Issuu

The Sunshine State

Cities, Towns, State Symbols, Industry, Agriculture, Parks & More!

Cities

Industry

State Symbols

Regions

Landmarks

State Symbols

STATE ANIMAL

Florida Panther

The Florida panther is the official state animal of Florida.

The Florida panther became the official state animal of Florida in Florida panthers are a type of – also called mountain lions & pumas.

Most Florida panthers live in southern Florida, especially in Cypress National Preserve

Everglades

Florida panthers can sprint up to 35 miles per hour!

Florida panthers don’t roar like lions – they chirp, growl & purr.

Florida panthers are recognizable by their brown fur tipped tails. Florida panthers are known for being excellent athletes –they can swim, run, jump & climb. Florida panthers are crepuscular, meaning they are most active during dawn & dusk.

STATE BIRD

Northern Mockingbird

5 states

Mockingbird as their state bird.

Mockingbirds got their name because they are famous for “mocking” or copying the sounds of other birds.

The Northern Mockingbird can be found in every part of Florida during every season

Mockingbirds are known for being territorial.

Unlike many other species of birds, the male & female Northern Mockingbirds different sounds.

Northern Mockingbirds eat mostly seeds & small insects.

Orange Blossom

The orange blossom is the

The orange blossom became the official state flower of Florida in

Orange blossoms bloom in the mainly during the months of

Orange blossoms are known for being extremely fragrant Bees the main pollinators for orange blossoms.

Orange blossoms typically have five white petals arranged in a star shape.

Orange blossoms grow on orange trees.

Some orange blossoms turn in oranges!

One orange tree can produce THOUSANDS of orange blossoms every year!

“Citrus

sinensis”

Dolphin STATE SALTWATER MAMMAL

The dorsal fin is unique to every dolphin – just like fingerprints are for people!

The dolphin is the official saltwater mammal

The dolphin became Florida’s official state saltwater mammal in

Bottlenose dolphins type of dolphin in Florida’s coastal waters.

Dolphins live in groups called pods.

Dolphins can hold their breath for around 10 minutes before they need to

Bottlenose dolphins are known as the “ of the water!

Bottlenose dolphins can swim up to 20 miles/hour.

Dolphins breathe through a blowhole located on the top of their head.

Manatee STATE MARINA MAMMAL

The manatee is the official state marine mammal of Florida.

The manatees found in Florida are a subspecies of the West Indian manatee.

Florida manatees live in warm, shallow waters like rivers, bays & coastal areas.

Manatees became the official state marine mammal of Florida in 1975 are nicknamed “sea cows” because of their size & eating habits.

Manatees are slow swimmers, usually going 3 - 5 miles per hour.

Manatees are herbivores – meaning they only eat plants like seagrass & algae. The average manatee weighs around 1,000 pounds.

Sabal Palm STATE TREE

The sabal palm is the official state tree of Florida.

The sabal palm became Florida’s official state tree in 1953

The sabal palm’s fan-shaped leaves are called “fronds.”

Each sabal palm frond can grow to be up to 9 feet long!

In late spring, sabal palms burst with tiny white flowers.

“Cabbage palm”

Sabal palms grow naturally in Florida, Georgia, South Carolina & the Caribbean.

Sabal palms grow very slow leaves provide a safe space for many birds to build their nests.

Sabal palms are very strong & can survive hurricanes better than most other trees.

80 feet

Cities

Jacksonville BIG CITY

Jacksonville is the LARGEST city with a population of over 1 million people

Jacksonville is known as one of the biggest U.S. Navy cities in the country.

Jacksonville is built on both sides of the St. Johns River.

Jacksonville has over 500 neighborhoods.

Station

Jacksonville & Naval Station

Mayport.

Jacksonville was founded in 1822… BEFORE Florida became a state!

Jacksonville is the largest city by land area in the continental United States.

Duval County Public Schools has over 120,000 students

Miami BIG CITY

Miami is the 2nd largest city a population of over

Miami is the ONLY founded by a woman style buildings.

