You may think where you live boring or even crazy, but each place has its own individual quirks and idiosyncrasies. Florida is no different. It became the 27th state in 1845. It has several things that make it stand out from a crowd and several similar things. This article will emphasize the standout, different, maybe even, wacky things about Florida. These things give it its own personality and flavor and are often what makes it so attractive to tourists, and intriguing to so many. Some things you may have thought you knew, but hopefully, there will be a few surprises for you. While we will only touch on the top reasons Florida is crazy, we hope you enjoy this list.
Some of the commonplace things about Florida may seem outlandish to others but is par for the course for locals. This article will go over some possibly familiar and maybe not-so-well-known facts about Florida and a few of the reasons it is crazy.
1. Weather
2. The Land
3. The People
4. The Laws
5. Miscellaneous Oddities
Weather
Everyone knows Florida is the Sunshine State. Combine that with average temperature highs of 82° and lows average of 61°, the weather is near perfect. Almost, that is. Florida is the thunderstorm capital of the U.S. Lightning strikes are the number one cause of death in Florida. It has the highest number of lightning strikes per capita in the U.S. April, May, and summers are peak tornado seasons and June 1 to November 30 is hurricane season. Daily thunderstorms are the norm in Florida. They have an actual “rainy season” from June to September, contributing to the average 59” of rain they get a year. Florida actually gets brief “cold spells” as well during the winter. Bet you never thought of Florida as “cold.” In fact, the freezing weather can get so cold, you have to be aware of falling iguanas. Yes, you read that right, falling iguanas! They are cold-blooded animals, so they rely on the heat from the sun to keep warm. When temperatures dip below 50°, they become sluggish and immobilized and are a risk for aerial danger as they fall from trees. Is that not the strangest thing you have ever heard? In Florida, maybe, maybe not.
The Land
Did you know that no matter where you go in Florida, you are never more than 60 miles from the coast? This is due to the peninsula shape of the state. It has the longest coastline of any of the contiguous states. It is the flattest state in the nation, with a mean elevation of 100 feet. It is the only state in the nation that borders both the Gulf Coast and the Atlantic Ocean. It is loaded with alligators, snakes, armadillos, panthers, super spiders, fire ants, and more. Sounds like fun, doesn’t it? Crocodiles and alligators actually live together, as if one by itself isn’t dangerous enough. You are also never more than an hour from an interstate highway, which means anything and everything can and will be transported here. People, drugs, smuggling, animals, etc, you name it, they can get it.
The People
Imagine, if you will take every possible type of person, throw them together, and shake them up and you get Florida. You have your transients, your immigrants, your smugglers. People just passing through, where Florida is just a thoroughfare to somewhere else, not the destination. There are retirees or “old folk” who have moved here from all over the world because the weather or atmosphere attracts them. There are entire communities dedicated to the living, comfort, and convenience of senior citizens. From subdivisions to trailer parks, seniors and retirees flock here. Then we have the “snowbirds,” the people who only live in Florida for the winter months, when it is too harsh a winter where they normally live. Let’s not forget the thousands of tourists. From the theme parks to the national parks to the beaches, there is so much to do in Florida. High-rise hotels and rental houses are everywhere. Then you have the locals, who live there year-round, but many of them are transplants, too, originally from somewhere else coming for the weather or for work or both. Approximately 1000 people move to Florida each day. It has the highest percentage of people over the age of 65. And guess what, there are even some people who were actually born here and are true “locals.” All these different people passing through or coming for periods of time or to stay bring also their cultures, traditions, and beliefs, making Florida a melting pot of people and cultures.
The Laws
I bet you have heard or can look up some crazy laws about your own state. Well, Florida has their share, too. On top of that, they have no state income tax, lax gun laws, no regulatory body over prescription distribution, no way to seize property for debt, and loose bankruptcy laws. You cannot skateboard without a license. You cannot gossip or live with a partner unmarried and men are not allowed to wear strapless dresses. You cannot imitate an animal, shower naked, or sing in a swimsuit. You cannot hang clothes on a clothesline. You cannot eat cottage cheese after 6 pm on Sundays (huh?). You cannot park in an intersection. You cannot fall asleep under a hairdryer. Parking fines are the same for elephants tied to parking meters. People cannot sell oranges on the streets of Miami. You cannot cage pregnant pigs. Any unmarried woman cannot parachute on Sundays. No sexual relations with a porcupine are allowed. And perhaps most important of all, you cannot sell your children.
Miscellaneous Oddities
Then, there are the odd things that really don’t fit under any category. There are no dinosaur fossils in Florida, due to the fact it was all underwater when they roamed the earth.
It produces the most oranges of any state in the country. Drawing about 2.7 million students a year, it is the spring break capital of the world. Carabelle City has the smallest police station in the world, about the size of a phone booth. It has a museum of fossilized poop in the South Florida Museum (eeww). Once a year, the Mullet Toss is when thousands of Floridians toss dead fish across the state line into Alabama.
Conclusion
So while there are numerous “odd” things about Florida, there are also attractive, intriguing, or even dangerous things as well. And while some do not find all of these things
“crazy,” some are definitely unique. From the weather to the land to the people to the laws and all sorts of things, Florida is a mixed barrel of options and interests for you to discover. Find your way down here and discover some of them yourself (preferably, not being struck by lightning). Happy vacationing!