What's In Palm Coast?

Palm Coast - right between St. Augustine and Daytona Beach along the scenic A1A River- and the River to Sea Preserve, Palm Coast offers a perfect mix of golf resorts and lush nature parks.With a population of around 80,000, the town is small enough to be quaint, and large enough to offer some sound tourist attractions. Since Palm Coast was developed and did not organically grow, you will not find that many historic landmarks there. However, two things really stand out and make Palm Coast worth a visit!

Palm Coast Farmer's Market

Every Sunday, at the European Village in Palm Coast, you can find a diverse and well-visited gourmet farmer's market. In the summer, the market is open from 4-7pm. Locally grown produce as well as artisan foods are part of the offerings of this market. 

• Culinary artisan olives, oils, vinegars
• Artisanal truffles and chocolates
• Fresh citrus juices, 100% Arabica fresh roasted coffee
• Fresh baked breads and desserts
• Cheeses, seafood, and jerk seasonings
• Grass fed meats and more

In addition the market also features arts, crafts, and designer pieces: 

• Handmade soaps and lotions, amazing crystals and shells
• Beautiful crafts and stones
• Native silversmith jewelry and more
• Original Designer Works

Plenty of restaurants and bars invite you to sit down for a drink and a bite, or stroll with your drink! Whether you live along the Central Florida Coast or are visiting, take a trip up to Palm Coast one of these Sundays to experience this vibrant market!

Admission is free. European Village, 101 Palm Harbor Parkway, Palm Coast 32137

 Washington Oaks Gardens State Park

Washington Oaks Gardens State Park is  a place where you will find unanticipated beauty. It is located on a barrier island and contains remarkable natural spaces with the Atlantic Ocean to the east and the Matanzas River to the west. 

Because of its unique coquina rock formations, the beach side of the park is not for swimming, it’s for exploring. Low tide is the best time to investigate the secret world of the tidal pools enclosed in the ancient coquina.

The middle of the park is no less beautiful; it is dominated by a live oak hammock with majestic, 200 year old trees covered in Spanish moss. Within this hammock lies the heart of the park – a twenty acre botanical garden. Within the center of this heart – a lovely watercourse fed by an artesian spring.

Admission to the park is $5 per car. The park is open from 8:00 a.m. until sundown, 365 days a year. 6400 North Oceanshore Blvd., Palm Coast, Florida 32137, 386-446-6780

You can enjoy activities, such a First Friday Garden Walk with a park ranger who will tell you all about the history of the park - and a Second Saturday of the month plant sale. There is an exquisite rose garden, as well as the famous Washington Oak itself - 300 year old tree that has withstood the test of time!  So take a jaunt up the coast to see this beauty yourself!

Creative Florida Living

Janet Sells

Fine Dining in Port Orange?

If you’ve been following along with the news and blogs from Creative Florida Living, you may know that we like to eke out the “hidden treasures” of the Greater Daytona Beach Area. The next big city is Orlando (or Jacksonville), so sometimes we don’t have the variety and availability of big city life here. However, we do have our own gems  – in fact, quite a few. 

 We have explored a lot of on-the-water dining options, and there is certainly no lack of restaurants in our coastal area, but today we will explore some fine dining options!

Peppercorns Café 

Where Food Becomes Art

At this owner-run restaurant you will be served dishes that are not only well-crafted but also beautiful. Using the finest ingredients, Peppercorns offers a menu of high-class food that is very accessible (not the foam and micro-gastronomy cuisine that nobody wants to eat, really). 

Starting with brunch, the restaurant serves up eggs Benedict, frittatas, and omelets. But there are also shrimp and grits, chicken and waffles, and other delicacies.
At lunch you can order traditional sandwiches, panini, wraps, and burgers. For dinner try their exquisite salads, Cajun entrees, steaks, chops, fresh fish, Italian specialties, and chicken dishes.

 

On the first Monday of every month, you can experience a special night with the Iron Skillet Club, which presents a 5-course meal with wine pairings for one price. Reservations for that night is highly recommended due to popularity!

Visit their website!

The restaurant is located on Commonwealth Boulevard, right off of Ridgewood Avenue in Port Orange. They are open Tuesday-Sunday for brunch, lunch, and dinner. Prices are in the $$ range and well worth it. Via TripAdvisor,  Peppercorns Café is #12 on the list of 146 Port Orange Restaurants. Go check it out for yourself and let us know what you think!