Explore every episode of the podcast Florida Travel Fanatics
| Title | Pub. Date | Duration | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 55 : Hurricane Helene and Hurricane Milton : our experiences, the aftermath, and lessons learned. | 16 Oct 2024 | 00:26:12 | |
In this special "double hurricane" episode, we'll talk in depth about Hurricanes Helene and Milton, which hit Florida within 13 days of each other. We live fairly close to the Gulf of Mexico and experienced it first hand. We didn't spend much time editing this episode because we wanted you to hear it within just a few days after Milton and hear our experience and perspective. This episode was recorded just 6 days after Milton, which gave us time to see the aftermath first hand. As we recorded this episode, there are still flooded roads and homes, thousands without power, and life is just starting to go back to normal here on the affected areas of Florida. Our thoughts and prayers go out to all people affected by these storms, including people in Georgia, South Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia, and especially western North Carolina. | |||
| 54 : How to enjoy professional and college sports in Florida ! | 09 Oct 2024 | 00:33:12 | |
Sporting events are very popular in Florida, whether it's professional or college sports. In this episode we'll talk about how you can enjoy Florida sporting events including football, hockey, baseball, basketball, soccer, golf, and auto racing. No matter what time of year you're in Florida, there's always a sporting event to attend. | |||
| 45: How to enjoy Florida's "Off the Beaten Path" Beaches! Part 1 | 27 Mar 2024 | 00:38:36 | |
Florida is famous for well known beaches like Miami Beach, Clearwater-St Pete, Sanibel Captiva, Daytona Beach, and Fort Lauderdale. In this episode we'll talk about lesser known beaches that experienced Florida travelers and locals prefer. From Fernandina Beach all the way around the state to Perdido Key, we'll talk about some fantastic beaches that many of you have never heard of. | |||
| 44: Planes, Trains and NOT Automobiles: How to enjoy Florida without driving ! | 14 Mar 2024 | 00:28:27 | |
Roadtripping in Florida can be a lot of fun, but sometimes you just don't want to drive when you're traveling ! In this episode we'll talk about ways to get around in Florida that don't involve driving, which includes a regional Florida airline, train travel, ferries, and water taxis. | |||
| 43: How to enjoy Florida seafood! | 27 Feb 2024 | 00:41:17 | |
Given that Florida is a peninsula surrounded by saltwater, it's no suprise that it's one of the best places in the world to get fresh seafood. In this episode we'll talk about how to enjoy Florida oysters, blue crabs, stone crab claws, spiny lobster, and fish throughout the state. Whether you're trying to catch it yourself, find a local seafood market, or look for a great local seafood restaurant, we'll cover it all. Chef Heather will offer advice on how to cook it yourself ! | |||
| 42 : How to enjoy aviation museums and air shows in Florida ! | 18 Feb 2024 | 00:26:50 | |
Florida has a long history with aviation, especially military aviation. And our mild weather is ideal to host large air shows. In this episode we'll give you our advice on how to best enjoy these museums and air shows, from the National Naval Aviation Museum in Pensacola to an air show over Miami Beach. | |||
| 41: How to enjoy concerts and live music in Florida ! | 01 Feb 2024 | 00:25:38 | |
Florida is full of great live music, whether it's a big concert at a stadium from a world famous band like the Rolling Stones, a small and intimate jazz club in Miami Beach, or the Key West Song Writer's Festival. In this episode we'll talk about how you can enjoy concerts and live music during your next trip to Florida. We'll tell you how to find bands you want to hear, or just a local venue for a night of live music from a local band you've probably never heard of. | |||
| 40: How to enjoy hiking in Florida ! | 19 Jan 2024 | 00:23:38 | |
When you think of places to hike, Florida is probably the last place you'd think of. However, Florida has hundreds of excellent places to hike, including the 1,400 mile Florida Trail ! In this episode we'll talk about the Trail and other great places to hike in Florida, as well as recommend some websites, apps, and books to help you find a Florida hike that's perfect for you. First departure from Miami (night time) | |||
| 39: How to enjoy Florida's Manatees! | 04 Jan 2024 | 00:23:41 | |
Seeing manatees in Florida is a unique experience that everyone should do in their lifetime! To see these large but docile and curious creators lumbering through the water is a special treat. In this episode we'll talk about the different ways to see them, when and where to see them, and even a way to see some during the summer months. We'll also talk about some of the experiences we've had with them, including kayaking over juvenile manatees at Crystal River, watching them from the boardwalk at Three Sisters Spring, and seeing them along with Spotted Eagle Rays at the Teco Manatee Viewing Center in Tampa. | |||
