Facebook
X
Pinterest
Copy Link
Winter Garden is in Orange County, about 14 miles west of downtown Orlando, with Lake Apopka forming its northern border. The city’s own motto says it best: “Where Good Things Grow.” Knowing its past makes it easier to understand why so many people want to live here today.
A short history of Winter Garden
Settlers arrived in the 1850s, drawn by the fertile land near Lake Apopka, and they farmed sugar cane, vegetables, and citrus. Railroads reached the town in the late 1800s, and the business district grew up along Plant Street, which is still the heart of downtown. The Great Freeze of 1894 to 1895 hit the citrus industry hard, but the town recovered, and Winter Garden was incorporated in 1908 with A.B. Newton as its first mayor. In the 1920s, Lake Apopka became famous for bass fishing, and the Edgewater Hotel opened in 1927 to host visiting anglers. Pollution and new highways slowed downtown in the late 1960s, and freezes in the 1980s ended citrus production in the area. Residents then worked to save the historic downtown, which was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1996.
Culture and lifestyle
Today’s downtown Winter Garden is known for its brick-lined historic district, restaurants, shops, and cafés. The Garden Theatre is a local performing arts landmark, and the old train depot, rebuilt in brick in 1923, now houses the Winter Garden Heritage Museum. A farmers market with live music runs every weekend downtown, and the West Orange Trail brings walkers, runners, and cyclists right through town. The city describes itself as “a charming little city with a juicy past.”
Food and dining in Winter Garden
Downtown Winter Garden is built around historic Plant Street, which Visit Orlando describes as having some of the Orlando area’s best dining and entertainment. Plant Street Market is the district’s main food hub, with about 20 vendors and Crooked Can Brewing Company serving craft beer alongside pizza, sushi, burgers, and vegan options. Nearby you’ll find a martini-focused piano bar, a wine bar with live music, and restaurants such as Bosphorous Turkish Cuisine, 4 Rivers Smokehouse, and Chef’s Table at the Edgewater. New York Beer Project, a gastropub inspired by an 1892 beer hall, is just south of Plant Street. The Winter Garden Farmers Market runs every Saturday, and Fridays on the Plaza brings free live music to Plant Street every Friday night. Restaurants change over time, but the small-business, walkable feel stays.
Who lives in Winter Garden
The 2020 Census counted 46,964 residents with a median age of 38.2, and about a quarter of residents, 25.8%, were under 18. About 22.4% identified as Hispanic or Latino, 12.8% as Black or African American, and 5.9% as Asian, and 16.1% identified with two or more races. It is a young, growing, and diverse community, with many families.
Buying, selling, and relocating
Whether you are a first-time buyer, a seller, an investor, or moving to Central Florida from out of state, I’ll help you compare neighborhoods, understand what your home is worth, and handle each step with confidence. I speak Arabic, English, Portuguese, and Spanish, so you can work with me in the language you’re most comfortable with.
I’m Omar Albaba with Coldwell Banker Realty, serving Winter Garden, Clermont, Winter Park, and Dr. Phillips. Call me at (813) 951-7475 or visit omarsellsflorida.com.
Sources: U.S. Census Bureau 2020 Census figures, Wikipedia (Winter Garden, Florida), and the City of Winter Garden history page.
