Varn Park
4.5
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Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.
Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as waiting time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.
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4.5
73 reviews
Excellent
39
Very good
29
Average
4
Poor
1
Terrible
0
Donna R
2 contributions
May 2021
Varn is not a park for the disabled even though they say they are. If you are disabled you can park, go to the restroom. You can go to the beach but not on it. They built a brand new ramp that ends with twenty STEPS down to the water. how is that ok? Or ADA?
Written 30 May 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
carepis
Ocoee, FL16 contributions
May 2020 • Family
A very nice beachfront area. The bathrooms were clean and well maintained. The waves were killer. Next time, I’ll bring a boogie board and some water shoes. The shells give you a very rough pedicure.
Written 31 May 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Sucurro
Dike, TX23 contributions
May 2022 • Family
We were there before peak season and pretty much had the beach to ourselves. It is a very nice stretch of beach with lots of shells and space. The sand is not the soft white sand I thought it would be, but more like crushed shells with a reddish tint. There is lots of free parking and a restroom. There was only one path (boardwalk) open to the beach as the others were overgrown, so we had to walk a bit to get to the beach. Overall, very nice.
Written 29 May 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
dialer01
Palm Coast, FL50 contributions
May 2014 • Family
Although directly off the highway this beach has an Original Florida flavor to it. No rocks with nice surf on a good day. Good for fishing also if that's your thing. Nice showers and restrooms and easy parking.
Written 13 May 2014
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
RMAZGAINCO
Greenwood Village, CO65 contributions
Nice beach that is dog friendly. The few people and dogs we came across were friendly. Sand is a little sloped and grainy (not bad), but it's a beautiful cinnamon color. Really pretty private and remote... Not a ton of buildings either, which is nice.
Written 29 March 2014
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
buddybrue
Palm Coast, FL92 contributions
Jun 2017 • Couples
This in my favorite beach , lots of parking, lots of big wide white beach,Changing area on site,not many people. ( it's not like Flagler beach there is nothing for sale here no food no beverage no life guards). Beach is great. Water is great.
Written 14 June 2017
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
XANDER X
1 contribution
Aug 2022 • Friends
Love this beach but please beware there are TONS of 6 FT diamond back rattle snakes in the dunes ( bush areas on sand) they often come to the parking lot also. One bite and you’re a gonner.
Written 18 August 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
RenePF
5 contributions
Oct 2019
There are three public beaches in the Hammock area of Palm Coast. Varn is the best. It's uncrowded. Great sand. I live in Hammock on the ocean and this is where I when I want to go to "the beach."
Written 30 October 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Jim D
Flagler Beach, FL18 contributions
Sept 2015 • Family
Great place to be at the beach. Usually very few people there during the week. Weekends can get crowded but still a great place to be.
Written 6 October 2015
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
mizloi
Palm Coast, FL34 contributions
Jul 2015 • Family
Just opened the renewed and redone oceanfront parking, walk overs and restroom facility. Lots of parking, outside shower for washing off the sand, too. Super well done and sorely needed. No lifeguards at this beach though. Also no rocks along the edge of the water like many of the other public beach parking areas.
Written 9 July 2015
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Can you bring dogs? Is there a hose to rinse dogs off?
Written 23 March 2019
I don’t remember seeing any dogs, but a reviewer from a few years ago stated that she took her dogs for long walks on the beach. I don’t know about a hose. Sorry i can’t help more.
Written 24 March 2019
We have an 8 yr old Rottweiler who lost her front leg to cancer in Oct 2016.
Roxy loves the beach at Honeymoon Island but she cannot walk (hop) that far any longer.
We want her to enjoy her last few months doing what she loves.
Any suggestions on the easiest access for her? Appreciate your response.
Written 20 February 2017
VARN Park is closed till May due to dune restoration...I would walk by Old Salt Beach in the Hammock. Park way up front by the barrier and just go down..short walk pretty flat
Written 21 February 2017
The list of Claude Varn’s accomplishments reads like an entry in “Who’s Who.“
First attorney in the town of Bunnell, co-founder of the Flagler County Abstract Co., one of the men responsible for bringing the first Ford dealership to Flagler County and president of the Bunnell State Bank, to name a few.
But perhaps one of his greatest legacies is the bridge over Matanzas Inlet, opened in 1927, which, along with the Bridge of Lions in St. Augustine, literally paved the way for construction of Ocean Shore Boulevard through Flagler County.
“In order to have the road in Flagler County, they had to have the bridge,” said Sisco Deen, archival curator for the Flagler County Historical Society. “He is the father of A1A, I think. If it wasn’t for him, there wouldn’t be an A1A.“
Varn’s daughter, Helen Varn Holton, remembers when there was no smooth, paved State Road A1A running alongside the Atlantic Ocean through Flagler County.
“We had a lot of back roads, which were dirt or brick,” she said.
For travelers to Florida from the north headed to Daytona Beach and points south, Old Dixie Highway had been the main route. But that road was several miles inland in places and the construction of A1A, also touted as “the American Riviera” according to a Feb. 26, 1925 article in The Flagler Tribune, offered the opportunity to cut 22 miles off the route.
With the formation of the St. Johns County Bridge Co., of which Varn was president, the plan to build a bridge over the Matanzas Inlet took off.
In late October 1925, construction began on the bridge. Varn’s company received the franchise to construct the bridge on Feb. 12, 1924. The bridge officially opened on March 20, 1927.
At the annual meeting of the St. Johns County Bridge Co. in January 1928, Varn spoke enthusiastically of the project.
“Great numbers of people who have traveled over our bridge and the Ocean Shore Boulevard have spoken of the wonderful views and scenery, stating that this is undoubtedly one of the most beautiful and picturesque drives in America,” he said, according to the meeting minutes.
Holton said the bridge, originally a toll bridge, was used “quite a lot” until the building of U.S. 1 through Flagler County.
Holton said she remembers the day in March 1964 when the bridge was renamed in her father’s honor.
“I’m very proud,” she said. “They had a nice big ceremony for my father when it was dedicated to him in 1964.“
Holton said she recently found several historical photos of her father and the bridge project and asked Deen if he wanted them for the historical society’s archives.
The county also named Varn Park at 3665 Oceanshore Blvd. in Flagler Beach for her father.
Holton’s sister, Marilyn Varn King, said her father was an entrepreneur in every sense of the word.
King said he was also a gentleman and well liked by everyone who knew him.
“He always wore a hat and he always tipped his hat,” she said.
Looking back at all of the endeavors her father was involved in, Holton said he was a real visionary.
“He was way before his time,” she said.
Written 29 June 2019
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