Miami Dade County Public Schools is the largest school district in Florida. cruise port.

Miami is nicknamed the “magic city.”

Miami is known for its Cuban & Latin American culture.

Tampa BIG CITY

Tampa sits along an estuary

Tampa Bay

Estuaries are bodies of water where rivers meet the ocean.

Tampa is the 3rd largest city in Florida with a population of over 410,000 people.

Tampa if often referred to as the Lightning Capital of North America.”

Tampa became an official city of Florida in 1855.

Tampa is well known for its pirate festival, Gasparilla, which has been celebrated for over 100 years!

Tampa hosts the Florida State Fair.

Hillsborough County Public Schools has over 220,000 students.

Orlando BIG CITY

Orlando is the 4th largest city in Florida with a population of over 330,000 people.

Orlando is downtown Orlando is famous for its swans

Orlando’s theme parks make it one of the most visited cities in the U.S.

Orange County Public Schools has over 205,000 students

St. Petersburg BIG CITY

St. Petersburg is the 5th largest city in Florida with a population of over 265,000 people.

St. Petersburg holds a Guiness World Record for the most consecutive days of sunshine.

“The Sunshine City” commercial airline.

St. Pete became an official city of Florida in 1892.

In 1892, St. Pete only had ~300 residents.

St. Pete is known for its vibrant public art & murals.

St. Pete is located in between the Gulf of Mexico & Tampa Bay.

Pinellas County Public Schools has over 91,000 students

Cape Coral BIG CITY

Cape Coral is the 8th largest city in Florida with a population of over 233,000 people.

Cape Coral has 400+ miles of navigable canals -more than any other city in the world!

Cape Coral has freshwater & saltwater canals.

Some of Cape Coral’s saltwater canals connect all the way to the Gulf of Mexico!

Cape Coral was established as a city of Florida in 1970.

Cape Coral is known for its large population of burrowing owls.

Cape Coral was founded in 1957 by two brothers, Leonard & Jack Rosen.

Lee County Public Schools has over 100,000 students "Waterfront Wonderland

Tallahassee CAPITAL CITY

Tallahassee is the 9th largest city in Florida with a population of over 205,000 people.

Tallahassee’s capitol building is 345 feet tall!

The name “Tallahassee” comes from a Muskogean

American word meaning “old town.”

Tallahassee became the capital city of Florida in

Every year, Tallahassee hosts the Springtime Tallahassee Festival!

“Tally” The Florida History in Tallahassee.

Tallahassee is the hilliest major city in Florida.

Tallahassee is home to 80+ public parks & green spaces.

Leon County Schools has over 32,000 students

Fort Lauderdale BIG CITY

Fort Lauderdale is the 10th largest city in Florida with a population of over 190,000 people

Off the shore of Fort Lauderdale is a threetier coral reef system.

Fort Lauderdale is known as the Yachting Capital of the World

Fort Lauderdale is home to over 100 marinas that house more than 50,000 registered yachts.

Fort Lauderdale became an official city of Florida in 1911.

There are 165+ miles of waterways including canals, rivers & channels in Fort Lauderdale.

Broward County Schools has over 250,000 students

Gainesville

Gainesville is a city in Florida with a population of over 148,000 people

Gainesville is home to the University of Florida one of the LARGEST universities in the U.S.

Nearly half of Gainesville is covered by trees, earning it the title of a designated Tree

City USA.

Gainesville is best known for being a vibrant college town full of school spirit.

Gainesville was incorporated as a city of Florida in 1869.

Alachua County Public Schools has over 28,000 students

West Palm Beach

West Palm Beach is a city in Florida with a population of over 127,000 people.

Clematis

Palm Beach’s famous downtown street, filled with shops, restaurants & live music.

West Palm Beach was established in 1894, making it one of South Florida’s oldest cities. Every spring, West Palm Beach hosts SUNFEST – Florida’s largest waterfront music & arts festival.

West Palm Beach has its own island called Peanut Island!

West Palm Beach is home to over 40 parks & greenspaces.

