What the Florida

By Chris Backe

Florida - the Weirdest State of the Union.

Did you know Florida has...

• A castle made with aluminum printing plates?

• A home to Hemingway and his six-toed cats?

• America's only Medieval-age monastery?

• A monument dedicated to anti-gravity?

• A nuclear bunker built for a president?

• A garden of concrete dinosaurs?

• A radioactive water fountain?

• A museum of garbage trucks?

• A hospital for injured turtles?

• A castle made of coral?

• A century-old store?

Save time and energy, and find what's worthy in Florida!

Worthy Go guidebooks are your guide to the best places to enjoy in Florida. 

See Florida with an experienced travel writer by your side! 

Whether this is your first time abroad or you've been traveling for years, Worthy Go guidebooks have three goals: 

• Make the most of your time, money, and energy while traveling

• Help you go your own way but still provide some guidance

• Curate the very best places to enjoy in the country

This guidebook has been completely updated for 2020, and includes:

• No affiliate links, no ads, no fluff, and no BS.

• Over 90 of Florida's best off-the-beaten-path places.

• Detailed, step-by-step directions to reach every place in the book.

• Succinct descriptions, exact addresses, and GPS coordinates for every place.

• First-hand knowledge and advice: where to stay, what to bring, safety and scam warnings, and more.

• All the basics you'll need to know: do you tip? Can you drink the tap water? What SIM card should you get? What public transportation tickets do you need?

• Advice on being a considerate, respectful, and sensitive traveler.

Guidebooks are carefully formatted to display well on any device, and links take you to Google Maps (internet connection required).

About the author: Chris Backe (rhymes with hockey) has written about travel since 2008 and has been around the world a couple of times. He's written over 30 books, and has been seen in Atlas Obscura, io9, Mental Floss, Everything Everywhere, Perceptive Travel, Travel Wire Asia, and many other publications. When not traveling, he loves tabletop games and a glass of white wine.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Worthy Go
• Release date: Jun 1, 2017
• ISBN: 9781386340782

Book preview

Florida — the weirdest state of the union.

Ahh, Florida. The only state in the union that has an enduring, long-running meme like 'Florida Man'. Florida earns its reputation from a unique history, but also the people that elected to move here to seek their fortunes — or perhaps the beautiful weather. Some are proud of their ancestors 'taming the land', while others are snowbirds just happy to have their second home in a warmer place.

Florida's history goes back around 14,000 years to when the first natives began living on the peninsula. The Spanish made their way here in 1513, and named the area Pascua Florida in tribute to Spain's Easter celebration of the same name. Since then, the area has been under the control of the French, the British, and later became the 27th US state in 1845.

The railroads connected the state all the way south to Key West by 1912, which opened new lands to development. By the 1920's the state began to see travelers and migrants from other parts of the US hoping to escape the cold winters, and tourism became the state's leading industry. From the 'space race' in the 1960's to Walt Disney World Resort opening in 1971, the tourist industry continued to grow, with a then-record of 25.5 million visitors in 1973. Today, Florida is the US' third most populous state, the second most touristed state, and the state welcomed over 112 million people in 2016.

There's one important to note before we go any further: this is not a comprehensive look at every weird place Florida has to offer. With great respect to other guides covering Florida's weird side, it's easy to pad a travel book with myths, ghost stories, or places that closed years or decades ago. Every single place in this book is open to the public and offers something for you to see beyond a story in the book.

The adjectives used to describe the places here are bizarre, offbeat, quirky, unique, and weird — but what makes a place these things? In nearly a decade of traveling the world, it usually comes down to one of three things:

●  Necessity — it's the mother of invention, but it’s also a breeding ground for weirdness.

●  An eccentric person or group of people — because two heads can often create something weirder than one.

●  Unusual religious beliefs or circumstances involving religions — not that the religion itself is weird, but the things it creates can be.

Further, I've tried to look beyond the outside appearance of the place to discover what makes the place worthy of visiting. A place with an unusual outside but little to see inside, for example, did not make the cut. Over 90 places and 65 festivals are inside — enough to keep even the most intrepid explorers busy for weeks.

A set of icons accompanies every place:

The physical / street address

Their phone number

Their official website

Their opening hours

The cost of admission

Where to park, and how much it costs

Places are organized by region and city, and there's a Theme Index, a City Index, and an Alphabetical Index in the back. In the case of smaller cities, I've endeavored to note the closest major city and its distance next to the name of the smaller city.

Getting around Florida

While you'll find decent public transportation in some of Florida's largest cities, the reality of traveling through the state (and the rest of the US) means a car is a requirement. Here are a few things to keep in mind.

●  Keep a sharp lookout for parking meters. Few will accept paper bills, but most will accept quarters and debit or credit cards. Assume most parking in commercial areas requires payment.

●  Be aware residential streets in tourist towns aren't necessarily legal places to park. You'll likely be fine for an hour or two, but look for signs that restrict overnight parking for non-residents.

