Frank G.
Yelp
Beautiful. Tranquil. Oasis. These are some of the words that came to mind as I strolled through Eden Gardens State Park, a place I hadn't visited until recently, on a beautiful day in January. I didn't take the tour of the beautiful 19th-century plantation-style mansion on the grounds, and since it was January the perennial gardens were dormant for the Winter, but the lush green vegetation against the brilliant blue sky made for quite an impression.
Eden Gardens is a modest-sized park featuring old oaks accented with ferns and Spanish moss, fern, rose and other perennial gardens, a nature trail, picnic facilities, a partially covered stage for weddings (for instance), a modest but impressive reception/event hall and a pier on Tucker Bayou for fishing. There are bike racks, ample parking, bathroom facilities and pet-friendly resources, as well. Located only a few miles North of Seaside on Hwy 395, it's a great place to get away from the hustle and bustle of the over-crowded beaches of Santa Rosa, if only for a moment.
This is a beautiful park, and while it's ideal for taking pictures for family, wedding announcements, etc, I was content to merely take a stroll and take pictures of the back-lit Spanish moss, of which I am a huge fan. And I gotta hand it to you, folks (and by 'you', I mean 'visitors'). I saw not a single cigarette butt or gum wrapper. Good job, keep it up!