Walking on the grass encouraged at this family friendly park
NOTE: Effective May 6, 2020 – House tours are unavailable until further notice. Restroom availability may be limited, all other park facilities are closed. Visitors are expected to maintain distances of at least six feet apart and limit group size to ten or fewer people.
A beautiful Northwest Florida State Park is nestled in the Point Washington area of South Walton County. Large moss covered live oaks, walking trails and panoramic views of Tucker Bayou provide a visual delight for visitors to this historic park.
The focal point of the 161-acre park is the two-story Wesley house boasting large white columns and wrap-around porch. Originally owned by the Wesley’s a wealthy Florida timber family, the mansion was purchased in 1963 by Lois Maxon who renovated the home and created a showplace for family heirlooms and antiques.
Guided tours of the Wesley house are available hourly Thursday through Monday from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. (including holidays).
Throughout the year, chances are you will enjoy something in bloom. Camellias in winter, azaleas in spring, roses in summer are just a few the colorful floral species you can expect to see. The Friends of Eden Gardens State Park spend countless hours maintaining and enhancing the park’s natural beauty.
Additional park features include easy hiking trails through seven distinct natural communities: scrubby flatwoods, mesic flatwoods, floodplain swamp, wet flatwoods, baygall, xeric hammock and maritime hammock.
Choctawhatchee Basin Alliance recently collaborated with the Friends of Eden to create a Living Shoreline interpretive trail. Through educational signage, you can now identify 18 species in the cultivated gardens, as well as many native plants.
Head over to gardens of Eden and take a stroll through the park. You just might see a wedding in progress, as the exchanging of vows under the romantic oaks is a popular location.
Hours of Operation
The park is open 7 days a week from 8 a.m. to sundown.
Directions
Eden Gardens State Park is located in Point Washington, off U.S. 98 on C.R. 395.
For more information, call (850) 267-8320.
181 Eden Garden Road, Point Washington, Fl. 32459 ::MAP::
The park’s website is
https://www.floridastateparks.org/park/Eden-Gardens
Park Fees
$4.00 per vehicle. Please use the honor box to pay fees. Correct change is required. Limit 8 people per vehicle.
$2.00 Pedestrians, bicyclists, extra passengers, passengers in vehicle with holder of Annual Individual Entrance Pass.
House Tours:
$4.00 per adult.
$2.00 per child.