Secret Florida Is Here! Inside My First Book + Florida’s Weirdest, Most Wonderful Hidden Gems
There are some milestones that don’t quite feel real until you’re holding them in your hands — and for me, this is one of them.
I wrote a book! 🥹📚🌴 Secret Florida: A Guide to the Weird, Wonderful, and Obscure officially hits shelves, co-authored by yours truly, Alexia Gonzalez, alongside fellow Florida explorer and writer JoAnn Hill.
As someone who has spent so much of my career telling stories on tv, on the radio, through The Gala Life, and across Florida — becoming a published author feels like such a natural, yet completely surreal, next chapter.
And this book is about a place I absolutely LOVE talking about: Florida. When most people picture Florida, a few things immediately come to mind: beautiful beaches, palm trees, theme parks, sunshine, and maybe an alligator or two. But Florida gets so much weirder and more fascinating, once you start looking beyond the obvious.
Secret Florida takes you off the traditional tourist trail and into the strange stories, hidden histories, local legends, unexpected landmarks, and wonderfully obscure places hiding throughout the Sunshine State.
We’re talking haunted hotels, mysterious monuments, quirky museums, Old Florida treasures, fascinating characters, and places you could easily drive past without ever realizing the story behind them.
Some of my faves include Robert the Doll in Key West, Coral Castle in South Florida, the legendary Weeki Wachee mermaids, the historic Vinoy in St. Petersburg, Amelia Island, the Gibson Inn, Florida’s mysterious Pink Streets, and plenty of other places and stories I don’t want to spoil just yet.
One of my favorite parts of building The Gala Life has always been discovering the story behind a destination. Yes, I love a beautiful hotel, an incredible meal, a fabulous cocktail, and a picture-perfect Florida getaway — obviously. But what makes a place memorable to me is usually the story you uncover once you start digging a little deeper. Who stayed here? What happened here? Why does this exist? And why have I lived in Florida this long without knowing about it?! Writing Secret Florida gave me an excuse to ask those questions over and over again.
It also allowed me to experience my home state differently. Places I thought I knew suddenly had another layer to them, and destinations I might never have discovered became some of my favorite stories in the book.
As if writing my first book wasn’t surreal enough, there’s another detail that makes this one especially meaningful to me. One of my photographs of The Vinoy in St. Petersburg was selected by our publisher for the cover of the book. St. Pete has become such an important part of my life, career, and The Gala Life, so getting to represent a little piece of it on the cover makes this book even more special.
Meet My Co-Author, JoAnn Hill
This adventure also wouldn’t have been the same without my wonderful co-author, JoAnn Hill. Between the two of us, we traveled down some very interesting Florida rabbit holes while uncovering the stories that ultimately made their way into this book. Writing a travel guide is a journey in itself, and I’m so excited that we finally get to share what we discovered with all of you.
Come Celebrate Secret Florida With Us!
Of course, we can’t launch a book without celebrating! Our official St. Petersburg book launch is happening October 17, 2026, from 1–3 PM at The Cordova Inn in Downtown St. Pete as part of Pages & Perks.
JoAnn will also be kicking off the day with complimentary rooftop yoga at 11:30 AM, followed by our official book celebration, signing, and an afternoon dedicated to all things Secret Florida.
We’ll also be celebrating at Oxford Exchange on October 25, with more Secret Florida happenings to come.
Get Your Copy of Secret Florida 📚
If you love Florida, hidden gems, road trips, local history, haunted stories, quirky destinations, or simply discovering places that make you say “How did I not know about this?!” — this book was made for you. It also happens to make a pretty fabulous gift for the Florida lover in your life.
Writing my first book has been one of the wildest and most rewarding adventures I’ve taken on, and I’m incredibly grateful to everyone who has followed The Gala Life, listened to me on the radio, watched me on TV, shared my stories, or explored Florida alongside me over the years.
The secrets are officially out — ORDER YOUR COPY NOW!🌴🔐📚
XO,
Alexia