Pristine Beaches at Gamble Rogers State Park

The information about Gamble Rogers State Park and surrounding areas was accurate when published. We did not receive compensation for our Gamble Rogers review.

Gamble Rogers Memorial State Recreation Area at Flagler Beach

We recently visited Gamble Rogers State Park in Flagler Beach, Florida. Flagler Beach is a beautiful oceanside community located on scenic Highway A1A. The park is 36 miles from St. Augustine and 18 miles from Daytona Beach.

Amenities at Gamble Rogers Memorial State Recreation Area

Gamble Rogers State Park is known for its access to the beach. A half-mile of pristine seashore is located within the park. In addition, the riverside campground has a boat ramp that provides access to the Intercoastal Waterway. There is also an excellent area to fish next to the riverside campground.

A beautiful butterfly garden is also located near the riverside campground.

Gamble Rogers’ restrooms were clean and included a small laundry facility. They have areas to walk your dog. However, dogs are not allowed on the beach inside the park.

At the park’s entrance, paved sidewalks lead all the way into town, making Gamble Rogers State Park an excellent place for bike riding. We rode our Lectric Bikes (see our article on camping with electric bikes) throughout the campground.

Favorite Sites at Gamble Rogers Memorial State Recreation Area

Nearly all the sites at Gamble Rogers State Park’s oceanside campground are excellent. However, our favorite sites are 17,19, and 21. The low dunes behind these sites provide a spectacular view of the Atlantic Ocean.

Description of Gamble Rogers Memorial State Recreation Area

Gamble Rogers State Park has two unique campgrounds. Highway A1A runs through the middle of the park. The oceanside campground is on one side of the highway, and the riverside campground is on the other.

The oceanside campground lies on the Atlantic Ocean, where you can see and hear the waves crashing throughout the campground. Dunes are the only thing between you and the sea. Several walkovers within the campground provide easy access to the beach. Gamble Rogers is perfect for those that love the ocean. The oceanside campground has 34 sites. The odd-numbered sites back up to the dunes.

The riverside campground is one loop with 34 sites on the western side of A1A.

Hookups at Gamble Rogers Memorial State Recreation Area

Gamble Rogers has 30/50 amp electric and water hookups.

Discounts at Gamble Rogers Memorial State Recreation Area

No discounts are available with the Florida State Park system, but none are needed, given the nightly rate is less than $30.

Tips for Gamble Rogers Memorial State Recreation Area

Make your reservation early. It is challenging to get a reservation at Gamble Rogers State Park. Florida State Parks take reservations 11 months in advance. Generally, the sites open online at 8:00 a.m., and we are on the computer trying to secure a site as it becomes available. It took us several attempts before we were able to reserve a site.

The Gamble Rogers website advises using I-95 exits 268 or 284 to get there. Do not use exit 278, even if your navigation suggests it, as it has tight turns and low-hanging branches.

Things To Do Near Gamble Rogers Memorial State Recreation Area

There is a lot to do in the area. St. Augustine, the oldest city in the United States, is 35 miles away. You can still visit the Fountain of Youth, founded by Spanish explorer Ponce de Leon during the 16th century. We recommend the “hop on, hop off” trolley tour to learn the area’s history.

Our family loves to visit national park locations when we travel, so we visited the Castillo de San Marcos in St. Augustine. The Castillo de San Marcos was initially completed in 1695 but has had several renovations since then. The entrance fee for everyone over 16 years old is $15. If you like to travel and visit national park service locations, we recommend purchasing an annual pass for $80, which waives annual fees for the pass owner and three adults at all national park service locations. Children under 16 are always free. If you are 62 or older, you can purchase a lifetime pass for $80.

We visited Fort Matanzas, which is part of the National Park Service. They offer free ferry rides to the fort six times a day, but you need to arrive early to get your boarding pass, even if you do not plan to ride the ferry until later in the afternoon. Tickets are first come, first serve, and the park usually sells out tickets by ten or eleven in the morning. We arrived an hour before the park opened and waited at the gate, giving us the first selection of the available times.

If you love golf, the World Golf Hall of Fame in St. Augustine is a must-stop. One of the aspects we enjoyed about the golf hall of fame is its emphasis on the game itself and not just the players. The museum was well laid out and provided a great look into golf’s history.

There were several interactive opportunities at the Hall of Fame. In front of the museum is a replica of the 17^th hole at TPC Sawgrass. A chance to hit a shot and see if you can get on the green is included with each ticket. Inside, there is a practice putting green, where you can putt with old hickory shafted putters. You can also play a hole on a golf simulator as well.

We took a day and drove to the Cape Canaveral National Seashore near New Smyrna Beach. The Cape Canaveral Seashore is the longest stretch of undeveloped Atlantic coastline in Florida and is absolutely beautiful. Watch out for the nude sunbathers if you journey to the end of the seashore.

From Gamble Rogers, all Daytona Beach attractions are less than 20 miles away. You can take A1A for the scenic route or hop on the interstate to get there fast.

Favorite Restaurants Near Gamble Rogers Memorial State Recreation Area

There is lots of great seafood up and down A1A in the area. Our favorites were the Golden Lion in Flagler Beach and Safe Harbor Seafood near Crescent Beach. The raw oysters, as well as the fish and chips, were terrific at the Golden Lion. The food was tremendous at Safe Harbor, but we especially loved the fresh shrimp.

Brandi forgot her coffee on the trip, so we visited Swiller Bees in Flagler Beach each morning for her cup of Joe. The coffee, service, and donuts were all outstanding. However, she wanted to ride her bike there for coffee but did not have a cup holder on the bike. She solved this by purchasing a cup holder (check it out on Amazon) and will bike there each morning when we return.

We loved our visit to Flagler Beach. It is a beautiful town, and we cannot wait to return to Gamble Rogers State Park.

Have you stayed at Gamble Rogers State Park at Flagler Beach? We would love to hear from you. Please drop us a line in the comment section below!