Real Florida: A Travel Guide for the Passionate Yet Practical

My husband and I stole away last autumn for a week in Florida and we had a wonderful time using Real Florida as a supplement to a Frommer's guide. It was my first visit to Sanibel, but we will be back again some day. Fabulous in fall! This book offers a unique and very cool blend of budget-minded things and places that also lean toward romance. What a perfect combination. For me, the fact that it doesn't include detailed maps isn't an issue. Travel book maps are too small to be of much use anyway, and we always stop at Welcome Centers to get free Florida maps.

My wife and I will be taking this book with us again this March when we visit Florida for spring training. We relied on it last year for day trips and one or two overnight explorations around the state. It is excellent.You can tell this book is independently written and not the typical corporate tour guide. The tips and opinions suited us just right as we prefer to see Florida off the beaten path. Besides, we've already seen most of the touristy "hot spots." Thankfully, Real Florida gives you plenty of alternatives that are not too pricey, and we look forward to checking out more of them on our next trip.

My wife and I agree with the philosophy of this book...we think it's definitely on the right track. We have grown weary of the gigantic Orlando resorts and their artificial commercialism. We prefer Lake Wales and Bok Tower, for example, places that are both old-fashioned and a sensory pleasure. The same is true of other destinations recommended in Real Florida, such as St. Petersburg and Sanibel Island, although the latter can be a stretch of the budget. The best part is, the people in these unique places are usually sincere and unaffected, and the pace is much more appealing than that of theme park mania. Congratulations to the author for his "budget-romance" concept