Eustis

Eustis is a town in Lake County, Florida, on the eastern shore of Lake Eustis.

Understand

History

The town was ultimately named after the nearby lake, which was named after General Abraham Eustis. During the latter half of the 19th century, a citrus grove was planted and a hotel opened, and the town became a port. Cold weather in the winter of 1894-1895 slowed local development. The town became more prosperous as a winter haven for northerners, which brought success to the Ocklawaha Hotel. The population grew steadily during the 20th century from about 400 people at the 1900 census to about 4,000 in 1950 and more than 15,000 in 2000. By 2019 the population had passed 20,000.

Get in

By car

FL-19 enters Eustis from the north, as it passes just east of Fort Mason, a suburb of Eustis. FL-19 then goes between Trout Lake and Lake Eustis as it enters downtown Eustis. As Bay St it is a one-way (south only) street through the downtown while Grove St is the northbound route. South of downtown the two streets once again converge and FL-19 as Bay St continues south to an on-ramp to US-441.

Get around

In downtown, FL-19 splits with Bay Street on the west side as the southbound side and Grove St two streets to the east as the northbound route. Downtown is fairly compact.

See

Eustis Historical Museum (Clifford House), 536 N Bay St (northeast corner of junction with Hazzard Ave), 28.8578°, -81.6864°, +1 352 483-0046. F–Sa 1–5PM. The museum is in the historic Clifford House, which was built around 1910 and was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1975. 2021-10-18
Ferran Park, 250 Ferran Park, 28.8554°, -81.6861°. Follows part of the eastern lakeshore of Lake Eustis. 2021-10-18
Gould Hyde Norton House, 1390 E Lakeview Dr, 28.8411°, -81.6717°. The house was added to the National Register of Historic Places in May 1997. 2021-10-18
Purdy Villa, 3045 Eudora Rd, 28.8239°, -81.6739°. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 2004. 2021-10-18
William Kimbrough Pendleton House (The Palms), 1208 Chesterfield Ct, 28.8406°, -81.6764°. The house was built in the 1870s. Pendleton moved to the house in 1886 and remodeled it. He died in Bethany, West Virginia in 1899. 2021-10-18

Do

Trout Lake Nature Center, 520 E County Rd 44 (entrance road is a turn south from County Rd 44 east of Fort Mason), 28.8723°, -81.6812°, +1 352 357-7536. Tu–Sa 9AM–4PM, Su 1–4PM (closed Su during summer). 2021-10-18

Events

GeorgeFest. Year: 2022. Month: February. Patriotic festival celebrating George Washington.
Lake County Fair. Year: 2022. Month: April. undefined

Buy

Eat

Fish Camp on Lake Eustis (Fish Camp Restaurant Waterfront), 901 Lake Shore Blvd, 28.8104°, -81.7368°, +1 352 742-4400. Su–Th 11AM–8PM, F–Sa 11AM–9PM. medium 2021-10-18

Drink

Sleep

Dreamspinner Bed & Breakfast Inn (Moses J. Taylor House), 28.8506°, -81.6722°. Built around 1880, the home was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1997 and became a bed & breakfast the same year. It is built in the Italianate architectural style. 2021-10-18
Encore Southern Palms, One Avocado Ln, 28.8769°, -81.6959°, +1 352-357-8882. Check-in: 11AM, check-out: 11AM. Amenities include recreational games, a clubhouse, and swimming pool.

Hotel options are available in Tavares and Mount Dora to the south.

Connect

Go next

Ocala National Forest to the north
Mount Dora and Tavares to the southeast and southwest, respectively

Eustis - city in Lake County, Florida, United States