Weird Things to See and Do in Florida
Updated: Mar 9
While Austin, Texas, wants to keep itself weird and unique, it simply can’t hold a candle to the strangeness found in Florida. From the viral and always bizarre Florida man news stories to mermaid shows and even their own version of Bigfoot, Florida is just too unpredictable to be classified as anything but weird.
If you love the strange excitement found in weird places, the following will give you some ideas as to what to include on your next road trip. Just drive safely; you wouldn’t want to deal with one of the common types of accident claims in Tampa.
State Symbols
Every state has its symbols from flowers to birds. But Florida’s are in a league of their own. Some are exactly what you'd expect: the state flag, seal and bird are all anticipated. From here though it starts to get a bit strange. Florida has not one, but two state flowers, the orange blossom and the coreopsis.
While it’s not strange to have a state animal or butterfly, which Florida does have, it does seem a bit odd to break it down into categories. Not counting the butterfly, which is technically an animal, this state has seven distinct state animals, from the Florida panther to the manatee. They even claim largemouth bass as their freshwater fish symbol! And that doesn’t even consider the state’s shell, beverage or soil.
What’s even more interesting, though, is the symbolism behind these symbols. For example, the state’s gemstone of choice is the moonstone. This represents new beginnings. The state bird, the mockingbird, represents innocence and harmlessness. Both of these meanings take Florida’s tourist focus to a whole new level; it’s not only a harmless and innocent place to relax, but also a chance to reflect on your life and self and possibly start down a new path.
Combine this with the meanings behind the state flowers, purity, good fortune and cheerfulness respectively, and you start to get a clever picture as to the vibe Florida strives to maintain.
Florida Man Phenomenon
Thanks to the rise of the internet, anything can become viral, from a child dancing or ranting about their favorite video game to strange local news stories. Despite the temporary nature of virality, though, two words continue to crop up in viral posts: Florida Man.
These posts were almost always real news articles about a man who lived in Florida committing some crime in the weirdest way or just being strange crimes in and of themselves. The perfect example of this is the man who tossed a live alligator into a Wendy’s drive-thru.
There’s a reason why Florida’s weird crimes are able to flood the internet on a daily basis. It’s because of how much information the government considers to be public record. You could easily find information about an arrest and then ask for information on it no matter who you are or where you live. You’ll also get what you asked for very quickly.
Of course, this brings up a new point: is Florida the only state that’s this weird, or is it just so open that it feels that way?
Skunk Ape
We’ve all heard of at least one cryptid. For some, the Loch Ness Monster, lovingly called Nessy, is their preference. The more popular choice, though, is Bigfoot/Sasquatch. Of course, Florida saw the tale of the massive ape and decided that it needed its own version. Hence the belief of many of the existence of the Skunk Ape.
It is described as looking nearly identical to Bigfoot. In fact, for many, the only difference is the smell. While Bigfoot sightings occasionally mention a horrid smell, nearly all Skunk Ape ones mention a horrid smell of poop or rotten eggs.
Cryptozoologists (unrelated to the similarly named cryptocurrency) and enthusiasts who visit Florida should stop by the Skunk Ape Research Headquarters to learn as much about this elusive ape before beginning their hunt. On top of learning of the hotspots and what behaviors can attract the beast, you’ll also have the opportunity to get some merch to truly represent your love for the large, stinky ape.
Weeki Wachee
At first glance Weeki Wachee doesn't seem like anything more than an incredibly small town. Its population of twelve people doesn’t seem too exciting until you start looking a bit closer. Then you might notice something strange: mermaids.
The draw to this town is its mermaid show that has been running since 1947. The mermaids swim and perform synchronized dancers to songs. The audience will be captivated by the stunning choreography, backgrounds props and more.
Of course, being a mermaid in these shows isn’t easy. Since the performers are obviously normal people who can’t breathe underwater, they must first be trained in the venue’s unique breathing technique. It involves free-flowing air tubes and must be mastered before a performer can earn her tail.
The theater they’ll be performing in is twenty feet below the surface of North America’s deepest natural spring; there is little room for error. It doesn't stop people from all around the world from congregating here. To have a chance at being in the next show. While the dream of being a mermaid is but a fantasy for most girls some refuse to let it stay that way. It's truly beautiful to see.
Solomon’s Castle
Art enthusiasts have many reasons to visit Florida already, but none can be as interesting as Solomon’s Castle. It’s not named after the biblical figure of Solomon the king who lost his strength after having his hair cut. It’s an homage to the man whose art is contained within: Howard Solomon. He built his own personal gallery out of aluminum and then filled it with his works all of which were made from recycled items.
When he still lived Howard Solomon would give all of the tours personally, delighting visitors with his passionate retelling of the stories behind each piece. While he himself has since passed on, his family carries on his work by continuing to give tours and regale all with the same stories Solomon held so near and dear to his heart.