99 Interesting Facts about Florida

Florida is a state located in the southeastern region of the United States. The state is known for its sunny weather, beautiful beaches, and diverse wildlife. One of the most popular attractions in Florida is Walt Disney World, a massive entertainment complex that includes four theme parks, two water parks, and numerous hotels and restaurants. Other popular theme parks in the state include Universal Studios Florida, SeaWorld Orlando, and Busch Gardens Tampa Bay.

Florida is also home to a number of stunning natural attractions, such as the Everglades National Park, which is home to a vast array of plant and animal species, including alligators, panthers, and manatees. The state’s coastline is also home to numerous beaches, including South Beach in Miami, Clearwater Beach, and Daytona Beach. In addition to its natural beauty and theme parks, Florida is also home to numerous cultural attractions, such as the Salvador Dali Museum in St. Petersburg, the Ringling Museum of Art in Sarasota, and the Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral.

Miami, Florida

There are many interesting facts about Florida. Let’s take a look at 99 of its interesting facts.

1. Florida is the 22nd largest state in the United States and the third most populous.
2. The state’s nickname is the Sunshine State.
3. Florida’s state flower is the orange blossom.
4. The state’s capital is Tallahassee.
5. Florida has the longest coastline of any state in the contiguous United States.
6. St. Augustine, Florida, is the oldest continuously occupied European-established city in the United States.
7. The Florida Keys are a chain of islands stretching approximately 120 miles off the southern coast of Florida.
8. Florida has the highest percentage of people over the age of 65 in the United States.
9. The University of Florida is the largest university in the state and one of the largest in the country.
10. Florida has more golf courses than any other state in the United States.
11. Miami is the only major city in the United States to be founded by a woman, Julia Tuttle.
12. The Everglades National Park is the largest subtropical wilderness in the United States.
13. Florida is the only state in the continental United States to have a tropical climate.
14. The state’s official state marine mammal is the manatee.
15. The Florida State Fair is one of the oldest state fairs in the United States.
16. The state’s official state reptile is the American alligator.
17. The largest lake in Florida is Lake Okeechobee.
18. Key West is the southernmost point in the continental United States.
19. The state’s official state bird is the Northern Mockingbird.
20. The state’s official state animal is the Florida panther.
21. The oldest city in the United States, St. Augustine, was founded in 1565 by Spanish explorers.
22. The state’s official state tree is the Sabal Palm.
23. Miami Beach is home to the largest collection of Art Deco architecture in the world.
24. The state’s official state butterfly is the Zebra Longwing.
25. The world’s first underwater hotel, the Jules’ Undersea Lodge, is located in Key Largo, Florida.
26. The state’s official state shell is the Horse Conch.
27. Florida has more than 30,000 lakes.
28. The first European to set foot in Florida was the Spanish explorer Juan Ponce de Leon in 1513.
29. The state’s official state gemstone is the moonstone.
30. Florida is the only state in the United States that borders both the Gulf of Mexico and the Atlantic Ocean.
31. The state’s official state saltwater mammal is the Atlantic bottlenose dolphin.
32. The Florida Gators and Florida State Seminoles are two of the state’s most popular college football teams.
33. The state’s official state freshwater fish is the Largemouth Bass.
34. The state’s official state song is “Swanee River” (Old Folks at Home) by Stephen Foster.
35. NASA’s Kennedy Space Center is located in Florida.
36. The state’s official state stone is Agatized Coral.
37. Florida is home to more than 50 state parks.
38. The state’s official state wildflower is the Coreopsis.
39. The city of Miami has the largest cruise ship port in the world.
40. The state’s official state tree is the Cabbage Palm.
41. The Daytona International Speedway is home to the Daytona 500, one of the most prestigious races in NASCAR.
42. The world’s largest collection of Salvador Dali’s works is housed at The Salvador Dali Museum in St. Petersburg, Florida.
43. The Miami Seaquarium is the oldest oceanarium in the United States.
44. The state’s official state beverage is Orange Juice.
45. The Florida Museum of Natural History is home to the largest collection of butterfly and moth specimens in the world.
46. Florida is home to the largest subtropical wilderness in the United States, the Everglades.
47. The state’s official state anthem is “Florida (Where the Sawgrass Meets the Sky)” by Jan Hinton and Mary Lou Krosnick.
48. Florida is the leading producer of oranges in the United States.
49. The Seven Mile Bridge, located in the Florida Keys, is one of the longest bridges in the world.
50. The state’s official state play is “Cross and Sword” by Paul Green.
51. Florida is the only state to have two National Historic Landmarks associated with the same individual, Henry Morrison Flagler, the Ponce de Leon Hotel and the Casa Monica Hotel in St. Augustine.
52. The state’s official state stone is Agatized Coral.
53. Florida is home to the oldest continuously operating school in the United States, the Cathedral Parish School in St. Augustine.
54. The state’s official state animal is the Florida panther.
55. The Dali Museum in St. Petersburg has the largest collection of Dali’s works outside of Spain.
