If you know these 10 fun facts about Florida, then you are a home boy. But I doubt it if you know number 7, actually.
Florida may be thought of as a vacation paradise because it has a great weather, lots of exiting things to do, and beautiful beaches with white sand; But this southern state on the coast has more to offer than just beaches, parties, and theme parks.
There are a lot of fun and interesting facts about the history, culture, and nature of Florida that will make any trip there even more interesting.
Whether this is your first trip to Florida or your tenth, be ready to learn about the fun facts in Florida.
10 Fun Facts About Florida
Listed below are ten fun facts about the sunshine state.
1. Cape Canaveral
This is where NASA’s launches take place. You might be surprised to learn that the U.S. Air Force really owns this place.
Even the name of the cape has changed a few times over the years. Today, it is called Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, but in the past, it was also called Cape Kennedy Air Force Station.
2. World Golf Hall Of Fame
For golf enthusiasts, St. Johns County is home to the World Golf Hall of Fame. The game of golf may have been born in Scotland, but it has quickly become a staple of the Sunshine State. Fortunately, the state’s year-round pleasant climate means that golf season is perpetual in this location.
The World Golf Hall of Fame is located in St. Johns County, Florida, not far from historic St. Augustine, attesting to the state’s devotion to the sport.
3. Hurricane Season
Hurricanes are famous in Florida, and everyone who lives there knows that hurricane season is just a part of life. If you want to go somewhere, make sure you do your research and check the weather first.
Florida is a good place for these summer storms to hit because it is surrounded by water. Florida gets hit by about 40% of the hurricanes that come to the US. Most hurricanes aren’t too bad, but they’re getting stronger every year.
4. Friendly Sea Cows
The friendly sea cows known as Mantees live in Florida. Have you ever seen one of these sea creatures? If not, book a Manatee swim and snorkel trip to Homosassa State Wildlife Park to swim with manatees.
Even though these animals are safe and often friendly with people, you should never touch one. You’re lucky, because you can get close to manatees in Florida’s Crystal River. Crystal River is also the only place where manatees can be safe because it was built for that purpose.
Being able to see the mantees and swim around them is one of the most amazing fun facts about Florida.
5. Themed Parks
Did you know that Universal Studios and Walt Disney World Resort, two of the biggest theme parks in the world, are both in Florida? And here’s another fun fact: Walt Disney World Resort is the most visited theme park in the world.
The Walt Disney World Resort has its own theme parks, like Magic Kingdom and Epcot. It’s nearly as big as San Francisco! Disney World is like a city on its own.
Universal Studios has the popular Wizarding World of Harry Potter and is starting to catch up to Disney World as one of the best Florida theme parks. All kinds of fanatics will enjoy going to all of Florida’s theme parks.
6. Getting around by boat
Did you know that you can travel along waterways in some parts of Florida? Florida is often called the boating capital of the world because it has so many boats and waterways.
There are 400 miles of waterways in Cape Coral. This is like the scenes you see of people taking boats through the streets of Italy. It’s not as big or as big as it sounds, but when you see it up close, it’s still impressive.
7. The history of flying
Florida has always been interested in space, and on January 1, 1914, the first commercial passenger airline flight took off from St. Petersburg and landed in Tampa.
The flight was only 23 minutes long, but it changed history. Because of this, it will always be one of our Florida fun facts.
8. Beaches
Florida has a lot of beaches, which shouldn’t be a big surprise. Some are more popular than others, but all of them are great places to spend a day having fun in the sun.
South Beach, which is the most well-known part of Miami Beach, is a great place to go out and have fun at night. Dry Tortugas is as far away as you can get, Daytona Beach is famous for racing, and Panama City Beach is known for its wild spring breaks.
There are plenty of things to do on and off the beach. After you’ve had enough sun, you can put on your dancing shoes and go out on the town.
Cocoa Beach has both public and private beaches with hot sand and warm water where you can spend a day relaxing. These parts of the beach aren’t as busy as some of the party beaches, so you shouldn’t have any trouble finding a quiet spot to read a book on a towel.
9. Islands
Even though most of Florida is a peninsula, there are also islands there to make things more interesting. The Florida Keys are a group of islands that are often visited by tourists. There are 800 keys in the Florida Keys, from Key Largo to Key West.
There are more than 4,500 islands that are part of the state of Florida. That’s a lot of islands in the tropics to visit.
10. The orange blossom is the state flower of Florida
Since Florida is known for its oranges, it is not surprising that the orange blossom was chosen as its state flower in 1909. There are many orange groves in Florida, and you can smell the flowers from miles away.
A lot of art from the state has orange blossoms on it. If you ever go to a wedding in Florida, these flowers will be in the arrangements.
11. The Sunshine State
Many US states have short names that people call them by. They are often printed on license plates, state signs, and other keepsakes. So, this list of fun facts about Florida wouldn’t be complete without its nickname.
“The Sunshine State” is a common name for Florida. It is easy to see why this would be a good name for Florida. The state does get rain. It can rain every day in the summer. Although, there is perfect weather, and rainfall don’t last long.
12. 70% of the country’s oranges come from Florida
You’ve probably seen orange juice ads that talk about the Florida orchards where the juice comes from.
Orange trees do well in Florida because it has the right amount of sun, rain, and temperature all year long. Because of this, 70% of the oranges in North America come from farms in this state.
13. Florida grows almost all of the fresh market tomatoes in the U.S
Because of its great weather, Florida is one of the best places in the US to grow vegetables. Since it hardly gets too cold or dry, summer fruits and vegetables can grow all year long.
For example, most tomatoes come from the state. Thanks to Florida, you can buy them in the winter.
14. Reptile Galore
Alligators and crocodiles live together in Florida, which is one of the most interesting things we found out about the state. Alligators are very common in Florida and as a matter of fact, the alligator is the state reptile of Florida.
But did you know that the Florida Everglades National Park is the only place in nature where you can see both alligators and crocodiles at the same time?
If you won’t mind seeing reptiles, then head to Florida to have a fun view. If you’re lucky, you might see a variety of reptile friends and foes in Florida.
15. Fishing Capital Of The World
When it comes to fishing, everyone goes to Florida. Water can be found in several places across the state of Florida, with thousands of fresh and saltwater bodies. Due to its rich variety, it is also known as a prime location from which to launch fishing expeditions around the globe.
After conducting extensive research into many facets of fishing in Florida, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission arbitrarily bestowed upon the state the moniker.
One crucial factor that tips the balance in Florida’s favor is the quantity of fish caught on a daily basis from recreational fishing only. In contrast, there is a great variety of fish that can be caught legally and eaten in the state.
16. World Leading Grapefruit Producer
The state of Florida produces more grapefruit than any other country. You should definitely think of Florida when you hear the phrase “grapefruit,” if you aren’t already.
As stated earlier in this article, Florida is the best state to grow fruit and vegetables and they live up to that expectation when you talk about grapefruit.
Grapefruits thrive in warm areas and can be found in most regions of the world. Nonetheless, Florida supplies the vast majority of the world’s grapefruit. Grapefruit is a common ingredient in many state-made dishes.
Conclusion
There are lots of reasons to love this sunshine state like the fun facts listed above. Even if you don’t think you’ll ever live in Florida, you should still go there and enjoy the sun and sand.
If you’re an adventurous traveler, ensure you confirm these fun facts about Florida when next you are in the US.