One of Florida's premier vacation destinations is Orlando. But if you're not into theme parks, no worry. There are some lovely small towns (or cities) within an hour away that also offer arts and culture, entertainment and dining experiences. Whenever we're in Orlando, we always find an excuse to visit the charming town of Winter Park. This time we explored the grounds of
Rollins College (specifically Cornell Fine Arts Museum and the Alfond Inn).
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| The chic Alfond Inn opened in 2013 |
Owned by Rollins College, the
Alfond Inn is stylish and modern, with many contemporary artworks gracing its walls. A tour of the inn to view the art is offered on the weekends. We went on a weekday, so we toured the boutique hotel ourselves.
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| The lobby |
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| Reflection of artworks in the ladies room |
Admission to the
Cornell Fine Arts Museum is free, and like the Alfond Inn, there is a tour on the weekend. Save a car or two the college campus was rather quiet. Summer holidays must have started.
Behind the museum is lovely Lake Virginia, where nature abounds. We saw a rabbit, blue heron, anhinga, snowy egret and a nest high up on a tree.
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| A walkway leads to a gazebo overlooking Lake Virginia |
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| Grand homes line the shoreline |
We had planned to eat at one of many restaurants in Winter Park, but had to cut our excursion short because one member of our party was not feeling well. We enjoyed the artwork and nature at Rollins College. If you're in the Orlando area, be sure to check out Winter Park.
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Behind the museum is lovely Lake Virginia, where nature abounds. We saw a rabbit, blue heron, anhinga, snowy egret and a nest high up on a tree.
I've lived in Florida for decades but have never been to Rollins College or that lake. It's now on my list of places to visit. Thank you!
ReplyDeleteSo lovely!
ReplyDelete