Florida Spectacular

Send us your Florida questions! Willett Hancock Museum Assistant at the Matheson Museum joins the podcast to talk about a new exhibit at the Matheson Museum in Gainseville: Voices and Votes . Rick, Cathy, and Willett talk about democracy in Florida, and the historical struggle to make sure everyone can participate in it. Links We Mentioned Voices and Votes  (and other exhibits) at the Matheson Mus...

Send us your Florida questions! Were there pirates in the Florida Keys? Who was Black Caesar? What does Black Caesar have in common with The Princess Bride ?  Brad Bertelli explains it all. Links We Mentioned Elliot Key in Biscayne National Park Florida Keys History with Brad Bertelli, Volume II Mostly Fake Black Caesar History General History of Pyrates (1724) Gasparilla Pirate Fest Support the s...

Send us your Florida questions! This week, the best parts of Kissimmee, from roadside ephemera to the headwaters of the Florida Everglades.  Stay   Legacy Vacation Resorts , Cathy found it to be a great home base for exploring the less touristy areas of the area.  Disclaimer: Legacy hosted most of her stay, but she chose to mention them because of the B Corp certification and location.  Eat Woodsb...

Send us your Florida questions! This week Rick and Cathy talk about some of their favorite bike trails in Florida.  Orange County Bike Trails West Orange Trail Bikes and Blades at Killarney Station Northeast Orlando Trail Map Cady Way Trail Post: Biking the Orlando Urban Trail Post: West Orange Trail Oakland Nature Preserve Downtown Winter Garden Plant Street Market Hunger Street Tacos Pinellas Tr...

Send us your Florida questions! If it's Old Key West you want, stop short of Key West on your drive down US 1 and explore Stock Island. Brad and Cathy talk about the island's cow-centric and crime-adjacent history, what's worth doing now,  and where you can meet an ostrich. Links We Mentioned Bone Island Mambo by Tom Corcoran Stock Island Festival Cow Key 0K Monroe County Petting Zo...

Send us your Florida questions! This week the "Florida Spectacular" welcomes Carey Winfrey, the editor of Key West Sketches: Writers at Mile Zero . Carey and Cathy talk about the writers who contributed to the anthology, Judy Blume's Key West bookstore, and what Carey says he wishes people would see instead of Duval Street. Links We Mentioned Elizabeth Bishop house Key West Sketches...

Send us your Florida questions! Lower insurance and power bills? Stop flooding in your neighborhood? Protecting Florida's beaches without spending billions on beach renourishment? This might sound too good to be true, but this week's podcast has ways you can help do all those things. Dawn Shirreffs, the Florida Director of the Environmental Defense Fund, joins the podcast to talk about w...

Send us your Florida questions! Some Florida Keys history is hidden in plain sight — and that's especially true when it comes to Henry Flagler's railroad from Homestead to Key West. Brad and Cathy give listeners insight to some ways to experience railroad history while enjoying the natural beauty of the Florida Keys. Links We Mentioned Alabama Jacks (not along the original railroad route...

Send us your Florida questions! Jono Miller, author of "The Palmetto Book: Histories and Mysteries of the Cabbage Palm," joins the podcast to talk about the Myakka River. We're loving the Myakka River — and the park — a little too hard, but there are ways to experience the park without impacting the natural environment.  Jono talks about ways such as canoeing to the Upper Myakka, ex...

Send us your Florida questions! Merrillee Jipson, owner of Rum 138 in the High Springs area, joins the podcast to talk about the tragedy at Ginnie Springs last weekend, how to enjoy the springs responsibly, and some of the best places to paddle the springs. Links We Mentioned Silver Glen New River Santa Fe River Preserve Guide from Alachua Conservation Trust Gilchrist Blue Springs Ichetucknee Spri...

Send us your Florida questions! Think crocodiles are only for Australia? Think again, because you can find them alive and well in the Florida Keys. Brad and Cathy talk about where in the keys you can find crocodiles and alligators , and also talk about why Florida crocodiles aren't as energetic as their Australian cousins. And caimans ? They're here, too — but they're not the same a...

Send us your Florida questions! Rick and Cathy take a (metaphorical) dive into Warm Mineral Springs and the Venice/Nokomis area. They give you a guide of things to do and places to eat along the Venice/Nokomis coast.  Don't forget to subscribe to Florida Keys Spectacular — premium content about the Florida Keys! Support all things Spectacular, starting at $5/month . Warm Mineral and Little Sa...

Send us your Florida questions! Cathy and Rick talk about Florida hurricane prep, the history of hurricanes, and how to prepare without freaking out.  Links We Mentioned Hurricanes.gov Oranges and Alligators: Sketches of South Florida Life by Iza Duffy Hardy Stormy Weather by Carl Hiaasen Hurricane prep suggestions: Turn off your TV and check hurricanes.gov , the least weather-terroristy source fo...

