Discovering Florida

A unique journey through the history, geography, and cultural identity of Florida. Across 25 carefully documented routes, Discovering Florida – Volume 1 invites readers to explore the peninsula in a way few ever do—not simply as a destination, but as a living landscape shaped by centuries of exploration, conflict, migration, innovation, and natural change. Each chapter presents an independent journey along historic roads and overlooked routes that cross the state from the Atlantic coast to the Gulf of Mexico. The routes pass through places such as St. Augustine, the oldest continuously inhabited European settlement in the United States, the historic communities of Palm Beach, and the Gulf Coast landscapes around Fort Myers, while also following legendary corridors like the Tamiami Trail. Ocala, Miami, Key Largo, and much more... Blending cycling travel, photography, historical research, and geographic observation, Jefferson Aleman documents Florida from ground level—moving mile by mile through landscapes that range from coastal towns and rural communities to wetlands, historic districts, and former railroad corridors. The result is more than a travel narrative. It is a portrait of Florida as a living landscape where centuries of history remain visible in its roads, towns, and natural environments. Discovering Florida reveals a different Florida—layered, complex, and full of stories waiting to be discovered.