“The Orchid City”

The School District Palm Beach County has over 159,000 students

Lakeland

Lake Parker is the largest lake in Lakeland.

Many of Lakeland’s lakes are connected by a 26-mile path called the Lake-toLake Trail.

Lakeland is a city in Florida with a population of over 124,000 people

Lakeland got its name from being home to so many lakes…38 to be exact

LAKE

Lakeland was established as a city in 1885.

Citrus was once a major industry in the area.

Lakeland is nicknamed the “Swan City” because of the large population of swans that live in the city’s lakes.

Swan Derby Day is a Lakeland tradition & community fundraiser.

Polk County Public Schools has over 111,000 students

Kissimmee

Kissimmee is a popular vacation destination due to its proximity to many theme parks.

Kissimmee is a city in Florida with a population of over 84,000 people.

Kissimmee was founded in the as a small steamboat the Silver Spurs Rodeo – one of the largest rodeos east of the Mississippi River.

“The Big, Bold Heart of Florida

Kissimmee is home to a Historic Downtown District.

The School District of Osceola County has over 74,000 students

Ocala

Ocala is surrounded by Ocala National Forest - one of the largest national forests in Florida.

Ocala is a city in Florida with a population of over

Ocala is nicknamed the Horse Capital of the World

Ocala is home to over 600 horse farms & training centers.

Ocala became an official city of Florida in 1869.

Ocala has a designated Historic District with 200+ historic homes & buildings.

Some of the oldest buildings in Ocala were built between 1880 & 1930.

Marion County Public Schools has over 45,000 students

Towns

Mount Dora SMALL TOWN

Mount Dora is home to one of the only inland freshwater lighthouses in Florida.

small town in Florida with a population of around 18,000 people.

Mount Dora is surrounded by three lakes –Lake Beauclair & Lake Gertrude. lighthouse is located on Lake Dora.

Mount Dora sits 184 feet above sea level which is very high for Florida.

Over 30 festivals are hosted in Mount Dora every year!

Mount Dora was established as an official town in

Downtown Mount Dora is a National Historic District

Lake County Schools

45,000 students

Apalachicola SMALL TOWN

Apalachicola is a small town in Florida with a population of around 2,400 people.

Apalachicola is known for its rich oyster history, once supplying over 90% of Florida’s oysters.

Apalachicola is part of Florida’s Panhandle, a region known as the “Forgotten Coast.”

“ Apalach ”

The town was named “West Point” before being changed to Apalachicola in 1831.

only one main

The entire land area of Apalachicola is less than two square miles. Apalachicola is one of the oldest port cities in Florida.

Franklin County District schools has around 1,200 students

St. Augustine SMALL TOWN

St. Augustine is a small town in Florida with a population of around 16,000 people.

St. Augustine was founded in 1565 by Spanish explorer Pedro Menéndez de Avilés. The Castillo

St. Augustine people visit St. Augustine every year.

The Fountain of Youth Archaeological Park is located in St. Augustine.

Downtown St. Augustine is a National Historic District.

St. Johns County School District has around 51,000 students

Industry

Travel & Tourism

Travel & tourism is one of the largest industries in Florida.

Florida welcomes millions & visitors from all over the world

Florida is best known for their beaches,

Florida is a VERY popular destination for spring break trips.

Florida is home to 1,350 miles of coastline.

Orlando, Miami & Tampa are Florida’s most visited cities. The tourism industry employs millions of people in Florida.

Florida’s year-round sunshine & warm weather is a BIG reason for its successful tourism industry.

Florida generally has the most tourists December - April.

Cruises

ports: PortMiami, Port Everglades, Port Canaveral Port Tampa Bay & JAXPORT

Cruises play a major role in Florida’s travel & tourism industry

More cruises set sail from Florida than any other state in the U.S.

Miami, Florida is known as the “Cruise Capital of the World. ”

PortMiami is the world’s busiest cruise passenger port.

Port Canaveral is the world’s second busiest cruise passenger port.

