Backroads of Florida: Your Guide to Great Day Trips & Weekend Getaways

Away from the bustle of Miami Beach and the tourist extravaganza of Disney World, another Florida beckons to those looking for backroads adventure, quieter fare, or more discriminating fun. This is the Florida where backroads and secret splendors unfold in a landscape rich in the flavors and colors of ancient indigenous cultures, early European settlements, Civil War battles, and myriad Caribbean influences. Authors Paul Franklin and Nancy Mikula take you to every corner of the Sunshine State, from the Panhandle to the Florida Keys, with journeys along miles of spectacular coastline and forays into the wonders of lush interior forests, pristine lakes, and otherworldly swamplands. Florida is home to nearly a dozen national parks, forests, and seashores, and Backroads of Florida explores these attractions and many more, illustrated with breathtaking color photographs throughout. The book presents the background history and culture for Florida's varied natural and human communities along with descriptions of the best destinations and sites to visit during your travels.

Paul Franklin is a travel photographer and writer whose work has appeared in numerous national publications, including Yankee, WoodenBoat, Travel America, Coast to Coast, Harrowsmith, and others. Paul also photographed Voyageur Press\u2019 Our Washington, D.C. and The Barnes and Noble Complete Guide to the Public Parks and Gardens of Washington, D.C. He has authored numerous books, including the Eyewitness Travel Guides Canada and Southwest USA & Las Vegas, and the AAA Spiral Guide to Washington, D.C. He collaborated with Nancy Mikula on South Carolina\u2019s Plantations and Historic Homes for Voyageur Press. He is a member of the American Society of Media Photographers and the American Society of Travel Writers.

Author and researcher Nancy Mikula has a passion for exploring backroads and discovering little-known historic sites. Her articles on travel, historic, and human-interest subjects have appeared in numerous magazines in the United States and Canada, including Maturity, Leisureways, and Writer's Digest. In addition to collaborating on South Carolina's Plantations and Historic Homes, she recently authored the DK Top Ten Guide to Santa Fe, the DK Top Ten Guide to San Antonio. She is co-author of several books, including the Eyewitness Travel Guide Arizona & the Grand Canyon. She spends her winters enjoying the warmth of coastal South Carolina.