Washington Oaks Gardens State Park
This State Park is located near Palm Coast along A1A, between the Atlantic Ocean and Matanzas River. Washington Oaks Gardens is known for its formal gardens, a unique shoreline with rare coquina rock outcroppings, beautiful oak trees, and nature trails. You can hike, bike, and picnic in the park. The grounds feature brick pathways to saunter along and benches to rest upon as you immerse yourself in northeast Florida’s original native habitats. On the 425 acres, you will find a beach, coastal scrub, coastal hammock, and tidal marshes.
Over 144 species of birds can be found in Washington Oaks Gardens State Park. Look for peregrine falcons, spotted sandpipers, scarlet tangler, indigo bunting, and the endangered scrub jay. Take one of the hiking trails and perhaps run into bobcats, a gopher tortoise, raccoons, or whitetail deer. The waters surrounding the park are home to sea turtles, manatees, and dolphins.
Washington Oaks Gardens State Park was part of the Spanish land grants and is in an area steeped in history. The formal gardens are a showcase of the park. They were devised by the former owners Louise and Owen Young and feature rose gardens, birds of paradise, and orange groves, as well as the towering oak trees which the Youngs named the property after.
The park was donated to the state in 1964 with the stipulation that the gardens were kept and maintained as they were originally laid out. Spending the day at Washington Oaks State Park is worth the trip whether you go for hiking, a picnic, bird watching, fishing, or just to spend a serene day enjoying nature.
For more information: https://www.floridastateparks.org/parks-and-trails/washington-oaks-gardens-state-park
Photo credit. Lourdes Brown and Andy Waldo 
