With its dimension and distinctive location in the US, there are fairly a number of attention-grabbing info about Florida that you could be not know! Whether or not you’re a frequent Florida traveler or have but to go to the Sunshine State, you’ll discover the contents of this checklist both exceptionally humorous or simply flat-out attention-grabbing.
To begin off, listed below are a number of normal info about Florida:
- There are a powerful 4,500+ islands within the state
- It’s the one state which borders the Gulf of Mexico and the Atlantic Ocean
- It holds the biggest metropolis within the continental United States (Jacksonville)
Not a nasty begin, proper?
So, whether or not you’re a trivia-loving particular person otherwise you need to use these Florida info to impress associates or household, you’ll positively need to learn by way of this checklist. So, with out additional ado, listed below are seventeen enjoyable or attention-grabbing info about Florida so as to add to your information financial institution!
The 17 Most Attention-grabbing Information about Florida
So, what sort of info are you able to count on from this checklist? Properly, count on all issues bizarre, enjoyable, attention-grabbing, and informative! With Florida’s numerous background and lengthy historical past (the oldest inhabited metropolis lies within the state), you’ll be able to count on to be entertained as you study a bit extra in regards to the Sunshine State.
Able to study in regards to the unusual and great state of Florida? Let’s dive in!
1. Florida has three state animals
All states within the US have a state chook, and most have a state animal as properly. Nonetheless, Florida has three state animals on its docket. The state chook is the Mockingbird. It additionally has a state marine mammal (Manatee) and a state saltwater mammal (Bottlenose Dolphin).
Should you’re an animal lover, you’ll be able to stand up shut and private with the state marine mammal by way of a kayaking tour. Nonetheless, it’s essential to notice that Manatees are protected, so that you’ll must comply with the foundations when kayaking round Manatees. For instance, you can not harass, annoy, feed, or pursue a Manatee.
Bonus reality: Panthers are native to Florida. Particularly, there’s a Florida panther that’s indigenous to the state. At present, there are an estimated 120-230 panthers that reside in Florida.
2. St. Augustine, FL, is the oldest metropolis within the US
This Florida metropolis was based in 1565 by a Spanish Settler, making it the oldest European-founded settlement in US historical past that has been constantly inhabited. Many individuals additionally think about St. Augustine the oldest metropolis within the US.
Just lately, there has even been hypothesis on whether or not the primary model of Thanksgiving was held on this metropolis about half a century earlier than the pilgrims started the custom.
3. Anna Maria Island is round 25,000 years previous
This island, a preferred seashore vacation spot for a lot of vacationers, is roughly twenty-five thousand years previous. And whereas there isn’t any strategy to decide when precisely the land mass was created, utilizing carbon courting and soil samples has helped present an approximate date for this gorgeous Florida island.
Bonus reality: AMI has quartz seashores, that are uncommon. As a substitute of seashell bits turning into the white sand discovered on the seashores, quartz rocks from the Appalachian Mountains erode and wash out to sea. This implies you’ll be able to stroll on the sand on scorching days and never burn your ft, as quartz sand isn’t a superb warmth conductor!
With the island’s wealthy historical past and gorgeous seashores, exploring Anna Maria Island by way of the water is among the finest methods to get round. Fortunately, there are fairly a number of boat excursions on Anna Maria Island you must completely take a look at.
4. Florida has a nationwide park that’s 95% underwater
That’s proper, Biscayne Nationwide Park is primarily underwater. It’s considered one of eleven nationwide parks within the state and sits barely south of Miami. This nationwide park can also be residence to a number of endangered species, together with the West Indian Manatee, the Japanese Indigo Snake, and even the American crocodile.
Total, Florida is roofed in about 7% protected land, break up between its nationwide and state parks.
There are ten different nationwide parks in Florida, together with the Everglades Nationwide Park and Dry Tortugas Nationwide Park. All three of those main nationwide parks (Biscayne, Everglades, and Dry Tortugas) are in South Florida.
5. Florida’s lovely shoreline is the longest within the contiguous United States.
Not solely does Florida have the oldest metropolis, however it’s additionally residence to the longest shoreline within the decrease 48 states. The coast stretches about 1,350 miles, with 825 miles containing seashores you’ll be able to go to.
Whereas a lot of Florida’s seashores function lovely blue water, particular seashores are recognized for having the clearest water. You’ll discover a few of these seashores in Destin, the Florida Keys, Miami, and Jupiter.
Bonus reality: While you go to Florida, you may be, at most, 60 miles away from a physique of water in any given place.
