The Worlds Largest Orange, Kissimee, FL
Note: Many of Floridas toll roads are now cashless. The regional SUNPASS is available Prepaid at most Publixs, CVS and Wallgreens so you can buypass rental car transponder tyranny.
OrlandoAlmost everyone will be here at some point, so we might as well have listings. Oddly enough, Orlando has a huge vietanamese population and has tons of restaurants.
Most of the Bars and Clubs are in the “Downtown” area of Orlando but the hotels in that area are either bad or expensive. As you travel southwest there is a cluster of Hotels near Universal and Funspot and much further southwest is the Area of Disney and Seaworld parks.
There is a local alternative paper called the Orlando Weekly.Universal Studios has an amusement park called Islands of Adventure in Orlando. They have a great collection of rollercoasters, a one of a kind 3-D ride themed with Spiderman, an amazing Dudley Dooright themed Log flume and a very trippy Dr. Seuss themed area plus the new harry potter world. While there, try the ribs at the tavern near the Dueling Dragon coaster. Yum! Tip-show your AAA card for a ten percent discount on food and stores throughout the park.
Bars-
Wallys-1001 Mills Ave Orlando, FL 32803-One of the few worthy bars in Orlando. SInce 1954. When in Orlando you want to hit Wallys, Yellow Dog Eats and Beefy King. (Update-Wallys was “renovated” and all the life sucked out of it but at least it is smoke free now.
Lou’s Whiskey Lounge-121 N Bumby Ave, Orlando, FL 32803 (407) 896-2593-Huge but despite this its very very smoky. Pool table and more. Best dive bar in town probably. Bars are only open til 2 am here.
Eats-
Beefy King-424 N Bumby Ave, Orlando, FL 32803 (407) 894-2241-Roast Beef Joint. A rare locals only joint.
Charley’s Steak House, 8255 International Drive, Gooding’s Plaza
Orlando 32819 (407) 363-0228. The servers bring a tray and you pick your own meat, which is grilled over citrus and other woods. When your steak arrives, the waiters break out a flashlight so you can check the doneness. Well done!
Emerils-Universal CityWalk, Orlando tel: (407) 224-2424- Bam! Yes that Emeril. Damn Tasty, but you better make a reservation.
Cecil’s Texas Style Bar-b-q, 2800 S Orange Ave, Orlando, FL 32806- You get free ice cream when you dine in. Best BBQ. (407) 423-9871
Linda’s La Cantina Steak House- since 1947,Checkered tablecloth steak house with a firepit and sunken lounge. – 4721 E Colonial Dr, Orlando, FL 32803
Mark’s Caribbean Cuisine-10173 University Blvd., 407-636-9290-Oxtail Yum
Nile Ethiopian-7048 International Dr., 407-354-0026
Nha Trang Subs-1216 E. Colonial Dr., 407-346-4549-Vietnamese banh mi sandwiches
Willie’s Pinchos Restaurant-1718 N. Goldenrod Rd., 407-601-3373 -was on triple d for their plantain mofongo and jibarito, a sandwich with tostones and is topped off with pastrami and beef.
Johnny’s Fillin’ Station-2631 S Fern Creek Ave, Orlando, FL 32806 (407) 894-6900-Family owned joint with great looking burgers, potato wedges and more. “famous patty melt”
Shiraz Market-185 S. Ronald Reagan Blvd., Longwood, 407-951-8084-Slow roasted kabob.
Taste of Peru-9521 S. Orange Blossom Trl., 407-857-2734-Peruvian food including great rotisserie chicken.
Tasty Wok-1246 E. Colonial Dr., 407-896-8988-Better than average Chinese food incuding roast meats.
Yellow Dog Eats-1236 Hempel Ave, Windermere, FL 34786 (407) 296-0609 BBQ and Gourmet Sandwiches. Recommended! Counter service in this HUGE sprawling complex.
