Varn Park

Located in the city of Palm Coast, Varn Park has a long, wide, and very popular beach that is situated in front of the Matanzas River and Fox Cut inlet. Spread across eight acres, Varn Park is a family-friendly spot that has a playground, a small lake, and walking trails.  

Varn Park is a perfect destination for birdwatching and fishing – the beach is mostly filled with fishermen in the water casting for blues, whiting, flounder, and snapper.  Varn Park welcomes pets and offers many amenities including restrooms, outdoor showers, barbecues, wheelchair access to the beach. 

There are many fun activities at Varn Park including swimming, surfing, snorkeling, scuba diving, surf fishing, hiking, sailing, birdwatching, and wildlife watching. Please note that Varn Park remains open from sunrise until 11 p.m. from Monday to Saturday.  

Getting to Varn Park is very easy – after you get off of Florida State Road A1A, drive down to 3665 North Ocean Shore Boulevard to reach the park’s free parking lot that is within walking distance to the beach.

If you are looking for attractions near Varn Park, you can drive 30 minutes to Jacksonville Beach Pier, a quarter-of-a-mile-long fishing pier that is a well-known spot for clicking Instagram-worthy pictures and has many shops and restaurants. Shipwreck Island Waterpark is an awesome tropical-style amusement park featuring a lazy river, wave pool, zip line, tree top drop, white knuckle river, and many waterslides. If you like golfing, Jacksonville Beach Golf Club has a private 18-hole golf course – it was designed by the famous golf course architecture Harrison Minchew and a restaurant. Another great golf course near Varn Park is Pablo Creek Club, a waterfront golf course that is situated on the shores of the very beautiful Pablo Creek and is considered among the best golf courses in Florida. 

If you get hungry, you can drive 10 minutes to many restaurants near Varn Park. The sushi restaurant Fancy Sushi serves sushi, tempura, grilled entrees, and Japanese and Asian cuisines. If you like Italian food, Mezza Luna Ristorante serves classic Italian dishes like Chicken Parmigiana and Fettuccine Alfredo, pasta, gelato, polenta, risotto, chicken, and beef dishes. Another good restaurant near Varn Park is Sliders Oyster Bar, a seafood restaurant with a nice menu that includes surf ‘n’ turf, oysters, fish tacos, and margaritas. 

If you are looking for a hotel near Varn Park, you can drive seven minutes to the 4-Star pet-friendly hotel One Ocean Resort and Spa featuring a pool, lounge, spa, gym, and restaurant. The 3-Star Hampton Inn Jacksonville Beach/Oceanfront has a lagoon-style pool, tiki-style bar, fitness center, snack bar, and four waterfalls. If you are looking for an affordable hotel near Varn Park, the 2-Star Holiday Inn Express & Suites Jacksonville - Mayport / Beach has a pool, gym, and whirlpool tubs.