No comments about Tampa Bay Birds: An Introduction to Familiar Species of Tampa Bay FL (Pocket Naturalist - Waterford Press).

1 comments about Best Dives of the Bahamas and Bermuda Turks and Caicos Florida Keys.

1. This book suggests plenty of fun activities - from authors who know where to find the most romantic spots. For couples of all ages and lifestyles, this guide has something to suit every taste and budget. Competing "romantic" guidebooks I've seen are little more than a listing of expensive restaurants and hotels, but Hunter's Romantic Weekends guidebooks are for everyone. Quaint inns & delightful restaurants are included for their high romantic appeal - not their high price tag. Includes Charleston & its barrier islands, the Outer Banks (Roanoke, Hatteras and Nags Head), and Savannah, perhaps the most romantic city in the US

1 comments about Michelin Florida Regional Road Atlas.

1. Please do not waste your time or money on this useless little pamphlet. Amazon says it has 72 pages. This tricked me into thinking it was a real set of maps. IT HAS 32 PAGES. It does not open up nicely. I cannot imagine ANYONE wanting it. Shame on Michelin, one of the most famous names in travel. It is nicely printed. I assume Amazon simply blundered with the page count. It is going back.

No comments about Franko's Florida Keys Reef Creatures by Franko Maps.

2 comments about The Sarasota, Sanibel Island & Naples Book: A Complete Guide (A Great Destinations Guide).

1. Although this book is not on a par with my favorite DK books, it's one of the better that I have seen on this area of Florida. The author gives a good list of things to do, places to see, where to eat, and where to stay. It lacks the punch and polish of some of the travel books (...), but it gets the job done.
   
   My star ratings:
   
   One star - couldn't finish the book
   Two stars - read the book, but did a lot of skipping or scanning. Wouldn't add the book to my permanent collection or search out other books by the author
   Three stars - enjoyable read. Wouldn't add the book to my permanent collection. Would judge other books by the author individually.
   Four stars - Liked the book. Would keep the book or would look for others by the same author.
   Five start - One of my all time favorites. Will get a copy in hardback to keep and will actively search out others by the same author.



2. 
   Now in an updated and expanded third edition, Chelle Koster Walton's The Sarasota, Sanibel Island & Naples Book: A Complete Guide appears has been informatative revised to reflect the many changes affecting the Florida region. Gulf Coast residents, 'snowbirds' and visitors will find Walton provides a bible of seasonal wonders and recommendations, from wilderness areas and accommodations complete with prices to parks, ice cream shops, and special tours. Many of these byways would be missed by visitors were it not for Walton's specifics, making this third edition of Sarasota, Sanibel Island & Naples Book a real winner.

No comments about Roadside History of Florida (Roadside History).

2 comments about South Beach: America's Riviera, Miami Beach, Florida.

1. I have visited South Beach eight times in the past three years and found it very exicting. This book has helped me understand the beginnings of South Beach and the meaning behind Art Deco. Although I fell in love with South Beach at first sight this book makes me love it even more. The book was very well written and the illustrations were very nice. Now that I have read this book I would like to purchase more on South Beach. I hope to visit South Beach again soon and this book makes a good directory.



2. The book "South Beach" is a great read. It covers the death and rebirth of this phat ocean front town. After reading this book it made me want to learn more about Art Deco and how Art Deco made South Beach. I recently went to South Beach and had a blast. If you can't visit South Beach, reading this book will let you know how this exciting place came about.

No comments about Treasure of the Calusa : The Johnson/Willcox Collection from Mound Key, Florida (Monographs in Florida archaeology).

3 comments about A Key West Companion.

1. Key West is such a beautiful place, it deserves to have a book like this written about it. Lovingly crafted by its adoring author, this series of essays doesn't comprise the ordinary "where to shop, eat and stay", advertisement-frenzied travel book. Instead, it's a languid stroll through past and present Key West, accompanied by Cox who whispers many strange and wonderful secrets of "Cayo Hueso" as you float through this weathered paradise.

   Cox spent four months in the "Conch Republic", so there's nothing slick or salesman-like about his observations of this Bohemian enclave. His respect for Key West history and its influence in shaping the present community is obvious. Cox is especially admiring and engaging in his portrayal of real-life "Freshwater and Saltwater Conchs" (as the natives...and not-so-natives...call themselves), all who readily share their interesting stories with him, whether over a frenzied breakfast at a local cafe, or a quiet drink in the shade of a sheltered verandah. Fascinating tales abound in this book, the funniest of which recounts the night the Navy burned confiscated drugs in the City dump on Key West Bight: prevailing winds made this event especially memorable for the natives. Cox goes on to say, "Since then, the government has burned its dope somewhere else."

   Even though the book was published in the 1980's, this first-time 2001 traveler to Key West found it to be a fascinating read about a fascinating place. Its many wonderful treasures, from the carefully restored homes, broken-down military establishments, lazy beaches, historical landmarks and museums, haunting cemeteries, homey bars and saloons, and flourishing retail markets - not to mention the colorful "Conchs" who call the place home - don't seem to occupy a static place in time. Instead, Key West meanders through the years like a lush, tropical, untended garden, changing here and there occasionally, but always maintaining a character that makes it the most intriguing and unexpected pleasure to be savored. Cox's "companion" to this unexpected pleasure is indeed just that - a warm tribute to an old friend. An unexpected pleasure in and of itself, "A Key West Companion" will transport you to that beautiful island for a vacation of the mind, with Cox as your own personal tour guide...and will probably spur you to plan a trip of your own to this weird and wonderful place, even if you've already been there before.




2. In "A Key West Companion", Christopher took me on a tour of the real Key West. He shows that Key West goes deeper than a haven for vacationers. He reveals Key West's golden treasure: The People.



3. almost more of a story than a travel book; well written; useful; gives more of a sense of Key West's flavor

No comments about Tampa, Hillsborough County, FL Street Map: Brandon/Citrus Park/Mango Plant City/Riverview/Temple Terrace (American Map).