In the rolling hills of eastern Pasco County, is a place where Southern hospitality can be felt: Dade City. Established in 1889, this Nature Coast gem is the seat of Pasco County. Its downtown restaurants, antique, and specialty shops are fun to visit – you may want to stay – and you will probably return.

In recent years, Dade City has become synonymous with its largest event, the Kumquat Festival. Kumquats are a marvelous fruit that is both sweet and sour. The whole town joins in this annual celebration held the last weekend of January, and there are many reasons to visit this Nature Coast town any day of the week.

The historic architecture

On September 14, 1885, the first regular train of the Florida Central and Peninsular Railway passed through Dade City. A historic brick rail station, originally built in 1912, is on the National Register of Historic Places. Today, it houses a Heritage and Cultural Museum.

If you want to read about the train depots throughout the Nature Coast, click here.

The iconic Pasco County Courthouse was built in 1909, and a thriving downtown radiates from it. Designed by noted architect Edward Columbus Hosford in the Classical Revival style, it is also on the U.S. National Register of Historic Places. Visitors can view the common areas inside. The craftsmanship is impressive.

Dade City Educational Institutions and Attractions

Two excellent educational institutions, St. Leo University and Pasco-Hernando State College, are located in the Greater Dade City area, as is the Pioneer Florida Museum. On the outskirts is an exotic animal attraction called Giraffe Ranch, a Tree Hoppers adventure park, SnowCat Ridge, and the Joy-Lan Drive In Theater, where you can see first-run movies or attend a swap meet on weekends.

But the real magic of Dade City, in my opinion, is the charm of its residents and proprietors.

Dade City Shopping & Dining

This is a place with local shopkeepers offering service and selection. Choose from several antique stores in the downtown area offering selections from primitive to ostentatious at all price points. It is really fun to go from shop to shop and see what is new in the “old stuff” while reliving memories from finding a toy, tool, or piece of art reminiscent of one’s youth.

There are many specialty shops with a little of this and a little of that, including home décor and furniture, fashion and jewelry, whimsical gifts and cards, art and wine, an authentic Mexican market and taqueria, grocery items and more. Most of these shops offer modest prices and excellent service.

Plan to stay for a meal because there are at least twenty restaurants to choose from! Sandwich shops and bakeries lead to fire-grilled gourmet and restaurants owned and run by top-chefs – all located within historic and sometimes eclectic buildings. A tea room decorates for each season across the street from a casual coffee shop that offers pottery classes.

The variety of choices ensures that you will find what suits your palate and your wallet right in the courthouse square. Lunch on Limoges was famous for its servers wearing starched white uniforms and its open kitchen – but I always remember their Fairy Cake. Today, it is part of the Florida Cracker chain, called Florida Cracker Lunch on Limoges. The servers are in jeans and tee shirts, but the food quality and open kitchen remain.

Dade City is a pet-friendly place, with regular events that include dog parades, and some restaurants offer outdoor seating and even a menu for your canine companion. A huge pet store offers everything from healthy treats to custom specialty items to visitors. The owners welcome your pets in the store and love to help solve diet and skin problems with their extensive line of products.

There is a true community atmosphere here. Originally a farming community, you will find ranchers and farm workers traveling through or stopping in for a meal while visiting Dade City.

Parks and Gardens

Several parks are located in the downtown area, including Hibiscus Park where a farmers market is held the first Saturday of every month from September through May, and Price Park, which offers more traditional city recreation including playground equipment, racquetball and tennis courts, and picnic tables with barbecue grills.

There is a strong Garden Club in Dade City, contributing to the City’s beauty and charm with certified Butterfly Gardens. Additionally, the Dade City Garden Club puts on a Monarch Butterfly Festival in October (except 2023 because the park is under renovation) and Dade City is a Monarch City USA.

Enjoy the historic buildings as you meander around. Historic storefronts abound. It can be fun to discover what’s inside, such as exposed brick walls from the early 1900s.

Sometimes one visits a place and not everyone wants to shop; Then what? Dade City has a nice cigar bar, sports bars, coffee shops, and a Brass Tap location featuring several locally crafted brews for refreshment, including seasonal kumquat flavored brews.

Riding in and Through Dade City

The bicycle riding community is welcome in Dade City. With the multiuse Hardy Trail segment completed in 2020 connecting Dade City to the Withlacoochee Trail, an air-conditioned Welcome Center called “The Spoke” was built at 37800 Church Avenue to provide a respite for bicyclists and hikers, and now a splash pad is planned for this lovely location. Groundbreaking for the 2,500-square-foot splash pad was held in April 2023, and planned features include an Aqua Dumping Bucket, Aqua Water Castle, aqua features such as jellyfish, a crab and butterfly, and even an aqua kumquat tree!

This is all part of a bigger project developing a lovely park on Church Street.

Plan to attend the Kumquat Festival

Dade City plays host each year to a large number of popular community-sponsored events, including the Kumquat Festival, Church Street Christmas, and the Country Christmas Stroll. A former Main Street organization, the Dade City Merchants Association puts on several events throughout the year, including Antique Faire & Markets in the spring and fall and a monthly Car Cruise In around the Courthouse Square. There is a strong Chamber of Commerce that provides visitor information and business promotion.

A nice Hampton Inn is south of downtown if you decide to stay overnight because you simply want to see more than one day will accommodate. Stop in and visit Dade City.

Plan to visit for an event and stay to enjoy the leisurely pace and friendly residents. You’ll be glad you did.