This Thanksgiving, we look forward to sitting down at the table and taking a day to reflect on all that we’re thankful for. Living in Flagler County there can certainly be a lot to stress over, especially when it comes to government and business. But it’s worthwhile to pause and consider now and then what makes Flagler living great. Otherwise, what’s the point?
This list is by no means exhaustive. There are certainly far more items worthy of inclusion, and many more people and businesses deserving of shoutouts. Maybe reading this will even help bring forth some of those other things into the discussion! But this is a starting point, 40 great things that we’re thankful for right here at home in Flagler County.
In no particular order:
- Plenty of places to get great Thanksgiving food. And not just the big chains like Super Target, Publix, and Aldi. So many great locally-owned businesses too, like Harris Grocery, Richard’s Foodporium, and Amigos Supermarket!
- The East Flagler Mosquito Control District. Because nobody wants to know what summer days outdoors would be like without the dedicated folks who treat for mosquitos here in Flagler County.
- Our community of veterans. So many of our nation’s finest have chosen to settle down in Flagler County following their service in the armed forces. We’re thankful for them as a community! And speaking of which…
- Veterans Park. We could probably make an entire list from Flagler Beach alone, but special emphasis is deserved for this little park at the heart of town, where residents can catch some sun and an ocean breeze by the fountain.
- The county’s geography. There’s a lot to do on the northeast coast of Florida, and Flagler offers a great starting point to go and see it all. Just south of St. Augustine and Jacksonville while just north of Daytona Beach and New Smyrna Beach, there’s so much to do just a short drive away.
- The county’s news sources. No bias here of course! Between AskFlagler, FlaglerLive, the Palm Coast Observer, Flagler News Weekly, and the Flagler/Palm Coast News-Tribune, there’s no shortage of hard-hitting and insightful coverage of happenings in and around Flagler County.
- The amenities. No matter what your interests are, there’s somewhere to fulfill them in Flagler County. There’s beautiful trails for jogging and cycling, pristine nature reserves for kayaking and birdwatching, and a court, field, or complex for nearly any sport you could think of. What more could one want?
- The schools. With a variety of choices at the elementary, middle, and high school level, kids growing up in Flagler are sure to be uplifted by the dedicated educators and support staff who keep Flagler Schools running.
- The Emergency Management Department. A team of just five employees, the Emergency Management Department raises awareness and fosters preparedness for any kind of natural disaster or weather phenomenon.
- The Flagler Beach Municipal Pier. Open 18 hours a day, the pier gives views up and down the Atlantic coast for miles in either direction, and provides some of the best fishing the community has to offer.
- Lehigh Trail. A network of three connected walking and biking trails, Lehigh Trail stretches from US-1 to the west all the way out to Colbert Lane to the east. Have you ever done the whole 6.9-mile trail in one go?
- Palm Coast’s letter-based street names. Though it can make for some pretty unique street names (Llama Trail anyone?), it’s easy to tell somebody what side of town something’s on. It’s over by the K section, you say? I know exactly where you mean.
- The Ormond Beach Loop. Of course this counts as Flagler, it starts right at the county line! If you haven’t been down this stunningly scenic drive through the wetlands, you don’t know what you’re missing.
- The craft brewery scene. Tired of plain old big name beer? Try out Moonrise Brewing Company, Coquina Coast Brewing, The Brown Dog, and other great local spots to have a craft brew!
- Bunnell’s automotive district. No, that’s not an official name, but you know where we’re talking about. The stretch of US-1 between John’s Towing and the Dollar General in which you can find any number of automotive services you need for your vehicle, mostly from locally-owned small businesses!
- The C-section canals. Even if you’re not lucky enough to live on them, the canals are a great resource for residents interested in boating, fishing, or just hanging out for a close-to-home evening on the water.
- Unincorporated Flagler County. Those areas that don’t lie within Palm Coast, Flagler Beach, or Bunnell can sometimes offer some of the best places to live, eat, and shop. Includes Daytona North (known to locals as the Mondex), Cody’s Corner, Bimini, Korona, Espanola, and more.
- The Mala Compra Plantation Archaeological Site. Offering a nearly unparalleled look into 18th and 19th century Flagler, the Mala Compra site is a fascinating ruin of the plantation owned by Joseph Hernández. And in case you’re looking for a deeper dive into Flagler history…
- The Flagler County Historical Society. How can we know where we’re going if we don’t know where we’ve been? The Historical Society offers an excellent resource for residents to gaze through a window to the past.
- The Matanzas-FPCHS rivalry. Every year, residents from across town get to gather together for perhaps the most divisive (in a good way) event the county has to offer: Matanzas High School vs. Flagler Palm Coast High School in varsity football. Whose colors do you fly?
- Princess Place Preserve. If this list were ranked, this might just be at the top. A positively stunning area of over 1,000 acres in north Flagler County, home to a diverse set of wildlife and seemingly endless natural beauty. And let’s not forget about the annual Creekside Festival which takes place there too!