| 38 : The 12 Months of Florida : The Best Things to Do All Year Long! | 21 Dec 2023 | 00:39:02 | |
If you're planning a trip to Florida and wondering about the weather and what time of year to visit and what activities you can enjoy, this episode is for you. We'll offer advice and suggestions on how to enjoy the weather and many Florida activities ALL 12 months of the year. | |||
| 37: How to eat well on your next Florida trip ! | 05 Dec 2023 | 00:27:34 | |
Eating well on vacation or trip to Florida doesn't have to be expensive or complicated. In this we'll talk about eating on a budget, how to shop for groceries and alcohol in Florida, how to cook in your hotel or rental home, how to find good local restaurants (including our favorites!) and all the way up to Florida's Michelin Guide ! We'll also recommend Florida specific foods such as grouper, stone crab claws, Gulf ship and oysters, Key Lime pie, and gator nuggets. Gasparilla Pirate Fest : https://www.visittampabay.com/tampa-events/gasparilla-season/gasparilla-pirate-fest/ https://www.nerdwallet.com/article/travel/how-to-get-free-breakfast-at-these-8-major-hotels
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| 36: Fifty unique Florida vacation activities that you've probably never heard of ! | 23 Nov 2023 | 00:47:05 | |
Florida has hundreds of unique and different activities that you can enjoy. In this episode we're recommending 50 specific activities, most of which we think you've never heard of before ! | |||
| 53: How to enjoy the "OTHER" Miami Beach | 02 Sep 2024 | 00:34:38 | |
Our Links : | |||
| 35: How to plan a family vacation to Florida ! | 07 Nov 2023 | 00:35:21 | |
Florida is a great place for a family vacation ! In this episode, we'll give you some advice and ideas on how to plan and enjoy a Florida vacation with your family. We're including suggestions on how to teach your children to learn to travel well ! We're grateful that our parents taught us to travel and to enjoy it, and we hope you'll do the same for your children. https://www.allrecipes.com/article/what-is-rachel-sandwich/ http://www.friendstheexperience.com/Miami https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oueTsxYjeBo https://www.miamiartweek.org/ | |||
| 34: How to enjoy a romantic weekend getaway in Florida | 24 Oct 2023 | 00:55:06 | |
Florida is a great place for a romantic weekend getaway ! In this episode we'll give you some ideas for different activities and places to go to have a memorable weekend with someone special. From downtown Pensacola to St Augustine to South Beach ! | |||
| 33: How to enjoy Florida's State Parks part 5 | 10 Oct 2023 | 00:36:47 | |
Florida's State Parks are amazing places to visit, whether you're looking for a pristine beach, bike trails, snorkeling, or bird watching. The episode is the fifth of a five part series covering State Parks all over Florida. Part 5 is from State Park's District 5 between Fort Pierce to Key West on Florida's lower east coast. | |||
| 32: How to enjoy Florida's State Parks part 4 | 26 Sep 2023 | 00:39:21 | |
Florida's State Parks are amazing places to visit, whether you're looking for a pristine beach, bike trails, snorkeling, or bird watching. The episode is the fourth of a five part series covering State Parks all over Florida. Part 4 is from State Park's District 4 between Weekie Wachee and the Everglades on Florida's west coast. | |||
| 31: How to enjoy Florida's State Parks part 3 | 12 Sep 2023 | 00:26:44 | |
Florida's State Parks are amazing places to visit, whether you're looking for a pristine beach, bike trails, snorkeling, or bird watching. The episode is the third of a five part series covering State Parks all over Florida. Part 3 is from State Park's District 3 between Jacksonville and Fort Pierce on Florida's east coast. | |||
| 30: How to enjoy Florida's State Parks part 2 | 29 Aug 2023 | 00:42:01 | |
Florida's State Parks are amazing places to visit, whether you're looking for a pristine beach, bike trails, snorkeling, or bird watching. The episode is the second of a five part series covering State Parks all over Florida. Part 2 is from State Park's District 2, between Tallahassee, Amelia Island, and Crystal River on the Gulf coast. | |||
| 29: How to enjoy Florida's State Parks part 1 | 15 Aug 2023 | 00:42:21 | |
Florida's State Parks are amazing places to visit, whether you're looking for a pristine beach, bike trails, snorkeling, or bird watching. The episode is the first of five part series covering State Parks all over Florida. Part 1 is from State Park's District 1, between Perdido Key and Tallahassee. State Parks Map by District (large .pdf file) | |||
