TRAVEL FLORIDA EXPRESSWAYS AND TOLL ROADS

Review by

Along Florida's Expressways
(Mile Oak Publishing Inc.) ISBN 978-1896819082 1896819087

Anyone driving in Florida will find this updated (4th edition) Florida expressways guidebook extremely helpful. The mile-by-mile travel guide contains maps and information on what to see and do, where to stay and eat along freeways and toll routes.

Dave Hunter provides travel information for I-4 (Orlando route), I-10 (drive across the Panhandle), I-75 (Gold Coast route), I-95 (Atlantic Coast route), I-110 (Pensacola Downtown), I-275 (Tampa/St. Pete Bypass), I-295 (Jacksonville Bypass), I-595 (access to Sawgrass Shopping Mall and Port Everglades) and the Florida Turnpike (Florida's "main street").

Toll roads in Florida

He also offers driving information for Florida toll roads, including the Orlando SR528 Beachline, SR417 Greeneway/Seminole Toll Expy, SR408 East-West Expressway, SR618 (Selmon Crosstown in Tampa), SR570 Polk Parkway, SR429 Western Beltway and SR589 Veterans' & Suncoast toll routes on the Gulf Coast.

Information about the SunPass for Florida toll routes is very useful. Dave Hunter's book explains that you can save time and money with a Mini SunPass. (All Canadian license plates are in the Florida database to invoice toll charges by mail.)

Highway maps

The 208-page driving guide has separate sections for Interstate expressways, toll routes and freeways. Color-coded maps for each Florida highway follow the travel information sections.

Like good friends who have traveled these highways many times, Dave and his wife Kathy provide several travel tips, e.g., pick up a free copy of Kissimmee's 192 Guidemarker Map for driving along I-4.

Along Florida's Expressways also includes useful Florida history and topics such as sinkholes, draining the Everglades and Internet discount coupons for shopping at Bealls to make your trip more interesting.

Freeway exits to Orlando theme parks

To make it easier to travel Florida expressways, the book has 89 maps of I-4, I-10, I-75, I-95, the Florida Turnpike (FTP, HEFT and FTP Stadium Expressway), toll routes (exit maps) and other freeways.

Especially helpful when you are driving in Florida are the colored maps of major routes to St. Petersburg (I-275), Jacksonville (I-295) and the Orlando/Kissimmee Expressways, showing exits to theme parks and Orlando International Airport.

Florida city maps

Dave Hunter includes city maps of St. Augustine and Tallahassee Fl, and maps of Miami/Ft. Lauderdale Expressways, showing exits to Miami Cruise Port and Port Everglades. Twenty-one B&W town maps include Fort Pierce and Gainesville.

Purchasers of Along Florida's Expressways have access to the book's website with GPS information, a Florida radio chart (ideal for traffic information) and downloadable Florida city maps.

Things to do

Insider tips tell you what to see in Florida (e.g., Salvador Dali Museum) and ways you can save money while driving in Florida (e.g., free WiFi, one hour of local and long distance calls, hot breakfast, dinner, soft drinks and bar at Drury Hotels). You will also find driving directions to one of Florida's two best used bookstores, Chamblin Bookmine in Jacksonville.

Black-and-white and color photos depict Florida attractions, from Big Cypress Trail to Fort Drum Wildlife Management Area.

Special reports cover topics as diverse as Florida cave diving and manatees (sea cows).

Where to eat

If you are looking for places to eat in Florida, the Hunters' book suggests numerous restaurants personally tested by the authors.

Restaurants include Peebles BBQ in Auburndale, Old Florida Café in Micanopy and Anna Maria Oyster Bar in Ellenton for great lobster bisque. (No establishment paid to be mentioned in the book.)

I-4 traffic information

Travel information for I-4 includes hotels, fast food outlets and gas stations at exits, length of Interstate-4 (132 miles or 212 kilometers) and traffic information (e.g., heavy traffic where I-4 intersects the Florida Turnpike near Orlando).

Along Florida's Expressways also provides information on Florida attractions along I-4, such as Walt Disney World, with driving directions.

Money-saving tips

Don't miss the resources pages at the back of the book. You will find websites that help you to save money and time, such as the Traveler Discount Hotel Coupons site and the Florida Realtime Traffic advisory site.

The money saved by following Kathy and Dave Hunter's tips will pay for the cost of the book many times over its retail price.

Along Florida's Expressways by Dave Hunter

Contents

  • Getting You Started
  • Along Florida's Expressways
  • Interstate-4, The "Orlando" Route
  • Interstate-10, Across the Panhandle
  • Interstate-75, The Gulf Coast Route
  • Interstate-95, The Atlantic Coast Route
  • Two City Bypasses and a Spur
  • The FTP, Florida's "Main Street"
  • Other Expressways
  • City Maps
  • Resources and Abbreviations

Authors

Dave Hunter, and his wife Kathy, are also publishers of Along Interstate 75.


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