Florida
Laser Tag Source State of the Week
Florida Quick Facts
- State Nicknames: Heart of Dixie, Cotton State and Yellowhammer State (after the state bird)
- The city with the largest population is Birmingham but the largest city by land is Huntsville
- The oldest city is Mobile
- The capital is Montgomery
- Alabama experiences some of the hottest summers in the United States
- South Florida is the only place on earth where alligators and crocodiles coexist in the wild.
Additional Florida Information
Gators
South Florida is the only place on earth where alligators and crocodiles coexist in the wild.
Daycare
A 1998 Florida law requires all state-funded daycare centers and preschools to play classical music for the children. “I want all the kids in the state of Florida to be the best and brightest,” state senator Bill Turner said. The so-called Mozart effect has since been debunked, but the law holds.
Skunk Ape
Florida has its own Bigfoot: the eight-foot tall, hairy, smelly monster known as the Skunk Ape. Sightings were so frequent in the ’70s that legislators feared it was just a matter of time before the Skunk Ape was caught or killed.
Amish Beach
Sarasota, Florida, is home to what may be the only Amish beach resort in the world.
Rockets
NASA built a rocket test facility in Homestead, Florida, in the 1960s. When the project ended, the government left the site intact—and there’s still a rocket there today.
Mullet Toss
Participants in the annual Interstate Mullet Toss throw dead fish over the state line from Florida into Alabama.
The Name
The state got its name from explorer Ponce de Leon, who called it La Florida, or “the flowery place.”
Citrus
Florida is the largest producer of citrus fruits in the United States and second in the world
Amusement Parks
Orlando attracts more visitors than any other amusement park destination in the United States.
Safety Harbor
Safety Harbor is the home of the historic Espiritu Santo Springs. Given this name in 1539 by the Spanish explorer Hernando de Soto. He was searching for the legendary Fountain of Youth. The natural springs have attracted attention worldwide for their curative powers.