menu includes everything from your typical pub fare to specialty dishes like the Finn’s Burger, which features cheddar jack cheese, barbecue sauce, bacon and onion rings.

Finn’s is located on the corner of A1A and SR 100 in Flagler Beach, directly on the ocean.

 

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By Carrie Pack

As I sit inside watching the remnants of tropical storm Ida swirling about, I’m reminded of a gorgeous day a few weeks ago when I spent a few hours exploring Washington Oaks Gardens State Park.

First of all, the roses were gorgeous in the formal gardens. These are nothing like what you’ll see in a florists display. The roses, and all the flowers there, retain the sweet scent that attracts the butterflies. What I love most is the mix of civilization and nature that helped found this land as a homestead nearly 75 years ago.

After serving mostly as farmland with a hunting lodge, the land was bought by Louise and Owen Young, who established the home and the formal gardens in the 1930s. The Youngs mixed their love of the Orient and nature to create a gorgeous landscape of native and exotic plants. Eventually they expanded their property to include the neighboring beachfront. Until the 1950s, the spot was used as a vacation home for the Young family.

In the mid-1960s, shortly before her death, Mrs. Young gave most of Washington Oaks to the State of Florida. As part of her legacy, she required that the gardens be maintained as her family had kept them. However, she also looked to the future and asked the state to expand the garden whenever it was financially possible.

Today, the formal gardens stand as a testament to the Youngs’ vision, but the rest of the park is a reminder of what Florida looked like to natives and explorers in Florida’s early days. I’ll save that story for another time...

Washington Oaks Gardens State Park is located two miles south of Marineland, on A1A. Admission is just $5 per vehicle and the park is open from 8 a.m. to sundown, year-round.

 

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By Carrie Pack

 

I think we’re just hitting that point of the year where it’s neither too warm, nor too cold at the beach in the middle of the day. So while the fair weather is here, I thought I would remind everyone of how great the view is at the Flagler Beach Pier.

On my most recent trip to the pier, I really began to notice all the messages carved into the wood. For a little more than $100, you can have a personal message placed on the pier. Many are placed in memory of deceased loved ones, but several appear to commemorate family reunions and vacations. You can spend a couple hours just reading the messages there.

Of course, eventually you’ll want to look up and take at the surroundings. The ocean is so peaceful here. Despite all the local businesses, the beach itself is still pretty much undisturbed, and it’s been that way since the pier opened in 1925. Maybe that’s why so many of the locals spend time fishing here.

For just a $1 (and a fishing license, of course) you can spend as long as you want out there. And if you want to hear a little history, just ask. Everyone loves to share their stories of the pier.

Parking is easy to find at the Flagler Beach Pier, and it’s open 6:30 a.m. to midnight, all year round. I’ve even heard it’s a good spot to bird watch, or come see the right whales in the early part of the year.