Explore a destination located in Florida, United States
Florida is a sub-tropical state that is found in the most southeastern side of The United States. Nicknamed the "Sunshine State," the weather tends to be one of the more defining features of the state.[1] Due to the humidity, warmer temperatures, and numerous beaches along the coasts, Florida tends to be a popular tourist location for people looking to escape colder weather. Inland, away from the edges of the ocean, there are a large amount swamplands that house many different creatures like alligators, snakes, and even black bears.[4] Forests are located near the northern side of the state, like Apalachicola National Forest, while swamps are found in the more central locations and near sources of water like Lake Kissimmee and St Johns River. The capital of Florida is a city in the northwest called Tallahassee, which has a population of nearly 200,000 people, according to the U.S. Census. Some other large cities in the state include Jacksonville, Miami, and Orlando. Of all of the cities in Florida, there are roughly 21 million residents in total.[6] Walt Disney World is located in Orland, Florida, and is known as being one of the most popular tourist attractions in the country. Established as one of the fifty United States just under a decade before the American Civil War, Florida is a territory that has seen a wide variety of history and explorers like Juan Ponce de Leon, who was just one of the travelers from Spain, as well as sailors from France and England.[5]
Florida has a population of roughly 21 million residents and saw an estimated 79.75 million visitors to the state in 2020.[6] Currently, 2018 holds the record amount of visitors, where upwards of 131 million people made a trip to the various cities in Florida.[9] Some of the largest and most notable cities located in the state are the state capital, Tallahassee, as well as Orlando and Miami, the latter of which has many cruise lines that travel to other parts of the world. Due to the beaches and warm temperatures, the summer months tend to be the most popular times that people visit the state, but the best time for visiting, when factoring in the weather, tends to be any time between February and May.[10]
One thing that Florida is very well known for is the weather. Under normal circumstances, the weather tends to be warmer all throughout the year compared to the rest of the country. This makes the state a popular place for people to visit when they want to spend more time in a warmer location. Something that is also well known about the state is that they are in a climate that sees many storms. These storms are often just rainstorms, but the more violent ones during the summer and fall months can come from natural disasters. Hurricanes don't happen all the time, but they happen often enough to make the residents of the state wary of large storms that may build up to dangerous levels in the future.[2]
There are a number of corporations and businesses that are based in Florida that can be easy to recognize. One company that is based in Florida is Alienware. Alienware produces many types of tech-related equipment for computers and laptops. An energy company called World Fuel Services placed 91st on the Fortune 500 list in 2018, which is located in the city of Miami. There are a number of other businesses that specialize in entertainment. One of the biggest businesses in the state is Walt Disney World and is considered one of the largest tourist destinations in The United States.[3]
Walt Disney World is a theme park that features many worlds and characters that are part of the Walt Disney franchise, including classic characters like Mickey and Minnie Mouse as well as characters from newer stories, like stormtroopers from the latest Star Wars movies. The theme park offers a wide assortment of rollercoasters, ranging in speeds and thrills that can suit children and adults of all ages. Universal Studios is located next to Walt Disney World and has a variety of rides and locations based on their own stories and movies. Several locations inside of Universal Studios include The Wizarding World of Harry Potter, Jurassic Park, and more. Along with the theme parks, there are also a couple of water parks as well. Typhoon Lagoon Water Park and Blizzard Beach Water Park give guests the opportunity to cool down from the Florida heat by spending time going down waterslides, swimming in pools, or floating down the lazy river.[12] Another popular place of interest for people to visit while spending time in Florida is The Kennedy Space Station, which was named after John F. Kennedy and has launched many missions to outer space. SeaWorld Orlando is an aquatic zoo that features many creatures, locally found as well as exotic to the area. Animal shows and up-close encounters with specific animals take place on a regular basis.[14]
Florida is located on the southeastern coast of the United States, situated between the Gulf of Mexico, which is west of the state, and the Atlantic Ocean, which is on the east. The neighboring states to Florida are Georgia and Alabama, both of which are north of the state line. Due to the fact that the eastern, southern, and most of the western boundaries are surrounded by the ocean, the state has a subtropical climate. The temperatures in Florida tend to be higher than other places in the United States, giving it an overall warm environment throughout the majority of the year. During the summer months, temperatures average out to be between 88 and 91 degrees Fahrenheit, which would be roughly 31 and 33 degrees Celsius. In the winter, the temperatures shift to a daily average of 52 degrees Fahrenheit in the north, about 11 degrees Celsius, and 68 degrees Fahrenheit in the south, 20 degrees Celsius. Due to the vast expanse of water that surrounds the state, there are much higher levels of humidity. It is a common occurrence to see rain in many parts of Florida throughout the year. Snow, however, rarely falls in Florida, especially toward the south of the state. Snowfall of any kind would be considered a rarity rather than a common occurrence.[2]
