Florida is famous for its sunshine, beaches, and theme parks – but it also hides some truly quirky stuff. Beyond the usual attractions, the Sunshine State boasts odd historical tales, unique geography, curious wildlife, and cultural surprises. Here are ten fun and little-known places and facts about Florida that might just amaze you. If you’re looking for things to do or see in Florida, here’s a good start.
1. Key West’s Conch Republic Secession
A “Welcome to the Conch Republic” sign greets arrivals at Key West’s airport Photo: WikipediaIn April 1982, the city of Key West symbolically seceded from the United States and declared itself the independent “Conch Republic.” This tongue-in-cheek protest started after the U.S. Border Patrol set up a roadblock, treating the Florida Keys like a foreign border. Key West’s mayor (self-appointed as Prime Minister of the Conch Republic) even declared “war” on the US by breaking a loaf of Cuban bread over a man’s head, then immediately surrendered one minute later and requested $1 billion in foreign aid. The stunt worked – the roadblock was removed – and the Conch Republic lives on today in spirit. Key West still humorously celebrates its “Independence Day” every April 23rd with a week-long festival commemorating the Conch Republic’s founding.
2. Alligators and Crocodiles Coexist in the Everglades
The Florida Everglades is the only place on Earth where alligators and crocodiles live together in the wild. South Florida’s subtropical climate allows the American alligator (usually found in freshwater swamps and rivers) and the American crocodile (found in coastal mangroves and estuaries) to overlap in range. Nowhere else do these typically separate reptiles share the same habitat. If you visit Everglades National Park, you can spot the difference – alligators have broad, U-shaped snouts and darker coloring, while crocodiles have a slender V-shaped snout and a lighter, grayish-green hue. It’s a surprising wildlife oddity that makes the Everglades ecosystem unique.
3. The Only Coral Barrier Reef in Continental U.S.
Florida isn’t just beaches – it’s also home to the third-largest coral barrier reef system in the world. Off the coast of the Florida Keys stretches the Florida Reef, which is the only living coral barrier reef in the continental United States. This extensive reef tract runs about 360 miles from the Dry Tortugas up to the St. Lucie Inlet and teems with marine life. Divers and snorkelers can explore vibrant coral formations and tropical fish just a few miles from shore. The reef’s significance is huge: it’s often called the “rainforest of the sea” for its biodiversity, and it helps protect Florida’s coast from waves and storms. (By the way, Florida’s reef is exceeded in size only by Australia’s Great Barrier Reef and the Mesoamerican Reef in the Caribbean. It’s an underwater treasure many visitors don’t realize the Sunshine State has.
4. The Smallest Post Office in the United States
Deep in the Florida Everglades sits America’s smallest post office, a teeny white shed measuring only 61.3 square feet. This one-room post office in Ochopee, FL has been in operation since 1953, when the town’s general store (which housed the old post office) burned down. In a pinch, an irrigation pipe storage shed was hurriedly converted to serve as the new post office. Amazingly, it’s still in use today – offering all the services of a regular post office to local residents, including the Seminole and Miccosukee tribal communities. Tourists driving along the Tamiami Trail often stop to take photos of this quaint landmark and mail a postcard for the coveted “Ochopee” postmark. It’s a charming reminder that in Florida, even basic structures can come with a twist of oddity.
5. Florida Banned Dwarf Tossing in 1989
Among Florida’s unusual laws, here’s one you might not have expected: the state once officially banned “dwarf tossing.” In the 1980s, some Florida bars held shocking contests where patrons would literally toss willing participants (usually people with dwarfism) for sport. The practice drew public outrage for its dangerous and demeaning nature. In 1989, the Florida Legislature outlawed dwarf-tossing in establishments that serve alcohol., citing safety and human dignity. The ban became law on June 28, 1989, making this bizarre bar pastime illegal statewide. (Amusingly, a Florida legislator attempted to repeal the ban in 2011, arguing it was an unnecessary regulation – but the ban remains in place.) It’s one of those offbeat Florida facts that sounds like a joke but is entirely true, reflecting the state’s proactive stance against an odd form of entertainment.
