Winter Park, Florida
Originally
a refuge from the cold for wealthy northerners, Winter Park
has survived a century of change and remains today a refuge
from the ordinary. Today's Winter Park is known for its
stately trees, brick streets, fine shopping, abundant lakes,
outdoor fun and as a center for culture and art. Bach
Festival Society. Winter Park offers a host of things
to see and do for residents and guests alike. Nestled on
the north shore of Lake Virginia is Rollins
College, rich in Mediterranean Architecture. The college
offers a variety of lectures, sports and leisure events.
There is also the Albin
Polasek Museum and Sculpure Gardens and the shops and
restaurants of picturesque Park Avenue nearby. The Cornell
Fine Arts Center Museum is free and the Charles
Hosmer Morse Museum of Fine Arts houses the world's
largest collection of Tiffany Art, including a recently
restored Tiffany chapel.
The
Winter Park Sidewalk Art
Festival is one of the most prestigious outdoor fine
arts festivals in the United States. The city also had an
unusual claim to fame in 1981 when a sinkhole swallowed
an entire city block. The city has since stabilized the
shore of the sinkhole and created a popular children's playground
and recreation center on adjoining land. Today, Winter Park
is enjoying an improved Park Avenue as well as a rebirth
of retail shops, restaurants, and services along U.S. Highway
17-92. The Saturday morning farmer's market just west of
downtown is also a weekend tradition for many local residents.

|