WINTER PARK
W I N T E R PA R K
UTOPIAN COMMUNITY Often referred to as “Little Europe,” Winter Park offers visitors a peek into Florida’s past. Cobblestone streets, pristine lakes, world-class art, an affluent main street and historic homes are just part of what makes Winter Park a must-visit destination for visitors and a beloved neighborhood for locals. Located in the bend of the railroad between Jacksonville and Orlando, their mild-climate paradise for wealthy Northerners would include schools, homes, churches and businesses nestled among the area’s scenic lakes. In 1885, Rollins College opened its doors, and the following year, Winter Park’s first hotel opened, featuring extravagant amenities like steam heat and electricity. Over the decades, the city thrived with an influx of businesses and the donation of land for parks and golf courses by wealthy retirees. Today, more than 28,000 residents call the area home, in addition to some 2,400 students.
CENTRAL PARK Situated at the heart of Winter Park is one of the city’s most beloved landmarks, Central Park. The 11-acre green space plays host to a long list of events throughout the year, including the annual Winter Park Sidewalk Art Festival as well as the annual Olde Fashioned 4th of July Celebration. The winter holidays are an especially fes36
W H E R E T R AVE LE R ® GU ESTBO O K
(Left to Right): Bicycling on Park Avenue; Winter Park Farmer’s Market.
tive time, as the city partners with the Charles Hosmer Morse Museum of American Art to produce Christmas in the Park the first Thursday of each December. Turn-of-the-century Tiffany stained glass windows provide a beautiful backdrop for a performance by the Bach Festival Choir and Brass Ensemble. Any time of the year, the park’s bubbling fountains and seating areas, landscaped planters and a stunning oak tree canopy lure thousands of visitors from both near and far. Children play with abandon, and couples lounge lazily in the shade on picnic blankets. Central Park’s Rose Garden, located on the southern border of the park, beckons visitors to stop and sit for a spell.
COLLEGE CHARM The area’s historic charm is thanks in large part to Rollins College, the state’s oldest college, named for one of Winter Park’s founders, Alonzo W. Rollins. Spanish-Mediterranean style buildings sit on the banks of Lake Virginia, with the main gates facing Park Avenue. Visitors can step onto a boardwalk amid cypress trees and moss-draped oaks overlooking the lake. The crew team practices here, along with students piloting sailboats checked out from the campus boathouse. The public can visit Rollins Museum of Art free of charge and admire paintings by Georgia
©ROBERTO GONZALEZ
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