Located along the Atlantic Coast about halfway between St. Augustine and Daytona Beach, Palm Coast offers the perfect combination of nature and golf for anyone who likes to enjoy both at the same time.
Whether you choose to focus more on golf or nature, you will be happy to have both right at your fingertips here in one of Florida’s best kept secrets!
Palm Coast History
In a state where everything seems like a historic landmark, Palm Coast is actually a very new development. The city was just incorporated in 1999, so everything here is relatively new.
The area first started to be developed in 1969 when the ITT Community Development Corporation put together a plan for a community of 48,000 homes.
Over the years, the area has grown by leaps and bounds and found its niche as a popular golf and tourist destination.
Palm Coast Demographics
Because it is such a young community, the percentage growth of the Palm Coast population in recent years has been astounding. But there are still less than 100,000 total residents in the area.
Starting with a population of 2,837 during the 1980 census, Palm Coast grew to a population of 32,732 during the 2000 census. That number more than doubled to 75,180 during the 2010 census and was estimated to be over 80,000 in 2014.
Of those 80,000 residents, approximately 30% are over the age of 65 and another 27% are between the ages of 45 and 64. The average household income in 2010 was $45,570.
Palm Coast Lifestyle
The Palm Coast Lifestyle definitely revolves around golf and nature, and even provides some opportunities for the two to intersect.
On the golf side, there are courses like the Ocean Course at Hammock Beach that allow you to play right along the Atlantic Ocean. Other popular courses include Palm Harbor Golf Course, and The Grand Club Pine Lakes Golf Course designed by Arnold Palmer.
If nature is more appealing to you, there are options like Washington Oaks Gardens State Park, Princess Palace Preserve, and many other local parks and preserves to explore.
Palm Coast Culture
When it comes to cultural attractions, one of the coolest museums in all of Florida is the Florida Agricultural Museum located right in Palm Coast. This is a great place to learn about what life was like in Florida way before Palm Coast ever even existed!
If you are looking for more active cultural communities, Palm Coast is located less than an hour away from both St. Augustine and Daytona Beach, where you will find tons of theaters, museums, and galleries.
Palm Coast Dining
Like any real southern town, Palm Coast is home to a fantastic BBQ joint. Located right on the water, Captain’s BBQ serves a delicious variety of smoked meats and traditional BBQ sides. This is a real deal BBQ place where you can see the smoker out back hard at work, and you can definitely taste the difference!
Another Florida trademark is a great seafood restaurant, and that restaurant in Palm Coast is JT’s Seafood Shack. The specialty here is their “Steam Pot,” which comes with crab legs, shrimp, clams, and mussels in a “spicy seafood boil” with sausage, corn, and potatoes.
For the pizza lovers, another great place to try is Mezzaluna Pizzeria. They serve great traditional pizza, but also offer some really fun specialty pizzas like their Eggplant Florentine Pizza, Chicken Marsala Pizza, and Greek Salad Pie!
Palm Coast Developments
There are several communities in the area that would appeal to a retiring baby boomers active lifestyle, with single-family homes and condos that range in price from the $200s up to over $1 million.
One such community I discovered recently is Matanzas Lakes, an age restricted community in Palm Coast with just over 100 homes. Another one, American Village, has just 45 homes but also has 96 condos, which I know a lot of people are looking for.
If you are passionate about either golfing or nature, Palm Coast is definitely a place you are going to want to consider when looking for a Florida retirement destination. But if you are passionate about both, it might be the only place you need to look!
We are in the process of selling our home and are considering Florida.