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The stretch of Park Avenue between Fairbanks and Swoope avenues is a thriving and delectable slice of urban living. This is the kind of manageable, old-style downtown, which is usually erased in the rush to suburbanize the Sunshine State. There’s bucolic Central Park; buildings are rarely over three stories and contain fashionable shops or eateries at ground level; and all around, the sidewalks are full of people enjoying the day.

The imposing, windowless walls of this museum rather ironically contain an outstanding collection of beautiful glass windows and objects by the American artist, Louis Comfort Tiffany. Other highlights include American ceramics and representative collections of late-19th- and early-20th-century paintings, graphics, and decorative arts.

The art collection at this museum, located on the scenic Rollins College Campus, is one of the oldest in the state. The range of European and American art – from the Renaissance to 20th century – is impeccably presented and of an unusually high quality for a small college art museum.

The wealthiest sections of Winter Park were built by a series of lakes and along small, winding canals. This boat tour has been running since 1938, and is part nature trip and part local history lesson. It cruises lazily past Winter Park landmarks and lakeside mansions encountering wildlife, while the skipper tells stories about the area’s legendary society crowd.

Winter Park Scenic Boat Tour

Sculptor Albin Polasek moved here to retire, but in fact he kept producing his figurative works until his death in 1965. Now listed on the National Register of Historic Places, the museum and its sculpture gardens contain works spanning Polasek’s entire career.

William H. Waterhouse was a carpenter who came to Central Florida in the early 1880s and built this lovely home overlooking Lake Lily. Pristinely restored and maintained by the Maitland Historical Society, the home, Waterhouse’s carpentry shop, and the property’s remarkable collection of hand-crafted furniture offer a glimpse into the DIY days of Maitland’s past. Woodworking buffs will be wowed by Waterhouse’s extensive use of heart of pine, a wood rarely seen today. Tours lasting about 40 minutes are offered. The Waterhouse facilities nicely complement the Maitland Historical & Telephone Museums, both located just a few blocks away and also run by the Maitland Historical Society.

Think of this place as a halfway house for some of the most impressive examples of Florida’s birdlife. It was cre-ated by the Florida Audubon Society to rescue, rehabilitate, and release wounded raptors (birds of prey). Those that wouldn’t survive being released into the wild are kept here, living a pampered existence in a lovely lakeside location, while helping to educate visitors about wildlife issues and conservation. Guests aren’t allowed to observe the rehabilitation process, but permanent residents on view usually include vultures, bald eagles, screech owls, hawks, ospreys, and more.

Zora Neale Hurston earned fame as one of the brightest stars of Harlem’s literary heyday in the 1920 and 1930s. Many of her most famous writings (including the 1937 novel, Their Eyes Were Watching God ) reflected life in her hometown of Eatonville, the first incorporated African-American municipality in the USA. The front porches and stores of Eaton-ville, where Zora’s characters lived and spun their tales, have long since disappeared, but she is not forgotten. This museum keeps the writer’s memory alive, with maps for a self-guided walking tour to the remaining literary landmarks of her neighbourhood.

Some farmers’ markets are serious business, packed with old trucks and farmers selling mountains of vegetables just pulled from the earth. The Winter Park Farmers’ Market is altogether a different affair. More of a social gathering on the village green, Winter Park’s yuppies come here to mingle, buy potted flowers. preserves, and herbs, and indulge in fresh croissants, muffins, and breads. Yes, the required vegetables are here, too, but this is more of a coffee and brunch gathering.

The art of film tastes different at the Enzian. This not-for-profit 250-seat theater doesn’t just show terrific American independent and foreign films, it also offers a full menu with beer, wine, and table service. Relax with dinner or snacks and enjoy films with all the comforts of sitting in your own living room (if that living room has a 33-ft (10-m) wide screen). As well as the regular schedule, the Enzian produces the 10-day Florida Film Festival and smaller, niche festivals throughout the year.