Author Archives: floridatraveler

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About floridatraveler

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

10 Things Floridians Don’t Know About the Civil War in Florida

Posted on December 1, 2014 by floridatraveler

We are entering the last months of the 150th anniversary of the American Civil War with just a few events for me to later add next year.  Since most Floridians don’t have Sunshine roots, here are some things you probably don’t know about … Continue reading →

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Still The Last Great Roadhouse Beach Bar

Posted on November 23, 2014 by floridatraveler

Still The Last Great Roadhouse Beach Bar.

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Still The Last Great Roadhouse Beach Bar

Posted on November 23, 2014 by floridatraveler

You can’t go any more west in Florida than the infamous Flora-Bama Lounge located on Perdido Key directly on the Alabama-Florida line.   In fact, the rustic honky-tonk opened in 1964  just after the State of Alabama connected Orange Beach, Alabama, … Continue reading →

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Florida’s Best Small Beach Town Vacations

Posted on November 17, 2014 by floridatraveler

If  you’re sick of the crowded beaches and high prices of Florida’s huge winter vacation towns you might consider spending some time this season in some of Florida’s smaller beach communities.   They are quieter and less expensive but they offer … Continue reading →

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Tampa Landmarks Turning Into Boutique Hotels

Posted on November 10, 2014 by floridatraveler

Recently Tampa architect Alberto Alfonso announced the development of a new hotel on Ybor City’s historic 7th Avenue at 14th Street.  The hotel will incorporate Ybor’s wraparound balconies, utilize real structures, and restart the Las Novedades restaurant, for decades an Ybor … Continue reading →

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Florida Has Become The Shopping Mall Center of the USA

Posted on November 3, 2014 by floridatraveler

Just returned from shopping at Tampa’s International Mall and saw visitors from Asia and Europe already Christmas shopping at Nordstrom, Neiman Marcus, Apple, Diesel, Montblanc, Hugo Bass, Louis Vuitton and more. As impressive as this mall is it doesn’t rank … Continue reading →

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Its The Start of Art Festival Season In Sunny Florida

Posted on October 25, 2014 by floridatraveler

This weekend my wife and I are going to the 25th Annual Hyde Park Village Art Festival in Tampa as will thousands of others with five Florida festivals going on across the state.. As the rainy season ends, many artists and … Continue reading →

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The Lincoln Road Antique Market Is Florida’s “One of a Kind” Place

Posted on October 20, 2014 by floridatraveler

Across Florida October means Florida’s extensive and popular flea markets are starting to expand as snowbird and vacationing vendors double the number of shops.  There are some great antique and collectible markets like Mount Dora, but to me nothing beats … Continue reading →

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Florida’s Version of Clam Chowder Really Packs A Punch

Posted on October 12, 2014 by floridatraveler

The oldest continuous families in Florida originated from the Balearic Islands.  Most arrived with Dr. Andrew Turnbull’s New Smyrna colony and moved north to Saint Augustine when Turnbull’s community folded by 1777. Fishing and shop-keeping were major mainstay occupations of … Continue reading →

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Florida’s Booming College Population Makes A Lot of #1s

Posted on October 6, 2014 by floridatraveler

Florida’s Booming College Population Makes A Lot of #1s.

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