Exploring Florida sometimes requires more than just a sense of adventure and time to travel. Even those of us who write about Florida’s outdoors use guides for planning.
Here are a few books in our library that we are comfortable recommending to our readers.
Florida Rambler may receive a modest commission should you decide to purchase a book through these links.
Moon Florida Camping: The Complete Guide to Tent and RV Camping
This may be the most comprehensive guide available for Florida Camping, and it’s my bible. Although it hasn’t been updated since 2007, I still find its 660 pages include almost every campground in Florida, public and private, with descriptions, things to do nearby, reservations and fees, directions and contact information. The detail runs deep, although photos are lacking. If you like Florida camping, whether you’re in a tent, RV or boat, you cannot do without this book. $25 on Amazon.
Related article: Best Florida camping: A few of our favorite campgrounds
The Best in Tent Camping: Florida: A Guide for Car Campers Who Hate RVs, Concrete Slabs, and Loud Portable Stereos
I like this book, but only as a supplement to Moon’s Florida Camping (above). This is not a comprehensive guide. The descriptions are very good, and details and maps for the campgrounds it does cover are excellent. Author Johnny Molloy has made a career out of writing guides for hiking, camping and paddling throughout the southeast, and it seems that at times he relies on contributors as opposed to personal experiences. Nonetheless, this book is useful and worth including in your camping library. $30 on Amazon.
Related article: 8 hot tips for tent camping in Florida
Canoeing and Kayaking Florida
This is one of the best guides for discovering Florida kayak and canoe trails. No single guidebook can possibly cover all of the state’s paddle trails, especially with new trails being promoted as draws for tourism. But the 100 trails it does cover are thoroughly reported with maps, descriptions, level of difficulty, put-in, take-out and shuttle detail, and phone numbers you can use to obtain the latest water levels. Noticeably missing are trails in the Florida Keys. For that, you’ll have to get Bill Keogh’s “Florida Keys Paddling Guide” (below). $26 on Amazon.
Related article: Best kayaking in Orlando and Central Florida: 15 wild rivers
Florida Keys Paddling Guide: From Key Largo to Key West
The Keys are a paddler’s paradise. You can launch a kayak almost anywhere. Author Bill Keogh, who lives on Big Pine Key, has paddled the Keys from top to bottom, and he knows all the best spots to launch and the best areas to explore. Keogh describes wildlife and ecosystems so you understand what’s around you, and he lists almost 70 launch points and takes you on 47 adventures of special interest, accompanied by nautical chart references, tidal alerts and previews of what you’ll encounter. $22 on Amazon
Related article: 12 awesome outings for kayaking in the Florida Keys
Florida’s Paved Bike Trails
Paved trails for bicycles, skaters and walkers are growing like wildflowers around Florida, where the appetite for converting abandoned railroad beds into multi-use trails seems insatiable. This book tries to keep up by staying ahead with details on future trails and expansions of existing trails. Each trail described in the book provides maps and access points, as well as a detailed description of what you’ll see along each trail. Distances and amenities, such as rest rooms and water fountains, are also part of the package. The book is organized by region, and there is an index in the back for quick reference. $21 on Amazon
Related article: 23 best Florida bike trails: Our favorites for scenic bicycling
Baits, Rigs & Tackle Book & DVD
This is the Florida fishing bible, written by one of the state’s foremost anglers and prolific fishing writers, Vic Dunaway. This essential resource covers everything from rods and reels to baits and how to rig them for the fish you are targeting. Much of the focus is on Florida fishing, both fresh and saltwater, but the lessons learned are valuable anywhere there’s a fish waiting to be caught. I’m on my third version of this book and couldn’t do without it. The illustrations are colorful, the book well-organized, and the writing is easy to read for both the novice and experts alike. $18 on Amazon
Related article: Florida kayak fishing, where a few have gone before
Everglades Birds: A Folding Pocket Guide to Familiar Species
More than 360 species of birds have been identified in Florida’s Everglades, and the more common species are identified in this excellent fold-out field guide. My bird-watching friend Charlie Steele says this handy guide is perfect because it doesn’t take up much space. Keep it in your car, your ‘go’ bag or daypack, even stuff it in your back pocket when hiking or paddling in the back country of Everglades National Park, Big Cypress Preserve or any of the Everglades Conservation areas that occupy most of South Florida. Quick-reference field to identify the more common birds you’re likely to see. $8 on Amazon.
Without a Paddle: Racing Twelve Hundred Miles Around Florida by Sea Kayak
This is not really a guide, but it covers a lot of territory that you may paddle someday, if you haven’t already. Warren is an avid kayaker and journalist, the perfect combination for the writer of a book about the Ultimate Florida Challenge, a 1,200-mile paddling marathon circumnavigating Florida. Along the way, you learn about paddling open water, haunting night paddles, finding places to camp, how to efficiently pack your kayak for overnight trips, foods to eat and the games your mind plays when paddling alone for weeks on end. On the kayaking circuit, they call him SharkChow. $11 on Amazon
Bob Rountree is a beach bum, angler and camper who has explored Florida for decades. No adventure is complete without a scenic paddle trail or unpaved road to nowhere. Bob co-founded FloridaRambler.com with fellow journalist Bonnie Gross 12 years ago.