|
The City of Florala Your Gateway to the Emerald Coast
Fireworks during the annual June 24th Celebration on Lake Jackson 
T he City of Florala, located on beautiful Lake Jackson, is one of south Alabama's best kept secrets. Only 45 minutes from the beautiful beaches of Ft. Walton, Florida, and two hours away from Panama City Beach, Florala is truly your Gateway to the Emerald Coast. Florala is now the home to more than 2,000 people and is the perfect respite on your way to the beach. A number of enjoyments await your pleasure within the city limits of the City of Florala.C ome spend a day on historical Lake Jackson, Alabama's largest natural lake. Known for then General Andrew Jackson and his army of 1200 Tennessee Volunteers' stay during their march to take Northwest Florida from the Spanish in 1818, this lake shared by two states offers many enjoyments for all ages. L ake Jackson is one of Alabama's State Parks and, in conjunction with the City of Florala, offers many recreational activities such as:
 Water-skiing across the 40-acre lake
At the Florala Wetlands Park, one can find an area that is vital to the survival of various animals and plants. Since more than 43 percent of the threatened and endangered species rely directly or indirectly on wetlands for survival, this park is a welcome addition to the City of Florala. Here, you can find boardwalks nestled among Cypress trees and wetland vegetation that follow the shoreline of Lake Jackson. Expand your knowledge of the ecosystem and discover the hidden delights of nature.
Be sure to visit the Historic Old Depot Museum, home of the Florala Chamber of Commerce. Here you will find, not only a fully restored Depot of the L&N Railroad, but also a museum filled with remnants of the heydays of the L&N Railroad. The Old Depot can also be rented for all of your special occasions such as reunions, weddings, receptions and so on with catering by the Chamber of Commerce. For more information, please contact the Florala Chamber of Commerce at their web site at http://www.cyou.net/~tri-citychamber or by calling 334/858-6252.
Florala- one of the Antique Capitals of the South If you're looking for the right piece to complete that special collection or just trying to discover hidden treasures, Florala is the place for you. The City of Florala is home to more than 10 antique shops all within a two-block radius. Come shop with us!
This shop features 5,000 square feet of yesterday's treasures and one of the largest and finest collections of 19th and 20th Century furniture, fine gifts, chandeliers, primitives, fine china and crystal. Estate liquidation bought and sold. Open Monday - Saturday, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Sunday, 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. Directions: Directly across from GT Com, 1/2 block off Main Street on North 5th Street. E-mail: billsantiques@gdsys.net or visit their web site at http://www.aroundthecornerantiques.com/
This unique shop is located inside AROUND THE CORNER ANTIQUES and features Award Winning Artist Mary Billingsley's antique French and German reproduction dolls. All dolls are cast, fired, painted and costumed and are waiting for a new home. Grandma also has a large selection of antique and collectable dolls from the 19th and 20th Century. Doll repair and supplies are available, as is shipping and 90-day layaway. Visit the above web site or give them a call at 334/858-DOLL.
Come and visit Joyce and her staff at LOST IN TYME and let them impress you with their specialized selection of glassware. Depression, McCoy, Roseville, Jade-Ite and Hull glassware, as well as antique collectibles and what-knots, can be found in every nook and cranny of this delightful shop. For more information, contact Joyce Davis at 334/858-2807.
This store, located on the corner of East 5th Avenue and North 5th Street, offers a beautiful selection of antiques, furniture, glassware, crystal, china, gifts and accessories. It is also the home of "A LITTLE TASTE OF HEAVEN CAFÉ & PASTRIES." This café truly offers a "taste of Heaven" with their delicious "Down South Now," a slice of pecan pie made with Georgia pecans and a dash of Kentucky Bourbon baked in a shortbread crust, and "Temptation Pralines & Cream Cheesecake," a slice of cheesecake topped with cinnamon apples, walnut crunch and caramel. The café offers breakfast and lunch and accepts Visa and Master Card. Two stories of antiques, collectibles and furniture await your discovery in every nook and cranny of State Line Mini-Mall. Dealers from all over the South showcase their finds in this two-story brick-faced building. Let Elvis invite you in for the grand tour. Here you will find everything from comics to beds and from glassware to garden stakes. Many of the items located in State Line Mini-Mall can be found listed on such auction sites as Ebay and Yahoo Auctions. Visit their web site at FACE="Garamond">http://www.statelineminimall.com/ or E-mail your inquiries to http://www.jgkimbril@aol.com/. European delights await your discovery at Vintage Antique Trove. Here you will find selected antiques, collectibles and beautiful china, including Limoges, Nippon and European porcelain. Be sure to watch for chocolate delights hidden. This delightful shop also offers fine jewelry, gold, diamonds and gemstones. Please direct all inquiries to 334/858-5021.