- The local photography circuit. A county as beautiful as Flagler ought to have talented individuals capture it. And thanks to world-class photography education both at the high school and college level, Flagler County has some of the best. We’re partial to our own in-house photographer, Stephen Helfrich.
- Flagler’s wild turkeys. You’ve gotta admit, it’s pretty cool that on Thanksgiving Day, you’ve got a solid chance of seeing an actual turkey come strolling through your yard. Put the hunting rifle away though, we’ve got plenty of places to buy a turkey nearby!
- The Flagler Playhouse. Big theatre buff? Look no further than the Flagler Playhouse, located right here on Moody Boulevard in Bunnell.
- The Flagler County Sheriff’s Office. Some counties have to stress over it when their local police department is in the news. In Flagler County that typically isn’t a concern, thanks to the dedicated men and women in green who work to keep our community safe.
- The craft coffee and tea scene. Sure, some days Starbucks or Dunkin cuts it. But when you’re in the mood for something finer, check out Swillerbee’s, Yes Coffee Co, or the Flagler Tea Company!
- Neighborhood Facebook groups. Stay connected with your neighbors with the many neighborhood Facebook groups in Flagler County! All you have to do is search ‘P Section Neighborhood Group’ or ‘Flagler Beach for Friends’, for instances, and instantly join into a community of those who live near you and share your community concerns.
- The Flagler County Supervisor of Elections Office. Thanks to the great work of Kaiti Lenhart and her team, Flagler elections are safe and secure from national races all the way down to your local Mosquito Control elections.
- The mountain bike trails. Namely, Mala Compra and Graham Swamp make up two of the most renowned and prestigious mountain bike trails in the entire state. Not designed for an afternoon cruise, these trails are prime training grounds for the novice rider and seasoned thrill-seeker alike.
- The Flagler County NAACP. Flagler’s branch of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People is a leading resource for the advocacy of racial minorities, as well as preservation of key civil rights history.
- The many, many great restaurants. In Flagler County, the food choices are endless. From great chain restaurants like Olive Garden, Carrabba’s, and Metro Diner to local highlights like Osteria Rustica, Tortuga’s, and the Chicken Pantry, you could likely eat out for a whole year and still have new places left to try.
- The Tommy Tant Memorial Surf Classic. Stay tuned for a full photo album from this year’s contest! Tommy Tant is a prestigious and widely-celebrated surf contest which draws competitors and attendees from all around, all to honor one of Flagler’s sons.
- Our local firefighters. It’s not just the police who keep Flagler safe! Both at the county and city level, Flagler County couldn’t be the safe community it is now if not for the bravery of local fire staff.
- Frontline medical workers. At hospitals and clinics across the county, it’s thanks to the work of the brave individuals in the medical field that Flagler has been weathering COVID-19 as well as it has. Tests and vaccines are still available at locations across the county!
- The Flagler Humane Society. Life just isn’t complete without a furry friend. And enough good things can’t be said about the staff and volunteers at the Flagler Humane Society, who help find forever homes for thousands upon thousands of animals.
- The network of community parks. There’s easily too many to name in one little blurb here, but that just illustrates how many great ones we have. From Ralph Carter Park to James F. Holland Memorial Park to Wadsworth Park to Wickline Park, the recreation opportunities are endless.
- Waterfront Park. We know, we did just make one for the network of parks as a whole, but seriously. Have you seen how beautiful Waterfront Park is? It’s also due for an expansion in the near future!
- The Flagler County Public Library. Knowledge is power, and thanks to the work of the those at the Flagler County Public Library, Flagler has the resources to become the most powerful county on the east coast of Florida. If you haven’t already, get a library card and dive into a world of wisdom and information!
- Rocket launch vantage points. The relative proximity to the Kennedy Space Center makes Flagler County an excellent place to take rocket launches! And as frequently as NASA, SpaceX, and the United Launch Alliance seem to send rockets up, the next chance to see one go up from your own backyard likely isn’t too far away.
- You. Seriously, even with all that great stuff, Flagler County is nothing without the people who make it up. If you’re reading this article, thanks for making our county such a great place to live.
Happy Thanksgiving, Flagler County!
You forgot to mention the right wing extremist groups you coddle, my dude 🙄
I hate to be the one to tell you, but the list isn’t anything special compared to any other city. They all have the same things we have if not more. A number of things on your list is really stretching it a little, like restaurants. There has only been one restaurant that stood out above all the rest for about ten years back in the 90’s. That place was above all the rest including some you mention and that place was called Raymond’s. But like I said there are a bunch of things on the list that are a stretch. JMO
I’m grateful for not being such a negative, unpleasant person as to whine and moan and tear something nice down when I see a little positivity 🙂 If I disagreed with all the positive things about a city, I’d probably just move. JMO!
