Washington Oaks Gardens State Park

A quiet 425-acre state park straddling A1A between Flagler Beach and Marineland — Atlantic on the east side, Matanzas River on the west. Owen D. Young (former chairman of GE and RCA) bought the land in 1936 as a winter retreat for his wife Louise; they gifted most of it to the state in 1965. The formal gardens on the river side are the draw for most — reflection ponds, oak hammock, azaleas, camellias, bird of paradise, and a Washington Oak estimated at nearly 300 years old. The ocean side is what pulls riders across A1A: a stretch of exposed coquina rock formations at the surf line, unusual for this coast — tidal pools, dramatic swirls, and easy beachcombing at low tide. $5 per vehicle at the gate.

What to order

Park on the ocean side and walk the coquina rock beach first, then cross A1A for the formal gardens. Low tide is the payoff — the rock pools only reveal themselves when the water pulls back.

Hours

Daily 8a–sundown, 365 days a year