The Mad Crab Seafood & Wings-small inexpensive restaurant with fried seafood, shellfish & wings. 325 W Kennedy Blvd, Orlando, FL 32810 (407) 986-0819
Hot Dog Heaven-5355 E. Colonial Dr., 407-282-5746-many types of hot dogs but a great Chicago Dog
To get away from most of the tourist areas head to the ViMi District
Just northeast of Downtown Orlando, Vietnamese, Korean, Thai and Chinese restaurants crowd along Colonial Drive and Mills Avenue; and grocery stores, stocked with everything from alternative medicines to exotic produce, cater mostly to Asian customers.
Live Music-
Uncle Lou’s Entertainment Hall-1016 N Mills Ave, Orlando, FL 32803 (407) 898-0009-small dive bar feet away from Wills Pub with accoustic punk and smaller bands.
Will’s Pub-1850 N. Mills Ave., Orlando, FL 32803-1854 one block south of Princeton Avenue (the Loch Haven Park area), on the west side of 17-92/Mills Avenue.
The Guesthouse-1321 North Mills Avenue Orlando, FL 32803-(407) 228-0048-more just a cocktail bar now
The Abbey-100 S Eola Drive, Suite 100 Orlando, Florida 32801
(407) 704-6103
Soundbar – 37 west pine st, orlando, fl.
64 North-64 N Orange Ave, Orlando, Florida 32801 (321) 245-7730
Clubs-
The Social -54 N Orange Ave, Orlando-tel: (407) 246-1419 or (407) 246-1599. Live venue with acts national alternative and college acts and the occassional DJ.
Independent Bar – 70 N Orange Ave, Orlando, FL 32801 (407) 839-0457-could be a little cheeseball but they play old new wave versus the top 40 shit at other clubs.
Record Stores-
Rock and roll Heaven-1814 N. Orange Avenue , Orlando
(407) 896-1952 (wow, still there 2019)
d.i.y. records-now only exists as an online store
Tourist Attractions. There are many, but
Old Town has cool chararacter. 5770 West Irlo Bronson Memorial Highway
Kissimmee (407) 396-4888-
Boynton Beach, FL
Bar-
above Old Town in Kissimee
Apopka, FL (Greater Orlando)
Attraction-
Kelly Park-400 E Kelly Park Rd, Apopka, FL 32712-Cool park with lush springs and a tube run that is 68 degrees year round.
Bonita Springs, FL
Eats-
Trackside Donuts & Cafe – 28001 Old 41 Rd, Bonita Springs, FL 34135 (239) 390-1400-donuts in an A frame that was something else.
Brandon, FL
Record Store-
Sound Idea-113-H Brandon Blvd, Brandon, FL 813-653-2550
Brookville, FL
Eats-
Coney Island Drive Inn-1112 E Jefferson St, Brooksville, FL 34601 (352) 796-9141-Foot long hot dogs and a 6 food Betty Boop.
Florida Cracker Kitchen-966 E Jefferson St, Brooksville, FL 34601 (352) 754-8787-Fried seafood, Mullet Dip and fried Chicken.
Maw’s Vittles-511 S Broad St.,Brooksville, FL 34601 (352) 796-9197-Breakfast and lunch only open til 1:30. Southern breakfast.
Christmas, FL
Attraction-ITS A FUCKING ALLIGATOR SHAPED BUILDING!
Jungle Adventures, A Real Florida Animal Park ?- 26205 E Colonial Dr, Christmas, FL 32709- (407) 568-2885
Clermont, FL
Attraction-The Florida Citrus Tower-226-foot-tall tower in built in 1956 to allow visitors to observe the miles of surrounding orange groves, 141 US-27, Clermont, FL 34711
Cocoa Beach, FL
Venues
The 321 LOCAL” Rock Bar & Grill -Brevard County. -located in the Cocoa Village at 333 King Street on the corner of eastbound 520 and Hughlett next to Norman’s. -Not a sports bar with a band playing in the corner. We are a ROCK BAR with a large stage and a huge PA. We will be booking bands 7 days a week
http://www.myspace.com/the321local
Fort Myers, FL
Record Store
Silver Platters, 11763 Cleveland Ave. #10, Fort Myers, FL 33907
Gainesville, FL
Eats-
A and B Soul Food-104 NE Waldo Road, 352-335-5446
Caribbean Spice-1121 West University. 352-377-2715. Good food, $2.65 lunch special.