| 28: How to enjoy Florida's wildlife : Zoos, Aquariums and Natural Habitats | 01 Aug 2023 | 00:38:36 | |
Florida has dozens of wildlife attractions: Zoos, aquariums, habitats, animal rescue facilities, and real animals in the wild. In this episode, we'll talk all about the wonderful critters you can see in Florida. From gators to guide dogs to capybaras to manatees and sea turtles, there's something for everyone. | |||
| 27: How to enjoy Florida's islands ! | 18 Jul 2023 | 00:30:10 | |
When you think about Florida, the term "islands" doesn't usually come to mind. But Florida has islands throughout the state, from the barrier islands along the coastline, to the Florida Keys, to remote islands like Cedar Key and St George Island. In this episode, we'll talk about how you can enjoy islands throughout the state in your next Florida trip or vacation. https://navalaviationmuseum.org/blueangels/ Travel + Leisure Guide to best 10 Islands in Florida VisitFlorida.com guide to Anna Maria Island VisitFlorida.com romantic guide to Little Palm Island | |||
| 26: Famous Movies and TV shows filmed in Florida | 04 Jul 2023 | 00:33:00 | |
Florida has been a popular place to make movies and TV shows since the silent movies of the early 1900s. In this episode we have fun talking about the history of film and media in Florida, including well known and some not so well known movies and TV shows that were filmed here. In several cases, there are locations from movies and TV shows that you can actually visit while you're here in Florida, including the house from Scarface, the Yearling restaurant, and the bar from John Candy's movie "Summer Rental". | |||
| 52: How to enjoy Venice Beach Florida ! | 05 Aug 2024 | 00:26:46 | |
Venice Beach, Florida is a sister city to Venice, Italy and it shows. It's a beautiful place with a quaint downtown area, a stunning beach, great restaurants, and plenty of fun things to do. In this episode we'll talk about the area and suggest some fun things to do regardless of the time of year. From The Bean Depot to Clyde Butcher's photo studio, you'll find something in this episode that'll interest you. We also talk about going through Tropical Storm Debby, the new Rays baseball stadium, and how to enjoy Miami Spice restaurant months. | |||
| 25: How to enjoy Florida's breweries, wineries, and distilleries | 21 Jun 2023 | 00:33:58 | |
In Florida there are 372 craft breweries, 49 distilleries, 40 wineries, and 19 cideries and meaderies. In this episode, we'll give advice on how you can enjoy a craft adult beverage in Florida, whether you live here or are making a trip here. We'll discuss our favorite breweries, wineries, and distilleries, and we'll also talk about some "off the beaten path" ways to enjoy a few drinks with your dog or your friends. Mirada Lagoon, San Antonio Florida Good Times Dog Bar, Flagler Beach | |||
| 24: How to enjoy Florida's National Parks | 06 Jun 2023 | 00:44:50 | |
Florida is home to eleven U.S. National Park properties, with everything from spectacular beaches to incredible outdoor adventures to amazing historical sites. Spread throughout the state, there's always a National Park property nearby. In this episode, we'll talk about all eleven Parks and give you tips on how to enjoy them all. | |||
| 23: How to enjoy snorkeling and scuba diving in Florida ! | 23 May 2023 | 00:45:00 | |
Florida is world famous for it's sandy beaches and it's clear warm waters. In this episode, we'll give you advice on how you can enjoy snorkeling and scuba diving in Florida. The water here is incredible, and we've got a TON of information to share with you and a lot of suggestions of how YOU can enjoy the water in Florida. Conde Nast Traveller magazine recently released their hotlist for cruises Best website for scuba diving in Florida: VisitFlorida.com page for snorkel and scuba Shipwreck Park's Wahoo Bay : https://wahoobay.org/ SeaHive System Booking.com spearfishing link : https://fishingbooker.com/blog/spearfishing-florida/ | |||
| 22: How to enjoy Florida's springs ! | 10 May 2023 | 00:41:10 | |
The freshwater springs in Florida create some of the best recreational opportunities in the state, including swimming, snorkeling, scuba diving, and camping. Never heard about Florida's springs ? In this episode, we talk about the geology, history, and appeal of the springs. We'll also talk about several springs including Rainbow Springs, Weeki Watchi, Manatee Springs, Ponce De Leon Springs, and Salt Springs (among others). | |||
| 21: Off the Beaten Path Part 2 : The Florida travel you've never heard about | 26 Apr 2023 | 00:38:18 | |
Our Links : | |||
| 20: How to enjoy golf in Florida, even if you're not a golfer! | 11 Apr 2023 | 00:38:30 | |
