Overview
Hammock Beach is a coastal community and resort in Flagler County, part of the First Coast region in northeast Florida. Although outside of the Palm Coast city limits, the community is part of the Palm Coast metro area, and businesses in the area use Palm Coast in their addresses. In the Hammock Beach are two significant tourist attractions: Mala Compra Plantation at Bing's Landing and Marineland, a village and theme park to the north of the resort.
2 sights · 6 things to do · 1 places to eat · 2 places to stay
Updated from Wikivoyage on 1 October 2026 · Something wrong or missing? Improve it on Wikivoyage
Best things about Hammock Beach
Mala Compra Plantation
The Mala Compra Plantation, ironically translated to "bad purchase," was constructed circa 1816 on the Matanzas River. It operated as a slave plantation owned by Joseph Marion Hernández for twenty years before it was bur…
Washington Oaks Gardens State Park
This park is famous for its formal gardens, but it also preserves the original habitat of a northeast Florida barrier island.
Marineland Dolphin Adventure
Home to several dolphins that reside in a 1.3-million gallon habitat, this attraction lends the town its name and was one of Florida's first tourist attractions. Open daily, the facility offers a variety of interactive p…
Hammock Beach Marina
Slips at the marina are available for reservation via the website.
Jungle Hut Road Park
Birdwatching and beach access.
Malacompra Park
Parking lot and bathrooms with beach access. Unrelated to the plantation site.
Plan your trip
Best time to visit & weather
Most comfortable: Oct–May. Summer highs reach about 90°F; winter lows dip to about 48°F. Very hot (Jul, Aug) — plan outdoor time for mornings. Wettest: Sep and Jun. (climate data from nearby Daytona Beach)
Blue bars: average daily high and low (°F). Purple columns: average monthly rain and melted snow (inches).
Getting there
- From you: to see whether to drive or fly, and how long it takes.
- UST Northeast Florida Regional Airport, St Augustine — 26 mi away. Directions
- DAB Daytona Beach International Airport, Daytona Beach — 30 mi away. Directions
- SFB Orlando Sanford International Airport, Orlando — 57 mi away (major hub). Directions
FL-A1A passes through Hammock Beach from north to south. Additionally, Palm Coast Pkwy crosses the Intracoastal Waterway from Palm Coast. An offramp connects Palm Coast Pkwy to FL-A1A in a part of Hammock known as Bon Terra on some maps.
Full “Get in” guide ↓Budget & where to stay
No prices are listed for this place yet. See the Sleep guide ↓ for options.
Sample 2-day itinerary
Day 1
- Morning Washington Oaks Gardens State Park, River to Sea Preserve, Marineland Dolphin Adventure
- Lunch Captain's BBQ
- Afternoon Ripple Effect Ecotours, Mala Compra Plantation
Day 2
- Morning Hammock Beach Marina, Jungle Hut Road Park
- Afternoon Malacompra Park
Stops are grouped by area so each day needs little backtracking. Check opening hours before you go.
Food for you
Cuisine (tap to filter)
What to ask about, for your diet
Diet labels come from each listing's description and cuisine; “likely” means the cuisine usually has good choices, not a promise. Check with the restaurant. Open the food finder
Photos
Map
Every listing with a location. Tap a pin for its Google Maps link.
Understand
The Intracoastal Waterway separates Palm Coast from Hammock Beach. Hammock Beach is therefore about half a mile wide in the east-west direction, with the Intracoastal aka Matanzas River to its west and the Atlantic Ocean to its east. Hotels and resorts are concentrated on the eastern side of the town nearest the beach. To its south, Hammock Beach is bounded by Bon Terra and Beverly Beach, while to the north it is bounded by the theme park Marineland and the county line with St. Johns County.
Hammock Beach is one of the most historic beach towns in Florida, as Mala Compra Plantation was constructed in 1816. Although it was later destroyed during the Seminole Wars, excavations conducted during the late 20th and early 21st century have once again shed light on this part of Florida's history and led to the site's inclusion on the National Register of Historic Places.
Get in
FL-A1A passes through Hammock Beach from north to south. Additionally, Palm Coast Pkwy crosses the Intracoastal Waterway from Palm Coast. An offramp connects Palm Coast Pkwy to FL-A1A in a part of Hammock known as Bon Terra on some maps.
Get around
FL-A1A is the backbone of the local road network, with boulevards leading to the beaches and resorts.
See
See Mala Compra Plantation (Bing's Landing)
The Mala Compra Plantation, ironically translated to "bad purchase," was constructed circa 1816 on the Matanzas River. It operated as a slave plantation owned by Joseph Marion Hernández for twenty years before it was burned by the Seminole Tribe during the Second Seminole War. Prior to the battle, the plantation included 1,500 orange trees, 80 slaves, a cotton plantation, cattle pens, oxen, and horses. The site left behind a remarkable 14,000 artifacts providing valuable insight into life in the region during the early 19th century. Excavations in 1999 were followed by inclusion of the site on the National Register of Historic Places in 2004, but little remains of the main building, which changed hands twice during the war and was destroyed by the tribe during the U.S. military's abandonment of the site in early 1836.
Do
Do Marineland Dolphin Adventure (Marineland of Florida)
Home to several dolphins that reside in a 1.3-million gallon habitat, this attraction lends the town its name and was one of Florida's first tourist attractions. Open daily, the facility offers a variety of interactive programs for guests, including the chance to take a dip and swim with the animals.
Do Ripple Effect Ecotours
Multiple kayak tours depart from the Marineland Marina and head out into the extensive natural areas around the Matanzas River. Also offered is a small motorboat tour powered by vegetable oil. Guides are certified University of Florida Master Naturalists and tours include free admission to the Marineland Dolphin Adventure.
Do River to Sea Preserve
Situated on both sides of A1A, this county park offers beach access to the east and a maritime shrub landscape to the west, complete with hiking trails, picnic areas, and a launch for kayaks and canoes on the Matanzas River. Group camping is also available for a fee, call for reservations.
Eat
Eat Captain's BBQ
American cuisine with Southern/BBQ influence.
Sleep
Go next
- Crescent Beach to the north in St. Johns County
- Flagler Beach, the county's largest beach town, to the south
- Palm Coast, the largest city in the county, to the southwest across the waterway
- St. Augustine, a historic city and former Spanish colony, to the northwest
Nearby
Palm Coast
City / town · 26 listings · 2 mi away
Flagler Beach
City / town · 8 listings · 10 mi away
Bulow Plantation
Rural area · 10 listings · 12 mi away
Crescent Beach
City / town · 7 listings · 12 mi away
Butler Beach
City / town · 4 listings · 14 mi away
St. Augustine
City / town · 96 listings · 21 mi away
Vilano Beach
City / town · 11 listings · 22 mi away
Ormond Beach
City / town · 55 listings · 23 mi away
My experience
Write about your trip here. Notes save automatically in this browser as you type; back them up from My journal.