Satchel’s restaurant1800 NE 23rd Ave, Gainesville, FL 352-335-7272. It’s the best pizza/salad/calzone place in town and it’s very artsy, with a million mobiles hanging from the ceiling and an outdoor garden
Terrell’s Bar-B-Que- 2445 SW 13th St, Gainesville, FL, 352-367-1400 or 1130 NE 16th Avenue stand every Friday Saturday or Sunday at the Dollar General. Best BBQ in town
Live Music-
Commongrounds coffeehouse-919 W. University Ave.
Gainesville, FL 32601 [352]-372-7320..
1982 bar (ALL AGES VENUE) 919 W. University Avenue Gainesville Florida” near the University of Florida
The Church of the Holy Colors
A working gallery space located at 11 SE 5th Ave and S Main St in Gainesville, FL. with shows
http://holycolor.blogspot.com/
High Dive – 210 SW 2nd Ave, Gainesville, FL 32601 (352) 872-5949
Record Stores-(updated 4/2017)
Arrow’s Aim Records – 10 N Main St, Gainesville, FL 32601 (352) 371-2121
Hear Again Music and Movies ?-201 SE 1 St, Gainesville, FL 32601 (352) 373-1800
Jacksonville, FL
Above, a Camel Rider, a local regional specialty in Jacksonville. Sometimes called Riders. Basically any type of sub in a pita.
The Weekly alternative paper is Folio Weekly. No Idea records has a lot of bands that tour through the area
Music Clubs-
Imperial Bar & Lounge-325 W. Forsyth St., Jacksonville (904) 355-0810 Live music & pizza in renovated antique bar
Jack Rabbits, 1528 Hendricks Ave., Jacksonville.
Edge 2000, 845 University Blvd., Jacksonville. For tickets or information, call 904-743-1845.
618, 618 W. Forsyth St., Jacksonville. 904-356-6363.
T-Birds, 9039 Southside Blvd., Jacksonville. 904-363-3399.
The Florida Theatre-128 East Forsyth Street-Jacksonville, FL 32202
Event Info: (904) 355-2787-large venue for bigger acts.
TSI-Hey! A hipster club located in Jacksonville! Cool. 333 E Bay St, Jacksonville, FL 32202-live acts like VHS or Beta play here.
(904) 359-9090 www.divebarjax.comEats-
Freds Cotton BBQ-2623 N. Main Street-904-356-8274
Bonos BBQ-actually a regional chain with a mustard based sauce
Blue Boy Sandwich Shop, 421 N Laura St Ste 2 , Jacksonville, FL Jacksonville (Lem Turner/Norwood Ave. exit off 1-95) It’s about 1/4 mile east of the exit on Norwood. One sandwich is big enough for two people. Over 50 varieties. 2 other locations.
Metro Diner-3302 Hendricks Ave, Jacksonville, Florida 32207 (904) 398-3701, featured on triple d. Homemade meatloaf, steak salad with fries and steak and blue cheese on top of a salad and stuffed french toast called yo, challahRecord Store-
Theory Shop, 1051 Park Street, Jacksonville, FL 32204
The Sheik-Regional Middle Eastern Fast Food chain with the above pictured Riders
Knuckle Sandwiches-Breakfast & Lunch served Mon-Fri 6:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. 948 Cesery Blvd. Jacksonville Florida 32211 (904) 743-6900
Maitland, FL
Eats-
Kappy’s Subs-tiny classic diner with subs, burgers & hot dogs 501 Orlando Ave, Maitland, FL 32751 (407) 647-9099
Sarasota, FL
Tues-Sat 9am-9pm, Closed Sun & Mon, (941) 922-3797 4520 South Tamiami Trail Sarasota, FL 34231
http://www.alpinesteak.com/
Apocalypse
6560 Superior Ave, Sarasota, FL 941-923-5081
Daddy Kool-5900 S Trail Unit K, Sarasota, FL
813-921-7271
Shanghai Nobby’s-10 Anastasia Blvd, St. Augustine, FL 32080 -Big indoor outdoor dive bar with lots of touring acts, sometimes of the accoustic punk type.
