Just northwest of downtown, College Park is named for the neighborhood's residential streets, many of which bear the moniker of colleges and universities like Yale, Harvard and Vassar. Citrus entrepreneur John Ericsson built the first home at 19 W. Princeton St., but the Great Freeze of 1894 stopped College Park's development in its tracks. College Park has been home to some notable names, including astronaut John Young and Beat writer Jack Kerouac, and has been Orlando Mayor Buddy Dyer's home base for more than 20 years – a hell of an endorsement. Plans are afoot for a massive mixed-use development called the Packing District at the intersection of Orange Blossom Trail and Princeton Street, but things have slowed a bit on that front – we'll check in with you on that next year.
Historic Publix Supermarket
2015 Edgewater Drive
You could shop at any Publix – or any other grocery store, for that matter – but the one at 2015 Edgewater Drive is pretty special. Built in 1950, the store's architecture is the draw, recalling the streamlined, neon-lined, midcentury vibe of the era.
Crawl the boutiques
Various locations
All along Edgewater Drive, you'll find a bevy of boutiques full of houseplants, home décor, gifts and antique finds. Pick your way through nifty gifts at Good Crowd and vinyl at Foundation Records, find the perfect secondhand accent at All the Right Stuff or Top Drawer Consignments, or be beguiled by brilliant estate baubles at Stewart Jewelry, open since 1946.
Kerouac House
1418 Clouser Ave.
From 1957-1958, Beat writer Jack Kerouac lived, worked and (ahem) drank at the bungalow on Clouser Avenue in College Park, where he stayed with his mother. There, he wrote the original manuscript for Dharma Bums, making the cozy cottage a haven for the literary set. The back bedroom is arranged much the same as Kerouac left it.
Dubsdread Golf Course & Tap Room at Dubsdread
549 W. Par St.
This golf course is one of Central Florida's originals, founded in 1924 and renovated in 2008. The on-site restaurant, Tap Room at Dubsdread, is a popular eatery after hitting the links, and is open to non-golfers who want to try the locally famous burger.
Edible Education Experience at the Emeril Lagasse Kitchen House & Culinary Garden
26 E. King St.
Chef Emeril Lagasse cut the ribbon himself at the Kitchen House & Culinary Garden, which sits across from Orlando Junior Academy and regularly serves its students as a hub for children to learn about where food comes from and how to cook it. Monthly programs such as Culinary Curiosities and Chef Night are open to the public.