●  The toll system on highways is confusing even to locals. The state has over 700 miles (1,126 kilometers) of roads that require a toll, but they're neither intuitive nor uniform. Some toll roads have manned toll booths that accept cash, while others have a bill-by-plate option (they take a picture of your license plate as you go, then send a bill to the registered owner’s address). Still others are Sunpass-only toll booths (in other words, you can’t pay with cash). If you accidentally mess this up, take heart — the state isn't likely to send tickets your way until and unless you've messed up a few times.

●  If you are driving a rental car in Florida, ask how tolls are handled before starting your journey to avoid any shocks to your bill. You may wish to decline their coverage (if possible) and pay the tolls yourself.

●  If you're not driving a rental car, pick up a Sunpass at most Publix supermarkets or CVS pharmacies. The cheaper version of the Sunpass is basically a sticker with a button-sized tracker on it. Follow the directions on the package to activate and add credit to your account, then attach the sticker just under the rearview mirror. (The more expensive version of the Sunpass can be transferred to another car.)

●  Avoid swiping your card at the gas pump unless you're an expert at avoiding the skimmers hackers install on them. It's safer to pay via card (or with cash) inside.

●  Red-light cameras and speed cameras can't always be seen ahead of time. Drive safely, people.

For international visitors

Florida welcomed over 15 million visitors from outside the US in 2018, and continues to be one of the most popular states for international visitors. Every country has their own idiosyncrasies and oddities, and naturally the US has plenty of them. While this isn't meant to be a comprehensive cultural guide, these tips will help you enjoy your time in the US more.

●  English isn't just the lingua franca, it's the only language spoken by the vast majority of locals. You might hear some Spanish in southern parts of Florida, but most Americans are monolingual

●  Despite initiatives by some restaurants, tipping is still very much a part of the American culture. Expect to tip an average of 15% at sit-down restaurants, a dollar per drink at the bar, and so on. Some places will add a gratuity or service charge to the check (especially if you're part of a large group), so check carefully before giving out a double tip.

●  US dollars are the only currency accepted, period. Your debit and credit cards should work almost everywhere if they have a Visa or Mastercard logo, but be aware of your bank's international transaction fees. Discover and American Express cards are usable, but traveler's checks / cheques are essentially extinct.

●  While annoying, remember that the price you see on the store shelf doesn't include sales tax. Mentally add another 6-8% for state and local taxes.

●  When shopping for four- or five-star hotels, be on the lookout for 'resort fees'. They're not typically included in the room rate, and can add another $20-$50 of charges a day.

●  Speaking of hotels, chain hotels (such as Super 8, Red Roof Inn, and La Quinta) are quite suitable and often in decent locations. They may lack a lot of ambience, but their reasonable price makes them worthwhile.

●  Once home, check your credit card statements to ensure any deposits or holds on your account were returned.

●  For all the news stories about guns, you're very unlikely to see any guns as a tourist.

●  A city can go from feeling 'safe' to 'not safe' in a couple of blocks. Trust your instincts, especially around darker or lesser-populated areas.

●  Drivers (and cyclists) may forget to give the right-of-way to pedestrians, so wait until drivers have slowed down before crossing.

●  Expect to be asked how you're doing as a conversation starter, not as a genuine question. 'Fine, thanks' is all that's needed.

●  Handshakes are the standard greetings (with brief hugs amongst closer friends). Many Americans will be taken aback by Europeans trying to kiss their cheeks.

●  If meeting someone, take care to arrive on-time. If you're delayed by more than 5-10 minutes, call or text to let them know.

●  Allow yourself to call people by their first name. Titles like Mr., Mrs., or Miss are only needed in more formal settings.

●  Politics, religion, and sex are inappropriate topics of conversation. If you have a burning question and are already deep in conversation, ask 'would you mind if I asked a question about politics (or religion or sex)?'

●  Traveling alone or with friends? Don't be afraid to flirt! Regardless of what may be appropriate or normal back home, no means no in the US. Security, staff, and/or passers-by will both step in if necessary, and those are fights you won't win.

●  Food and drink portions can range from 'large' to 'comically oversized'. Ask for the small or medium sizes where appropriate, and pass on any up-sizing opportunities.

●  Refills on soda or other non-alcoholic fountain drinks are free at self-serve stations in fast-food restaurants and most sit-down restaurants. They're also free in restaurants that have the fountain machines out front in the public area, unless otherwise stated.

●  Avoid slurping, chewing with your mouth open, or other noises while eating.

●  Tap water is generally safe to drink, but purifiers of many shapes and sizes can be bought at hardware stores or department stores for some peace of mind.

●  Restaurants and bars are often open late, with some fast food restaurants being open past midnight or even 24 hours a day.

●  Regarding alcohol, expect to be asked for ID showing your birthdate, regardless of your actual age, at bars and stores. Your driver's license or passport