O’Steen’s Restaurant-205 Anastasia Blvd, St. Augustine, FL 32080-The classic Trashy Travel type Seafood restaurant. Since 1965. Closed Sunday and Monday. Cash Only. With the local variety of fried shrimp served with Datil Pepper hot sauce and Minorcan Clam Chowder also made with the Peppers.
Stuart, FL-(about 40 miles north of West Palm Beach
Record Stores-
Confusion Records 20 E Ocean Blvd Stuart, FL (561) 287-9994
Video store-
Groovy Movie A Go-Go 28 E Ocean Blvd Stuart, FL (561) 221-0400
Tallahassee, FL
Live Music-
Beta Bar-809 Railroad Ave, Tallahassee, FL-Great shows with touring acts
Cow Haus -469 St. Francis Street,Tallahassee, FL (850) 425-2697, now called the beta bar
Floyd’s Music Store 666-1 W. Tennessee St.,Tallahassee, FL(850) 222-3506-Smells like a punk club.
Club Downunder -Tallahassee, FL-gets shows like Mary Timony and superchunk.
Record Stores-
Waterworks-104 1/2 S. Monroe, Tallahassee, FL 904-224-1887
Vinyl Fever-2033 W. Pensacola St,Tallahassee, FL 904-576-4314.great store, great website with local act info.
Eats!-
Manna, 3507 Thomasville Rd. (Village Square Blvd.) Tallahassee, FL 32309 , 850-668-1968 Gourmet deli, take-out and restaurant.
Shell Oyster Bar-Oysters in a converted gas station- 114 East Oakland Ave (between Munroe and Adams), 850-224-9919
Tampa, FL/St. Petersburg/Lakeland
The Local Alternative Paper is Weekly Planet. For good show info click here. For Ybor city news try Ybor City.com. For other concert info check out local promoter Fantasma’s Site. Local info site Bay Domain is also worth a visit.
TBT Soundcheck site.
Monthly swing events at Swingtime.
Nearby is St. Petersburg is the Salvadore Dali Museum.
Frank Lloyd Wright designed some college buildings in Lakeland.
Tiki Bar?-sorta?
Zom Hee Chinese Restaurant -9015 Park Blvd, Seminole, FL 33777 (727) 391-8393 “only” open since 1985, this time warp chinese restaurant has amazing tiki drinks like the Tahitian scorpian and “Fried Banana” and Rumaki-Bacon, chicken liver and water chestnut deep fried.
Bars-
Emerald Bar– – 550 Central Avenue St. Petersburg, FL 33701 (727) 898-6054-Bar with occasional punk bands. Super smoky though
Red Star Rock Bar-5210 N Florida Ave, Tampa, FL 33603 (813) 237-0012-2 am Thursdays, 3 am Friday and Saturday. 1 am Close the rest of the week.
The Bends -919 1st Ave N, Saint Petersburg, FL 33705 (727) 202-8931-Bar with occasional soul nights
Flamingos Sports Bar – 1230 9th St N, St. Petersburg, FL 33705-Just a sports bar, but a sports bar that Kerouac liked to drink in towards the end of his life.
Live music-
The State Theatre -687 Central Avenue -St. Petersburg FL 33701
727.895.3045
Skippers Smokehouse-Corner of Skipper Road and Nebraska-813-971-0666-yeah, I know. Sounds like a restaurant, and it is, but is was also voted best place to hear live music in Tampa.
Jannus Landing-16 2nd St N, St. Petersburg (727) 896-1244
The HUB-Dive bar with the occasional live band-719 N Franklin St, Tampa, FL 33602-40s style
Danny’s All American Diner: 4406 N Falkenburg Rd, Tampa, FL 33610 (813) 740-0606 Daily 10:30 AM TO 6 PM.burgers, chili dogs, burgers named after baseball players and a chili cheese burger with homemade chili. Also an excellent cuban sandwich that has capicola and mojo pork
Fun-
Fun-St. Petersburg Shuffleboard Club-559 MIRROR LAKE DRIVE NORTH, ST PETERSBURG, FL 33701Dance Clubs-
The Castle-2004 North 16th Street, Tampa, FL 33605-(813) 247-7547-its a castle. bar/club thump thump, maybe a goth night
Tampa is home to a Busch Gardens theme park with some great coasters. When in Tampa, the place to be is YBOR City (pronounced e-bore), home of galleries, clubs and restaurants in this college town, though it can be kind of sleepy when its not a weekend night. They have gallery walkarounds once a month too. Don’t miss the Dali Museum in St. Petersburg across the river.
