Florida Spectacular

Send us your Florida questions! Whether you want to know about Florida travel, history, gardening, or food, Rick and Cathy have a short list of websites you should bookmark and use to make life in Florida even better.  Links We Mentioned Authentic Florida Visit Florida   Florida Memory Pinellas Memory Water Atlas Palmm collections IFAS/ Extension Fresh From Florida Florida: A History in Pictures J...

Send us your Florida questions! Cathy and Rick discuss their beloved Florida books — along with some they can do without. No matter what you love to read, there's something on this list for every Florida-phile. Books We Suggest Fireworks Every Night by Beth Raymer The Mango Opera by Tom Corcoran The Travis McGee Series by John D. MacDonald Tourist Season by Carl Hiaasen Stormy Weather by Carl...

Send us your Florida questions! After more than 100 episodes, Rick and Cathy talk about what the podcast is — and what it isn't.  Links We Think You'll Like Facebook page for Rick’s books Florida nostalgia Facebook page More Florida nostalgia Rick’s blog The Swamp: The Everglades, Florida, and the Politics of Paradise,  by Michael Grunwald Image credit: Rick Kilby Support the show Questi...

Send us your Florida questions! Florida's home to some truly horrible B movies. B movies so bad, they're amazing.  Rick and Cathy take a road trip around the state, using some of the best of the worst films made in Florida as a guide.  St. Cloud: 2,000 Maniacs Right next door to tourist-swollen Kissimmee, you'll find St. Cloud, where this delightfully bad film was made in 15 days. S...

Send us your Florida questions! Pythons. Iguanas. Brazilian peppers. Florida's overflowing with tales of exotic invasives threatening paradise. But... not all exotic invasives are created equal.  Join Rick and Cathy for a short foray into some of their favorite exotic invasives, which ones they wish would leave the state forever, and which ones are — believe it or not — the tastiest. Meet the...

Send us your Florida questions! This week, Rick and Cathy welcome Elizabeth Herryman Lasley, host of Keys Traveler podcast, as they talk about the things that make the Florida Keys special. (Find the Florida Keys podcast at the official Florida Keys website (they also have a newsletter , just in case you can't get enough of the Florida Keys.) The trio starts the podcast with a pair of key dee...

Send us your Florida questions! Looking for a great weekend getaway, or something new to do in Central Florida? Rick and Cathy have some great places to see, things to do, and restaurants to try in Mount Dora. The small city's famous not only for its antiques; the downtown painted itself pink for a movie (which starred a waterskiing elephant and some fantastic Hollywood talent). Also, Pat Fra...

Send us your Florida questions! This week, inspired by Cathy's recent travels to central Florida, Rick and Cathy talk about places they love in Lake County, some of the more surprising aspects of Lake County history, and why, even in the middle of The Villages, you can find hidden scraps of natural Florida.  Helpful Links and Links We Mentioned Visit Lake County travel website Authentic Flori...

Send us your Florida questions! Join Cathy and Rick as they venture through Ocala, making virtual stops at their favorite restaurants, natural areas, and roadside attractions.  Along the way, discover (or re-discover) a central Florida Elvis movie, learn about the "wild west" in Florida, and find out which one of the podcast hosts is kin to Harriet Beecher Stowe. Links We Mentioned Apple...

Send us your Florida questions! Rick and Cathy welcome Melanie Lentz-Janney, of Authentic Florida fame, to the podcast. They spend the episode talking about some of their favorite Florida kitsch, the difference between Florida collectibles and Disneyana, and their favorite Florida roadside attractions.  Links we mentioned Authentic Florida Presidents Hall of Fame (Clermont) Sarasota Jungle Gardens...

Send us your Florida questions! This week "The Florida Spectacular" welcomes back Keys historian Brad Bertelli. Brad talks about some little-known Keys history (including a deserted island), but then he talks about where the locals eat in the Florida Keys. To wrap it all up, he talks about some of what he thinks are the most special places in the Keys (hint: get in or on the water!)   He...

Send us your Florida questions! This week, Cathy and Rick have Florida architecture on their mind. Specifically, different historic homes. From the simple cracker cottages of Florida's first EuroAmericans to the grandeur of Ca'dZan, spend some time taking a virtual road trip across Florida, to the state's most iconic homes.  Links we mentioned Ybor City Casitas Heritage Village Pion...

Send us your Florida questions! In anticipation of the Floridiana Festival on Gulfport, Rick and Cathy talk about  Gulfport: What to do, where to eat, and how to enjoy the small city by the sea. Links we mentioned Outside Kayak Clam Bayou Hike Clam Bayou Culture & Live Music Gulfport History Museum  Gulfport Arts Center Art in the Yard ArtJones Walking Tour Blueberry Patch North End Taphouse T...

