Florida Guide > Places to Visit
Winter Park - Culture Capital
Winter Park is generally regarded as Central Florida’s culture capital with its quaint brick streets and European like town center, luscious gardens, sparkling lakes and wonderful estates. However it’s the museums, cultural events, shops and restaurants that keep most visitors returning time after time.
There are three world class museums, two annual outdoor art festivals, several art galleries and an art school. It also plays host to concerts by the Orlando Philharmonic Orchestra.
The Charles Hosmer Morse Museum of American Art houses the largest collection of Tiffany artwork and has many of the artists most famous pieces on display.
On the south side of town are the Albin Polasek Museum and Sculpture Gardens and the Cornell Fine Arts Museum. Both have a strong European influence. Polasek was born in the Czech republic and was a brilliant sculptor - he built his retirement home and studio on Lake Osceola and worked there until his death in 1965.
The George D and Harriet W Cornell Fine Arts Museum at Rollins Cottage houses a collection exceeding 6000 pieces and includes some Italian Renaissance paintings.
Winter Park has more parks and recreational facilities per capita than any other city in Florida and the Winter Park Chain of Lakes is certainly among the highlights of these. For only a few dollars you can take a 12 mile boat ride and see not only the habitat of the local flora and fauna, but also the fabulous homes of those people lucky enough to call Winter Park home.
One of the city’s most popular events is the weekly farmers market which is held on Saturday mornings.
If you don’t feel like taking a picnic a sitting in one of the beautiful parks there are some great coffee shops and restaurants to tempt your tastebuds. From Barnie’s and Starbucks to 310 Park South, where you will get fabulous seafood, steaks, pasta and salads and a choice of over 30 wines available by the glass. Winter Park really does have something to suit every palette and every pocket.
Moving onto the shopping… whether you’re looking for some speciality cooking oil a designer outfit, something for the kids or even a bridal gown you won’t be disappointed there are some wonderful individual shops as well as big name brands like Gap.
We can never resist a visit to Olive This, Relish That and always end up buying something to take back to the villa to sample later.
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