Eats-
Coney Island Sandwich Shop-250 Martin Luther King Jr. St N, St. Petersburg, FL 33705-Decades old chili dog and chili burger place. The kind of place this site exists for.
La Segunda Ybor-Bakery open since 1915 with a hybrid of cuban and italian specialties.including a Scachatta, similar to Utica,NY’s tomato pie., Despite being open so long this space is new and charmless.. 2512 N 15th St, Tampa, FL 33605 : (813) 248-1531
Berns Steakhouse-1208 S. Howard Avenue at Margere-Tampa (813) 251-2421-THE most famous restaurant in Tampa, and pricey but are actually a prix fixe for the price. Make sure you also make a reservation for the dessert room and get a wine vault tour-4444 W. Cypress St., Tampa, FL 813-353-9706
Charleys Steak House–4444 West Cypress Street, Tampa, FL 33607, 813.353.9706-3 restaurant mini chain.
The Crab Shack-old fashioned CHEAP!! Crab house. St. Pete. They feature a very unusual Smoked mullet. Get the peel and eat shrimp and coleslaw. Skip the crab cakes and the garlic butter crabs, but get the key lime pie!
Ted Peters Famous Smoked Fish, 1350 Pasadena Ave S, South Pasadena, FL 33707 (727) 381-7931-another smoked fish joint, this one also has an amazing fish spread, smoked mullet and whole large platters of smoked fish. Potato salad made with BACON and a surf and turf combo with the fish spread side and a burger made with velveeta. You can also bring your own fish and have it smoked.
Mel’s Hot Dogs-All kinds of Vienna wieners including slaw dogs and Chicago dogs. 4136 E Busch Blvd, Tampa, FL 33617 Since 1973 Daily 11AM–8PM Closed Sunday (813) 985-8000
Wright’s Gourmet House-1200 S Dale Mabry Hwy, Tampa, FL 33629 Not Trashy but HUUUUGE deli with made to order sandwiches including the specialty Martini Beef.
Ella’s Americana Folk Art Cafe-5119 North Nebraska Avenue Tampa, FL 33603 (813) 234-1000-go for the soul food sundays. Occasional live music too
Dairy Inn -Old-school, window-serve joint with picnic tables, with burgers shakes and ice cream: 1201 Dr M.L.K. Jr St N, St. Petersburg, FL 33701 (727) 822-6971
Brocato’s Sandwich Shop-since 1948, cuban sandwiches and deviled crab croquettes.- 5021 E Columbus Dr, Tampa, FL 33619(813) 248-9977
La Caridad Bakery- 4425 W Hillsborough Ave, Tampa, FL 33614 -Phone: (813) 884-2822-Cuban specialties like chorizo empanadas and the regional tomato pie abberation called scachatta
El Cap -beer, sandwiches & freshly ground burgers – 3500 4th St N, St. Petersburg, FL 33704: (727) 521-1314
Goody Goody Burgers– 1601 W Swann Ave, Tampa, FL 33606 (813) 308-1925-Burgers and chili cheese fries “since 1925”. Place went out of business and was resurrected by saviors from the famous cuban sandwich restaurant.
Biff Burger and Buffys BBQ, 3939 49th Street North, St. Petersburg, FL (727) 527-5297. Last of an old chain with car and motorcycle meetups and burgers with special sauce
Record Stores
Sound Exchange – 14246 North Nebraska Avenue, Tampa
In addition to the numerous chain hotels around the area, there is the Tahitian Inn, 601 South Dale Mabry Highway, (800) 876-1397, with 62 rooms in a residential neighborhood, with a heated outdoor pool. $69 to $89.
