Florida Spectacular

By Cathy Salustri & Rick Kilby

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

... more

5

1212 ratings

Download on the App Store

Download on the App Store

Get it on Google Play

FAQs about Florida Spectacular:

How many episodes does Florida Spectacular have?

The podcast currently has 224 episodes available.

Florida Spectacular episodes:

April 09, 2025 Episode 199: Craig Pittman, Naked People, and Dead Bodies
Send us your Florida questions!
Craig Pittman, co-host of the Welcome to Florida podcast, joins Florida Spectacular to talk about his latest book by the same name. This episode takes a roller coaster approach to Florida, and along the way the trio discusses nudist resorts, snakes, where to find dead bodies, and... well, take a listen. It's quite a ride.
Links We Mentioned
Welcome to Florida
Dawn Lee McKenna
God's Trombone's
Florida Phoenix
Flamingo Magazine
FORUM Magazine
Reptile World Serpentarium in Kissimmee
Nowak's Swamparium is gone but there's a book by the owner.
Support the show
Question or comment? Email us at [email protected].

Subscribe to The Florida Spectacular newsletter, and keep up with Cathy's travels at greatfloridaroadtrip.com. Keep up with Rick at studiohourglass.blogspot.com and get his books at rickkilby.com.

Find Cathy on social media: Facebook.com/SalustriCathy and everywhere else as @CathySalustri; connect with Rick Facebook.com/floridasfountainofyouth, Bluesky (@oldfla.bsky.social), and IG (@ricklebee).

NEW: Florida landscape questions — Send us your Florida plant questions and we'll have an expert answer them on the show! Use this link!
...more
58min
April 02, 2025 Episode 198: Let's Go to the Mall: Haunted Malls, Mall Culture, and Oviedo Mall
Send us your Florida questions!
Josh Gunderson, the creative mind behind the popular Oviedo Mall account on Twitter, joins the podcast to talk about mall culture in Florida, his new book, The Lamenting Mall Rats Society, and whether or not Oviedo Mall really is haunted.
Links We Mentioned
@OviedoMall on Threads
The actual Oviedo Mall
The Lamenting Mall Rats Society
B. Dalton Booksellers
District Oviedo
Paddler's Guide to the Sunshine State
Top 3 Oviedo Experiences
Crazy Cork Wine Bar
Pinball Lounge
Find the chickens!
Take the Central Florida Mall Tour
Mall at Millenia
Altamonte Mall
Florida Mall

Support the show
Question or comment? Email us at [email protected].

Subscribe to The Florida Spectacular newsletter, and keep up with Cathy's travels at greatfloridaroadtrip.com. Keep up with Rick at studiohourglass.blogspot.com and get his books at rickkilby.com.

Find Cathy on social media: Facebook.com/SalustriCathy and everywhere else as @CathySalustri; connect with Rick Facebook.com/floridasfountainofyouth, Bluesky (@oldfla.bsky.social), and IG (@ricklebee).

NEW: Florida landscape questions — Send us your Florida plant questions and we'll have an expert answer them on the show! Use this link!
...more
50min
March 26, 2025 Episode 197: Tiki Culture, Clearwater, and Tiki-a-Go-Go
Send us your Florida questions!
Jon Bortles joins Cathy and Rick to talk about Florida Tiki culture and all things Tiki.
Bahi Hut Meetup with Rick, Cathy, and Jon — April 11, 7 p.m.
Links We Mentioned
Tahitian Motor Lodge Tarpon
Tahitian Inn Tampa
Hawaiian Inn Daytona
Best Western Aku Tiki
Peking Palace in Clearwater
Mai Kai
Julian's Ormond Beach
The Honu

Support the show
Question or comment? Email us at [email protected].

Subscribe to The Florida Spectacular newsletter, and keep up with Cathy's travels at greatfloridaroadtrip.com. Keep up with Rick at studiohourglass.blogspot.com and get his books at rickkilby.com.

