By: Mike Vasilinda November 8, 2013

Want to know what a beach on the other side of Florida looks like? Youll soon be able to get a 360 degree view courtesy the states tourism marketing agency. Visit Florida has partnered with Google to visually map more than eight hundred miles of Florida beaches.

It began in the Panhandle. Florida-Alabama state line and these are our first steps, says Chris Officer, Trekker.

Two teams of two people have been walking Floridas beaches since mid July. On their backs a 40 pound 360 degree camera pack. Its the states latest effort to lure more people to the state. So its a great opportunity to give wet peoples appetite and help-let them virtually explore the Florida beaches, says Will Seccombe, Visit Florida Director.

Along their way the trekkers, as they are called, were as much a tourist attraction as the beaches they walked.

Florida had ninety one and a half million tourists last year. The goal is one hundred million and marketers think the beach views will be one more tool to reach their goal. Its not just a picture. You want to show people what, you know, what their beach looks like and what their walk is going to be like in the morning or the sunset that afternoon, says Seccombe.

The trekkers have been covering about 50 miles a week, their journey hasnt been without, well surprises. [What do you do with nude beaches?] Well, our Visit Florida team ran across a couple of those beaches on their trek through the state. They will be blurred out just like the licenses plates on street cam for Google, says Will Seccombe.

The journey finishes next week on South Beach, the pictures go live early next year.

Excerpt from:

Florida Beaches Google-Style