Eden Gardens State Park is a beautiful time capsule, transporting guests back two hundred years or more.

Back to a time when Florida was a tropical paradise that few knew of and even less got to see. When visiting the Northwestern Panhandle and the gorgeous beaches of the Emerald Coast, Eden State Park makes the local experts at the Sea Oats Motel’s Top Five Places To See on the Florida Gulf.

The focal point of this 161-acre park is the beautifully renovated, two-story Wesley plantation house with its elegant white columns and wrap-around porch. The moss-draped live oaks and ornamental gardens full of fragrant blooms including confederate jasmine, wild magnolia and crepe myrtle, inspire visions of hoop skirts and landed gentry.

Named after a wealthy Florida timber family, the park is part of the family’s estate. In 1963, Lois Maxon bought and renovated the home, creating a showplace for her family heirlooms and antiques. The house holds the second largest known collection of Louis XVI furniture in the United States. Tours of the Wesley House are Thursday – Monday from 10 a.m.- 3 p.m., every hour on the hour. The Wesley House is closed every Tuesday and Wednesday.

Other activities to enjoy at Eden State Park include surfing the white-capped waves greeting the long stretches of pristine beach at the Park, fishing, bird watching, camping, walking into the cooling shade of a forested trail, paddling scenic rivers that were yesterday’s highways or diving into a first-magnitude spring. Your family will also be happy to explore historic sites, visit nature research centers and educational tour about the coastal ecology and wildlife.

Visitors can also take a stroll along the grounds and enjoy the picnic area.

This is why the staff at the Sea Oats Motel, in sunny Destin, think that Eden State Park is a great reason to come for a visit.

You will find something for the whole family on the Emerald Coast! Situated amidst all the pristine, coastal beauty is the only place to stay when visiting the Emerald Coast, the original beachfront landmark the Sea Oats Motel.

Ideal for the traveler who prefers a more quiet, laid back vacation on the shore, our comfortable accommodations are set away from the noisy crowds along Old Highway 98, yet still moments away from all the awesome attractions that you came to see.

Our suites are appointed with fine furnishings, spacious living areas, cozy bedrooms and oversized bathrooms as well as fully equipped kitchens for cooking up an intimate meal of freshly caught seafood, private patios overlooking breathtaking views of the Gulf, access to washer/dryers, high speed internet, and large, flat screen televisions with movies on demand and more!

Our beach service will gladly set up chairs and umbrellas, or arrange access to jet skis, paddle boards, kayaks among other toys. Or spend the time between the beaches and other activities, lounging around our beachside pool surrounded by our unique, semi-tropical bounty of lush foliage and fragrant flowers.

There’s so much to see and do that you may not know where to start, but you will know that you started off your visit right when you choose to stay along the shore at the Sea Oats Motel in sunny Destin Florida. Call today to learn more or book your stay. 833-803-3320