165 episodes

Take a weekly trip across Florida with authors Cathy Salustri and Rick Kilby and discover a side of Florida you never knew existed. From the scallops in Panhandle bays to the Hemingway cats in Key West, every week's a Florida adventure. Twice each month, Florida Keys historian Brad Bertelli joins Cathy for premium episodes available to subscribers focused exclusively on the Keys.

Florida Spectacular Cathy Salustri

    • Society & Culture
    • 5.0 • 3 Ratings

Take a weekly trip across Florida with authors Cathy Salustri and Rick Kilby and discover a side of Florida you never knew existed. From the scallops in Panhandle bays to the Hemingway cats in Key West, every week's a Florida adventure. Twice each month, Florida Keys historian Brad Bertelli joins Cathy for premium episodes available to subscribers focused exclusively on the Keys.

    🔒 Florida Keys Spectacular Episode 10: How To Do Bahia Honda

    🔒 Florida Keys Spectacular Episode 10: How To Do Bahia Honda

    Subscriber-only episode
    Send us your Florida questions!
    Brad and Cathy talk about Bahia Honda State Park. Brad shares the little-known history of Bahia Honda's pre-park days, and Cathy talks about which parts are best for camping and water activities. 
    Support the podcast! For $5/month, you get premium Florida Keys history and travel tips with Brad Bertelli and Cathy Salustri.

    Subscribe to The Florida Spectacular newsletter, and keep up with Cathy's travels at greatfloridaroadtrip.com.
    Find her on social media: Facebook.com/SalustriCathy; Twitter/IG: @CathySalustri
    Question or comment? Email: cathy@floridaspectacular.com.

    Free, weekly episodes of "The Florida Spectacular" are co-hosted by Rick Kilby.

    Get Rick's books at rickkilby.com/ and http://studiohourglass.blogspot.com/. Connect: Facebook.com/floridasfountainofyouth, Twitter (@oldfla), and IG (@ricklebee).

    Premium, biweekly episodes of "The Florida Keys" Spectacular are co-hosted by Brad Bertelli. Find Brad's column in The Keys Weekly newspaper, ch...

    • 26 min
    Episode 152: Vero Beach, Florida Indians, and Old Florida

    Episode 152: Vero Beach, Florida Indians, and Old Florida

    Send us your Florida questions!
    Kristalyn Shefveland joins the podcast to talk about her book, Selling Vero Beach. They talk about Vero's history, its first people, and why the past matters to newcomers.
    Links We Mentioned
    Selling Vero Beach: Settler Myths in the Land of the Aís and Seminole
    Florida's disastrous plan for a reservoir
    McKee and Sexton: A Perfect Match
    Where's Waldo?
    Oh, and Cathy's breakfast? Muhammarra dip on gluten-free sourdough toast, with broccoli sprouts
    Support the Show.
    Support the podcast! For $5/month, you get premium Florida Keys history and travel tips with Brad Bertelli and Cathy Salustri.

    Subscribe to The Florida Spectacular newsletter, and keep up with Cathy's travels at greatfloridaroadtrip.com.
    Find her on social media: Facebook.com/SalustriCathy; Twitter/IG: @CathySalustri
    Question or comment? Email: cathy@floridaspectacular.com.

    Free, weekly episodes of "The Florida Spectacular" are co-hosted by Rick Kilby.

    Get Rick's books at rickkilby.com/ and http://studiohourglass.blogspot.com/. Connect: Facebook.com/floridasfountainofyouth, Twitter (@oldfla), and IG (@ricklebee).

    Premium, biweekly episodes of "The Florida Keys" Spectacular are co-hosted by Brad Bertelli. Find Brad's column in The Keys Weekly newspaper, ch...

