Author Archives: floridatraveler

About floridatraveler

Historian and travel writer M. C. Bob Leonard makes the Sunshine State his home base. Besides serving as content editor for several textbook publishers and as an Emeritus college professor, he moderates the FHIC at www.floridahistory.org

READY OR NOT: Saint Petersburg’s New Downtown Pier Is Open

Posted on July 18, 2020

After years of complete civil war in downtown Saint Petersburg and $92 million dollars of cost, downtown Saint Petersburg’s Pier has finally opened.  As expected, the pier will continue to get mixed reviews for decades since the old pier (actually … Continue reading →

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The Florida Keys Are Not Just Scuba – Try Snorkel

Posted on July 14, 2020

A lot of people over the years have told me that the Florida Keys may be a wonderful place to boat and fishing and scuba dive, but there are no places to snorkel.  They do not realize that many scuba-diving … Continue reading →

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Vacationing and Taking Trips In The Era of the Virus

Posted on June 27, 2020

Enjoying Florida in the New Normal The rapid spread of the Coronavirus (COVID-19) has had an enormous impact on the vacation plans and travel activities of Americans and people all over the globe.  With concerns about future outbreaks, the effectiveness … Continue reading →

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THE NEW FLORIDA VACATION GUIDE: WHERE ARE THE UNCROWDED BEACHES?

Posted on June 14, 2020

Florida has 670 miles of beaches located on two major bodies of water: the Atlantic Ocean and the Gulf of Mexico.  Yet, if you want to avoid being wall-to-wall with other people or hate beach noise, it may seem there … Continue reading →

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THE “NEW RULES” AT WALT DISNEY WORLD HAVE MANY PEOPLE INCENSED

Posted on June 6, 2020

One of the greatest business challenges to adjust to “the New Normal” in the entire nation is the problems that Walt Disney World and Universal Studios will have to transition toward opening the parks and resorts in July in various … Continue reading →

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DELAND: UNIVERSITY TOWN AND CAPITAL OF VOLUSIA COUNTY

Posted on May 27, 2020

Millions of tourists roll along I-4 between Daytona Beach and Orlando, but few of them turn off at DeLand unless they have real business there.  It is too bad for DeLand is not a typical Central Florida community. DeLand is … Continue reading →

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FLORIDA’S GREATEST MUSICIANS ARE TOO NUMEROUS TO MENTION ALL

Posted on May 16, 2020

Most Floridians and certainly most visitors to Florida do not know that on the Plaza Level in the rotunda of the Capitol building in Tallahassee is the FLORIDA ARTISTS HALL OF FAME. Commissioned in 1986 by the Florida Legislature to … Continue reading →

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PASS-A-GRILLE: GULF FLORIDA’S FIRST BEACH

Posted on May 12, 2020

Florida is slowly opening up and Florida’s beaches, the longest in the United States will play a major role in the economic recovery of Florida’s largest industry – tourism.  I thought it would be appropriate therefore to take a visit … Continue reading →

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SEASIDE: THE TOWN INSIDE THE BUBBLE

Posted on May 3, 2020

Small Town Series: This article is part of one of the series that this website will feature as Florida slowly unwraps from the effects of the virus. This article features small towns most visitors to Florida might not normally put … Continue reading →

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My Favorite Weirdest Attractions in Florida

Posted on April 29, 2020

With the virus limiting travel and tourism in Florida, I am writing articles oriented toward the entire state summarizing some past content and painting a wide picture.  As a history teacher, it irritates me how much of the History Channel … Continue reading →

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