Send us your Florida questions! Brad and Cathy talk about Bahia Honda State Park . Brad shares the little-known history of Bahia Honda's pre-park days, and Cathy talks about which parts are best for camping and water activities.  Support the show Question or comment? Email us at cathy@floridaspectacular.com . Subscribe to The Florida Spectacular newsletter , and keep up with Cathy's trav...

Send us your Florida questions! Kristalyn Shefveland joins the podcast to talk about her book, Selling Vero Beach . They talk about Vero's history, its first people, and why the past matters to newcomers. Links We Mentioned Selling Vero Beach: Settler Myths in the Land of the Aís and Seminole Florida's disastrous plan for a reservoir McKee and Sexton: A Perfect Match Where's Waldo?...

Send us your Florida questions! Rick and Cathy welcome Florida historian Joey Vars on the podcast to talk about Henry Plant's Belleview Biltmore hotel. Joey's the former staff historian for the hotel, now called the Belleview.  Links We Mentioned The Belleview Inn Watch Joey's former tour of the Biltmore Aerial view of Belleview Biltmore demolition [VIDEO] Lost: Belleview Biltmore h...

Send us your Florida questions! If you've driven past it and not stopped, you don't know what you're missing. Sure, you can do tourist things like feed a tarpon and have a frozen drink... but they also have a fantastic fish sandwich, knowledgeable fishing guides, and one particularly amazing Florida Keys historian (and some other stuff, too.) Learn what Brad and Cathy both love Robb...

Send us your Florida questions! Ryan Smart, Executive Director of the Florida Springs Council, joins Cathy and Rick on the podcast to answer a listener's questions about Florida springs. Q: If the springs naturally come to the surface, why would the bottled water companies need permits to pump out?  A: We answer this more in-depth in the podcast, but it's because they don't scoop th...

Send us your Florida questions! Cathy and Rick talk about their favorite Tiki bars and events in Florida.  Links We Mentioned The Donn of Tiki  film Tiki hotels in Daytona Beach Tiki Bars Bahi Hut in Sarasota The Wreck Bar in Fort Lauderdale (Rick's post ) Mai Kai in Fort Lauderdale (Rick's post ) Don the Beachcomber in Madeira Beach Suffering Bastard in Sanford Trader Sam's Grog Gr...

Send us your Florida questions! Florida Key Deer are the smallest of the white-tailed deer subspecies, and you can only find them in the Florida Keys. Brad and Cathy talk about the oft-debated origins of these tiny creatures, the legend of the cryptid key deer (aka Conch Republic Border Guards), and how and where to see — and photograph Key Deer — responsibly. Links We Mentioned National Key Deer...

Send us your Florida questions! Rick and Cathy welcome Keri Watson, author of Florida's New Deal: Parks and Post Office Murals . Her book takes people on an armchair tour of Florida post offices with New Deal art. It explores Florida's first 10 state park (nine of which still exist as state parks today.) Links We Mentioned Get Keri's book Living New Deal Diane Craig's thesis on...

Send us your Florida questions! Rick and Cathy talk about what there is to do at some of their favorite small towns in Florida, and why you should visit. Take a listen, load up the car, and let's go! Links We Mentioned   Safety Harbor Resort & Spa | Spa Resort in Tampa Bay, FL Welaka, Florida | Quiet Old Town on the St. Johns River Stegbone's Fish Camp and Resort Green Cove Springs M...

Send us your Florida questions! Islamorada means "purple island." After all, Isla (island) and morada (purple), right? Think again.  Brad explains why that's not how this part of the Florida Keys got its name. He takes Cathy — and listeners — on an armchair journey on why the "morada" in the name dates back to William Krome and Flagler's railroad and means "islan...

Send us your Florida questions! Rick and Cathy talk about mangos, Matlacha, and a different type of Florida paradise. Pine Island and Matlacha don't have high rises, chain hotels, or franchises. This small island haven has plenty of small pleasures on offer, especially for people seeking a less-traditional type of paradise. Things To Do in Matlacha The Perfect Cup Tarpon Lodge (lodging and di...

Send us your Florida questions! On this week's podcast, Jenny DeWitt talks about why she left Florida, where she traveled when she did, and why she came back. Links we mentioned: Eau Gallie Arts District . Backwater restaurant. Downtown Creedo . Green Gables , Melbourne, FL Lil Bit of Life , Mount Dora, FL Grow Lake County - Local Farm & Food Map Architecture SRQ - Home of Architecture Sa...