National Florida Day: Celebration, History, Meaning and Facts

Mixi January 13, 2022 | 16:24

National Florida Day (January 25th) is coming. Celebrating this day by learning about its history and interesting facts.

National Florida Day. Photo: KnowInsiders

National Florida Day on January 25th recognizes the 27th state to join the United States. Also known as the Sunshine State, Florida is famous for its warm and sunny weather and beautiful landscape.

The average Florida temperature ranges from 65 to 70 degrees in the northern region and 74 to 77 degrees in the southern region.

History of National Florida Day

About 14,000 years ago, the first inhabitants to live in the peninsula that we now know to be part of the U.S. were the Native Americans. The archeological evidence and many artifacts the Native Americans left behind established this fact. In 1513, the Spanish explorer, Juan Ponce de León, arrived in Florida and made textual records. He called the peninsula ‘La Pascua Florida’ from which the state’s name was derived. The name ‘Pascua Florida,’ which means “Festival of Flowers” in Spanish, was given because of the region’s vast and flourishing landscape.

The first region where the Europeans settled in the United States was Florida. During the 16th century, the area was populated with French and Spanish settlements as well. Florida was also under the colonial rule of Spain from the 16th to the 19th century. The 19th century also witnessed the coming together of various communities. Florida became a refuge for African slaves, fugitives, and the Native American people. The new Native American groups from the South banded with fugitive slaves and became a group known as the Black Seminoles. The Seminoles were Native American people who moved to or lived in the state.

Florida was also under the rule of Great Britain during the 18th century, and after its independence, it became a territory of the United States in 1821. Finally, in 1845, Florida was admitted to the union as the 27th U.S. state. We celebrate this day every year to remember its history and honor the various struggles it endured.

The Sunshine State

Florida is nicknamed the sunshine state because of its warm and balmy climate with its natural beauty. Florida is also home to some of the world’s best-known theme parks, including Disney World, Universal Studios, and SeaWorld where millions of tourists visit each year.

It houses over 20 million people and is the third most populous state in America. The sunny beaches attract millions of tourists and are the perfect spot for anyone who has a deficiency in Vitamin ‘Sea’! And if you need some actual vitamin C you are at the right place as Florida produces 67% of the U.S. Oranges and twitch accounts for 40% of the world’s orange juice supply.

The sunny days encourage the residents to spend time outdoors and take part in various sports and cultural experiences. Popular activities include boating, fishing, paddleboarding, and scuba diving. Miami Art Basel event along with the numerous art deco-inspired hotels and restaurants keeps the tourists and residents busy

Florida is also an active center for space expeditions. From Apollo missions to Hubble Telescopes and Mars Rovers, Cape Canaveral continues missions well into the future. Missions include commercial ventures including SpaceX launches.

All these factors and much more make Florida a special place and it is the only place in the world where salt lowers your blood pressure!

How to Celebrate National Florida Day

Plan a vacay!

Photo: USHome

What better way to celebrate this day than to go to Florida? It’s a beautiful state with so much to do.

Dinosaur World

It is located in Plant City, Florida. It is an affordable, family-friendly, outdoor theme park which features over 200 life-size dinosaurs throughout the park. Admission is approximately $18.95 per person for the entire day which also includes free parking.

Legoland

Legoland is another family-friendly, outdoor theme park which is based on Legos. It is moderately priced with admission prices being approximately $90 per person and parking approximately $18 per day. Since, food is served in the park, Legoland’s official policy reads that outside food and drinks are not allowed.

Disney World

Finally, of all the wonderful places to travel with kids is the magical and luxurious Walt Disney World.

Admission passes for adults can range from $120-$180 depending on what type of ticket you choose with parking being $20 per day.

Visit Florida beaches

With about 1,200 miles of coastline, the Sunshine State is a year-round travel destination for residents of the East Coast and beyond. The diversity of Florida's shores – from family-friendly spots to party-focused locales – helps draw all types of vacationers.

Visit a bookstore

If you like reading, visit your nearest bookstore and pick up a book about Florida. Read about its history, landscape, a fictional story based in the area, or even a travel book.

Take a quiz

If you think you know everything about the Sunshine State, then take a small trivia quiz. You can play against friends and family to see who gets the highest score.

National Florida Day Significance

Revisiting the state’s history

This day reminds us to remember Florida’s history and how it came to be. It is important to be aware of the generations of people that lived in the state before us.

Recognizing its beauty

The day helps us celebrate the natural and man-made environment of the state, and it makes us aware of its rich beauty.

It helps with tourism

An increase in tourism always helps a state in various ways. The more people visit Florida, the more we can contribute to the state’s overall economy.

Interesting Facts About National Florida Day:

* Florida is the southernmost state in the United States.

* Wherever you are in Florida, you are never more than 60 miles away from the ocean.

* The main cities of Florida are Tampa, Tallahassee, Orlando, Jackson, and Miami.

* No dinosaur fossils are ever found in Florida.

* It is the state with the highest golf courses in America.

* The Fern capital of the world is situated in Pierson in Northeast Florida

* The only place on the planet where crocodiles and alligators live together is situated in the Florida Everglades.

* Tampa Bay of Florida is said to be the world’s largest occupied wooden structure.

* Mechanical refrigeration was invented in Florida by Dr. John Gorrie.

* Every public building in Florida has an outward opening door due to strong winds during hurricane season.

* Florida is the flattest state in the United States of America.

* It’s famous for its theme parks. Seven out of the 10 most visited theme parks are in Florida, including Walt Disney World.

* Florida is a golfer’s dream. The state has the most number of golf courses (more than 1,300) out of all the states in America.

* The flattest state in America. The state’s landscape is very flat, owing to its lack of hilly region and low altitudes.

* Florida’s official reptile. The alligator was declared Florida’s official reptile in 1987, representing the state’s untamed beauty. Florida loves its vitamin C

* The state contributes to 75% of the orange production in America.

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