DeFuniak Springs is a city of 7,000 people (2019) on the Emerald Coast of Florida. DeFuniak Springs is home to Lake DeFuniak, one of two spring-fed lakes in the world that is nearly perfectly round. The surrounding landscape around the lake is often decorated for the holidays between Thanksgiving and New Year's to celebrate.
Get in
Take Interstate 10 to Exit 85 (U.S. Route 331) and drive a little bit north to town. U.S. Route 90 also passes through the center part of town.
Get around
See
The DeFuniak Springs Historic District, on the National Register of Historic Places, surrounds Lake DeFuniak. Many lovely historic homes are in the district, and there is a walking path around the lake. Take a casual hour and check them out.
The Chautauqua Hall of Brotherhood now houses a visitor center. It is in the historic district. There are only three buildings, all historic, on the lake side of Circle Drive, which circumnavigates the lake. This is one of them.
The Walton-DeFuniak Library is the oldest continuously run library in Florida. It contains displays of medieval armor donated to the library. It is located next to the Chautauqua Hall. It is also on the lake side of Circle Drive.
The First Presbyterian Church is the third building on the lake side of Circle Drive.
- 1 Confederate Monument. Erected in 1871, it was later moved to this location in DeFuniak Springs — somewhat ironically in front of the courthouse. From 1964 to 2015, the Confederate Battle Flag was flown at the site, but was changed by the County in 2015 to the First National Confederate Flag; and as of June 2020, calls to remove the flag entirely have been unsuccessful.
Do
- 1 Walton County Heritage Museum, 1140 Circle Drive (on Circle Drive within walking distance of the Visitor Center), ☏ 1 850 951-2127. Tu-Sa 1-4PM [or by appointment]. Housed in the former L&N railroad depot Free.
- 2 Chautauqua Vineyard & Winery, 364 Hugh Adams Road (just off I-10 at the US 331 exit; follow the green wine road signs), ☏ 1 850 892-5887. 9AM to 5PM. A Certified Florida Farm Winery. Free wine tasting and tour of the facility. Free.
Buy
Eat
- Mom & Dad's Italian Restaurant, 2184 US 90 (on US 90 a couple miles west of the historic district), ☏ 1 850 892-5812. 4–9PM. Featured on the Restaurant: Impossible television program.
Drink
Sleep
- Hotel DeFuniak, 400 E Nelson Ave (on US 90 just north of the historic district), ☏ 1 850 610-8800, ✉[email protected].
Go next
| Routes through DeFuniak Springs |
| Pensacola ← Milton ← | W  E | → Marianna → Tallahassee |
| Pensacola ← Milton ← | W  E | → Marianna → Tallahassee |