"Station Bakery" Not Just Baked Goods

The "Station Bakery" in downtown High Springs is one of our favorite places. It's an actual train station. It was moved down the tracks after its original use as an actual train station and has taken on a new face. It's a restaurant and bakery now! It's been in business for many years and owned by a local family.

They make delectable desserts and the most amazing apple pie I've ever tasted. Fresh made bread, eclairs, hand-scooped ice cream, Board's Head meat sandwiches, and much more.

My kids and I love going there for a quick bite to eat. The place is covered with train-themed decor, even a train that circles the dining room and the pass-through window that your food is passed through from kitchen to customer is the actual ticket window of the station. It's so neat to sit there in the quaint dining room and know that decades ago, folks in fancy dress who arrived in horse-drawn carriages were once standing were you are.

I always get the Board's Head Italian sub and the kids get this cute little meal they serve for kiddos. It's served on Zoo Pals plates (if you're a parent of a young child, you know what those are) with sliced up meat, cheese, and pickles. My kids love it. Then after and only after do they get some yummy ice cream (large heaping scoops) there at the Station Bakery. I usually get some apple pie or whatever looks good in their case that day. The pumpkin cheesecake caught my eye the other day. Yum!

The Station Bakery is less than a block off of Main St. Turn the corner at the bike shop and it's right across the road from the railroad tracks. They even serve dinner. It's awesome and we keep going back time after time. It's that good!

I love North Central Florida so much that it is the setting for my debut novel, Culture Shock, a young adult urban fantasy novel. If you want to read the first chapter of Culture Shock, follow the link on the home page of my website: http://jeanettepekala.com/

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And Remember, It's Always Sunny In High Springs!!!!

"Holiday House Restaurant"

I love this! My hubby and I were trying to find some old pics of High Springs, FL (the town we love so much) and found this old postcard. Today, the building is still standing and holds a dive shop and a pawn shop, but this is truly remarkable. The fifties-shaped signs and the those beautiful cars are no longer parked out front by the original building still stands on Hwy 441.

We never knew that the building that houses the Cave Country Dive Shop or the Old Irishman's Pawn Shop was actually a restaurant at one time. We were able to place the location of the Holiday House Restaurant by the building next to it in the photograph. It says on the back of the postcard that there are 5 motels within walking distance and that is still true today, though only 3 are opened for business, one is for sale, and one houses apartments.

This is truly charming to see and I've a new love for my town. So much history in one place it's overwhelming, infused with the beauty of the springs and rivers, High Springs really is a great place to be since 1883.

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Happy Travels,

Jeanette Pekala

Springs Diner...Yum!

Springs Diner is a great, family-friendly restaurant on 441 (615 NW Santa Fe Blvd) in High Springs, FL. It's your all-American 1950s-style diner.

From cool, nostaglic memorabilia on the walls and a menu full of variety it's the place to be. My kids and I love going there. It's one of our favs. When in town going to the springs, diving, kayaking...whatever, definitely make a stop off at Springs Diner.

The staff is friendly and service is fast. The reuben sandwiches are to die for. The best I've ever had. Plus, save room for dessert. Their dessert menu is fashioned with old soda fountain type of desserts with ice cream being the main focus. They've got it all.

Check out their website: http://www.springsdiner.com/

While you're browsing the web, stop by my author profile website for my new series. Culture Shock will be released in 2013. Stop by now to get a sneak peek: http://jeanettepekala.com/

Don't forget to check out my book/writer blog: Adventures of Life and Literature

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Pictures of Downtown Main Street & Springs in High Springs

 Beautiful Downtown Main Street in High Springs, FL with its quaint friendly atmosphere. Little shops and restaurants. Perfect weekend getaway or shopping after the springs.

A nice place to be since 1883

 The gorgeous crystal clear springs waters of Ginnie Springs. It's a private park and it costs $14/person. 5 and under free. They give Military discounts! Camping is wonderful there too! Great sites, plus tubing all day and night. Just ask my brother-in-laws who have gone tubing at 2 in the morning. Sorry boys, dusk is where I draw the line.

 Train Station in downtown High Springs, FL

 Ginnie again!

Blue Springs has got to be my favorite park. It has a beach walk-in so it's great if you have little ones, since most of the other springs in the area are deep. Campsites. An awesome diving platform, which mama loves more than the kiddos. You can rent tubes, kayaks, or canoes and float down the Santa Fe River. You can visit Rum Island Springs across the river. They have snacks and refreshments. Oh, and they give Military discounts too! Otherwise, it's $10/person. 5 and under free.

Meet Jeanette:

I'm also an urban fantasy writer for young adults, check out my website: http://jeanettepekala.com

I also have a book blog: adventuresoflifeandliterature.blogspot.com/

Oh, and don't forget to follow me on:

Twitter: @jeanettepekala

Facebook: It's Always Sunny in High Springs

"Great Outdoors Restaurant"

Great Outdoors Restaurant is in my opinion the greatest restaurant in the area. It's located in the historic Opera House right on Main Street in the heart of downtown High Springs. The Opera House was built in 1895. The resturant that it boasts today was purchased in 2005 and the owners have stayed true to the original style of the building and it's historic charm while installing a state of the art kitchen that serves some of the best food around.

This award winning restaurant offers steaks, seafood, salads, great appetizers, dessert, and a full liqour bar. The restaurant is broken up in four different sections. When you first walk in you are engulfed in the beautiful and charming dining room. Then next to that is the Spring House Tavern, which is the bar side where they offer 1/2 off wine nights on Thursdays and $1 drafts on Sundays. Then you have the patio. It's an art in and of itself. If you weren't blown away by the sophication and attention to detail of the main dining room and tavern, the patio is exceptional. It's really neat in it's own right.  The food is Heaven. I could eat their food on a broken picnic table and it would be just as glorious. Which by the way, they do take-out! The fourth part of the restaurant is the Opera House (upstairs) where you can reserve a date to hold private events, but we'll get to that later.

I've had their steaks, salads, seafood, and dessert; and I've never complained about a darn thing. Some of the food is the best I've ever eaten. This is coming from someone who can cook up some mean food and has tasted some of the best food the world has to offer. Which I believe is saying a lot. The prices aren't cheap, but they also won't break the bank. Dinner menu prices range from about $13-$30 depending on what you fancy.


They have an extensive wine list, but I'm more of a beer person. Who am I kidding? I'm a wine person too. They have many to choose from and they also have three private label beers: Tail-Gator Pilsner, Naked Ed Pale Ale, and Three Merry Widows. Tail-gator Pilsner is our favorite! Super Yum!

They feature live music on the patio several nights a week. We love to go and order a few drinks and appetizers and hang out on the patio listening to the local music scene. Check out their Events Calendar. A great way to spend the night!

They also hold private events in the second story opera house. I believe it can hold about 125 people. Great for business or elegant affairs.

Overall, Great Outdoors Restaurant is perfection! From the design, to the food, to the atmosphere, and the people. With every surface being a feast for the eyes, I like to think of it as "sophisticated nature".