The scenic drive through Florida’s Big Bend region offers a perfect slice of “Old Florida” charm. As you cruise along the back roads, the pace slows, and the world feels a bit more timeless. Towering cypress trees draped in Spanish moss line the roadsides, and the air carries the scent of saltwater and pine. Along the way, you pass forgotten little fishing towns and rustic homes that seem untouched by the modern world. With every turn, the horizon opens up to tranquil marshes, hidden tidal creeks, and quiet backwaters—perfect for spotting wildlife or just soaking in the peaceful solitude. This drive is a refreshing reminder of Florida’s quieter, slower side, where the beauty of nature and the simplicity of rural life take center stage.
Captured in August 2023 in Florida’s Big Bend / Nature Coast area. Locations include Cedar Key, Shell Mound, Fowlers Bluff, Manatee Springs, Fanning Springs, Suwannee, Dixie Mainline Road, Shired Island, Horseshoe Beach, Lower Suwannee NWR, Road to Nowhere, Jena, Steinhatchee.
Just a few weeks after this video was captured, Hurricane Idalia made landfall in this area, which caused permanent damage to some of the locations in this video. In particular, the park at Shired Island had a very nice jetty which appears in this video, but was destroyed with the hurricane, along with nearby sections of road. In the following year, Hurricane Debby and Hurricane Helene also directly hit the Big Bend area, causing further damage and permanent closure to some areas, such as the Road to Nowhere, featured in this video (and in the image above).
Note that this was captured with an older camera.
YouTube Full Videos
HD Highlights (59:24)
YouTube Shorts
Original music for this video available at 
bandcamp and 
SoundCloud
YouTube Playlists:
My music is available for streaming and purchase at:
- ♫ Spotify
- ♫ Apple Music
- ♫ YouTube Music
- ♫ Amazon Music
- ♫ Tidal
- ♫ iHeart
- ♫ bandcamp
- ♫ SoundCloud