We Scout Out Two Other Florida State Parks in the Area

Saturday was probably the coldest day we have seen so far in Florida, so we decided to take a road trip.  First, we checked out the campground of our next destination park, Tophill, which is only about ten miles away. 

Next, we drove a few miles back to the east on Hwy 98 to Eden Gardens State Park.  Like many other Florida State Parks it has no campground.  The focal  point of this park is a beautifully renovated, two-story mansion with elegant white columns and a wraparound porch.  It has pretty gardens and massive oak trees in the yard.  It is known as the Wesley House after the original builders who were a timber and sawmill family.

For a few bucks we got a personal tour of the house with a tour guide who grew up nearby.  She told us the large Oak above had been analyzed to be over 800 years old, (but we would not swear that that is true).  Nevertheless, the grounds were impressive and backed up to a bayou that once had the family sawmill on its shores.

The southern mansion was filled with beautiful old fine furniture, but flash photography was not allowed inside.  Therefore, Karen has to settle to pose as Scarlet O'Hara on the porch.

Eden Gardens was certainly worth the hour we spent there.