This book chronicles a paddling expedition down the restored Kissimmee River, exploring the history and ecology of the region while highlighting the most successful restoration project of its kind in the world.

A New Guide to Old Florida Attraction, 2nd edition is a nostalgic journey through old Florida where mermaids still perform in the waters of Weeki Wachee Springs and the carillon bells of the Bok Towers continue to echo across Iron Mountain near Lake Wales. Monstrous reptiles are ever abundant at Gatorland, Gatorama and dolphins continue to leap at Marineland. The first edition was first place winner of the 2017 Royal Palm Literary Award for published travel book and top five finalist for 2017 book of the year by the Florida Writers Association. The second edition revisits a pride of lions in southeast Florida’s Lion Country Safari and concrete statues at Goofy Gold in Panama City Beach. New destinations include the Citrus Tower in Clermont, the Venetian Pool in Coral Gables and Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden in Miami to name just a few. A New Guide to Old Florida Attractions, 2nd edition takes you to these places and more on an unforgettable journey across the Sunshine State. Discover what Florida's golden age of tourism was, and still is, all about― magical and beautiful.

We are all seekers. Some find their path on pilgrimage to the Mahabodhi Temple in India or the Haji Ali mausoleum as they embark on a journey to Mecca; others find God at the burial site of St. James in the Cathedral de Santiago de Compostela in northwestern Spain. Author and environmentalist Doug Alderson meets the Great Spirit through the ancient spiritual practice of walking. The Vision Keepers is the compelling true story of a seeker who, under the guidance of Bear Heart, a Muskogee Creek Indian and Medicine Man, finds unity with our nation’s native people and reconnects with the earth through profound and mysterious means. At a time when our global community is in great conflict, we can learn much from Native Americans. The Vision Keepers not only recounts the story of one man’s experience with native people and their spirituality, but it offers unique insight into the struggles of an entire culture, personal reconciliation, world peace, and preservation of the Earth and its ancient wisdom.

A comprehensive guide to Florida's Big Bend Coast, one of America's longest and wildest continuous wetlands, introduces readers to Florida's frontier past and evolving future, including little-known stories of backcountry feuds that rivaled the Hatfields and McCoys. Original.

The rivers in Florida are steeped in a rich natural and cultural history. They are avenuesthrough time, allowing us to wrap ourselves in a rich historical tapestry, and they are showcases for wildlife and natural beauty. On some rivers, idyllic scenes are revealed bend after bend for miles and sometimes days, appearing to have changed little since early native people plied the waters in dugout canoes. Imagine gliding along a clear watercourse beneath a leafy canopy of maple, cypress, and gum. The current swirls eelgrass in undulating patterns as schools of silvery mullet shoot past. Ahead, a manatee’s snout breaks the surface in a loud whoosh, its gray body lumbering slowly along and showing little fear as you pass by. A red-shouldered hawk cries and soars over treetops while a black anhinga stretches long wings to dry while perched on a cypress knee. Whether you are viewing a river from the land or, especially, a kayak, canoe, or paddleboard, let Florida's Rivers be your guide to celebrating the state's treasures.

Everyone knows the beaches of Florida are a top spot for locals and tourists alike, but many natives or visitors might not know the intricacies of Florida's coast. Broken down into roughly 12 parts, the entire coast of Florida and the Keys offer beachgoers a unique experience in any part of the state. In Discovering Florida’s Coast, Doug Alderson, popular Florida writer and successful Pineapple Press author, delves into what makes each section of the state’s coast different. From the emerald waters of Pensacola to the man-made islands and amazing skyline of Miami’s Biscayne Bay, readers interested in visiting different parts of the state’s beaches will not only see beautiful photos of the natural scenery but also learn key facts about the areas. Lifelong Floridians and first-time visitors will enjoy reading through and seeing what makes the state so appealing to beach lovers, whether they are interested in the water sports, the wildlife, or relaxing on the beach. See the powdered sugar-like white sands of the Emerald Coast or the historic lighthouses of the Forgotten Coast through the eyes of an author who has not only kayaked in all sections of the state's coastline, but who is a Florida nature and scenery lover through and through.

People have long been fascinated by the American alligator. Ever since humans arrived on the continent more than 15,000 years ago, the American alligator has been both feared and revered, celebrated and scorned, and often hunted for food and hide. Once tourism began to take hold in the South as a real industry, especially in Florida, the alligator took on iconic and even mythical status. “One of the most picturesque features of Florida has always been that uncouth and fierce-looking reptile called the alligator,” wrote Nevin O. Winter in 1918. “Everybody who comes down here to the peninsula has an ambition to see one in the wild.” Seminole Indians wrestled alligators for show. Alligator souvenirs and mascots often took what people feared—a sharp-toothed predator—and made it into something cute and cuddly. Alligator-themed songs were recorded and released, including “See You Later Alligator” by Bill Haley and His Comets. Hollywood into created alligator-themed movies such as Alligator People. Alligators were also reportedly kept in the White House under two presidencies. And perhaps the most unusual alligator story was one that helped to nab Ma Barker and her son Fred when they were hiding out along Florida’s Lake Weir. America’s Alligator examines the colorful and sometimes conflicted relationship our species has had with Alligator mississippiensis. Doug Alderson explores the country’s rich alligator mythology and how it inspired various forms of art, stories, photography, tourism and even humor.

Using iconic images and many not so well-known illustrations, Nostalgic Florida is apictorial history of all that has come to represent Florida in print media. Chapters laden with vintage images explore the myths and reality of Florida as a tropical Eden. Sections on romantic Florida, Florida’s bathing beauties, funny Florida, and working Florida culminates with a chapter on the kitsch that has come to represent the Sunshine State.

Florida's famous swamps—from the Everglades to Mosquito Lagoon to Tate's Hell—serve as fitting backdrops for these chilling original stories. Maybe it's because they are often wet, shadowy places of wild beauty where few people dare to penetrate. They are havens for snakes, alligators, black bears, wildcats, and who knows what. People on the run have often hidden in swamps, while others have gotten lost in the watery expanses; the swamp can be a refuge or a nightmare. Mysterious things just happen in swamps. Maybe it's because they are often wet, shadowy places of wild beauty where few people dare to penetrate. They are havens for snakes, alligators, black bears, wildcats, and who knows what. People on the run have often hidden in swamps, while others have gotten lost in the watery expanses; the swamp can be a refuge or a nightmare. Where else can you find a ghost baby, or an angry specter, or a lost soul? How about a ghost who is obsessed with the ghost orchid, or an alluring snake woman? Throw in a skunk ape or two and you've got the ingredients for many entertaining hours sharing these stories around a campfire or reading them to yourself or out loud.

Eastern bison roamed Florida into the 1800s. Red wolves disappeared in the 1920s. The dusky seaside sparrow was declared extinct in 1990. It's too soon to say whether the 116 threatened, endangered, or imperiled animal species currently found in the state will also fall victim to climate change, extermination, overdevelopment, or poisons. But as long as they remain, there will be men and women who work tirelessly on their behalf. Combining adventure, natural history, and cultural history, Encounters with Florida’s Endangered Wildlife features chapters tracking panthers, black bears, whooping cranes, manatees, sea turtles, even ivory-billed woodpeckers--which may or may not be extinct. Join Doug Alderson as he travels into prairies, woods, springs, and ocean to come face to face with these and other captivating creatures and learns firsthand about their strangled lives and fragile habitats. With a chapter on the impact of non-native populations of Burmese pythons and Rhesus monkeys, as well as a chilling epilogue that imagines the peninsula one hundred years in the future, this book is a must-read for anyone who wants to know more about the current state of wild Florida.