Florida is home to 1,100 golf courses and is considered one of the top golf desinations in the world. But there are also fun golf related and golf themed activities you can enjoy in Florida, even if you're not a golfer. We'll talk about those activities in this episode, as well as provide tips and suggestions for you golfers to come to Florida and enjoy playing a round or two. | |||
| 19: Local's Guide to having fun in St Petersburg ! | 28 Mar 2023 | 00:32:32 | |
Saint Petersburg is a fun place to enjoy a wide variety of activities, whether it's downtown or at the beach. As Tampa Bay area locals, we'll go into detail in this episode on how to best enjoy St Pete ! Tampa airport : order food via Uber Eats Salvador Dali Art Museum Jannus Live concert venue St Pete Grand Prix Don Cesar hotel in St Pete Beach PaddleFlorida.net list of kayaking/SUP spots in West Central Florida
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| 18. Saint Augustine : how to enjoy this ancient Florida city | 14 Mar 2023 | 00:29:07 | |
Saint Augustine is the oldest city in America, founded in 1565. The history and Spanish architecture make this one of our "must do" trips in Florida. In this episode, we'll talk about our own recent trip to St Augustine and we'll give you tips and tricks on the best way to enjoy the sights, activities, food, and drink in this amazing city. https://www.citystaug.com/693/Our-History Henry Flagler hotel tour at Flagler College https://www.trolleytours.com/st-augustine/2-day-itinerary St Augustine Fish Camp Restaurant San Sebastian Winery Live Music Calendar | |||
| 17. Off the Beaten Path : the Florida travel you've never heard about | 28 Feb 2023 | 00:38:54 | |
Florida is world famous for it's beaches and theme parks. But there are dozens of things to do and see in Florida that are "Off the Beaten Path" that most people don't know about. In this episode, we'll share with you the best of these lesser known activities and locations, from overnight island camping to a guide dog experience. Paynes Prairie State Park | |||
| 16. How to enjoy Fishing in Florida | 14 Feb 2023 | 00:32:01 | |
Florida is one of the top fishing destinations in the world ! In this episode, we'll talk about how enjoy inshore and offshore charter fishing, party boats, surf fishing, fresh water inland fishing, spear fishing, as well as catching scallops and spiny lobsters. | |||
| 51: Borderline Adventures: How to Enjoy Easy Trips Just Outside Florida! | 01 Jul 2024 | 00:24:56 | |
Florida is a great place to travel to, but it's also a great place to travel FROM. In this episode we'll talk about quick trips just outside Florida, from Caribbean cruises to the Bahamas, driving to New Orleans from the Panhandle, or even a trip to Cuba. | |||
| 15: How to enjoy Bike Riding in Florida | 01 Feb 2023 | 00:20:14 | |
Florida is packed with places to enjoy bike riding year round ! In this episode, we'll talk about all the bike trails, beach rides, mountain biking and many other places to ride, as well as share with your our favorite rides that we've done. | |||
| 14: How to do a Florida Road Trip | 17 Jan 2023 | 00:30:56 | |
There's a lot to see and do in Florida, and road tripping is one of them. It's our favorite way to travel around the state, and in this episode we'll share tips and tricks on how to maximize your Florida road trip. We'll also talk about enjoying professional baseball's Spring Training "Grapefruit League", as well as the professional golf Florida Swing of the PGA Tour ! | |||
| 13. How to plan a successful trip to Florida | 03 Jan 2023 | 00:33:08 | |
Trip planning is key to a successful trip ! Whether you like travel planning, or would rather have someone else do it for you, we've got some tips and tricks in this episode for you to have a successful travel plan for your next visit to Florida ! | |||
| 12. How to enjoy the Holiday season in Florida | 20 Dec 2022 | 00:33:36 | |
Florida is a great place to visit during the Holiday Season from Thanksgiving to New Years Day! In this episode we'll talk about the weather during that season, and give you some suggestions about the various light shows and other events around the state. We'll talk about outdoor ice skating, snow tubing, and seeing the Trans Siberian Orchestra in concert ! FWC RedTide link : https://myfwc.com/research/redtide/statewide/ Clearwater St Pete Beach status : www.BeachesUpdate.com TSA Precheck : https://www.tsa.gov/precheck Ordering national park passes : https://store.usgs.gov/recreational-passes Enchant Christmas : https://enchantchristmas.com/ Edison Ford Winter Estates : https://www.edisonfordwinterestates.org/events/47th-annual-holiday-nights-celebration/ | |||
| 11. How to have a great Florida beach day ! | 06 Dec 2022 | 00:50:24 | |
The #1 attraction in Florida is our incredible 825 miles of beaches throughout the state. In this episode, we'll talk about how you can pick the right beach, the right time of year, and what to bring to the beach so you can have your best possible beach day here in Florida.
