Backroads Of Florida

FLORIDA BACKROADS TRAVEL takes you off the beaten path on day trips to the quieter roads that defined the state in earlier years. Millions of people visit Florida every year and never really see it. Things look pretty much the same from the interstate highways and toll roads. You see the same old billboards, gas stations, chain restaurants and tacky tourist trips all along your heavily traveled route. This book will rescue you from interstate monotony and take you to what is called Old Florida, a part of the fastest growing state that is still a place of serenity, natural wonders and historic places. There are eight geographic regions in Florida and the book is organized by regions. The lengthy table of contents allows you to click on anything that interests you in any of the regions. The book covers historic towns, beaches, state parks and other places of interest. If a town has a good restaurant, the book will mention it along with some favorite lodging choices. Each regional section of the book has maps of recommended day trips with driving routes plainly marked. FLORIDA BACKROADS TRAVEL will show you where the best beaches are. You will also learn about Florida State Parks. These parks are quiet treasures that will make your visit even more interesting. The book doesn't spend much time on the major tourist attractions like Walt Disney World, Universal Studios and SeaWorld although it gives you enough information to find your way around those places. The towns and country roads are the best attractions, along with some of the lesser known places such as Florida wineries. Many people don't realize Florida has wineries, but it does. This book will introduce you to wineries where you can see how the wine is made and taste it on the spot. Florida heritage and history is an important part of the state culture so each section of the book has a brief regional history. The book also tells you about Florida festivals, including art shows and musical events, and gives you times and places so you can enjoy them during your visit. You will also find a list of all 1,300 Florida heritage sites divided among the individual regions. The book is written by Mike Miller, a Florida resident since 1960. Mike is a graduate civil engineer from the University of Florida and has traveled all over the state on both business and pleasure. He writes for and publishes his own website, Florida-Backroads-Travel.com and has authored 17 books on Florida travel subjects.

In the 1930s, the Federal Writers' Project sent mostly anonymous writers, but also Zora Neale Hurston and Stetson Kennedy, into the depths of Florida to reveal its splendor to the world. The FWP and the State of Florida jointly published the results as Florida: A Guide to the Southernmost State, which included twenty-two driving tours of the state's main roads. Eventually, after Eisenhower built the interstates, drivers bypassed the small towns that thrived along these roads in favor of making better time. Those main roads are now the state's backroads—forgotten by all but local residents, a few commuters, and dedicated road-trippers. Retracing the original routes in the Guide, Cathy Salustri rekindles our notions of paradise by bringing a modern eye to the historic travelogues. Salustri's 5,000-mile road trip reveals a patchwork quilt of Florida cultures: startling pockets of history and environmental bliss stitched against the blight of strip malls and franchise restaurants. The journey begins on US 98, heading west toward the Florida/Alabama state line, where coastal towns dot the roadway. Here, locals depend on the tourism industry, spurred by sugar sand beaches, as well as the abundance of local seafood. On US 41, Salustri takes us past the state's only whitewater rapids, a retired carnie town, and a dazzling array of springs, swamps, and rivers interspersed with farms that produce a bounty of fruit. Along US 17, she stops for milkshakes and hamburgers at Florida's oldest diner and visits a collection of springs interconnected by underwater mazes tumbling through white spongy limestone, before stopping in Arcadia, where men still bring cattle to auction. Desperately searching for skunk apes, the Sunshine State's version of Bigfoot, she encounters more than one gator on her way through the Everglades, Ochopee, and the Skunk Ape Research Headquarters. Following the original Guide, Salustri crisscrosses the state from the panhandle to the Keys. She guides readers through forgotten and unknown corners of the state--nude beaches, a rattlesnake cannery, Devil's Millhopper in Gainesville--as well as more familiar haunts--Kennedy Space Center and The Villages, "Florida’s Friendliest Retirement Hometown." Woven through these journeys are nuggets of history, environmental debates about Florida's future, and a narrative that combines humor with a strong affection for an oft-maligned state. Today, Salustri urges, tourists need a new nudge to get off the interstates or away from Disney in order to discover the real Florida. Her travel narrative, following what are now backroads and scenic routes, guides armchair travelers and road warriors alike to historic sites, natural wonders, and notable man-made attractions--comparing the past views with the present landscape and commenting on the changes, some barely noticeable, others extreme, along the way.

