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Two-story mansion under live oak canopy

Eden Gardens State Park

Edging a windswept bayou off Choctawhatchee Bay, lush cultivated gardens surround the historic Wesley House, an elegant home built by timber baron William Henry Wesley in 1897.

Santa Rosa Beach      ( 30.365451,-86.120389 )      

Hugging the wild shoreline of Tucker Bayou at Point Washington, Eden Gardens is a delight from many perspectives.

The park centers around the historic Wesley House, an elegant two-story mansion built by timber baron William Henry Wesley in 1897.

two-story mansion framed by live oaks Wesley House


Restored in the 1960s by Lois Maxon, a wealthy lady with a taste for French provincial, the home contains the second-largest collection of Louis XVI furniture in the United States.

The mansion is surrounded by formal gardens, including a Hidden Garden with statuary, a Rose Garden with brick pathways, and a large lily pond.

Large formal pond surrounded by plantings A formal lily pond


Resources

Resources for exploring the area
Florida Trail Hikes book cover The Florida Trail Guide book cover North Florida Panhandle Explorers Guide book cover Hikers Guide to the Sunshine State book cover Hiking the Gulf Coast book cover  
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Overview

Location: Point Washington
Trailhead: 30.365451,-86.120389
Address: 181 Eden Gardens Rd, Santa Rosa Beach
Fees: $4 per vehicle. $4 per person for guided house tour.
Restroom: At both parking areas
Land manager: Florida State Parks
Phone: 850-267-8320
 
Open 8 AM to sunset. Leashed dogs welcome. The first floor of the Wesley House and the picnic area are accessible.
 
Guided tours of the home run hourly Thu-Mon except for Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year’s Day.

Directions

 
From the junction of US 98 and CR 30-A in Destin, drive east towards Panama City for 8.8 miles. Turn left at CR 395. Drive 0.3 miles and turn left into the park’s entrance road. The road to Tucker Bayou is to the left, or continue straight to the Wesley House and gardens.

About the Park

“It’s a perfect day for snakes,” says Ranger Rich, and the two ladies with us look uncomfortable.

“In here?” one asks, hesitantly. The ranger grins.

“No, under the house. They like it when it warms up!”

And so our tour starts at the Wesley House, an elegant two-story home from 1897 dressed up in a French Provincial wrapper.

Classy library and chairs Library at the Wesley House


New York heiress Lois Maxon bought the neglected home in the 1960s, restoring it and filling it with what’s now the second-largest collection of Louis XVI furnishings in America.

Among the treasures on display are a hand-carved 1840 rosewood loveseat and a late-1800s Chippendale bedside table.

Fireplace and elegant lamps Fireplace in the sitting room


Outside, lush, cultivated formal gardens establish the grandeur of the estate, which itself is shaded by grandfather oaks.

The Rose Garden has winding brick pathways and statuary. The Azalea Garden flourishes beneath gnarled old live oaks.

Brick spirals around planted roses The Rose Garden


A reflection pond draw attentions to plantings in the midst of the grand lawn, while the Hidden Garden offers an interesting bronze statue amid the camellias.

A Camellia Garden lines the entrance road out to the far parking area. Follow the pathway beyond it out to an observation deck on Tucker Bayou.

Camellia blossom Camellia bloom


Off a side road along the entrance road, the day use area is in a shaded nook along the bayou with its own observation deck.

Picnic pavilions are tucked beneath the trees. Paddlers are welcome to put in and explore the needlerush-lined shores of Tucker Bayou, which connects to Choctawhatchee Bay.

Expanse of water Bayou and bay beyond


This is the starting point for the Tucker Bayou Trail, a mazy loop of not quite a mile around an arm of the bayou and through uplands above it.

Green wooded corridor Tucker Bayou Trail Starting on the edge of Tucker Bayou, an easy-to-follow nature trail tunnels into dense uplands habitats with striking autumn leaves.

Trail Map

Eden Gardens State Park Trail Map
Red: Tucker Bayou Trail. Blue: Gardens and waterfront.

Explore More!

Slideshow

See our photos of Eden Gardens State Park


Nearby Adventures

More worth exploring while you’re in this area.

Palmettos in front of longleaf pines Point Washington State Forest Protecting the upland watersheds of the Coastal Dune Lakes along the South Walton coastline, Point Washington State Forest offers extensive offroad biking and hiking trails
Florida Trail Nokuse longleaf pines Florida Trail, Nokuse 27.7 miles. Spanning from the Choctawhatchee River west to the boundary of Eglin Air Force Base, Nokuse is a compelling backpacker's destination in the Florida Panhandle.
Oceanfront with wave at sunset Topsail Hill Preserve State Park With one of Florida's most beautiful sweeps of beach, Topsail Hill Preserve State Park is a linear preserve with tall dunes along three miles of shoreline.
Covered bridge on bike path Timpoochee Trail Showcasing the beauty of the South Walton coastline, the Timpoochee Trail connects coastal communities while leading cyclists past Florida's renowned Coastal Dune Lakes

Trail Map (PDF) Official Website

Category: Biking, Florida State Parks, Gardens, Launch Points, Museums, Nature Trails, Northwest Florida, Paddling, Parks, PlacesTag: Arboretums, Birding, Boating, Choctawhatchee Bay, Destin, Family-Friendly, Fishing, Florida State Parks, Guided Tours, Picnic, Santa Rosa Beach, South Walton

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View of a bay through pines

Sand Pine Trail, Bald Point State Park

Sand Pine Trail, Bald Point State Park
Pine flatwoods

Sundew Trail, Bald Point State Park

Sundew Trail, Bald Point State Park
Trail tunneling into oak scrub

Sand Pine Nature Trail

Sand Pine Nature Trail
Trail into bluff forest in deep shade

Rocky Bayou Nature Trail

Rocky Bayou Nature Trail

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