‘Secret Orlando’ book co-authored by Fox 35 anchor reveals weird, obscure destinations
What do the I-4 Eyesore, the grave of Bob Ross, a waterskiing elephant and the Waste Pro Garbage Truck Museum have in common? They’re all contained in a travel book with dozens of Orlando’s hidden secrets spelled out within its pages.
Fox 35 news anchor John Brown teamed up with Joshua Ginsberg, a Tampa-based author, to write a new book, “Secret Orlando: A Guide to the Weird, Wonderful, and Obscure.” With more than 80 entries of off-the-beaten-path points of interest, attractions and fun facts from the pages of history, the authors aim to take curious tourists and locals on an “adventure that begins where the monorail ends.”
“Sometimes you go somewhere and see something and you say, ‘What the heck is that?’ There’s always a story behind it,” Brown said. “Our history didn’t just start in 1970 when Disney got here. It’s great being able to show people how cool this area was even before that and the things that still exist.”
Some pages delve into history at sugar mill ruins, historical markers and curious statues that might be easily overlooked. While the geographic range expands south to Kissimmee, west to Clermont and Lake Wales, north to Silver Springs and east to the Space Coast and New Smyrna Beach, many focal points are centered on Orlando proper.
One spread goes into how the City Beautiful got its name (and how it was once called Jernigan) and the tale of how Lake Eola’s swans came to inhabit what is now the outdoor focal point of downtown Orlando.
“You can’t avoid the theme parks entirely, but I wanted to stray away from making that the focus,” Ginsberg said. “Some of my favorite things for this book were things that I hadn’t read about before or seen on blogs.”
Ginsberg said some of his favorite discoveries were the Ripley’s Entertainment warehouses (not open to the public) and the Wizard of Oz Museum on Cape Canaveral.
“One thing I was proud of having in there was the I-4 Eyesore,” he said. “That’s something that all the locals can chuckle about and the kind of granular, local knowledge that helps separate this.”
Other Orlando-area gems featured in the book include Lucky’s Lake Swim, the Winter Park Scenic Boat Tour, Gatorland, Enzian Theater, Wekiva Island, Fort Christmas, Cassadaga and Mathers Social Gathering. For people looking to have fun on or in the water, “Secret Orlando” also mentions Devil’s Den, bioluminescent kayaking, De Leon Springs, Kelly Park/Rock Springs, Hontoon Island and airboat tours.
While Ginsberg recognizes the value and popularity of Orlando’s theme parks, some of these points of interest may prove eye-opening and more budget-friendly.
“I don’t think there’s anything wrong with having a standard, typical Disney, Universal or SeaWorld kind of adventure. But it’s worth being open to things that are a little less scripted,” he said. “I think having two different perspectives made sure that whatever somebody is into — whether it’s sports, history, food and beverage or art — there would be something they could connect with.”
More information
Buy “Secret Orlando: A Guide to the Weird, Wonderful, and Obscure” at reedypress.com or on amazon.com. Brown will make an appearance at the Longwood Council Lunch & Learn from 11:30 a.m.-1 p.m. Jan. 15 at 200 W. Warren Ave. in Longwood. Tickets are $15 with lunch included, and an advanced RSVP is required. For more information, visit business.seminolebusiness.org/events.
Find me @PConnPie on Instagram or send me an email: pconnolly@orlandosentinel.com.
