When we moved to Florida in 1995 we were, like many other new Florida visitors and residents, dazzled by the neon and glitz of the theme parks. We bought the Disney season passes, we went to see Shamu at Sea World and King Kong at Universal Studios. But it wasn’t long before we were dazzled by Florida in a different way. We started noticing the alligators that sunned themselves in and around many of Central Florida’s lakes. We noticed the ubiquitous fruit stands, often on the edge of orange groves, and that guy with the FRESH SHRIMP sign, selling them out of the back of his truck. We started going to the small-town festivals that celebrated art, music, bicycles, and sometimes the harvest moon.

We’re in love with Florida, but not the Florida you see if you just take a cab from the airport to your Disney hotel. You should take a drive down Old 441 in Lake County. Or climb to the top of the Saint Augustine lighthouse. Go check out the mermaids at Weeki Wachee. That’s where you’ll find the real Florida. And you might see us there, taking pictures of it all.

What you see here is only the beginning. We will be adding festivals as we attend them and cities and landmarks as we visit them. Stop back often to see what's new. Also, check out our blog to hear about where we're going and where we've been, or feel free to email us. We'd love to hear what you think of what we have so far (all questions, comments and even snide remarks are welcome), and we're always taking suggestions of what to shoot next, so let us know what's going on where you are!