Quality fine art originals, limited edition prints, sculptures and pottery can be found in Larry Strickland's art gallery located next to Vintage Antique Trove. Here, Strickland and other local artists display their talent for all to see. In this unique gallery, one can find everything from still life's and landscapes to life-size sculptures. For more information, please call 334/858-2566. Hours are Monday, Thursday and Saturday from 9:30 a.m. until 5 p.m.
This extraordinary two-sided shop features the more whimsical side of antiques. Here you can find everything from your childhood and your grandparent's childhood. Old toys, marbles and comics can be found in every corner. For the more serious antique hunters, here you can also find "Fenix" Russian porcelain from the Kislovodsk Collection and hand-painted china. For more information, please call 334/858-4298.
While shopping the day away in picturesque Florala, don't forget to expand your palette to the City's unique dining facilities before being tucked away for the night in one of Florala's two Bed and Breakfast Inns. If a good ol' fashioned home cooked meal is what you are craving, be sure to check out Country Folk's Buffet, located on of corner of U. S. Highway 85 and East Fifth Avenue or Sara's Big R, located just up the street from Country Folks Buffet. Each of these restaurants offers a daily lunch buffet that features favorites like southern fried chicken, turnips, cornbread and homemade banana pudding. For the more sophisticated diner, one can sample the delights at Uptown Café. This charming spot, located directly across the street from City Hall, offers big-city dining in a small town atmosphere. Their Chicken Parmesan and Ravioli will delight your taste buds. For a more specified fare, one can find seafood galore at Florala Seafood Restaurant located on Hwy. 331 South or try WestSide Café for a selection of pizza, subs and more.If country cooking or uptown dining is not your style, Florala offers many fast food restaurants like Hardee's, Huddle House and Subway.
Lake House Bed and Breakfast Step back into the past as you settle in for the night at the Lake House Bed and Breakfast. This lovely two-story Victorian home, overlooking the bluff of beautiful Lake Jackson, offers six bedrooms, private baths and a home cooked breakfast each morning. Each bedroom is filled with period antiques that guarantee a peaceful and unique night's rest. Located two blocks east of town on Highway 331, this elegant home offers stays from $60 to $100 per night. For more information, visit their web site at http://www.gtcom.net/-lakehous (there is no "e" on the end of lake house) or call 334/858-2070 for a detailed description of rates.
Magnolia Inn Bed and Breakfast In the residential section of Florala, one can find the Magnolia Bed and Breakfast Inn nestled among a botanical splendor of antique roses and cobblestones. Here, you can find an inner peace while relaxing in their beautiful gazebo located on the front lawn. Spend the night in the Orient before waking up to a full breakfast in their formal dining room. Antiques, as well as items from the Orient and Europe, grace each of the lovely two bedrooms that can be rented for $55 per night. The Magnolia Bed and Breakfast is located one block from Lake Jackson and across the street from the historic Hughes Mansion. For reservations or more information, call 334/858-2143. Directions to Florala from…. Montgomery: Take I-65 to U.S. Hwy. 331 South. It is approximately 99 miles and requires about two hours traveling time. Birmingham: Take I-65 South to Montgomery then to U.S. Hwy. 331 South. It is approximately 240 miles and requires about four hours traveling time. Atlanta: Take I-85 to I-65 to U.S. Hwy. 331 South. From Atlanta, it is approximately 450 miles and requires about six hours traveling time. Ft. Walton Beach, Fla.: Take U.S. Hwy. 85 out of Ft. Walton and continue on through on Hwy. 85 until reaching Florala. From Ft. Walton Beach, it is approximately 60 miles and requires about 45 minutes traveling time. Destin, Fla.: Take the Mid-Bay Bridge to U.S. Hwy. 331 North. From Destin, it is approximately 100 miles and requires about two hours traveling time.
For more information on the City of Florala, please contact the Tri-City Chamber of Commerce or Florala City Hall. You can reach City Hall at 334/858-3612 or e-mail us at http://www.cyou.net/~cityofflorala.com.Thank you for visiting our web-site.
|
