Day Trip: DeFuniak Springs, FL (The Lake, churches and library + food)

Hope you like long posts because this is going to be one! I went to DeFuniak Springs, FL today as a day trip, over from Tallahassee. And I hope gorgeous old houses are just your cup of sweet tea (or whatever you like to drink) because they sure are mine! (NOTE: I AM ONLY INCLUDING THE LAKE, CHURCHES AND LIBRARY IN THIS POST, AS WELL AS FOOD. SOON, I WILL POST THE HOUSES AND OTHER BUILDINGS INCLUDING STORES.)

First, a little background on the area. Feel free to skip this and head on down to the rest of the post, because I did not spend a lot of time researching, and am rather quoting semi-directly the pertinent information from a pamphlet I got in town that is distributed by the DeFuniak Springs Visitors Bureau Inc. There is a small visitor’s center in town (it’s not hard to find, it’s right by the Little Big Store and just off circle drive around the lake) but it’s only open on Sautrdays. However, their pamphlets are available outside.

“Walton County was created in 1824. The census of 1920 reported the county population as 12,119, the 1980 census was 23,000 and the census of 1990 was 27,759. There are three incorporated towns in Walton County. DeFuniak Springs, Paxton and Freeport. Since early days farming has been an important occupation of the majority of the residents in Walton County. The historic downtown area is home to Lake DeFuniak, a naturally round lake that is approximately one mile in circumference and perhaps fed by a small natural spring. The lake is surrounded by beautiful homes and three churches, along with the Chautauqua Hall of Brotherhood and the Walton-DeFuniak Library, which is the oldest continuously operating library in the state of Florida.”

We can get started with my walk around Lake DeFuniak, which was very pretty (and I ended up walking around it twice, once on the path near the lake and the other time around the sidewalk to look at all the buildings!)

Now, enough of the lake, let’s move onto the buildings! (I told you this would be a super long post)

Here is one of the three churches that surround the lake.

Across the street is the Chautauqua Hall of Brotherhood! Followed by another nearby church.

Next, I’ll show you the library. I was excited to go on a Friday because the library is open 9-5 M-F and closed on the weekends. I had read that they had a collection of antique weaponry, and was pleasantly surprised to see it hanging above the bookshelves on the walls! The library is beside the lake and included in the circle drive walking tour pamphlet. It also features a really cute reading garden.

Next, I’ll show you where I ate. I chose Ed’s, not that there were many choices in the area, but I had read great things on Yelp!

 

I had a cheeseburger combo meal with crinkle cut fries and a peanut butter milkshake for only $8.01!

This *may* be the best milkshake I’ve ever had. Honestly. I really loved it. However, the fries and burger were just average. Better than regular fast food, but not super unique or great. I think I should’ve tried their famous Pub Burger but I had trouble finishing all of this by myself!

Thank you for reading and in a new post, very soon, I will show you all the tons and tons of houses I know you’re craving.

Post by: Melissa
Photos by: Melissa