About Me
Hello! My name is Barbara von der Osten and I am the Wandering Floridian. I live in the Central Florida area and enjoy scuba diving, hiking, exploring, yoga and reading.
About This Blog
Shortly after graduating from Seabreeze High School in Daytona Beach, Florida I moved to Europe and fell in love with its historical beauty — Paris, Milan, Rome, Zurich, Munich and Vienna. Almost four years later I returned to the States to earn my Bachelor’s Degree from Florida State University. With a degree in International Affairs, I couldn’t wait to get out of flat, hot, humid, boring, touristy Florida as soon as possible. I headed north, to Washington, D.C., where I ended up staying for seven years. Next move was to the more relaxing Charlotte, North Carolina with its beautiful mountains to the west, and exquisite coast to the east. I lasted ten years. 
Then, somehow, I found myself back in Florida.
The theme parks can be a great experience for the vacationer, but I am a resident now. Is there more to Florida? That is the purpose of this blog, to seek out the more. Throughout I will comment on my observations of all things Floridian, while searching for 50 things to love about Florida for the non-theme park enthusiast. What makes Florida unique, odd, or wonderful?
I wonder as I wander.
I enjoy your blog and share many of your interests. I look forward to following your future posts.
Thanks Mike. Your site, florida-backroads-travel.com, looks like it will give me even more ideas of where, and what, to visit.
Barbara! Hi, As a native Floridian I too have always been one to seek real Florida. I love the Micanopy and Cross Creek area, the Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings house and her Pulitzer winning writings. Growing up in Tampa in a family of 6, our family vacations were always camping vacations. My father was a true outdoorsman and started us young. We camped every place from the Florida Keys to the Florida Caverns and hit the highlights of everything in between. We even camped right on Ft. Myers Beach with our tent in the sand not far from the waves back in the ’60s, and on Honeymoon Island. The Everglades, Ocala National Forest, and Myakka State Park are among Florida most beautiful natural settings with plenty of cool shade. My absolute favorite trips were any and every chance to get near or in any of Florida’s natural springs. There is great camping at Silver Springs still today! We found primative camping at Homasassa Springs and Little Manatee springs in North Florida. Now I live in Pensacola. The Gulf beaches here are among the most beautiful beaches in the world. The sugar white sand is so gorgeous it looks fake. The water is so turquoise and clear you just cannot take your eyes off of it. Margaritaville is a delightful and fabulous newly built hotel on Pensacola Beach that I am sure you would love. And even if you don’t camp, you need to see Ft. Pickens (near the hotel). It is part of the National Seashore Park system, and it is unbelievably beautiful — great campgrounds too; the bathhouses have wonderfully steaming hot showers and are very clean. Happy searching for real Florida! Paula
Thanks for all the great ideas Paula! I will definitely be exploring the Pensacola area this year.