West Putnam · SR-20
Shopping, Dining & Daily Life in Interlachen
The small-town errand map for the lakes country between Palatka and Gainesville — what you can get in town, and where locals drive when they can't.
The small-town errand map for the lakes country between Palatka and Gainesville — what you can get in town, and where locals drive when they can't.
Interlachen is a town of roughly 1,400 residents in west Putnam County, strung along State Road 20 between Palatka (about 20 minutes east) and Gainesville (about 35 minutes west). The town's name — loosely "between the lakes" — tells the whole story: Pearl, Mariner, Cowpen, Long, and Grandin are the headline lakes, but there are dozens of smaller ponds and named waters within a few minutes of the SR-20 corridor.
Day-to-day life here is small-town. You have a real grocery store, a couple of true diners, dollar stores, auto parts, a library branch, churches, and lake access — enough that you don't have to leave town for routine errands. For a full-line Walmart, Publix, Target, or chain dining, plan on the drive east to Palatka or west to Gainesville. Most locals build their week around one "big trip" and otherwise stay put.
What's below is a working map of the businesses and public spaces that actually exist in town as of 2026, plus honest notes on what's missing and where to drive for the gaps.
Verified businesses, churches, parks, and public spaces in and around Interlachen. Tap a dot for details.
Interlachen's food scene is small but real — two beloved breakfast-and-lunch diners, a pizza chain, and a sub shop, all clustered on or near SR-20. Sit-down dinner options are limited; True Grits keeps later hours Thursday through Saturday and is the closest thing to an evening spot in town.
Southern comfort food in a small-town diner setting. Open Tue–Wed 7–2, Thu–Sat 7–8, closed Sun–Mon. (386) 684-3772.
Breakfast, lunch, and brunch — open 6 AM to 2 PM daily. The early-morning crowd's favorite. (386) 684-0871.
The town's go-to pizza delivery and carry-out. (386) 684-4400.
Standard-issue chain sub shop on the main strip — reliable lunch stop.
For a town this size, Interlachen punches above its weight on basics. Hitchcock's Markets is a real full-service grocery (a rural North-Central Florida chain — not a Publix, but well-stocked produce, meat, and dairy). Add two dollar stores and two national auto-parts chains and most weekly errands stay in town.
The town's full-service grocery store — produce, meat, deli, household. (386) 603-4242. Anchor of the SR-20 retail strip.
Pantry staples, cleaning supplies, paper goods, basic OTC. Standard small-town format.
Open 8 AM to 10 PM. Second discount store in town — competes with Dollar General on snacks, household, apparel basics. (386) 684-1884.
Full national auto parts chain — batteries, fluids, basic diagnostics. Right on the main strip.
Second national auto parts chain in town — useful for hard-to-find parts. (386) 684-9125.
Just down SR-100 in nearby Florahome — gas station with a Subway inside the convenience store. 1119 SR-100.
Interlachen has roughly 15 active congregations between town and the immediate countryside — Baptist, Methodist, and Pentecostal traditions are the most common. Below are the larger, long-established ones; ask a neighbor for the smaller country churches.
Sunday School 9:30 AM, Worship 10:50 AM and 6 PM, Wednesday evening 7 PM. (386) 684-4573.
Established 1889 — one of the oldest continuous congregations in the town.
Second-largest Baptist congregation in town.
Long-standing local congregation.
For a town of 1,400, Interlachen has a surprisingly good public-space footprint — a real branch library, town parks, a Lake Grandin boat ramp, and the 8,679-acre Etoniah Creek State Forest just south.
Branch of the Putnam County Library System. Open Tuesday through Saturday — books, computers, kids' programs. (386) 684-1600.
Public ramp on one of the area's clearest, calmest lakes — great for kayaks, canoes, and largemouth bass fishing. Confirm current status with Putnam County Parks before towing.
Several small parks within town limits, maintained by the Town of Interlachen Parks & Recreation Department.
8,679 acres just southwest of Interlachen — hiking, hunting, horseback, the Florida National Scenic Trail, and primitive camping at the Green Camp. (386) 329-2552.
Living in Interlachen means a small daily orbit and a few longer monthly trips. Here's the honest pattern we see from clients:
The county seat. Walmart Supercenter, more dining, the St. Johns River waterfront, Ravine Gardens State Park, the hospital, and chain retail. See our Palatka shopping guide.
The big trip — Publix, Trader Joe's, Target, Costco, UF Health, malls, the airport, and proper restaurant variety.
Lakeside small town with a Winn-Dixie, Walmart Neighborhood Market, more dining, and the chain of Clay County lakes (Geneva, Brooklyn, Magnolia).
Two more rural small towns on the way toward Gainesville — antiques, small cafes, and the Gainesville-Hawthorne State Trail trailhead.
Yes — Hitchcock's Market at 1114 SR-20 is a full-service grocery with produce, meat, deli, and household goods. It's a North-Central Florida chain, not a Publix or Winn-Dixie, but it covers a standard weekly grocery run. Most locals supplement with a bigger Walmart or Publix trip to Palatka or Gainesville every couple of weeks.
The closest Walmart Supercenter is in Palatka, about 20 minutes east on SR-20. The nearest Publix is in Gainesville, about 35 minutes west. Keystone Heights (~25 min north) has a Winn-Dixie and a Walmart Neighborhood Market.
Small but real. Two beloved diners (True Grits and Nanna's Country Cafe) handle breakfast and lunch, plus Domino's and Subway. Sit-down dinner options are limited — True Grits keeps later hours Thursday through Saturday. For a wider dinner selection, plan on driving to Palatka, Keystone Heights, or Gainesville.
Yes — the Interlachen Public Library at 133 N SR-315 is a full branch of the Putnam County Library System. It's open Tuesday through Saturday and offers books, computers, and kids' programs.
Lake Grandin has a public boat ramp at 137 Walker Drive. It's a favorite for kayakers and bass fishermen. Always confirm current ramp status with Putnam County Parks before towing — rural ramps occasionally close for maintenance.
Every business named on this page was confirmed against a live listing in 2026. Hours, phone numbers, and addresses change — always call ahead for anything time-sensitive.
We're West Putnam locals — we'll tell you straight which lake roads flood, which neighborhoods have HOAs, and what daily life really looks like.
Call The Parham Team · (386) 916-8707