This area of Florida stretches from the Panhandle or Pensacola all the way to Naples. It includes Destin, Panama City, Apalachicola, Tallahassee, Cedar Key, Crystal River, Homosassa, Weekee Wachee, Tarpon Springs, Clearwater, St Petersburg, Tampa, Sarasota, Lee Island, Fort Myers and Naples.

According to the introduction to the book, the author indicates that her main objective is to highlight the very best of the above regions as opposed to some of the other guides that are primarily directories. In other words, her book acts as a personal tour guide rather than a directory.

Unfortunately the choice of the "very best of the region" is often very subjective and many important attractions or sites are omitted.

I would like to have seen a more extensive listing of state parks and well as campsites with their web site addresses. The West Coast of Florida is noted for these parks and it would not have been very difficult for the author to locate the web sites listing these parks. Landmark parks such as Fort Desota Park located in the St Petersburg area is hardly mentioned and cannot even be found in the index of the book. The famous Skyway Bridge and the fishing pier adjacent to the bridge are completely ignored. These are the sites that make the West Coast delicious!

Some of the important annual events were also omitted such as the Gasparilla Art Exhibition that takes place in Tampa every winter and attracts thousands of people. There was mention of Gasparilla Week, however, this has nothing to do with the art festival. Furthermore, there are other art festivals that likewise attract thousands up and down the West Coast.

What also caught my eye was the author's very flimsy description of the scenic route from Tampa to Sarasota. There was no mention of Santa Maria Island nor was there any mention of the route that runs along the Gulf of Mexico from Bradenton to Sarasota. This is the scenic route, not the route described in the book.

I would, however, commend the author for having included at the end of the book special interest tours together with a brief map. This is particularly helpful to the first time visitor to the region.

Another helpful inclusion is the Florida Gulf Coast Mileage Chart. Some of the tidbits pertaining to the various areas such as Old Homosassa Village, Seaside, stone crabs and plumes on the beach all make for interesting reading and is a welcome feature.

All in all I would have to say that the guide is disappointing and I had the feeling that the author was in a great hurry to publish a guide pertaining to Florida's Gulf Coast. I also was left with the impression that the author did not devote as much time as she should have to research the areas involved.

"Copyright 2002, Bookideas.com. Originally published at Bookideas.com"