6. St. Augustine – The Oldest City in the U.S.
The Spanish-built Castillo de San Marcos in St. Augustine, the oldest masonry fort in the U.S. Florida is home to the oldest continuously inhabited European-established city in the continental United States . That city is St. Augustine, founded on September 8, 1565 by Spanish explorer Pedro Menéndez de Avilés. This predates other early settlements like Jamestown (1607) and Plymouth (1620) by decades. St. Augustine served as the capital of Spanish Florida for over 200 years, and you can still visit its historic fort, the Castillo de San Marcos, which was completed in 1695 and built of native coquina stone. Walking the narrow brick streets of St. Augustine’s Old Town, you’ll find buildings from the 1700s and 1800s and a city layout that harkens back to the Spanish colonial era. It’s a city where history comes alive – in fact, by the time English settlers founded Jamestown, St. Augustine had already been thriving for 42 years
7. Tarpon Springs: Sponge Capital of the World
You might not expect a taste of Greece in Florida, but the city of Tarpon Springs on the Gulf Coast has the highest percentage of Greek-Americans of any U.S. city. In the early 1900s, natural sponge beds were discovered in the waters off Tarpon Springs, kicking off a booming sponge-diving industry. The industry’s founders brought in experienced divers from Greece – by 1905, hundreds of Greek sponge divers had arrived, turning Tarpon Springs into the “Sponge Capital of the World”. The Greek community thrived and left a cultural imprint that’s still evident today in Tarpon Springs’ docks lined with Greek restaurants, bakeries, and shops. Visitors can watch sponge fishermen unload their catch and even take boat tours to see divers in traditional suits. This unique heritage makes Tarpon Springs a little slice of the Mediterranean in Florida, famed for the world’s finest natural sponges and authentic Greek cuisine
8. Weeki Wachee – The City of Live Mermaids
Florida had a city with a population of just 13 people – all built around live mermaids. Weeki Wachee, located north of Tampa, is home to the famous Weeki Wachee Springs, where “mermaids” (actually, highly trained swimmers) have performed underwater shows since 1947. In the early days, women wearing fish tails wowed audiences by eating bananas and drinking soda underwater in the crystal-clear spring. To boost publicity, the tiny community was incorporated in 1966 as the City of Weeki Wachee, proudly called the “City of Live Mermaids”. At one square mile in size, Weeki Wachee had no residential streets or neighborhoods – essentially just the mermaid park, a motel, and a small strip mall. It remained the nation’s smallest city, with population 13 (mainly the mermaid performers and park staff) until recent years. In 2020, Weeki Wachee’s city charter was finally dissolved, due to concerns about its finances and impact on the State Park, but the mermaid shows continue under the state park system. Generations of travelers have stopped to see these aquatic performers in their 400-seat submerged theater – a classic Florida roadside attraction where fantasy comes to life underwater.
9. An Underwater Hotel in Key Largo
Leave it to Florida to have a hotel at the bottom of a lagoon. In Key Largo, you can book a night at Jules’ Undersea Lodge, the only submerged hotel in the United States. This cozy two-room lodge sits 30 feet underwater in a mangrove lagoon – and the only way to check in is by scuba diving down to the entrance! Once a research lab, it was converted into the world’s first underwater hotel when it opened in 1986. Guests who become “aquanauts” enjoy pizza delivered by divers and big windows looking out into the underwater world of tropical fish. The lodge isn’t luxurious by five-star standards (expect bunks and a small common room), but the experience of waking up underwater is one-of-a-kind. It’s a lesser-known Florida adventure that combines a bit of science fiction flair with the natural beauty of a coral lagoon – a reminder that in Florida, you can even spend the night under the sea.
10. Britton Hill – The Nation’s Lowest High Point
Mountainous is one thing Florida is not – in fact, the highest natural elevation in the state is only 345 feet above sea level. That spot, called Britton Hill, is notable for being the lowest high point of any U.S. state. Tucked away in the Florida Panhandle near the Alabama border, Britton Hill is so subtle you might not realize you’re at a “summit” at all – it’s a gentle rise in a grassy park (Lakewood Park) with a stone monument and sign proudly proclaiming “Florida’s Highest Point 345 Feet.” This “peak” is 103 feet lower than the next lowest state high point (Delaware’s), and lower than many skyscrapers. For perspective, Miami’s Panorama Tower stretches 861 feet high – over twice the height of Britton Hill. Highpointers and curious travelers often stop by for a photo with the monument or to stand on Florida’s roof. It’s a fun geographical quirk that underscores just how flat Florida really is.
Each of these facts showcases an unexpected side of Florida. From tongue-in-cheek secessions and underwater antics to cultural enclaves and record-setting oddities, the Sunshine State is full of surprises. Next time you think of Florida, remember that beyond the palm trees and resorts lies a state with stories so quirky they could only be true in Florida.