Many of Florida’s cruises sail to the Bahamas Caribbean

Agriculture

Oranges FLORIDA

Florida is the #1 orange producing state in the U.S.

of all oranges grown in Florida are processed into

Florida is the orange juice capital of the U.S.!

Florida’s orange season lasts 9 months from October - June.

Oranges are Florida’s official state fruit.

Most of the oranges grown in Florida come from the central & southern part of the state.

Florida’s main varieties of oranges are Navel, Hamlin, Pineapple, Ambersweet & Valencia. in Florida since the mid-1800s.

Watermelon FLORIDA

Florida is the #1 watermelon producing state in the U.S.

Seedless watermelon are the most

Around 30% of all watermelon grown in the U.S. if from Florida. produces around 1 BILLION pounds of watermelon each year.

Florida’s peak watermelon season is March through July. watermelons take around 3 months to grow from seed to fruit.

Most of Florida’s watermelons are grown in the north/north-central part of the state.

Tomatoes FLORIDA

Florida is the #1 fresh tomato producing state in the U.S.

Florida grows 50% of all tomatoes grown in the U.S.

The University of Florida developed their own variety tomato called the “Tasti-lee.”

Immokalee is known as Florida’s “Tomato Capital.”

BILLIONS of tomatoes are grown in Florida every year.

Tomatoes grow best during Florida's cooler months October

Round most commonly

Most of Florida’s tomatoes are grown in the

The majority of Florida’s tomatoes are grown on family-owned farms.

Strawberries FLORIDA

Florida is the second largest strawberry producing state in the U.S.

Plant City, Florida is known as the Winter Strawberry Capital of the World.

Florida is home to around 15,000 acres of strawberry fields.

Peak Florida strawberry season is December through March.

Florida grows over 200 MILLION pounds of strawberries per year.

Florida strawberries harvested by hand.

Florida strawberries are known to be sweet and juicy.

Due to very hot summers, Florida strawberry plants have to be replanted every season.

Sweet Corn FLORIDA

Florida is the largest producer of market sweet corn in the U.S.

market sweet corn is a type of corn grown for human consumption

Florida grows yellow, white & bi-color varieties of sweet corn.

Florida is home to over 37,000 acres County grows over 50% of Florida’s sweet corn.

Florida’s sweet corn season lasts from

500 MILLION pounds of sweet corn per year.

Florida’s climate allows many farmers to plant more than one crop of sweet corn per year.

Dairy FLORIDA

Florida produces over 300 million gallons of milk per year.

Lafayette and Okeechobee

Florida’s leading dairy counties.

Florida is home to over 1000 dairy farms & 120,000 dairy cows.

Holstein cows are the ones with unique black & white spots!

dairy farms are .

Florida dairy farmers byproducts as citrus pulp, brewers’ grain and whole cottonseed that are consumed by the cows.

Most of Florida’s dairy farms have herds ranging from 150 cows

The average Florida dairy cow produces 6-8 gallons of milk per day.

popular dairy cow breed in Florida.

Landmarks

Space Coast

Florida’s “Space Coast” is one of the busiest spaceports in the world.

Florida’s “Space Coast” includes the Kennedy Space Center & Cape Canaveral. spaceport is a place where rockets take off into space. The first rocket launched from Cape Canaveral in 1950. Apollo 11 , which carried the first astronauts to walk on the Moon in 1969, blasted off from the Kennedy Space Center.

Coast is home to the U.S. Astronaut Hall of Fame.

“That's one small step for man, one giant leap for mankind.”

Kennedy Space Center & Cape Canaveral are located on a piece of land called Merritt Island.

Daytona Beach

Daytona Beach is known as the “World’s Most Famous Beach

Modern stock-car racing was started in Daytona Beach.

Daytona Beach gets MILLIONS of visitors every year.

Daytona Beach has 23 miles

Daytona Beach is home to the Daytona International Speedway, which hosts one of the largest stockcar races every year.

“Daytona 500”

nest on Daytona October.

The Daytona Beach Main Street Pier reaches 1,000 feet into the Atlantic Ocean.