    • 35 min
    Episode 151: The Belleview Biltmore: Schrödinger's Hotel

    Episode 151: The Belleview Biltmore: Schrödinger's Hotel

    Send us your Florida questions!
    Rick and Cathy welcome Florida historian Joey Vars on the podcast to talk about Henry Plant's Belleview Biltmore hotel. Joey's the former staff historian for the hotel, now called the Belleview. 
    Links We Mentioned
    The Belleview Inn
    Watch Joey's former tour of the Biltmore
    Aerial view of Belleview Biltmore demolition [VIDEO]
    Lost: Belleview Biltmore hotel
    Buy a piece of the Belleview Biltmore at Schiller's Salvage
    Giant Steps: The History of Morton F. Plant Hospital
    Charlotte Douglas' It's About Time on Kindle
    Secrets in the Shadows by Marina Malcolm (pen name of Charlotte Douglas)
    Other Charlotte Douglas books still available
    Support the Show.
    Support the podcast! For $5/month, you get premium Florida Keys history and travel tips with Brad Bertelli and Cathy Salustri.

    Subscribe to The Florida Spectacular newsletter, and keep up with Cathy's travels at greatfloridaroadtrip.com.
    Find her on social media: Facebook.com/SalustriCathy; Twitter/IG: @CathySalustri
    Question or comment? Email: cathy@floridaspectacular.com.

    Free, weekly episodes of "The Florida Spectacular" are co-hosted by Rick Kilby.

    Get Rick's books at rickkilby.com/ and http://studiohourglass.blogspot.com/. Connect: Facebook.com/floridasfountainofyouth, Twitter (@oldfla), and IG (@ricklebee).

    Premium, biweekly episodes of "The Florida Keys" Spectacular are co-hosted by Brad Bertelli. Find Brad's column in The Keys Weekly newspaper, ch...

    • 46 min
    Episode 150: Florida Springs: How Anyone Can Help

    Episode 150: Florida Springs: How Anyone Can Help

    Send us your Florida questions!
    Ryan Smart, Executive Director of the Florida Springs Council, joins Cathy and Rick on the podcast to answer a listener's questions about Florida springs.
    Q: If the springs naturally come to the surface, why would the bottled water companies need permits to pump out? 
    A: We answer this more in-depth in the podcast, but it's because they don't scoop the water out of the springhead — they tap the spring with a well, and they need permission for that. 
    Q:  When I lived in Orlando there was a Spring on the West bound lanes of Hwy. 17-92 in Longwood and people, including myself, would just stop with empty milk bottles and fill up with the spring water and drink it at home. They have since shut the location off from the public and I don’t know the current status.
     A: That's near the now-gone famous tree in Sanford, the Senator, and yes, you're correct, it is closed to the public. 
    Q: Could you repeat the ways to help springs ? 
    1. Stop drinking bottled water.
    2. Plant Florida-friendly landscaping.
    3. Turn off your irrigation or change to drip irrigation.
    4. Don't fertilize.
    5. Connect with and support with a group advocating for springs. A great start is the Florida Springs Council or any of Florida's  Riverkeepers. Get involved!
    Things You Can Do To Make a Difference
    Berkey water filters
    Five-gallon water jugs and USB water jug dispensers
    Links We Mentioned
    Santa Fe Springs Celebration (April 27, 2024)
    Support the Show.
    Support the podcast! For $5/month, you get premium Florida Keys history and travel tips with Brad Bertelli and Cathy Salustri.

    Subscribe to The Florida Spectacular newsletter, and keep up with Cathy's travels at greatfloridaroadtrip.com.
    Find her on social media: Facebook.com/SalustriCathy; Twitter/IG: @CathySalustri
    Question or comment? Email: cathy@floridaspectacular.com.

    Free, weekly episodes of "The Florida Spectacular" are co-hosted by Rick Kilby.

    Get Rick's books at rickkilby.com/ and http://studiohourglass.blogspot.com/. Connect: Facebook.com/floridasfountainofyouth, Twitter (@oldfla), and IG (@ricklebee).

    Premium, biweekly episodes of "The Florida Keys" Spectacular are co-hosted by Brad Bertelli. Find Brad's column in The Keys Weekly newspaper, ch...

