Places To Go In Orlando: Winter Park
If you were to ask someone “what is the first thing you think about when I say Orlando?” More than likely their response will be Disney. Yes, Orlando is known as home to the grand Walt Disney World Resort and Orlando is a very large playground for any aged theme park enthusiast, but that is not all O-town brings to the table. You have your parks, your tourist attractions, dinner shows, shopping malls & outlets and even an array of restaurants that could satisfy any foreigners need for their authentic cuisine.
But how about the locals, where do they go? You might think that you and the wife are not really tourists these days. You take an Orlando vacation once to two times each year, while trying to avoid the entire tourist area and over-crowded venues. You’re looking for a great place to explore that is home to local Floridians. Somewhere you can please the wife with a nostalgic small-town feel, fabulous dining options, and of course shopping. Shopping for treasures such as trinkets, clothing, art, or her ultimate indulgence…shoes, can all be found here.
Places To Go In Orlando: The inside tip: visit Winter Park, Florida!
Winter Park is a quaint suburban area only ten minutes northeast of downtown Orlando. Home to approximately 28,000 residents (Census Bureau’s estimate 2006), this cozy town is a true find off the well traveled path with character as profound as the city of Orlando itself. Winter Park enj
oys the most parkspace per capita than any city in Florida and is also home to Full Sail University, Rollins College and the Charles Hosmer Morse Museum of American Art (the largest collection of Tiffany glass on Earth). Each year the Winter Park Sidewalk Art Festival is organized. The show has become the nation’s oldest and largest, most prestigious outdoor art festivals. This is a must-see for any local or visitor in the Orlando area and maybe the #1 of places to go in Orlando.
Countless mom-n-pop shops line the main strip known as Park Avenue. We do admit that the price tags within these shops are a bit pricier that what you’ll find in your favorite Orlando Outlet Mall venue, although the items you’ll find here in Winter Park are rare finds of luxury and individuality. You will notice the well-known chains such as The Gap, Jacobson’s, Tuni, Siegel’s and J. McLaughlin but you’ll also have an arrangement of fabulous local boutiques including Sultre, Samy, Ginger, Coralia Leets, Bella, Shou’ture, Heelz, John Craig, Downeast Orvis, Bebe’s, and the splendid Park Promenade Jewelers (every woman’s cloud nine). Specialty shops offering comforting indulgences are also present. You have a Barnie’s Coffee and Tea, Starbucks, and the oh-so-yummy Peterbrooke Chocolatier.
Throughout the day of shopping you have to find time for a bite at lunch and then it is a MUST to stay in Winter Park for dinner as well. Our following blog posts will highlight some of the best dining options in the Winter Park area, so please come back and visit our Orlando Blog in the near future. It is the “places to go in Orlando” DVRO restaurant suggestion guide.
Need Directions to Winter Park? Or how about a local map of the Orlando Winter Park area- we have what you’ll need, even the useful list of local events in Winter Park. If you need any further information or if you would like to speak to a representative at Discount Vacation Rentals Online in order to receive some personal suggestions on the Winter Park area, just give DVRO a call- See you soon!
