Winter Park: the calmest day you can have near Orlando

Why go

Winter Park is a separate city on Orlando's north side, about 15 minutes from downtown. It was built as a winter resort town, and it still feels like one: brick streets, big oaks, lakes linked by canals and a main street of shops and cafes. It is the easiest place near Orlando to slow down for a day.

A half day in order

1. Arrive by 10 and park in one of the free city lots near Park Avenue, or take SunRail on a weekday to the station beside Central Park.
2. Walk east on Morse Boulevard to the end and board the scenic boat tour. It runs about an hour through three lakes and two narrow canals, past big lakefront homes and the Rollins College campus.
3. Walk back to the Morse Museum on Park Avenue for the Tiffany glass collection and the chapel interior. Plan an hour.
4. Have lunch on Park Avenue or in Hannibal Square, a few blocks west on New England Avenue.
5. Finish with a walk through Central Park and along the shady streets toward Rollins College.

When to go

Saturday morning is the best time. The Winter Park Farmers Market runs most Saturdays in and around the old railroad depot on New England Avenue, with produce, flowers, baked goods and coffee. It is busiest from about 8 to 11. Weekdays are quieter and parking is easier.

The city is at its nicest from November through April. Big festivals fill the streets on some weekends, including the Winter Park Sidewalk Art Festival, usually in March, when parking gets tight across the whole area.

What else is here

• Rollins College: a pretty lakeside campus with Spanish-style buildings and a small art museum.
• Kraft Azalea Garden: a quiet lakeshore park on Lake Maitland, best when the azaleas bloom in late winter.
• Central Park: the green strip along Park Avenue with a rose garden, fountain and benches. Freight and passenger trains pass by on its west edge.
• Hannibal Square: the historic neighborhood west of the tracks, now home to restaurants and galleries along New England Avenue.
• The Cady Way Trail: a paved trail that links Winter Park toward east Orlando if you want to bike.

Where to eat and how to get there

Park Avenue is lined with sidewalk cafes, wine bars, bakeries, ice cream shops and a few higher-end dining rooms. Hannibal Square leans a little more upscale for dinner. The Park Avenue food guide covers the street in more detail. Prices run higher than in Mills 50 but well below park restaurants.

For a cheaper lunch, buy a sandwich or pastry and eat on a bench in Central Park. On market Saturdays, the food stalls at the depot are an easy breakfast.

Winter Park is about 15 minutes north of downtown Orlando on Orlando Avenue, which is US 17-92, or on smaller roads through College Park and Mills. From International Drive, allow 30 minutes; from the Disney area, 40 to 50 minutes, more at rush hour. The drive is worth it for a half or full day, not for one quick stop.

On weekdays, SunRail is a pleasant option. The Winter Park station sits right at Central Park, so you step off the train onto Park Avenue. You would still need a ride to a station from the tourist areas; check the SunRail schedule before you plan around it.

Once you are here, walk. Park Avenue, the museum, the boat dock, Hannibal Square and Rollins are all within about 15 minutes of each other on foot.

Mistakes to avoid

• Arriving at noon on a sunny Saturday and circling for parking. Come early or use the larger lots off New England Avenue.
• Overstaying the two- or three-hour limits on Park Avenue spaces. They are enforced.
• Skipping the boat tour because it sounds touristy. It is the best way to understand why the town exists.
• Planning a late night here. Most shops close by early evening and the streets get quiet.
• Expecting SunRail on a weekend; check the schedule, because service is mainly on weekdays.