Contrary to Florida's nickname, "Sunshine State," Florida's weather can be much more turbulent and precarious, especially during the warmer times of the year in the summer and fall. Hurricanes occur on a seasonal basis, typically forming any time starting in June and remaining a potential threat until November. In the years 2004 and 2005, there were seven major hurricanes that hit Florida, causing an immense amount of damage to properties and businesses, especially to the residents and corporations that are closer to the water. Some of the hurricanes that were a significant impact on Florida include Katrina, Charley, Frances, and more.[13]
Many exotic animals and plants can be found within the state of Florida, both on the land and in the reefs. Alligators and crocodiles are both located in the more humid areas. According to Animals Around The Globe, "Florida is the only place in the world where alligators and crocodiles live side by side." Also native to the state are a wide variety of snakes like the water moccasin, rattlesnakes, and various pythons. There are a number of aquatic creatures that can be found in the waters, in the oceans, rivers, and lakes. One particular mammal that is popular in the state is the manatee. Manatees are known for their peaceful behavior and are very calm in nature, even to the point where people can swim with them in the wild.[4] There are a variety of flowers and plant life that are native to Florida. One such flower is called gaillardia, which can be a combination of red, orange, and yellow when it blooms. Another type of plant that can be found in the state is called beautyberry, which grows purple berries that can attract birds.[11]
There are a variety of state parks and national forests that can be found in Florida. Ocala National Forest can be found on the more central side of the state. Osceola National Forest is located to the north, and Apalachicola National Forest can be found to the northwest. Several state parks can be found within the state that many people have visited in the past. One state park that is often brought up is called Dry Tortugas National Park, which is a combination of seven different islands and is home to Fort Jefferson, which was set up in the 1800s by the government.
An estimated 12,000 years ago, ancient Native American tribes inhabited the area that is now defined as Florida. People from the north continued to arrive in small numbers from locations like Cuba, the Bahamas, and potentially the Yucatan region, which was based in Mexico. These people were hunters, fishers, and gatherers that eventually transitioned to farming about 500 BCE. By the time the European Settlers found the land, there was a population of several hundred thousand Native Americans that were living in the Florida territory.[5]
The first Europeans that landed in Florida were from Spain, and they were lead by a conquistador named Juan Ponce de Leon. When he arrived the first time, it was during the Easter season, known to them as Pascua Florida, which translates from Spanish to "season of flowers." After he saw the vegetation that was growing on the land and remarking the season they were currently in, he decided to call it Florida. Many years went by where there were many conflicts between the conquistadors from Spain and other seafarers from places like France and England. Many of the travelers arrived under the orders of the rulers that they were sent by to create an empire and find wealth. This led to much hostility between the sailors that came to the territory.[5]
Florida entered The United States as the 27th state in 1845. less than two decades later, in 1861, they joined the Confederacy against the Union in the American Civil War. After the Civil War, World War I, and World War II, there was an increase in population as well as jobs, specifically oriented towards services, retail, transportation, and construction. The entertainment industry also saw a large influx, especially in Orlando and Miami, leading the two cities to be popular places for celebrities to build houses and businesses to build theme parks like Universal Studios and Walt Disney World. The John F. Kennedy Space Center is also based in one of the islands in Florida. This is the same station that sent Neil A. Armstrong to the moon on July 20, 1969.[13] Currently, there are roughly 21 million residents in the state, with an average of about 80 million tourists in 2020, which is likely to grow as time goes on.[6]
One thing that can be often thought of in relation to Florida is the unorthodox headlines that can sometimes come from local news reports, usually referring to the person of interest as a "Florida man" and a situation that is radical or out of the ordinary. One example of these unusual yet real headlines that originate from places in Florida is, "Florida man arrested for trying to get an alligator drunk."[7]
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