Southernmost Point

The Southernmost Point buoy marks one of the southern most spots in the continental U.S.

One of Key West’s main attractions is the Southernmost Point buoy.

The Southernmost Point is located at the very tip of the Florida Keys in Key West

The buoy sits only a few feet above sea level. Southernmost Point is 90 miles from Cuba, making it closer to Cuba than Miami!

The buoy was built & installed in 1983.

Hundreds of photos are taken in front of the buoy every day! is said to be one of the best times to visit the Southernmost Point.

The Southernmost Point buoy is tall & 7 feet wide

Amelia Island

Amelia Island is the northernmost barrier island on Florida's Atlantic Coast.

Amelia, daughter of King George II of Great Britain.

Amelia Island has been claimed by eight different nations throughout its history.

“

Isle of Eight Flags

”

birthplace of the modern shrimpfishing industry.

Fernandina Beach hosts the Isle of Eight Flags Shrimp Festival every year.

Amelia Island has over 40 public beach access points.

Crystal River

Crystal River is a famous spring-fed river known for its crystal-clear water & manatees.

Crystal River is known as the Manatee Capital of the World.”

Crystal River is one of the ONLY places in the world where people can swim with wild manatees. Manatees migrate to Crystal River wintertime because the spring water stays warm yearround.

Crystal River is located in Citrus County.

Crystal River is kayaking and snorkeling.

Crystal River is fed by over 70 natural springs. Three Sisters Springs is the most famous manateeviewing spot in Crystal River.

Fountain of Youth

The Fountain of Youth Archaeological Park is a famous historic landmark in St. Augustine, FL.

The park celebrates the legend of a magical spring that could make people feel young again.

The park has a re-created Timucua village, showing how Native Americans lived in Florida hundreds of years ago.

The legend of the Fountain of Youth dates back to the early 1500s. The Fountain of Youth’s water comes from

Visitors can drink the water from the Fountain of Youth’s natural spring!

Archaeologists have found artifacts in the park that are hundreds of years old.

The park opened in 1904.

Parks

Everglades

NATIONAL PARK

Everglades National Park is the largest subtropical wilderness in the U.S.

Everglades National Park was established in 1947.

National Park covers 1.5 million acres

Everglades

National Park is known for its cypress trees

National Park is one of the only places in the world where alligators & crocodiles live together.

There are nine different ecosystems in Everglades National Park. Sawgrass in the Everglades can grow over 6 feet tall.

The Boca Chita Key Lighthouse is one of the most famous spots in the park.

PARK

Biscayne NATIONAL

Biscayne National Park protects the northernmost coral reefs in North America.

The majority of Biscayne National Park is underwater – made up of ocean & bay habitats.

Biscayne National Park was established in 1980.

Biscayne National Park covers around 173,000 acres

500+ species of fish live in Biscayne’s waters.

Biscayne National Park has four main ecosystemsthe mangrove shoreline, Biscayne Bay, the coral limestone

some of the most popular ways to explore Biscayne National Park.

Dry Tortugas

NATIONAL PARK

Fort Jefferson is one of the park’s main attractions.

About 99% of Dry Tortugas National Park is water, the remaining 1% is made up of its seven small islands.

Dry Tortugas National Park is made up of seven small islands in the Gulf of Mexico.

The 7 small islands (keys) are Loggerhead, Garden, Bush, Long, Hospital, Middle & East.

Spanish explorer Juan Ponce de León discovered the islands in 1513. protected

The islands were named “Las Tortugas” (The Turtles) for the many sea turtles found there.

Dry Tortugas National Park is located 70 miles west of Key West, FL.

Silver Springs

STATE PARK

Silver Springs State Park is home to a group of wild (non-native) rhesus macaque monkeys.

Silver Springs State Park is home to one of the largest spring systems in the world.

Silver Springs State Park is 5,000+ acres of forests, wetlands, rivers & spring basins.

hiking trails

Silver Springs

Silver Springs is famous for its incredibly clear, blue water & glass-bottom boat tours.

