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Washington Oaks
State Park
Our beautiful park offers fishing, wildlife preservation, picnicking and is a wonderful place to host events and weddings.
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Be a Friend
Come join the Friends of Washington Oaks and share in the majesty and fun! The Friends of Washington Oaks is a community based not for profit citizens support organization (CSO). Washington Oaks Gardens like all State Parks, has needs that go beyond the State’s ability to provide funding. CSO’s are designed to help provide volunteers to assist the Park Manager with work projects, to serve as guides, and to promote and develop special events,. A CSO can raise funds; seek and receive grants; accept gifts and bequests of money, tangible property and real property, to benefit the park. One hundred percent of the proceeds benefits Washington Oaks Gardens State Park. The Friends of Washington Oaks are always accepting new members. You can find out how to become a member by calling the park or visiting the Gift Shop run by Friends members.
Home of Formal Gardens and Coquina Rock
Extending from the Atlantic Ocean to the Matanzas River, Washington Oaks Gardens State Park preserves 425 acres of Florida’s original coastal scenery. The park is located 2 miles south of Marineland, Florida. Much of what you see in the park today was left by Mr. Owen D. Young and his wife Louise. Mr. Young bought the property in 1937 and they enjoyed it for many years as a winter retreat. Mr. Young helped found the RCA Corporation and became Chairman of the Board of the General Electric Co. in 1922. Mrs. Young donated the property to the State of Florida in 1964 following the death of Mr. Young. Her love for the gardens can be shared with you today. Although the formal gardens are the centerpiece of this park, Washington Oaks is also famous for the shoreline of coquina rock formations that line its Atlantic beach. The park offers picnicking, self guided trails, ranger guided walks, fishing, and many special events throughout the year.
Friends FUND Campaign!
Washington Oaks Gardens State Park was recently designated as a site on the National Register of Historic Places. This was a very exciting designation for volunteers, park staff, and the family of Owen D. Young. Now, a year after the designation the Friends group has decided to take on three large projects to make improvements to the historic district. The projects are building a new stage for special events, creating interpretive signage highlighting the historic district, and completing a historical restoration of the greenhouse on park property. Many of the upcoming events at the park are fundraisers for these special projects.
