Winter Park Museums, Shopping and a Cruise

Nearby Guides

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Difficulty: Easy
Length: 1.0 miles / 1.6 km
Duration: Half day

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Overview: Winter Park, located just north of downtown Orlando, is a city that values its history and cultural arts. It's also home to many of Orlando's more well-off citizens, so there is plenty of upscale shopping and independently owned bistros. Think of Winter Park as Orlando's Beverly Hills, with Park Avenue as Rodeo Drive, though not as snobby.

In addition to the shopping and fine dining, Winter Park is home to many art museums, as well as historical buildings and preserved nature areas like Central Park (along Park Avenue) and the lakes and canal system just east of Park Avenue.

Winter Park is about a 40-50 minutes drive from the theme parks, so if you're looking to spend a few hours away from those crowds in a less hectic atmosphere, this is the tour for you.

Tips: This tour is best started in the morning, especially on Saturdays, when the Winter Park Farmers' Market is open along this route from 7am to 1pm. Many stores and museums in Winter Park, especially along Park Avenue, close by 6 most nights.

This tour can be extended to a full day by adding on the Cornell Art Museum or the Albin Polasek Museum & Sculpture Gardens (both listed below).

Following the boat tour, you can move your car closer to South Park Avenue to cut down on the walking (a good thing on the hotter days of summer). There is a lot of street parking on and around Park Avenue, but it fills up fast. Look in the right column of this page for a link to an online parking map of downtown Winter Park.

Visit mid-March to take in the annual Winter Park Sidewalk Art Festival, which often brings in more than 100,000 art lovers during the weekend. The Autumn Art Festival usually takes place mid-October.

The second Thursday of each month the city hosts a free movie night outdoors in Central Park on Park Avenue, with family friendly movies (G or PG-rated). Simply bring a blanket or chair and claim your viewing spot before 7pm.

Points of Interest

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Winter Park's Scenic Boat Tour

Operating since 1938, this hourlong cruise passes through three lakes and two man-made canals, where you can enjoy the natural beauty and the multimillion dollar mansions. During the tour, the guides regale guests with stories of the history of Winter Park, how the upscale snowbirds (a term for someone who lives here temporarily during the winter to escape the cold) settled here and built their mansions, and the different architecture stylings of the homes themselves.

The lakes and canals are lovely to cruise through, too. The lakes are wide open, but canals feel a bit like mini-jungles with plenty of lush vegetation and trees. Alert guests may spot some native wildlife like eagles, cranes and even the occasional lazy alligator sunning itself.

Speaking of the sun, the pontoon boats do not have canopies, so be sure to use sunscreen and wear a hat to help keep your head shaded. During the hot summer months, it's recommended to take the morning tours, when it's slightly cooler outdoors.

If you'd like to cut down on the walking on this guide, you can relocate your car closer to South Park Avenue, following the cruise.
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312 E. Morse Blvd.
407-644-4056
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Admission
Adults $12
Kids 2-11 $6
Cash only
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Hours
Daily 10am-4pm on the hour

Other Resources
Winter Park's Scenic Boat Tour

Winter Park Scenic Boat Tour Waterway Photo

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Sassafras Sweet Shoppe

Any walking tour is easier with a few sweets, and this vintage-style candy shop is a must-stop before hitting all the upscale boutiques that line nearby Park Avenue.

Featuring candy from the 1800s to today, you'll find lollipops, gummies, hard candies, chocolates, flavored popcorn, caramel apples, cotton candy and more. The store also stocks sugar-free treats, as well as wheat and gluten-free potato chips in flavors like Chesapeake crab and dill pickle. It even has some adventurous treats like a bacon-flavored lollipop.

The store carries several vintage and regional brands of sodas like Cheerwine, RC Cola, Sun Drop and several flavors of Nehi. For a true retro feel, there's a small penny candy section, too, though some pieces actually cost a nickle or quarter.
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115 E. Morse Blvd.
407-388-0101
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Hours
Monday-Thursday 10am-6pm
Friday-Saturdat 10am-7pm
Sunday 10:30am-6pm

Other Resources
Sassafras Sweet Shoppe

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Earth Inspired Living

This store specializes in gifts and home accessories that are eco friendly. You'll find a wide range of products here including jewelry, soy candles, organic baby gifts, and natural lotions and bath products.

Everything for sale is produced from recycled, reclaimed or sustainable materials. Recent finds included wine totes made from recycled boat sails and backpacks made from recycled cargo truck tarps. It also sells the PooPooPaper line of products made from the leftover fiber found in certain animal waste (no, it doesn't smell like poo).

The staff is knowledgeable about what is sold in the store and happy to discuss how each product fits in with an earth-friendly lifestyle.
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300 N. Park Ave.
407-644-2344
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Hours
Monday-Saturday 10am-6pm
Sunday Noon-5pm

Other Resources
Earth Inspired Living

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The Charles Hosmer Morse Museum of American Art

This museum is a must for those who love Tiffany glass works of art, as it houses the world's most comprehensive collection of works by Louis Comfort Tiffany. In fact, a whole 12,000-square-foot wing was built just to accommodate the more than 250 pieces of Tiffany the museum has on display. Among the largest items is the chapel interior he designed for the 1893 World's Colombian Exposition in Chicago.