Find Cathy on social media: Facebook.com/SalustriCathy and everywhere else as @CathySalustri; connect with Rick Facebook.com/floridasfountainofyouth, Bluesky (@oldfla.bsky.social), and IG (@ricklebee).

NEW: Florida landscape questions — Send us your Florida plant questions and we'll have an expert answer them on the show! Use this link!
...more
40min
March 19, 2025 Episode 196: Florida Landscaping, Wildflowers, and Disney Plants
Send us your Florida questions!
Spring has sprung, the pollen is here, and it's time once again to talk about plants and landscaping. Eric Schmidt, the Botanical Records Specialist for Harry P. Leu Botanical Gardens, talks about a few of his favorite plant places in Florida, his experiences consulting on the Animal Kingdom and Star Wars landscaping efforts at the Walt Disney World Resort, and a special tree he has planted in his own yard.
Links We Mentioned
What Hurricane Michael Did to the Torreya Tree (non-paywall link)
Mail Order Natives
Charles Bronson
Kilbee Trail
Seminole State Forest
Rock Springs Run State Reserve
Tosahatchee
Native Butterfly Wildflowers
Sand Live Oak (Eric suggested this tree for residential landscapes)
Support the show
Question or comment? Email us at [email protected].

Subscribe to The Florida Spectacular newsletter, and keep up with Cathy's travels at greatfloridaroadtrip.com. Keep up with Rick at studiohourglass.blogspot.com and get his books at rickkilby.com.

Find Cathy on social media: Facebook.com/SalustriCathy and everywhere else as @CathySalustri; connect with Rick Facebook.com/floridasfountainofyouth, Bluesky (@oldfla.bsky.social), and IG (@ricklebee).

NEW: Florida landscape questions — Send us your Florida plant questions and we'll have an expert answer them on the show! Use this link!
...more
55min
March 12, 2025 Episode 195: Paw-Paws, Munyon Island, and a Made-in-Florida Liqueur
Send us your Florida questions!
This week, Joe Colucci from Munyon's Paw Paw Liqueur joins the podcast to talk about his Florida-made papaya liqueur — and the fascinating Florida history behind it.
Links We Mentioned
Munyon Island
Munyon's Paw Paw Liqueur
Mai Kai
The Great Outdoors in High Springs
Ottos High Dive
Copper Rocket
Munyon Hope Association
Tiki A Go Go
Support the show
Question or comment? Email us at [email protected].

Subscribe to The Florida Spectacular newsletter, and keep up with Cathy's travels at greatfloridaroadtrip.com. Keep up with Rick at studiohourglass.blogspot.com and get his books at rickkilby.com.

Find Cathy on social media: Facebook.com/SalustriCathy and everywhere else as @CathySalustri; connect with Rick Facebook.com/floridasfountainofyouth, Bluesky (@oldfla.bsky.social), and IG (@ricklebee).

NEW: Florida landscape questions — Send us your Florida plant questions and we'll have an expert answer them on the show! Use this link!
...more
45min
March 05, 2025 Episode 194: Botanical Gardens, Flamingos, and Florida Yard Lizards
Send us your Florida questions!
Cathy and Rick give a whirlwind tour of botanical gardens they have loved, talk about Rick's proposal to his wife and where he hid her ring, how to pronounce anole, and where to find flamingos.
Links We Mentioned
Florida Botanical Gardens
Harry P. Leu Gardens
Orlando Exploration Gardens
Brown anoles and more about them
Selby Botanical Gardens (and the George Harrison exhibit)
Boiled books
Botanical gardens at Cypress Gardens
Bok Tower Gardens
Kanapaha Botanical Gardens
Sarasota Jungle Gardens
McKee Botanical Gardens
Sunken Gardens
Wonder Gardens
Growing bamboo in Florida
Yellow trumpet tree

Image by Rick Kilby
Support the show
Question or comment? Email us at [email protected].