    • 42 min
    🔒 Florida Keys Spectacular Episode 9: Robbie's Marina: So much more than a tourist joint

    🔒 Florida Keys Spectacular Episode 9: Robbie's Marina: So much more than a tourist joint

    Subscriber-only episode
    Send us your Florida questions!
    If you've driven past it and not stopped, you don't know what you're missing. Sure, you can do tourist things like feed a tarpon and have a frozen drink... but they also have a fantastic fish sandwich, knowledgeable fishing guides, and one particularly amazing Florida Keys historian (and some other stuff, too.)

    Learn what Brad and Cathy both love Robbie's — and the family who owns it.
    Support the podcast! For $5/month, you get premium Florida Keys history and travel tips with Brad Bertelli and Cathy Salustri.

    Subscribe to The Florida Spectacular newsletter, and keep up with Cathy's travels at greatfloridaroadtrip.com.
    Find her on social media: Facebook.com/SalustriCathy; Twitter/IG: @CathySalustri
    Question or comment? Email: cathy@floridaspectacular.com.

    Free, weekly episodes of "The Florida Spectacular" are co-hosted by Rick Kilby.

    Get Rick's books at rickkilby.com/ and http://studiohourglass.blogspot.com/. Connect: Facebook.com/floridasfountainofyouth, Twitter (@oldfla), and IG (@ricklebee).

    Premium, biweekly episodes of "The Florida Keys" Spectacular are co-hosted by Brad Bertelli. Find Brad's column in The Keys Weekly newspaper, ch...

    • 24 min
    Episode 149: Top Tiki Bars and Experiences in Florida

    Episode 149: Top Tiki Bars and Experiences in Florida

    Send us your Florida questions!
    Cathy and Rick talk about their favorite Tiki bars and events in Florida. 
    Links We Mentioned
    The Donn of Tiki film
    Tiki hotels in Daytona Beach
    Tiki Bars
    Bahi Hut in Sarasota
    The Wreck Bar in Fort Lauderdale (Rick's post)
    Mai Kai in Fort Lauderdale (Rick's post)
    Don the Beachcomber in Madeira Beach
    Suffering Bastard in Sanford
    Trader Sam's Grog Grotto at Walt Disney World
    Bar Tiki on Clearwater Beach
    Tiki Events in Florida
    Tiki-a-Go-Go
    The Hukilau (Rick's post)
    Support the Show.
    Support the podcast! For $5/month, you get premium Florida Keys history and travel tips with Brad Bertelli and Cathy Salustri.

    Subscribe to The Florida Spectacular newsletter, and keep up with Cathy's travels at greatfloridaroadtrip.com.
    Find her on social media: Facebook.com/SalustriCathy; Twitter/IG: @CathySalustri
    Question or comment? Email: cathy@floridaspectacular.com.

    Free, weekly episodes of "The Florida Spectacular" are co-hosted by Rick Kilby.

    Get Rick's books at rickkilby.com/ and http://studiohourglass.blogspot.com/. Connect: Facebook.com/floridasfountainofyouth, Twitter (@oldfla), and IG (@ricklebee).

    Premium, biweekly episodes of "The Florida Keys" Spectacular are co-hosted by Brad Bertelli. Find Brad's column in The Keys Weekly newspaper, ch...

    • 36 min

Customer Reviews

5.0 out of 5
3 Ratings

3 Ratings

jleuschke ,

Great podcast about Florida

A really interesting listen for anyone interested in learning more about Florida and the state’s history! The host is a great author and does a really job of choosing interesting guests!

Top Podcasts In Society & Culture

Stuff You Should Know
iHeartPodcasts
Fail Better with David Duchovny
Lemonada Media
Soul Boom
Rainn Wilson
This American Life
This American Life
Sixteenth Minute (of Fame)
Cool Zone Media and iHeartPodcasts
Freakonomics Radio
Freakonomics Radio + Stitcher

You Might Also Like

The Florida Madcaps
Sunshine State Seekers and the Florida Excursionist
Naturally Florida
Shannon Carnevale and Lara Milligan
Welcome to Florida
Chadd Scott
America’s National Parks Podcast
RV Miles Network
Travel with Rick Steves
Rick Steves
The RV Atlas Podcast
RVFTA Podcast Network