Central Park — Attraction in Winter Park

Central Park is absolutely one of my favorite spots in all of Orlando. There are so many events that go on here that are delightful to be at, and even without the events in mind, the scenery itself is beautiful all on its own. The fountains, the trellises, the long stretches of grass. Everything you could ever want in a park. All of it conveniently located directly across the street from some of the best restaurants in town. Also located so close to the excellent Winter Park Farmers' Market.

I came here last night, specifically, for the Christmas party that they throw every year. There was a photo op Santa that was hanging out in his sleigh with Mrs. Claus next to a giant Christmas tree taller than all the buildings around. There was also a giant LED cone-shaped tree on the other side of the things. There were also Christmas movies playing on a outdoor projector screen with kids and families huddled all around. It was real nice.

The streets were shut down to cars, so we got to skip along the cobblestone streets getting all the dogs that came out to play and pop in and out of the stores that were open and the Wine Room. It was a good time.

I'm also a huge fan of when the Enzian gets to have movie nights once a month in the park on their giant movie screen. They bring free popcorn for us. We bring lawn chairs. Also a good time. This place is just great. Come here and check it out if you...

Winter park is a lot older and wealthier than the rest of the region, so it’s been spared the worst effects of sprawl. If you do a careful edit of all the beautiful spaces in central Florida this is one that can’t be missed. The American South in general has a tradition of neighborliness & porches and architecture that was hosed down by the advent of the car, and most main streets and charm have been obliterated which is unfortunate, but this has survived the holocaust. Due to a scarcity of walkable pleasant and genuine places like winter park in the untied states, the prices have skyrocketed in this area. But like German bread and French cheese, this place is good because it’s good, not because it might be perceived as snobby. I found the prices pretty moderate for what it is, it’s too bad there aren’t more squares like this in Florida! The architecture and walkable streets lend themselves to more socializing and humane interactions. It’d be cool if they could demolish most of the strip malls and just replace them with places like winter park and even make most of the area carfree, and they’ll probably do that in the most elite areas of the USA, but for now this is a tiny...

In 1881, Loring Chase and Oliver Chapman purchased land for the development of the town that became Winter Park. Influenced by their New England roots, they designated land for a town square. Central Park was then created as the center of the downtown business district. It also served as the welcoming first impression to the wealthy winter visitors arriving from the north by train. In 1911, Central Park was gifted to the city by Charles Hosmer Morse, President of Winter Park Land Company. The land transfer came with the provision that Central Park would remain a perpetual gift to the residents and guests of the city. To guarantee such, the deed expressly states that any supplemental use of the land other than as a park, would cause the land to revert back to the Morse estate. Since its founding, Central Park has served as the community's centerpiece for concerts, art festivals, picnics and major town events. With its multiple fountains and sweeping oak trees, the greens also serve as a quiet refuge making Central Park the heart of...