6. The Peninsula State has 175 State Parks.
Out of this spectacular variety of state parks, Honeymoon Island State Park is probably the most visited. Simply over a million folks go to this lovely state park yearly. Should you’re planning on together with it as a cease in your itinerary, keep away from stopping right here on the weekends, because it’s the busiest on Saturdays and Sundays.
As a facet be aware, Florida’s state parks have constantly received finest within the nation for the previous a number of years. The gorgeous seashores, wonderful mountaineering routes, and glowing water make it straightforward to see why the state parks proceed successful this title.
7. Orlando’s Walt Disney World Resort is the top-visited resort complicated worldwide.
About 58 million folks plan a visit to Walt Disney World yearly. That makes this amusement complicated in Orlando probably the most visited on the planet. You might be shocked to search out out that it was nonetheless in its strategy planning stage when Walt Disney handed away, so he may by no means see the completed park.
The complicated has 4 parks: Magic Kingdom, Disney’s Hollywood Studios, Disney’s Animal Kingdom, and Epcot. Out of those 4, Magic Kingdom is probably the most visited. It’s additionally probably the most visited amusement park within the US, with round 20 million folks visiting annually.
8. In addition to Hawaii, Florida is the one state with a tropical local weather
This local weather has helped produce some of the ecologically numerous areas within the US. Florida has round 14.5 million acres of forested space. This implies about half the state is roofed in bushes. One other instance of the state’s ecological variety is its coral reef. Florida’s coral reef is the one dwelling reef within the nation. It’s additionally the third greatest worldwide.
Due to the varied local weather, Florida has been recognized to have excessive climate occurrences. You’ll be able to even see the range in climate when trying on the state’s highest and lowest recorded temperatures. The state’s warmest was 109°F, and the coldest was -2°F. These temperatures have been recorded about 32 years aside from one another.
9. Florida has been the birthplace of many innovations
Consider it or not, Florida has an extended checklist of innovations for which it will probably take credit score, together with Spring Break. The primary ever Spring Break occurred within the Thirties when a Colgate College swim coach took his group to Fort Lauderdale for coaching. It shortly grew to become a pleasant competitors that occurred yearly, because the coach continued bringing his group yearly.
Another innovations embrace key lime pie, air con, Well-known Amos cookies, sunscreen, and Gatorade. Since Florida is the highest producer of oranges within the nation (Florida produces greater than 70% of oranges bought within the US), it ought to be no shock that Florida is credited with many orange-related innovations, like concentrated orange juice.
10. The Sunshine State has a number of aerospace benchmarks
Florida has an extended aviation historical past courting again to 1910 at Orlando’s Orange County Honest. Throughout this truthful, the primary Florida-powered flight occurred. Lincoln Beachey competed on this competitors and will keep within the air for 5 minutes, incomes him a $1,500 prize. In 1912, the primary flight faculty in Florida opened in Miami Seaside.
Then, in 1914, Florida had the primary scheduled passenger airline. The airplane held one passenger, who received a airplane ticket at an public sale for $400. This airplane experience traveled between Tampa and St. Petersburg, a route created attributable to a scarcity of a connecting bridge on the time. The journey took lower than 1.5 hours and included a restore cease, the Florida breeze, and gorgeous surroundings
This state can also be residence to the Kennedy Area Heart, which is the bottom for house shuttle landings and launches. It’s the place Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin launched from earlier than touchdown on the moon, making one other first for the aerospace world.
11. There’s an annual Mullet Toss for Floridians
No, not that form of mullet. This occasion refers back to the mullet fish. Every year, state residents stand in a line and throw useless fish into Alabama. Sure, actually. It’s coupled with a big celebration on the seashore and often happens across the finish of April.
Although, it’s extra than simply throwing a useless mullet throughout state strains. The Mullet Toss is a contest for Floridians to see who can throw their useless fish the furthest. These collaborating within the occasion will stand in a 10-foot circle to make their throw. Some good comes out of this occasion, as proceeds go to native charities.
If you wish to take part on this occasion, count on to e book your motels and flights months, if not longer, upfront. It is a well-liked occasion, as folks from throughout journey to the realm to expertise the occasion in particular person.
12. Florida has extra golf programs than another state!
You may not be shocked to search out out that Florida has probably the most golf programs in the whole United States! It’s true, there are greater than 1,300 golf programs positioned all through the state. You’ll by no means be with out a golf course close by within the Sunshine State.
Wish to dig even deeper? Palm Seaside County, north of Miami on the house coast of the state, has extra golf programs in its county than another county within the nation. In complete, there are round 160 programs. That’s lots of golf programs!