Grand Plaza Hotel Beachfront Resort & Conference Center ?- 5250 Gulf Blvd, St Pete Beach, FL 33706 (727) 360-1811-A fatter version of the Pier 66 hotel with a revolving restaurant, the only revolving restauarant on the West coast of Florida, Spinners.
Bilmar Beach Resort – 10650 Gulf Blvd, Treasure Island, FL 33706 (727) 360-5531-Midcentury design, very spread out
Thunderbird Beach Resort – 10700 Gulf Blvd, Treasure Island, FL 33706
Phone: (727) 367-1961-Classic Mid century, with its sister Tahitian Beach down the street.
Drive In Theater-
Silver Moon Drive In-4100 U.S. 92 W., Lakeland, FL 33801, (941) 682-0849
Shop-
Citrus Place-7200 US-19, Terra Ceia, FL 34250 (941) 722-6745 Old Florida juice shop where you can get those vanilla and orange swirl cones and fresh orange juice and probably those orange gumballs. Right before the sunshine skyway bridge.
Eats-
Tamaras Cafe Floridita-17 Avenue E. Apalachicola, FL-850-653-4111-excellent venezuelan restaurant.
Hotels-
Brigitte’s Romantic Retreat -101 Sixth St., Apalachicola, FL. One of them themed hotels with all different rooms.
Carabelle, FL
World’s Smallest Police Station in Carabelle, on US 98.
De Leon Springs, FL
Eats
Old Spanish Sugar Mill, 601 Ponce Deleon Blvd
De Leon Springs, FL 32130 (386) 985-5644- In a state park, this place lets you grill your own pancakes.
Destin, FL
Eats-
The Rib Shack
605 Highway 98 East, Destin, (850) 837-9314
Eaton Park, FL (Greater Lakeland)
Eats-
S & L Restaurant -2915 S Combee Rd, Eaton Park, FL 33840 (863) 665-0731-Amazing burgers in a crazy decor stand alone cinderblock building.
Fort Walton Beach, FL (50 miles east of Pensacola)
Eats-
Joe & Eddies Restaurant, 206 SE Florida Place, Ft. Walton Beach, 243-0733-Incredibly good, incredibly cheap down home cooking. Open 24 hours on the weekends.
Sonny’s Real Pit Bar-B-Q,925 North Beal Parkway, Fort Walton Beach, (850) 314-0717-When in the south, you gotta get ‘cue.
Movie Theater-
Suds-N-Cinema — 174 SE Miracle Strip Parkway, Ft. Walton Beach, FL – (850) 244-2484, 243-7455-Movie theater where you can drink and smoke. Great Idea.
Flora-bama Lounge and Package-17401 Perdido Key Drive in Pensacola Bay., 850-492-3048-Live Music in a beach house with a Jimmy Buffet twist.
Ocala, FL
Drive In-
Ocala Drive-In – 4850 S Pine Ave, Ocala, FL 34480 (352) 629-1325
Eats-
Hungry Bear Drive-In – 420 SE Osceola Ave, Ocala, FL 34471 (352) 732-3003 Closed Sunday. Old Drive in burger shack in a brick building.
Pensacola, FL Amusement Park-Sam’s Fun City– Located in Pensacola south of I-10 on Highway 29. New Family Amusement Park. Live Music-
HANDLEBAR– 319 N. Tarragonna, Pensacola, (850)434-9060-I don’t know much about this venue, but the Causey way has played here. Local Music Info Here.
Record Stores-
Unity-27 W Romana St, Pensacola, FL 904-433-3104
East Hill CD, 2509 N. 12th Ave, Pensacola, FL 32503
Seaside, FL-Believe it or not, an artists community 40 miles east of Fort Walton Beach.
Books-
Sundog Books-89 Central Square-850-231-5481 – Seaside
Spring Hill, Florida
Awesome tourist attraction
Weeki Wachee Springs State Park, 6131 Commercial Way, Spring Hill, Florida 34606 (352) 592-5656 Old timey Florida tourist attraction, now part of a state park. See a quaint show where mermaids perform to you in an underwater theater. Catch it before the times or the mean environmentalists cause it to shut down