Winner of the Horgan Award from the Florida Historical Society for a book of outstanding merit written primarily for the general reader. In this first of a three-part series, Douglas Waitley offers an informative, laid-back tour through Florida's heartland, capturing its scenic beauty and Southern grace. Instead of buzzing through congested highway traffic, why not cruise along a shaded country backroad, stopping periodically to enjoy the hospitality of a town you've never noticed on a map? Complete with directions, detailed maps, recommended stops, and photographs of interesting sights, this book offers more than just a glimpse into the past. Next in series > > See all of the books in this series

In the first two volumes of this series, Douglas Waitley guided readers through Florida's midland and southern tip. Now follow him along the beaches and over the hills of North Florida, watching rocket launches, meeting dolphins face to face, and trying your luck at the "Worlds Luckiest Fishing Village" along the way. Starting in Titusville on Florida's Atlantic Coast, traversing the Panhandle, and finally rambling down the Gulf Coast to Hernando Beach, this volume offers single-day tours to some of the most interesting and remote small towns along some of the most beautiful roads in the northern third of the the state. Complete with directions, detailed maps, recommended stops, and photographs of interesting sights, the book offers more than just a glimpse into the past. See all of the books in this series

In this third of a three-part series, follow Douglas Waitley along the beaches and over the hills of north Florida, watching rocket launches, meeting dolphins face to face, and trying your luck at the "World's Luckiest Fishing Village" along the way. This volume offers single-day tours to some of the most interesting and remote small towns along some of the most beautiful roads in the northern third of the state. Starting in Melbourne on Florida's Atlantic Coast, skirting Lake Okeechobee, delving into the Everglades, creeping up the Gulf Coast, and ending in Haines City in the heart of citrus country, this volume contains nine one-day romps through some of Florida's most interesting and remote small towns along some of the most beautiful roads in the northern third of the state. Next in series > > See all of the books in this series

Discover the hidden treasures of the Sunshine State with the second edition of this illustrated road trip guide featuring thirty-one new routes to explore! Apart from its world-famous attractions, Florida is full of natural splendor and historic charm that can’t be found unless you know where to look. The second edition of Backroads of Florida contains all-new routes along timeless backroads with new, vibrant photography and pithy stories of what can be found on your drive. As you explore the roads less traveled, you’ll follow in the footsteps of the Spanish explorers, pirates, and cowboys who shaped Florida’s early history. Whether it’s skimming across the Everglades in an airboat, snorkeling with manatees in a crystalline river, or paddling your kayak through a cypress swamp teeming with alligators, orchids, and tropical birds, there’s a world of excitement and beauty waiting for you. Leave Disney World and the hectic bustle of Miami Beach to the tourists. With this book, you’ve got a one-of-a-kind trip in store.

Takes readers on a tour through the backroads of Florida, providing directions, maps, and recommended sights.

CENTRAL FLORIDA BACKROADS TRAVEL takes you off the Interstate Highways and onto the quieter roads that defined this region in earlier years. Millions of people visit Central Florida every year and never really see it. Everything looks pretty much the same from Interstate 4, Interstate 75 or the Florida Turnpike. The same old billboards, gas stations, chain restaurants and tacky tourist traps call out to you as you speed along. This guide will rescue you from interstate monotony and take you off the beaten path to what is called Old Florida. This part of our fast growing state is still a place of serenity, natural wonders and historic places. The guide is organized into several different sections so you can browse what you'd like at your convenience. Several historic Central Florida towns are profiled including Babson Park, Cassadaga, Clermont, Doctor Phillips, Eustis, Fort Meade, Frostproof, Fruitland Park, Haines City, Highland Park, Howey In The Hills, Lakeland, Lake Placid, Lake Wales, Mount Dora, Ocala, Okeechobee, Orlando, Sebring, St Cloud, Tavares, The Villages, Wauchula, Windermere, Winter Garden, Winter Haven and Winter Park. The history of each town is discussed and photos are shown along with an antique postcard now and then. If a town has a good restaurant, the guide will mention it along with some favorite lodging choices. Although Central Florida is noted for its major Orlando theme parks, the area is also famous for its vast agricultural lands, its Ocala National Forest and older quieter tourist attractions. This guide will show you where the best ones are. You will also learn about several Florida State Parks. These parks are quiet treasures that will make your visit even more interesting. The guide does not focus on the major theme parks, but does give you brief introductions to Walt Disney World, Universal Studios and Seaworld. Florida heritage and history are important parts of the culture of Central Florida. The guide tells you about festivals, including art shows, and gives you times and places so you can enjoy them during your visit. You will also find a list of all Central East Florida heritage sites, and will learn about the interesting history of this part of Florida. Last but not least, CENTRAL FLORIDA BACKROADS TRAVEL has a section on Florida day trips. You will be given recommended driving routes along with maps to help you enjoy your wanderings around this interesting region of Florida. The guide is written by Mike Miller, a 50 plus year resident of Florida. Mike is a graduate civil engineer from the University of Florida and has traveled all over the state on both business and pleasure. He writes for and publishes his own website, Florida-Backroads-Travel.com. Much of the material from this guide is from the website.