St. Augustine is even residence to the World Golf Corridor of Fame and Museum which honors each women and men golfers and their accomplishments within the sport. The museum additionally showcases golf memorabilia, together with golf equipment and balls from completely different eras, in addition to interactive displays on the sport’s historical past, heritage, and data on the gamers who’ve been inducted into the corridor of fame.
13. Florida is the flattest state within the U.S.
Most are accustomed to how flat Florida appears to be, however do you know that Florida occurs to be the flattest state within the US? It’s true. The common elevation in Florida is just 100 ft.
The best pure level within the state is 345 ft. above sea stage, and that’s positioned in Britton Hill which is in North Florida. This spot is near the Atlanta/Florida border and is taken into account the bottom excessive level out of any state within the nation. So despite the fact that, by Florida requirements, that elevation is reasonably excessive, it’s barely something when in comparison with different states.
14. Florida is the “Fishing Capital of the World”
It’s true! Florida has been labeled the “Fishing Capital of the World” and rightfully so. With hundreds of our bodies of contemporary and saltwater, it’s a main fishing spot. Being surrounded by the Gulf of Mexico and the Atlantic Ocean supplies fairly a playground and alternative for these trying to fish. It additionally supplies fairly a little bit of variety for kinds of fish and what you’ll catch.
Florida additionally has an limitless quantity of locations for freshwater fishing – with over 7,500 lakes, ponds, and reservoirs to select from and 12,000 miles of rivers, streams, and canals which might be fishing-worthy.
Blessed with everlasting sunshine and pleasantly average climate all 12 months, Florida is the right place to fish in any season!
15. Florida’s Title means “Land of Flowers” in Spanish
This one would possibly come as a shock, however Florida’s title comes from the Spanish time period “La Florida,” which interprets to imply “land of flowers.” The title was chosen by the explorer Ponce de Leon, who was the primary European to discover the realm in 1513.
Ponce de Leon named Florida for its abundance of gorgeous flowers. Immediately, you’ll be able to nonetheless discover an abundance of colourful blooms in Florida! So, subsequent time you’re visiting the Sunshine State, make sure to take a second to understand all of its lovely flora.
Bonus reality: The state flower of Florida is the orange blossom! This blossom symbolizes luck or prosperity. The white and yellow blossom will be present in gardens and wild areas all through central and southern Florida.
16. The Well-known Apollo 11 Mission launched from Kennedy Area Heart
Some would possibly bear in mind, or some may need heard by way of historical past books, the favored phrase “…one small step for a person, one large leap for mankind.” This was a well-known quote from Neil Armstrong that he stated as he took his first step on the moon, and step one of any man on the moon.
And guess the place the well-known Apollo 11 Mission launched from? Florida! The Kennedy Area Heart to be extra precise. On July 16, 1969, the Apollo 11 crew took off from the Area Heart in Saturn V and headed to the moon to make historical past.
Make sure that so as to add visiting the Kennedy Area Heart in Merritt Island, Florida to your itinerary! It’s the right place to study extra in regards to the Apollo 11 mission and uncover all the opposite unimaginable issues that NASA has achieved.
17. Florida has a Native Bigfoot Named the “Skunk Ape”
Okay, this one’s form of loopy, however Florida has an analogous legendary creature among the many likes of well-liked legends like Bigfoot. Florida’s is called the “Skunk Ape” and it’s positioned within the swamp-filled Everglades Nationwide Park, or so they are saying.
This ape-like large has lengthy been a legend since 1974, and plenty of claims of sightings of the large creature throughout South Florida. And, as its title suggests, the large clearly doesn’t scent the perfect. Somebody claimed they noticed the Skunk Ape whereas strolling out within the swamp, and that it appeared like a person coated with hair throughout.
We’ll allow you to resolve what you imagine of Florida’s Bigfoot, however be certain that to take a look at the statue of the notorious legend in Ochopee, Florida!
Wrap-Up: Enjoyable and Attention-grabbing Information About Florida
Florida is a state in contrast to another, although that’s to be anticipated when a state is teeming with alligators and unusual headlines speaking about “Florida Man.” Lovely, thrilling, and that includes sunny days almost year-round, this state is one you shouldn’t preserve off your bucket checklist.
Subsequent time you go to the state, scan by way of these attention-grabbing info about Florida and see should you can schedule one or two into your journey itinerary by some means (like visiting St. Augustine or attending the Mullet Toss). It might probably aid you discover a number of the finest locations to go to or provide the expertise of a lifetime.
Glad future travels to the Sunshine State!
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Marissa runs Sundown Chasing Blonde.