56. The Florida Museum of Natural History is home to the largest collection of shark fossils in the world.
57. The state’s official state tree is the Sabal Palm.
58. The Miami Dolphins, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, and Jacksonville Jaguars are the state’s professional football teams.
59. The world’s largest collection of Ernest Hemingway memorabilia is housed at the Ernest Hemingway Home and Museum in Key West.
60. The Space Coast, located on the eastern coast of Florida, is home to numerous aerospace and technology companies.
61. Florida is the only state in the United States to have two cities with more than 1 million residents, Miami and Jacksonville.
62. The Florida State Seminoles and Florida Gators have a long-standing college sports rivalry.
63. The state’s official state wildflower is the Coreopsis.
64. The Florida Keys are home to the only living coral reef in the continental United States.
65. The state’s official state gemstone is the moonstone.
66. Florida is home to more than 1,500 golf courses.
67. The state’s official state shell is the Horse Conch.
68. The Sunshine Skyway Bridge is one of the most photographed landmarks in the state.
69. The city of Miami is often referred to as the “Gateway to the Americas” due to its cultural and economic ties to Latin America.
70. The Florida Manatee is an endangered species that is often seen in the state’s rivers, springs, and coastal waters.
71. The Florida Everglades is the largest subtropical wilderness area in the United States.
72. The city of Orlando is home to some of the world’s most popular theme parks, including Walt Disney World, Universal Studios, and SeaWorld.
73. The state’s official state tree is the Sabal Palm, which can grow up to 80 feet tall.
74. The state’s official state song is “Swanee River (Old Folks at Home)” by Stephen Foster.
75. The Florida State Capitol building in Tallahassee is one of the tallest capitol building in the United States.
76. The Sunshine State is one of the top vacation destinations in the world, with millions of tourists visiting each year.
77. The Florida Keys is home to the southernmost point in the continental United States.
78. The Florida Trail is a 1,300-mile hiking trail that runs from the Gulf Islands National Seashore in the Panhandle to the Big Cypress National Preserve in the south.
79. The state’s official state play is “Cross and Sword” by Paul Green, which tells the story of the founding of St. Augustine.
80. The city of St. Augustine is the oldest continuously occupied European settlement in the United States, dating back to 1565.
81. The state’s official state tree is the Sabal Palm, which can live up to 200 years.
82. The Tampa Bay Area is home to some of the state’s most popular beaches, including Clearwater Beach and St. Pete Beach.
83. The state’s official state beverage is Orange Juice, which has been produced in Florida since the 1800s.
84. The state’s official state marine fish is the Atlantic Sailfish, which is often sought after by sport fishermen in the state’s coastal waters.
85. The town of Cassadaga in central Florida is known as the “Psychic Capital of the World” due to its high concentration of spiritualists and mediums.
86. The Florida State University Marching Chiefs is the largest marching band in the United States, with over 400 members.
87. The St. Johns River is the longest river in Florida, stretching over 310 miles from its headwaters in Indian River County to its outlet at Jacksonville.
88. The Florida Museum of Natural History in Gainesville houses one of the world’s largest collections of butterflies and moths.
89. The state’s official state pie is the Key Lime Pie, which originated in the Florida Keys.
90. The Silver Springs State Park in Ocala is home to some of the largest artesian springs in the world.
91. The Miami skyline features more than 300 high-rise buildings, making it one of the largest skylines in the United States.
92. The Tampa Bay Area is home to Busch Gardens, an African-themed amusement park with roller coasters and wildlife exhibits.
93. The state’s official state soil, Myakka Fine Sand, is known for its high porosity and ability to store water.
94. The Florida State Fair is one of the oldest and largest state fairs in the country, attracting over 500,000 visitors each year.
95. The Florida State Parks system is one of the largest in the country, with over 170 parks and preserves covering over 800,000 acres.
96. The Ocala National Forest is the southernmost forest in the continental United States.
97. The Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral is the launch site for all of NASA’s human spaceflight missions.
98. The Sunshine Skyway Bridge, which spans Tampa Bay, is one of the longest cable-stayed bridges in the world.
99. The Bok Tower Gardens in Lake Wales features a 205-foot singing tower that houses one of the largest carillons in the world.

Florida is a state of endless diversity, from its beautiful beaches and warm climate to its rich history and unique wildlife. It has become one of the top vacation destinations in the world, attracting millions of tourists each year with its world-renowned theme parks, stunning natural scenery, and vibrant cities. But beyond the glitz and glamour of its tourism industry, Florida is also home to a deep and fascinating history that has shaped the state into what it is today. From the Spanish explorers who first set foot on its shores to the present-day cultural melting pot of Miami, Florida is a place where the past meets the present in a unique and exciting way. With so much to see and do, it’s no wonder that Florida has become one of the most beloved states in the country, offering something for everyone who visits or calls it home.