The Morse Museum also houses an extensive collection of American art pottery, numbering more than 800 pieces, along with a collection of American leaded-glass windows by artists like Louis Sullivan and Frank Lloyd Wright.

Other collections include paintings from late 19th and early 20th century American artists and mixed-medium collections from European artists from the 15th and 16th century. The museum also has a small collection of commercial signs from the early days of Orlando and Central Florida.
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445 N. Park Ave.
407-645-5311
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Admission
Adults $5
Seniors $4
Students with ID $1
Kids younger than 12 Free
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Hours
Tuesday-Saturday 9:30am-4pm
Sunday 1-4pm
Closed Mondays
Nov. 1-April 30
Friday open until 8pm; free admission 4-8pm

Other Resources
The Charles Hosmer Morse Museum of American Art

Tiffany Chapel at Morse Museum of American Art Photo

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Winter Park Historical Museum

Learn about the history of Winter Park via various documents, photos and revolving exhibits. It's a tiny museum, but you'll learn how the city has evolved over the last century.

Past exhibits have covered everything from the city's gardens to the history of African-Americans in the city. This is also where you can pick up pamphlets on other attractions to visit, should you wish to extend your visit beyond this guide.

If the museum is not open on a day you visit, there is also an old train depot on the grounds that is now an historical landmark. You'll find the Winter Park Farmers' Market here every Saturday from 7am to 1pm.
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200 W. New England Ave.
407-647-8180
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Admission
Free
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Hours
Wednesday-Friday 10am-4pm
Saturday in July 9am-2pm

Other Resources
Winter Park Historical Museum
Winter Park Farmer's Market

Winter Park Historical Museum Sign Photo

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Tuni's

Women looking for chic clothing that is a bit trendy, but not so much that they can wear it for only one season, will want to check out this upscale boutique, located on the corner of West New England Avenue and Park Avenue.

Tuni's stocks the latest styles seen in the fashion magazines and the staff seems to be good at pulling together outfits. Brand names spotted include Anna Sui, Tory Burch, L.A.M.B. and Michael Kors. It also carries accessories like purses, shoes and jewelry.

Prices are on the expensive side, but there are some pieces les than $50, and there's always the sale racks.
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301 Park Avenue South
407-628-1609
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Hours
Monday-Wednesday 10am-7pm
Thursday-Friday 10am-8pm
Saturday 10am-7pm
Sunday Noon-6pm

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The Wine Room on Park Avenue

After a few hours of strolling the Park Avenue shops, the Wine Room is a great place to end the day.

Featured on many TV shows, including Samantha Brown's "Weekend Getaways" series, this establishment features the ability to purchase wine by the ounce using high-tech Enomatic machines. Purchase a card for a specified dollar amount, insert the card into the machine and then press a button for the desired amount. That price is then taken off the card. It's a great way to sample wines without investing in a full glass.

It also serves several champagnes and import beers by the draft or bottle.

Hungry? In the back, there is a bistro menu for those who require a light meal or snack, including gourmet cheese flights to pair with the wines.
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270 Park Avenue South
407-696-9463
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Hours
Monday-Thursday 3pm-Midnight
Friday-Saturda 11:30am-1:30am
Sunday 1-9pm
Must be 21 or older to enter after 9pm

Other Resources
The Wine Room on Park Avenue

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Cornell Fine Arts Museum

Set on the beautiful Rollins College campus overlooking Lake Virginia, this art museum is considered by many to be one of the nation's most innovative, boasting more than 5,000 pieces on display. Exhibitions change seasonally and range from early Renaissance to contemporary works.

Pieces in the museum's permanent collection include works by Matisse and Picasso. The museum also hosts public talks, films and educational programs. Check to see what the current schedule is.

The first Sunday of the month from 2-3:30pm is CFAMilies, which includes hands-on art projects and other creative projects for kids.

There is limited parking on campus, but if those spaces are full, museum visitors can park for free just off campus, at the SunTrust parking garage on Lyman Avenue. Just have the parking ticket validated at the museum.
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1000 Holt Ave.
407-646-2526
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Admission
Adults: $5
Kids, students with ID Free
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Hours
Tuesday-Friday 10am-4pm
Saturda noon-5pm
Closed Mondays

Other Resources
Cornell Fine Arts Museum

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Albin Polasek Museum & Sculpture Gardens

Named after Czech-born American sculptor Albin Polasek, who owned the house and grounds, the museum focuses primarily on American sculpture, with more than 200 works by Polasek.

A tour of the house includes a narrated history of Polasek's works and his life in the house, as well as the chapel on the grounds, which houses many of his sketches. Afterward, step outdoors and stroll the landscaped gardens that feature more than 200 sculptures, along with plenty of tables and benches to just sit and take it all in. You'll definitely find plenty of photo opportunities in the gardens.

This being Florida, you may wish to wear a hat or bring a small umbrella for shade while walking the gardens.

This attraction would be a good swap with the Cornell Museum if you'd rather visit gardens instead of an art museum in the morning.
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633 Osceola Ave.
407-647-6294
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Admission
Adults $5
Seniors 60+ $4
Kids 12-17 $3
Kids younger than 12 Free
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Hours
Tuesday-Saturday 10am-4pm
Sunday 1-4pm
Closed Mondays

Other Resources
Albin Polasek Museum & Sculpture Gardens