Subscribe to The Florida Spectacular newsletter, and keep up with Cathy's travels at greatfloridaroadtrip.com. Keep up with Rick at studiohourglass.blogspot.com and get his books at rickkilby.com.

Find Cathy on social media: Facebook.com/SalustriCathy and everywhere else as @CathySalustri; connect with Rick Facebook.com/floridasfountainofyouth, Bluesky (@oldfla.bsky.social), and IG (@ricklebee).

NEW: Florida landscape questions — Send us your Florida plant questions and we'll have an expert answer them on the show! Use this link!
...more
43min
February 26, 2025 Episode 193: Gulf of...?, John D. MacDonald, and Jack Davis' Gulf Coast Playlist
Send us your Florida questions!
Jack Davis, the Pulitzer-winning author of The Gulf: Making of an American Sea, joins the podcast to talk about what he thinks of the Gulf of Mexico's nomenclature glow-up. The talk migrates to sea level rise, John D. MacDonald's books, and his "Gulf of Mexico" playlist.
Links We Mentioned
General Jesup and Lake Jesup
Pork Chop Gang
John D. MacDonald and his book Condominium
Cathy's article about paddling with Jack
Brian Woodall's Instagram
Tillie Fowler Park
Kerry McNulty's Florida Totem
Betts Boys Adventure
Brigadier General Thomas Sidney Jesup

Jack Davis' Gulf of Mexico Playlist
All song titles are simply "Gulf of Mexico"
Alabama
Clint Black
Shawn Mullins
Tracey Lawrence
Steve Earle
Larry Foley
Support the show
Question or comment? Email us at [email protected].

Subscribe to The Florida Spectacular newsletter, and keep up with Cathy's travels at greatfloridaroadtrip.com. Keep up with Rick at studiohourglass.blogspot.com and get his books at rickkilby.com.

Find Cathy on social media: Facebook.com/SalustriCathy and everywhere else as @CathySalustri; connect with Rick Facebook.com/floridasfountainofyouth, Bluesky (@oldfla.bsky.social), and IG (@ricklebee).

NEW: Florida landscape questions — Send us your Florida plant questions and we'll have an expert answer them on the show! Use this link!
...more
57min
February 19, 2025 Episode 192: Spectacular Madcaps: Protect Florida Springs, Manatee Cavorting, and Other NSFW Environmental Fun Facts
Send us your Florida questions!
At the Florida Springs Council, the Florida Madcaps podcast host Ryan Worthington and Florida Spectacular host Cathy Salustri taped a crossover podcast in front of a live audience. Their guests are Max Chesnes, the Tampa Bay Times environmental reporter; TJ Fridrich, a biologist with Save the Manatee Club; and Federico Acevedo, of the Florida Wildlife Federation.
The podcast subjects — a definite variation from either's usual format — ranged from the 2024 "golf courses in the parks" debacle to manatees cavorting (we'd call it reproductive behavior, but according to TJ, the way these sea cows cavort, reproduction isn't possible when they do), and then — logically — to other not-safe-for-work environmental fun facts. Just what are they? Take a listen and learn.
Links We Mentioned
Sign up for Florida Wildlife Federation updates
Florida Springs Council
Florida Springs Passport
Florida Madcaps Podcast
Save the Manatee Club

Image via Florida Springs Council

Support the show
Question or comment? Email us at [email protected].

Subscribe to The Florida Spectacular newsletter, and keep up with Cathy's travels at greatfloridaroadtrip.com. Keep up with Rick at studiohourglass.blogspot.com and get his books at rickkilby.com.

Find Cathy on social media: Facebook.com/SalustriCathy and everywhere else as @CathySalustri; connect with Rick Facebook.com/floridasfountainofyouth, Bluesky (@oldfla.bsky.social), and IG (@ricklebee).