Free Discover Florida Channel : https://www.discoverfloridachannel.com/apps/member/login AAA article on 5 Less Crowded beaches : https://www.aaa.com/tripcanvas/article/TT572096/5-Less-Crowded-Beaches-in-Florida US News & World Report Article on 15 Best Beaches in Florida : https://travel.usnews.com/rankings/best-florida-beaches/ Kenny Chesney Flora Bama video on Youtube : https://youtu.be/kqzM7bP6aRY | |||
| 10. Northeast Florida coast and beaches trip : how to enjoy this less traveled part of Florida ! | 22 Nov 2022 | 00:37:58 | |
We recently spent several days exploring the Northeast coast of Florida between Titusville and Amelia Island, including St Augustine, New Smyrna Beach, and Ponte Vedra. In this episode, we'll talk about where we stayed, dined, and explored. Enjoy! | |||
| 9: Locals Guide : how to enjoy the best of Tampa ! | 08 Nov 2022 | 00:41:02 | |
We live in Tampa and love it ! Since we moved here in 2017, we've enjoyed many of the things to do around our area. In this episode, we'll share with you our "Bakers Dozen" of the best 13 things to do in Tampa. Enjoy ! | |||
| 8. Explore Tampa Bay in 1 Day ! | 25 Oct 2022 | 00:32:53 | |
We live in the Tampa area, and are fortunate to have friends and family visit us regularly. We enjoy taking them on a 1 day tour of the best of the Tampa Bay region, which includes Ybor City, Sparkman Wharf, downtown Saint Petersburg, and a tour of the entire beach region from the southern tip of St Pete Beach all the way to Clearwater Beach, ending in a spectacular Gulf Coast sunset. In this episode we'll explain how you can also go on this 1 day "sampler" of the Tampa Bay region. Enjoy! | |||
| 7: How you can move to Florida ! | 11 Oct 2022 | 00:36:29 | |
1300 people move to Florida every day ! Are you next ? A lot of us vacation in Florida, and eventually decide to move here. In this episode, we'll talk about the "why's and how's" of moving to Florida, and our story of moving to Tampa in 2017. | |||
| 6: Saving money on your next trip to Florida | 28 Sep 2022 | 00:41:09 | |
Vacations can be expensive ! As frequent Florida travelers, we've learned a thing or two about saving money in Florida, and in this episode we'll share some of our best tips with you. Date Night Guide Free Orlando : https://orlandodatenightguide.com/75-free-things-to-do-in-orlando/ Date Night Guide Free Tampa: https://tampabaydatenightguide.com/free-things-to-do-in-tampa-bay/ | |||
| 50 : How to enjoy the 4th of July Holiday in Florida ! | 19 Jun 2024 | 00:31:27 | |
Florida is a great place to celebrate the 4th of July ! In this episode, we'll discuss several unique locations around the state to enjoy fireworks shows and other celebratory activities like watermelon eating contests, food trucks, live music, a drone show, etc. | |||
| 5: Tips and Tricks on cruise vacations from Florida | 13 Sep 2022 | 00:49:03 | |
Florida has several great cruise ports, and we love to go on cruises. We've been on several cruises, including a Cuba cruise. In this episode, we'll give advice to cruise newbies on how to choose a cruise, as well as a dozen tips and tricks to help make your cruise vacation more enjoyable and stress free. | |||
| 4: Visiting Florida's Space Coast and watching a Rocket Launch ! | 30 Aug 2022 | 00:31:41 | |
The Florida Space Coast is one of our favorite places to visit, especially when we get to watch a rocket launch from Kennedy Space Center. In this episode, we offer a bunch of advice about the best way to watch a launch, visit the Kennedy vistor's center, and enjoy the Space Coast. | |||
| 3: Florida Panhandle : how to enjoy a trip along the Emerald Coast ! | 16 Aug 2022 | 00:44:48 | |
We recently had an amazing trip along the coastal and beach areas of the Florida Panhandle. We went to Cedar Key, St George Island, Panama City Beach, Apalachicola, Fort Walton Beach, Destin Beach, Seaside, Grayton Beach, Rosemary Beach, and Pensacola. In this episode, we talk about places to visit, restaurants we enjoyed, and we'll recommend different ways and different times of year to enjoy the Panhandle | |||
| 2: Kayaking and Stand Up Paddleboarding in Florida | 03 Aug 2022 | 00:44:14 | |
Kayaking and Stand Up Paddle boarding are two of our favorite activities in Florida. In this episode, we'll give you some practical advice on how to enjoy more than 100 paddling locations across the state. | |||