With its dimension and distinctive location in america, there are fairly just a few fascinating information 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 record both exceptionally humorous or simply flat-out fascinating.
To start out off, listed here are just a few normal information about Florida:
- There are a formidable 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 foul begin, proper?
So, whether or not you’re a trivia-loving individual otherwise you wish to use these Florida information to impress associates or household, you’ll undoubtedly wish to learn by this record. So, with out additional ado, listed here are seventeen enjoyable or fascinating information about Florida so as to add to your data financial institution!
The 17 Most Fascinating Info about Florida
So, what sort of information are you able to anticipate from this record? Properly, anticipate all issues bizarre, enjoyable, fascinating, and informative! With Florida’s numerous background and lengthy historical past (the oldest inhabited metropolis lies within the state), you’ll be able to anticipate to be entertained as you study a bit extra in regards to the Sunshine State.
Able to study in regards to the unusual and fantastic state of Florida? Let’s dive in!
1. Florida has three state animals
All states within the US have a state hen, and most have a state animal as properly. Nonetheless, Florida has three state animals on its docket. The state hen is the Mockingbird. It additionally has a state marine mammal (Manatee) and a state saltwater mammal (Bottlenose Dolphin).
In case you’re an animal lover, you’ll be able to stand up shut and private with the state marine mammal through a kayaking tour. Nonetheless, it’s essential to notice that Manatees are protected, so that you’ll must observe the foundations when kayaking round Manatees. For instance, you can’t 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 the moment, there are an estimated 120-230 panthers that stay 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 contemplate St. Augustine the oldest metropolis within the US.
Not too long ago, 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 outdated
This island, a preferred seashore vacation spot for a lot of vacationers, is roughly twenty-five thousand years outdated. 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 beautiful 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 toes, as quartz sand just isn’t a superb warmth conductor!
With the island’s wealthy historical past and beautiful seashores, exploring Anna Maria Island through the water is likely one of the greatest methods to get round. Fortunately, there are fairly just a few boat excursions on Anna Maria Island you need to completely try.
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 be dwelling to a number of endangered species, together with the West Indian Manatee, the Jap Indigo Snake, and even the American crocodile.
General, 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 dwelling 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: Whenever you go to Florida, you’ll 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. In case 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 gained greatest within the nation for the previous a number of years. The attractive seashores, glorious mountaineering routes, and glowing water make it simple 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 earth. You could be shocked to search out out that it was nonetheless in its starting stage when Walt Disney handed away, so he might 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 every year.
8. In addition to Hawaii, Florida is the one state with a tropical local weather
This local weather has helped produce one of the vital 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 range is its coral reef. Florida’s coral reef is the one residing reef within the nation. It’s additionally the third greatest worldwide.
Due to the various local weather, Florida has been recognized to have excessive climate occurrences. You’ll be able to even see the variety 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 a protracted record of innovations for which it may possibly take credit score, together with Spring Break. The primary ever Spring Break occurred within the Thirties when a Colgate College swim coach took his staff to Fort Lauderdale for coaching. It shortly grew to become a pleasant competitors that occurred yearly, because the coach continued bringing his staff 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 needs 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 a protracted aviation historical past courting again to 1910 at Orlando’s Orange County Truthful. 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 college in Florida opened in Miami Seashore.
Then, in 1914, Florida had the primary scheduled passenger airline. The airplane held one passenger, who gained a airplane ticket at an public sale for $400. This airplane experience traveled between Tampa and St. Petersburg, a route created attributable to an absence of a connecting bridge on the time. The journey took lower than 1.5 hours and included a restore cease, the Florida breeze, and beautiful surroundings
This state can be dwelling 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 type 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 get together on the seashore and normally 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, anticipate to ebook your resorts and flights months, if not longer, prematurely. This can be a fashionable occasion, as folks from throughout journey to the world to expertise the occasion in individual.
12. Florida has extra golf programs than another state!
You won’t 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 situated 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 Seashore 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 plenty of golf programs!
St. Augustine is even dwelling 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 knowledge on the gamers who’ve been inducted into the corridor of fame.
13. Florida is the flattest state within the U.S.
Most are conversant in 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 simply 100 ft.
The best pure level within the state is 345 ft. above sea degree, and that’s situated 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 though, by Florida requirements, that elevation is moderately 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 chief 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 range for varieties of fish and what you’ll catch.
Florida additionally has an countless 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 are fishing-worthy.
Blessed with everlasting sunshine and pleasantly average climate all yr, Florida is the proper place to fish in any season!
15. Florida’s Identify means “Land of Flowers” in Spanish
This one may come as a shock, however Florida’s identify comes from the Spanish time period “La Florida,” which interprets to imply “land of flowers.” The identify was chosen by the explorer Ponce de Leon, who was the primary European to discover the world in 1513.
Ponce de Leon named Florida for its abundance of lovely 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, you’ll want 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 success or prosperity. The white and yellow blossom could 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 may keep in mind, or some might need heard through historical past books, the favored phrase “…one small step for a person, one big 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 actual. 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.
Be certain that so as to add visiting the Kennedy Area Heart in Merritt Island, Florida to your itinerary! It’s the proper place to study extra in regards to the Apollo 11 mission and uncover all the opposite unbelievable issues that NASA has achieved.
17. Florida has a Native Bigfoot Named the “Skunk Ape”
Okay, this one’s type of loopy, however Florida has the same legendary creature among the many likes of fashionable legends like Bigfoot. Florida’s is named the “Skunk Ape” and it’s situated within the swamp-filled Everglades Nationwide Park, or so they are saying.
This ape-like big has lengthy been a legend since 1974, and lots of claims of sightings of the enormous creature throughout South Florida. And, as its identify suggests, the enormous clearly doesn’t odor the very best. Somebody claimed they noticed the Skunk Ape whereas strolling out within the swamp, and that it regarded like a person lined with hair throughout.
We’ll allow you to resolve what you consider of Florida’s Bigfoot, however ensure to take a look at the statue of the notorious legend in Ochopee, Florida!
Wrap-Up: Enjoyable and Fascinating Info About Florida
Florida is a state not like another, although that’s to be anticipated when a state is teeming with alligators and unusual headlines speaking about “Florida Man.” Stunning, thrilling, and that includes sunny days almost year-round, this state is one you shouldn’t maintain off your bucket record.
Subsequent time you go to the state, scan by these fascinating information about Florida and see in the event you can schedule one or two into your journey itinerary one way or the other (like visiting St. Augustine or attending the Mullet Toss). It may aid you discover a few of the greatest locations to go to or provide the expertise of a lifetime.
Completely satisfied future travels to the Sunshine State!
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Marissa runs Sundown Chasing Blonde.