Send us your Florida questions! This week, The Florida Spectacular welcomes CJ Oliverio, who talks about Florida springs, how to enjoy them, and which ones are his favorites. Cathy and Rick also celebrate the 101st episode and talk about why it's ill-advised to scuba dive with gators.  CJ Oliverio is the CEO and founder of Play Hard Florida Adventures, a team of tour guides who offer adventur...

Send us your Florida questions! This week Rick and Cathy explore a few "truths" about Florida, from the Seminole Tribe's origins to the real story about Ponce de Leon and the Fountain of Youth.  Things we mentioned Seminole Tribe of Florida Fountain of Youth Florida: The forgotten colonies during the American Revolution What does it mean to be a cracker ? Ah-Tah-Thi-Ki Museum. Find...

Send us your Florida questions! This week, Rick and Cathy take a trip to Winter Park, talking about their favorite places, things you should do (and eat!) while you're there, and why, despite all the changes, Winter Park's still a special Florida place. Links we mentioned Eat Bosphorous Turkish Food Austin's Coffee   Stay  Alfond Inn Experience Casa Feliz History The Langford Hotel...

Send us your Florida questions! This week, Florida adventurer, springs advocate, and all-around good guy Ryan Worthington joins Rick and Cathy once again to talk about Florida's springs. The trio talks about challenges facing Florida Springs, how to enjoy the springs without doing any harm, and, of course, a few of their favorite springs. Find Ryan on Instagram , and check out his podcast, Th...

Send us your Florida questions! The Angola settlement along the Manatee River lasted for roughly 50 years. Uzi Baram, a professor at New College of Florida, speaks about the enslaved people who escaped to Spanish Florida in search of freedom. They settled near the Manatee River. Here's some of what we know of their stories.  Want to know more? Visit Reflections of Manatee , Bishop Museum , an...

Send us your Florida questions! Meet Bernadette Reeves, who, as a teenager in Lincolnville, marched for civil rights. Today, she gives tours and talks about the civil rights movement – and how what happened in St. Augustine led to the passage of the Civil Rights Act.  Links & Places we mentioned The Corner Market More about taking a civil rights tour with Ms. B . Lincolnville Museum Google map...

Send us your Florida questions! Rick and Cathy talk about some off-the-beaten-path places in Florida that have not-often-discussed historical significance. Here's their Top 5 places to visit where you can soak in some unusual Florida history. Ma Barker House New Smyrna Beach & The Turnbull Colony Rosewood Micanopy A Concentration Camp at Egmont Key Links we mentioned New Smyrna Museum of...

Send us your Florida questions! Cathy and Rick take a road trip to Winter Garden, which has a definite back-to-nature-meets-bougie vibe that only a Florida city can have (and we mean bougie in the best possible way!) Take a listen, then grab your keys and go explore Winter Garden on your own! Eat Plant Street Market Food Hall (including Crooked Can Brewery!) Thai Blossom Yellow Dog Eats See Winter...

Send us your Florida questions! This week Cathy and Rick take a virtual road trip to Gainesville, talking about their favorite things to do, eat, and see when they're in town. They also delve into the history of Waldo/Archer Road (SR 24) that runs from Yulee to Cedar Key, how to stay in an on-campus hotel at UF, and where you can find an elevator with an honest-to-god elevator operator. Links...

Send us your Florida questions! A special guest this week as Stacey Matrazzo, Executive Director for the Florida Wildflower Foundation joined the show. She is the co-author of Native Plants for Florida Gardens , which she wrote with botanist/restoration ecologist Nancy Bissett. Stacey has a bachelor’s degree in environmental studies and a master’s degree in liberal studies from Rollins College, wh...

Send us your Florida questions! Downtown St. Pete has exploded with growth, people, and food – but that's not what we're talking about this week. Instead, Rick and Cathy talk about places in St. Pete not in the downtown area that most tourists never see. Take a listen, and get started planning your next road trip to explore Hidden St. Pete! Things to Do freeFall Theatre Sunken Gardens Pa...

Send us your Florida questions! Think Orlando is mostly Disney, I-Drive, and theme parks? Think again! In this episode, Rick and Cathy explore the heart of Orlando. They have must-see museums, walkable cultural areas, and places to eat. Planning a trip to Orlando? Don't miss this episode! Spend the Day in Orlando Brunch   Tamales in the Hourglass Social District or Daybreak Diner or Zaza&apos...