Silver Springs produces 500+ MILLION gallons of water every day.

Lake Okeechobee

Lake Okeechobee is one of the largest freshwater lakes in the U.S.

On average, Lake Okeechobee is only nine feet deep.

The name “Okeechobee” comes from a Native American phrase that means “big water.” is a very popular

Lake Okeechobee is 730 square miles.

The Herbert Hoover Dike surrounds Lake Okeechobee to protect nearby towns from flooding.

Lake Okeechobee touches 5 counties: Glades, Okeechobee, Martin, Palm Beach & Hendry County.

The water from Lake Okeechobee connects to rivers & canals that flow south into the Everglades.

“Lake O”

Food & Culture

Key Lime Pie

Key lime pie is a kind of pie made from special limes grown in the Florida Keys

Key lime pie is the official state pie of Florida. The very first Key lime pie was made in Key West, Florida.

Key lime pie is topped with either Every July, Key West, Florida hosts a key lime is the most common type of crust for key lime pies.

Key lime pie filling is made with key lime juice

condensed milk &

Key limes are a type of small lime that are known to be more tart than regular limes.

Key lime pie is served cold.

Cuban Sandwich

Cuban sandwiches are one of the most popular foods in Florida.

Miami have a friendly rivalry on which city makes the BEST Cuban sandwich

a hot grill called a “plancha,” which gives the sandwiches their signature grill marks.

The difference between Tampa’s & Miami’s Cuban sandwiches is that Tampa’s version includes salami

The Cuban sandwich majorly took off in a neighborhood in Tampa, FL called Ybor City.

Cuban heritage is a major part of Florida’s culture.

Spring Training

Florida hosts Spring Training every year for Major League Baseball teams.

Spring Training is the time during the season when Major League teams

Florida hosts Spring Training as part of the Grapefruit League.

Training, teams play in much smaller stadiums so fans can watch up close!

Florida & Arizona are the ONLY states that host MLB Spring Training.

Florida has been hosting

There are currently MLB teams

Spring Training in Florida:

1. Atlanta Braves

2. Baltimore Orioles

3. Boston Red Sox

4. Detroit Tigers

5. Houston Astros

6. Miami Marlins

7. Minnesota Twins

New York Mets

New York Yankees

Philadelphia Phillies

Pittsburg Pirates

St. Louis Cardinals

Tama Bay Rays

Toronto Blue Jays

Washington Nationals

Golf

Naples, FL is often referred to as the “Golf Capital of the World

The World Golf Hall of Fame is located in St. Augustine, FL.

Golf is one of Florida’s tourism activities.

Florida’s first recorded golf courses opened in the 1890s. Palm Beach County tournaments

Regions

Florida Keys

The Florida Keys are a chain of over 1,700 islands off the southern coast of Florida.

The first island of the Florida Keys is Key Largo & the last island is Key West

The five main regions of the Florida Keys include: 1. Key Largo 2. Islamorada 3. Marathon 4. Lower Keys 5. Key West

The Florida Keys are sometimes referred to as the “Conch Republic.”

Key Largo & Key West are 120 miles apart.

The Florida Keys are worldfamous for snorkeling & scuba diving.

The Florida Keys are home to the ONLY living coral barrier reef in the U.S.

wildlife refuges

Panhandle

Florida’s Panhandle is located in northwestern part of the state.

Black bears live in the Panhandle’s Apalachicola

National

The Panhandle region got its name because it looks like the handle of a pan

There are 25+ state parks in the Panhandle.

Panhandle’s coastline is known for its white-sand beaches & emerald green waters.

The Panhandle includes an area called the “Forgotten Coast” because it is a quieter, less developed part of Florida.

Gulf Coast

Florida’s Gulf Coast stretches 600 miles from the Panhandle down to the Everglades.

Florida’s Gulf Coast is known for its beaches, calm blue water, sunsets & seashells seen swimming close to the shore along part of Florida’s Gulf Coast. in the Gulf Coast region.