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Home / Destination / USA / A trip to Winter Park, Florida

A trip to Winter Park, Florida

September 2, 2013 by Gretta Schifano 10 Comments

Winter Park Scenic Boat Tour. Copyright Gretta Schifano

The youngest points excitedly and says: ‘Look, there’s a turtle!’ We’re in a flat-bottomed pontoon boat on Lake Osceola and the turtle is bobbing along in the water about a metre away from us – it’s thrilling to see this creature in its natural habitat. We’re on an hour-long Winter Park Scenic Boat Tour and it’s very relaxing. The town of Winter Park was popular with wealthy Northerners as a winter escape in the early 1900s and many of them built mansions around the local lakes. The narrated boat tour brings alive the history of these mansions and offers the chance to spot native plants and wildlife as it winds through the lakes and the canals which connect them.

We’re in Winter Park on the recommendation of Cat at Visit Orlando’s press office. Cat told me that the town of Winter Park offers a great contrast to the theme parks – and she’s right. I find it a welcome antidote to the previous ten days of hustle and bustle.

It takes us about half an hour to drive to Winter Park from our base near Disney World. We park in one of the free car parks and head for the Winter Park Welcome Centre to pick up a map. We’re the only people there and the lady at the desk couldn’t  be kinder. She gives us each a bottle of chilled water to drink and then helps us to plan our afternoon.

From here we follow her suggestion for a lunch venue and head around the corner and along the cobbled street to eat at a modern, friendly, stylish restaurant called 310 Park South. I love my grilled vegetable sandwich with salad and a raspberry dressing. The food is delicious, the best of our trip, and the bill comes to $62.00 with tax for four main courses and drinks.

Lunch at 310 Winter Park. Copyright Gretta Schifano

We then drive a few blocks (it’s terribly hot or we would have walked) through the leafy streets to catch the boat tour, which leaves every hour. It’s a beautiful tour but I wish I’d brought a wide-brimmed hat as there’s absolutely no shade. My husband and children are fine though – I’m paler than them.

After the boat tour we have another short drive to the Charles Hosmer Morse Museum of American Art which houses the world’s most comprehensive collection of the works of Louis Comfort Tiffany. Tiffany’s father founded the American jewellery company Tiffany & Co and the artist is best known today for his popular stained glass creations. I know the children will be fed up here as they’re hot and bothered and not in the mood to look at art or learn about how stained glass is made. So we find them somewhere cool and comfortable to sit while my husband and I take a whirlwind tour of the museum. Photos aren’t allowed inside, but we see some exquisite exhibits. My favourite is the Tiffany Chapel interior, a vision of mosaic and glass created for the 1893 Chicago world’s fair where it caused a sensation and was seen by more than a million visitors. I actually hold my breath when I first see this creation as it’s so beautiful.

We enjoyed our afternoon at Winter Park and I’d definitely recommend it if you need a change from the theme parks.

Family travel lowdown:

Winter Park Scenic Boat Tours cost $12 for adults, $6 for children age 2-11. My ticket was free for the purposes of this post thanks to the support of Visit Orlando.

Entry to Charles Hosmer Morse Museum of American Art is $5 for adults, free for children under 12. We arrived an hour before closing time and were invited in free of charge.

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Related

Categories: USA
Tags: 310 Park South, Charles Hosmer Morse Museum of American Art, Winter Park, Winter Park Scenic Boat Tour

About Gretta Schifano

I'm a freelance journalist and blogger specialising in family travel with teenagers, trips when parents manage to travel without their kids, and 50+ travel. I also write about vegetarian travel, parenting teenagers, adoption, SEN, ADHD and anxiety. My work's been published by the Financial Times, Guardian, Independent, National Geographic Traveller, Lonely Planet and others. I've lived and worked in Italy and Spain and am now based in rural south-east England with my husband, adoptive and birth kids and our dog. I previously worked as a social action radio producer for the BBC.

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Comments

  1. Nichola Fabfortymum says

    September 9, 2013 at 10:36 pm

    Oh I love the sound of this and I love the picture. I’ve never been to Florida, I would love to take the girls, although I’m very fair and do suffer a bit in the heat. I think it could be a great family friendly destination for us and easy to get too from Northern Ireland, it’s one of the few long haul destinations that we can fly direct to.
    Nichola Fabfortymum recently posted…Sunny Beginnings – #OneWeekMy Profile

    Reply
    • Gretta says

      September 10, 2013 at 11:19 am

      It’s great, there’s so much to do there and the heat’s OK as long as you’re well prepared (which I wasn’t that day!)

      Reply
  2. Only Best For Baby says

    September 7, 2013 at 8:01 pm

    This sounds like an amazing trip. I’d love to go to Florida!
    Only Best For Baby recently posted…Family Day Out at Rare Breeds FarmMy Profile

    Reply
    • Gretta says

      September 7, 2013 at 8:13 pm

      It is lovely, there are just so many different things to do there.

      Reply
  3. Christine says

    September 5, 2013 at 8:29 pm

    I’m not sure I could handle the Florida theme parks but the boat trip sounds more up my street. Most of my knowledge of Florida comes from the books of Carl Hiaasen. I love reading these but he doesn’t exactly paint a glowing picture!

    Reply
    • Gretta says

      September 5, 2013 at 8:31 pm

      I haven’t read those books, but we really enjoyed Florida.

      Reply
  4. Trish - Mum's Gone to says

    September 4, 2013 at 12:50 pm

    What a great idea to see something less commercial during your trip. I would have loved the boat trip and the Tiffany museum. Having the place to yourselves was an added bonus.
    I bought myself a hat at the airport before we left for Austria – came in very handy in the sun although, it being a bright pink trilby affair, husband said it was a tad kiss-me-quick!

    Reply
    • Gretta says

      September 4, 2013 at 1:31 pm

      It sounds like the hat did the job though – just what I needed on that boat.

      Reply
  5. NYLon Living says

    September 2, 2013 at 7:10 pm

    I’ve never heard of Winter Park and your trip sounds very cool. A change from the theme parks is always good for a breather.
    NYLon Living recently posted…If Miss Havisham Had Gotten the Decorating BugMy Profile

    Reply
    • Gretta says

      September 2, 2013 at 7:33 pm

      It’s a lovely place, we really enjoyed it there.

      Reply

Trackbacks

  1. Things To Do in Orlando Other Than Theme Parks says:
    December 7, 2019 at 1:27 pm

    […] If you love the outdoors, then a visit to Winter Park is a must, which has an abundance of parks – over 70 of them – as well as activities […]

    Reply

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This is a personal blog written and edited by me, Gretta Schifano. Sometimes I’m given products or sent on trips to review, but I always make this clear and give my honest opinion. See my About page for full details.

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