Eden Gardens State Park


Inland from 30A on a peninsula jutting into Choctawhatchee Bay, manicured gardens and lawns front the 1800s estate home of the Wesleys, a wealthy Florida timber family. The white-columned house was purchased and renovated in 1963 by Lois Maxon, who turned it into a showcase for Louis XVI furniture and many other heirlooms and antiques. Visitors can relax in the oak-lined grounds or the lovely picnic area by the water.


Lonely Planet's must-see attractions

Nearby attractions

1. Grayton Beach State Park

3.68 MILES

An 1133-acre stretch of marble-colored dunes rolling down to the water's edge, this state park's beauty is genuinely mind-blowing. The park sits nestled…

2. Deer Lake State Park

5.14 MILES

Named for its eponymous coastal dune lake – a body of water that sits inland from the Gulf, but is connected to it – this park is rich in scrub oaks,…

3. Blue Mountain Beach

5.32 MILES

Towering a cloud-kissing (if by cloud-kissing we mean fog) 64ft-high, 'Blue Mountain' is supposedly the highest point on the pancake-flat Gulf Coast. Be…

4. Dune Allen Beach

7.98 MILES

Simply one of the more pleasant beaches along South Walton, Dune Allen is a family-friendly slice of sand that's great for the kids, or adults who just…

5. Topsail Hill Preserve State Park

9.51 MILES

There's some 1640 acres of natural beauty to discover at Topsail, including quiet white-sand beaches, sun-battered wetlands, sand pine scrub forest, a 2.5…

6. Inlet Beach

9.51 MILES

This is one of the larger beach access points in South Walton. Inlet Beach itself is hugged by high dunes and old-school A-frame houses, both of which you…

7. Man in the Sea Museum

16.47 MILES

Owned by the Institute of Diving, this museum takes a close look at the sport. Interactive exhibits let you crank up a Siebe pump, climb into a Beaver…

8. Seascape Beach

17.95 MILES

Although all of Destin's beaches are family-friendly, this beach is maybe a little more family-friendly, given the presence of restrooms, a picnic area…