Along Florida's Expressways, 2nd edition

For many years now, Dave Hunter has published the Along Interstate-75: Local Knowledge, Entertainment And Insider Tips, for Your Drive Between Detroit And the Florida Border driving guide.

Format: Spiral bound
Page: 202 pages
Publisher: Mile Oak Publishing, 2nd edition
Date: January 15, 2008
ISBN: 1896819362
Size: 8.9 x 6.3 x 0.8 inches

The second edition of Along Florida's Expressways : Local Knowledge and Insider Information for Florida's Interstates, Expressways and Toll Routes is a companion book to Along Interstate-75 and picks up where the other book leaves off; i.e. at the Florida state border.

If you are a Florida snowbird, then it is quite possible that you will consider driving to Florida for the winter rather than flying or taking a train. If so, then you may want to consider purchasing both books.

The 2nd edition of Along Florida's Expressways is published on January 15, 2008 and will generally be updated every two years.

As well as Interstate I-75, Along Florida's Expressways also covers Interstate I-4, I-10, I-95 plus I-110, I-275, I-295, I-595 and various turnpikes (toll roads) including the Toll 618 Tampa Crosstown (Lee Roy Selmon Crosstown Expressway), SR 528 Beachline (Beeline, Martin Andersen Beachline Expressway), Toll 589 Veterans Expressway/Suncoast Parkway, Toll 417 Seminole Expressway/Central Florida GreeneWay, Sawgrass Expressway, Miami Palmetto Expressway and the HEFT (Homestead Extension of Florida's Turnpike).

Along Florida's Expressways following the same tried and tested approach as it's companion Along Interstate-75 with 25 miles-per-page full colour strip maps. Each map is accompanied by pages of factual information about every available service; gas (petrol) station, hotel and restaurant at each exit plus other historical and interesting titbits and fun facts which can turn an otherwise tedious drive into an enjoyable family experience.

The book is described as a driving guide rather than a destination guide but it still manages to contain a lot of interesting information about the places you are passing close by.

Along Florida's Expressways covers a lot of different roads so it is not quite as easy to find your way around the book as the Along Interstate-75 guide which essentially covers one long road but this is a minor criticism and the fold over front cover acts as a good bookmark.

One of the first things you notice about Along Florida's Expressways is that the maps are not orientated north-south or east-west like many other road maps, they are aligned in the direction you are travelling so you always travel up the map from bottom to top. This means what is on the right-hand side of the map is always on your right-hand side as you drive along the road.

It is obvious when you think about it but it may take a bit of getting used to. In the long run it makes the maps much simpler to use when navigating as it is so much easier to orientate yourself to the map and your direction of travel. The book is also spiral bound which again makes it much easier to keep open at the right page when you are driving.

Amongst the information recorded with each section of the map are details of motels that accept pets, best local radio stations for traffic updates, facilities with RV parking, favourite local restaurants, fast food places with children's playgrounds, alternate routes around busy traffic sections, local shopping malls and drugstores, speed limits and where to watch out for the police.

If you are looking for an alternative, then you might like to consider:

Interstate 75

Interstate 95