NEW: Florida landscape questions — Send us your Florida plant questions and we'll have an expert answer them on the show! Use this link!
...more
58min
February 11, 2025 Episode 191: Floridiana, Taxidermied Gators, and Florida Collectibles
Send us your Florida questions!
Ken Breslauer joins the podcast to talk about collectible Florida ephemera, his annual Floridiana show, and his favorite roadside attractions.
Links We Mentioned
Floridiana Fest (Sarasota, April 11-12)
Florida Attractions History
Atomic Tunnel
Sarasota Jungle Gardens
Bongo Land
Pinecrest Gardens
Sunken Gardens
Silver Springs
Ken's Feb. 19, 2025 talk in Winter Park about Florida souvenirs

Image by Ken Breslauer
Support the show
Question or comment? Email us at [email protected].

Subscribe to The Florida Spectacular newsletter, and keep up with Cathy's travels at greatfloridaroadtrip.com. Keep up with Rick at studiohourglass.blogspot.com and get his books at rickkilby.com.

Find Cathy on social media: Facebook.com/SalustriCathy and everywhere else as @CathySalustri; connect with Rick Facebook.com/floridasfountainofyouth, Bluesky (@oldfla.bsky.social), and IG (@ricklebee).

NEW: Florida landscape questions — Send us your Florida plant questions and we'll have an expert answer them on the show! Use this link!
...more
36min
February 05, 2025 Episode 190: Rosewood, Shana Smith, and 'Islands of Cedars'
Send us your Florida questions!
Shana Smith joins the podcast to talk about her book, Islands of Cedars. Shana based the book on actual events, but is a well-researched book of fiction. It's a beautifully written piece of history and Shana talks about what motivated her to write the book, what happened, and what's next.
Links We Mentioned
Islands of Cedars
FloridaRAMA
The Rosewood Massacre
Voice and Pen nonprofit
Zora Seasonal Events

Image via Shana Smith
Support the show
Question or comment? Email us at [email protected].

Subscribe to The Florida Spectacular newsletter, and keep up with Cathy's travels at greatfloridaroadtrip.com. Keep up with Rick at studiohourglass.blogspot.com and get his books at rickkilby.com.

Find Cathy on social media: Facebook.com/SalustriCathy and everywhere else as @CathySalustri; connect with Rick Facebook.com/floridasfountainofyouth, Bluesky (@oldfla.bsky.social), and IG (@ricklebee).

NEW: Florida landscape questions — Send us your Florida plant questions and we'll have an expert answer them on the show! Use this link!
...more
58min

FAQs about Florida Spectacular:

How many episodes does Florida Spectacular have?

The podcast currently has 224 episodes available.

More shows like Florida Spectacular

Travel with Rick Steves by Rick Steves

Travel with Rick Steves

198 Listeners

Wait Wait... Don't Tell Me! by NPR

Wait Wait... Don't Tell Me!

38,465 Listeners

Radiolab by WNYC Studios

Radiolab

43,944 Listeners

Fresh Air by NPR

Fresh Air

37,904 Listeners

The Moth by The Moth

The Moth

27,273 Listeners

The Rachel Maddow Show by Rachel Maddow, MSNBC

The Rachel Maddow Show

37,509 Listeners

StarTalk Radio by Neil deGrasse Tyson

StarTalk Radio

14,017 Listeners

Hidden Brain by Hidden Brain, Shankar Vedantam

Hidden Brain

43,406 Listeners

10% Happier with Dan Harris by 10% Happier

10% Happier with Dan Harris

12,573 Listeners

Armchair Explorer: Travel and Adventure Inspiration by Armchair Productions

Armchair Explorer: Travel and Adventure Inspiration

206 Listeners

Welcome to Florida by Chadd Scott

Welcome to Florida

117 Listeners

Naturally Florida by Shannon Carnevale and Lara Milligan

Naturally Florida

69 Listeners

Fly on the Wall with Dana Carvey and David Spade by Audacy

Fly on the Wall with Dana Carvey and David Spade

12,556 Listeners

The Florida Madcaps by Sunshine State Seekers and the Florida Excursionist

The Florida Madcaps

30 Listeners

Handsome by Headgum

Handsome

12,210 Listeners