Sloshing through swamps, scrambling over sand dunes, and swimming in springs is all in a day's work for Sandra Friend, a Florida author who takes immersing in her research seriously. Over the past fifteen years she's authored more than 25 books about the Sunshine State, covering topics ranging from travel to geology to hiking, and is the go-to expert on hiking Florida, publishing the website FloridaHikes.com with her husband, Space Coast native and fellow author John Keatley. This outdoorsy duo rambles the state end-to-end frequently, working on a broad array of travel projects, books, and articles, including The Florida Trail Guide, the comprehensive guide to the 1,400-mile Florida National Scenic Trail. Sandra is the immediate past chair of the Freelance Council of the Society of American Travel Writers, and a member of the Authors Guild, the Outdoor Writers Association of America, and the Florida Outdoor Writers Association. She lives on the Space Coast.
Not known as a budget-friendly travel destination, Key West can surprise you. It all depends on where you want to place those hard-earned dollars during your stay. Lodging Lodging is the number one expense on any trip to the Florida Keys, and there’s no getting around it – the days of sleeping on the beach or in your car are...
While it’s possible to hit the high points of Key West in a day, it makes far more sense to arrive, settle in, and spend the next day enjoying the sights — and a few drinks in one of the most bar-packed towns in Florida — before heading out the following day. Whether you come in by car along US...
It’s a slice of the Caribbean in America, this scattering of coral rock islands in shallow seas, kissed by the tradewinds, topped with tropical forests, and blessed with pleasant weather year-round. The Florida Keys arc southwest from the tip of the Florida peninsula, south of Miami, ending at the Tortugas, less than a hundred miles by sea from Havana, Cuba....
Shimmering springs in aquamarine, teal, and robin’s-egg blue. Vast forests of leafy green, and rolling hills topped with grassy pastures. As a resident of this region for much of my life, I paint it in shades of blue and green, the contrast of sparkling waterways, lakes, and springs with woodlands, farms, and fields. Other friends paint it in blue and orange,...
If there’s one word that defines Florida’s Panhandle, it’s slow. And I mean that in the most positive way. Visiting here means you’ll take a relaxing break from the rush and bustle you find elsewhere in Florida, and isn’t that what a vacation is for, after all? Also known as Northwest Florida, Florida’s Panhandle is separated by geography from the...
Whether you thrill to the rumble of a rocket launch at Kennedy Space Center or the sight of roseate spoonbills picking their way across the mud flats of the Indian River Lagoon, the Space Coast provides adventure at both ends of the spectrum: adrenaline and nature. It’s here that you can touch the stars – or at least a piece...
Blue skies, swaying palm trees, emerald waters, and more than a thousand miles of shimmering sandy beaches. That’s Florida, for most visitors. Or if you’re traveling with young children, the magic of our theme parks, especially Walt Disney World, is foremost on your mind. But if that’s all you explore, you’re missing out. Spanning two time zones, this is an...
For the region I roam the most, Florida’s Panhandle. Most people who go there are focused on the beaches: Panama City Beach, Destin-Fort Walton, Pensacola Beach. But the wild sweep of the Big Bend, the vast forests (Apalachicola, Eglin, and Blackwater), and the spectacular but little-known springs and creeks will stir the heart of every nature lover.