Winter Park is just on the periphery of Orlando, offering its own style of laid-back Florida living. This cultural center has a variety of events throughout the year to satisfy even the most discerning tastes. Visit Winter Park to see what the city has to offer on days when theme parks are not on the agenda.
The Winter Park name began when people known as snowbirds came from more northerly parts of the continent to escape chilly, wintry months. As the process continued, the area expanded its appealing features.
Visit The Charles Hosmer Morse Museum of American Art. Its collection by American designer Louis Comfort Tiffany includes a restored Byzantine-Romanesque chapel interior that was part of Chicago’s 1893 world’s fair. Tour Rollins College campus where the free Cornell Fine Arts Museum features exhibits of the European masters as well as contemporary art.
Enjoy walking around a beautiful building and green spaces when you visit the Albin Polasek Museum & Sculpture Gardens, picturesquely set on a lake. Originally from what is now the Czech Republic, Polasek emigrated to the U.S., bringing his wood-carving skills with him. Today he’s recognized as one of America’s foremost sculptors of the 20th century. His home is on the National Register of Historic Places.
In Winter Park you’re never far from one of the city’s seven lakes. The Winter Park Scenic Boat Tour, one of Florida’s oldest attractions, travels through three of them. The logging industry historically built working canals linking the lakes now their use is recreational. Meander through Mead Botanical Garden on its boardwalks, tranquil trails and paved paths that sprawl through its 48 acres (19 hectares).
The city has appealing charm, regardless of your activity level, whether you prefer relaxing by a lake, boutique shopping, museum hopping or watching the world go by from a sidewalk café.
Use Winter Park as your base while traveling in the area with its convenient location just minutes north of Orlando’s theme parks.