I’m very grateful thank you very much. I’m grateful for being honest and not living in a bubble and being a follower. I’m working on the moving part. I’m very pleasant for what I have accomplished in life and proud of it, thank you very much. But don’t live in patting myself on things that are everyone else has accomplished as well as I. I’ll bet you can not name one thing this city has to offer that no other city has. JMO
Oh at least I don’t attack people or judge them for their opinion.
“Oh no, someone called me out for being an asshole so now I’m being attacked and judged” What a winer. A negative, pessimistic, ungrateful whiner. No one’s attacking you because you have an opinion, they’re objecting to you shitting on other people’s gratitude and happiness. Didn’t your mother teach you to keep your trap shut when you have noting nice to say? I hope they just stop publishing your comments on here one day.
And oh, since Flagler County has nothing special, I’d be happy to refer you to some great moving companies as you get your mopey ass out of here 🙂
What’s the matter Tom, don’t like the truth. Oh and I don’t need your help in anything. Don’t really know who the other people are that you referred to, being you’re the only one commenting on my post. But I guess it’s because you have nothing better to do. Oh btw, I didn’t whine about anything, I just stated my opinion. My parents taught me to speak up in what I believe in thank you very much. Maybe your parents didn’t teach you when to keep your trap shut. Maybe they were the ones who taught you that everyone gets a trophy just for showing up and didn’t earn it. No wonder we have a society full of ingrates who apparently now are adults, you must be their leader. Oh and in case you were one of those students that didn’t pay attention in school. There is something call the 1st amendment. Look it up to get the meaning. I’ll give you a hint, it’s called the CONSTITUTION! One more thought. Bite me! I’m not wasting my time anymore with someone who attacks people for their opinions and views that they don’t agree with. Have a nice life in your bubble.
Uh oh, looks like old Thoughtless Regurgitation is triggered now. Guess I should expect a bitter old curmudgeon to have such a juvenile understanding of our Constitution, which states the GOVERNMENT won’t infringe upon free speech. Your infantile outbursts of triggeredness are only here because this website allows it (and maybe they shouldn’t!). But I guess since you don’t need my help, you won’t have a hard time picking up your whiny ass and moving it to a city you actually appreciate. My hopes aren’t too high on you leaving though, Palm Coast has always had a problem with taking out the trash.
I guess that’s why you’re still here. And you still have no credibility to the topic at hand except to attack my posts. Get over it and find something to post dealing with the topic and not my opinion or what you think you know about me. Like I said before, have a nice life in your bubble.
I’m out!
Would ya look at that, the village idiot lied about being done commenting. I don’t know if WastePro needs to come get you or a good psychiatrist. Probably both. But anyway, have fun moving your ass to a different city like you so clearly want to!
Big man to call other people names behind a computer. Talk about being an idiot. I plan on having a great deal of fun moving knowing I don’t have to deal with aholes like you anymore. Just so you know I’ll definitely won’t be moving to any city. they are full of your kin aholes.
Would you look at that, he still can’t help himself. By all means, I’ll drive the U-Haul truck for ya! Love when we get a negative, nasty person like yourselfout of this nice town.
On second though, I might stay here just to give you something to do. But if you drive anything, drive the vehicle off a bridge and save us all your bs.
You see how emotionally stunted people react when reality hits them? Sorry to tell you, but we’re not here to coddle your feelings the way you seem to want. Only a real dumbass would choose to live in a town he had so many problems with, but it’s clearer and clearer that you’re the village idiot.
Oh, and you’re clearly the most triggered snowflake our city has to offer since you keep saying you’re done commenting then just keep on bitching. Do you have the self-control to door through this time, little snowflake?
I’ve had enough of your attacks on my opinion and name calling and you being judgemental against my opinion. You’re the idiot and apparently needs to have the last word. So you can have it. You talk about negativity, but from your posts you have got to be very lonely. You continue to post things that have nothing to do with the article and come after me for whatever reason. You resorted to name calling and insults from the start instead of posting about the article. I continued to post to stick up for what I believe and defend myself. My mistake was to let it go this far. I was taught a long time ago that you can not argue with an idiot and you have proven that point to be true. You continue to include others in your posts and yet you’re the only idiot posting against mine. I don’t think I’m the one that needs help, maybe look in the mirror and before it shatters you might see who needs help. So good luck and I hope you can go search the internet and fine someone else to attack, you lonely, pathetic was of a human being. Good reddens.
Okay cool, let’s see if you can actually refrain from defending your pathetic, unstable little self. Go ahead and stop commenting on shit when you’ve got nothing at all to say, as was the case on this article. Such a shame that people looking to move to Flagler County might think you’re a reflection of our population. You’re the worst of us, the absolute embarrassment of the county. Something the rest of us strive to be above. I hope you’re actually done being a negative both to your community, but I’m gonna call you out on it if you keep on going in the future. So don’t call it off-topic; from here on out you’re expressly inviting me to respond every time you open your trap. Take that as a lesson to keep your self-important opinions to yourself unless it’s something positive.