DayVenture 26: Winter Park by Train + Boat
🍊 Park Avenue Escape
There’s something magical about a day that doesn’t require a car — just sunshine, good company, and the rhythm of an easy ride. This Dayventure brings you right into the heart of Winter Park using the SunRail, with a cozy French brunch, lakeside breezes, and a sweet ending on iconic Park Avenue.
Perfect for newcomers, longtime locals, couples, families, and anyone craving a simple, soulful Florida day.
🚆 1. Getting There: Ride the SunRail to Winter Park Station
Leave the car at home for a day that starts instantly with a sense of adventure. Pick up the SunRail and relax into the slow, steady glide toward Winter Park.
✨ Why it’s special:
- It turns the day into an adventure, not just an outing.
- No parking battles — you step right out onto Park Avenue. In fact, consider the Park Avenue station your first attraction, it’s one of the most beautiful stations on SunRail’s route.
- Kids love it, couples find it charming, and solo riders get built-in people-watching.
As the train pulls into Winter Park Station, you’re greeted by oak canopies, brick sidewalks, and the hum of main-street life. Step off, stretch, and breathe it in — you’ve arrived somewhere both small-town sweet and quietly luxurious.
🥐 2. First Stop: A Cozy French Café on Park Avenue
From the station, stroll a few steps to your café of choice — like Croissant Gourmet, Briarpatch, or Mon Petit Chéri. Each has that charming “sit-and-stay-awhile” vibe Winter Park does so well.
✨ What makes this stop feel like a Dayventure:
- Outdoor seating perfect for people-watching.
- Flaky pastries and buttery aromas that transport you to Paris.
- A warm latte paired with morning sunshine and the sound of clinking plates.
Order something indulgent — a croissant, a quiche, or a pretty tart — because today is about savoring.
🚤 3. Main Event: The Winter Park Scenic Boat Tour
Once you’re full and happy, walk a leafy ten minutes toward the dock for the Scenic Boat Tour — a Winter Park classic since 1938.
✨ Here’s what makes it magical:
- You glide through lakes linked by historic, vine-draped canals.
- Guides share bits of old-Florida charm, Rollins College lore, and megamansion stories.
- You’ll see herons, cypress trees, and sunlight bouncing on the water.
It’s peaceful, breezy, and perfect for photos.
It also gives newcomers a glimpse of the “real Winter Park” — the older, water-bound version hidden beneath the upscale exterior.
🍨 4. Sweet Ending: Kilwin’s Ice Cream on Park Avenue
After the boat tour, stroll back toward Park Ave and stop at Kilwin’s, where the smell of waffle cones practically pulls you inside.
✨ Best part:
- Fresh caramel wafting from the back
- Handmade chocolates and clusters
- Ice cream that’s cold enough to handle Florida heat
Grab a scoop and sit on a bench under the shade trees. This is your wind-down moment — watching shoppers wander by, hearing the fountain, enjoying the simple joy of a perfect dessert.
🚆 5. Homeward Bound: SunRail, Round Two
As the day winds down, head back to the station for your return ride.
There’s something satisfying about ending a day the same way it began — gently, without stress.
On the SunRail ride home, you get time to reflect.
To watch the city slide past.
To feel rooted, just a little more, in the place you now call home.
