Florida is one of the most diverse and fun destinations in the United States!  Boasting a near-perfect year-round climate, it is hands down my go-to state for anything from a quick weekend getaway to a three-week road trip.  Every time I visit, without exception, I find new and unique things to do in Florida!

Here are 20 unique things to do in Florida for your Bucket List!

 20 Wacky Epitaphs (Key West)

Key West Cemetery is a 19-acre cemetery where as many as 100,000 people are buried. The cemetery was founded in 1847 after a terrible hurricane in 1846 washed away the old cemetery, scattering the deceased bodies throughout the forest.  As a result, the oldest gravestones in this cemetery — built on the highest point in Key West — are actually older than the cemetery itself. The tombstones date to 1829 and were moved to this location after the hurricane.

The cemetery is known for its interesting and sometimes funny gravestones:

• “I Told You I Was Sick.” (B.P. Roberts 1929-1979)
• “I’m Just Resting My Eyes.” (Gloria M. Russell 1926-2000)
• “If You’re Reading This, You Desperately Need A Hobby.” (Allen Dale Willcox 1947-2009)

Ghosts? Why, of course! The most commonly sighted ghost is a Bahamian woman who approaches visitors who sit on graves or behave disrespectfully.

19 Rage Room (Deland)

Talk about quirky! Sure, it’s human nature to break things, especially when mad (so I’ve heard). But why break your own stuff when you can smash someone else’s trash things? Safely, of course. You can do just that at Fellow Earthlings Rage Room.

After obtaining your One-Year Rage License, you don a protective suit and helmet and then channel your fury in a session from 15 minutes up to 40 minutes, depending on your level of passion.

It was so wacky and fun! I wasn’t very good at breaking anything except glass – I guess I’m just too happy and rage-free!

Toilet Seat Cut (The Keys)

“I’m taking you to Toilet Seat Cut!” said Captain Dave of Reef Quest Tours. Kary and I looked at each other thinking he’d lost his mind.

But true enough, there it was and it was quirky indeed!

The shallow but long man-made channel at mile marker 90 incorporates a double line of some 250+ decorated toilet seats known as Toilet Seat Cut.

The channel was dredged by local Vernon Lamp in the mid-1900s before there were strict laws protecting the marine environment.

Legend has it that in 1960 Hurricane Donna was responsible for re-distributing all types of household debris throughout the island and into the sea. One toilet seat was discovered hanging on one of the homemade posts on the channel and a trend was born.

There are some very artistic and colorful seats as well as others with clever sayings like, “No Dumping” and “Pottying in the Keys.”

17 Horrified Head (Jacksonville)

This sculpture is one of the most bizarre installations ever! The full-color head lies on its side with its mouth as the entrance where visitors can enter.  The landmark is disturbingly lifelike with detailed teeth and tongue mouthing a silent scream and big green eyes staring in wide-eyed terror.

At one time it served as the entryway to the Museum of Science and History but was relocated to its current spot in front of KidZone in 2016. The head sculpture measures 18 feet long by 8 feet high.

16 Nude Beaches

When your nickname is “The Sunshine State,” it stands to reason that sun worshipers from all over the world would be drawn to your shores – including those who are seeking “clothing optional” experiences in the year-round sunshine.

Nude beaches in Florida are controversial.  Some love them, and others hate them, for a variety of reasons. Proponents say that they are freeing, it feels great to soak up the sun, get Vitamin D, and avoid tan lines. However, many local residents actively oppose nude beaches and don’t want them in their communities.

Although there are numerous nude and/or clothing-optional beaches in Florida, some operate on a legally questionable status. Many nude beaches in Florida are either technically illegal, or may exist in quasi-illegal gray areas.

Tentative nudists should familiarize themselves with all of Florida’s relevant laws, or run the risk of getting a ticket or even being arrested.

Haulover Beach is arguably the #1 best-known and oldest officially-recognized nude beach in the United States. Located in Northern Miami along the southern side of Bal Harbour, Haulover is regularly ranked as one of the Top 10 Nude Beaches in the world. It is also the most heavily populated and is patrolled by lifeguards. The clothing-optional section is located on the northern third of the beach, between lifeguard towers 12 and 16.

The clothing-optional beach is in Haulover Park (which also has a wide swath of beach that is NOT clothing optional). Park on Collins Avenue and walk underneath the heavily trafficked road.

Blind Creek Beach is located on Hutchinson Island, between Fort Pierce and Jensen Beach on Florida’s Treasure Coast. Although casual nude use has a long history at this remote, primitive, and pristine beach, it now has legal status.

Playalinda is located on the Canaveral National Seashore.  It is relatively remote as well as strikingly beautiful with dunes forming a shroud over sea oats and seagrapes, sunflowers, and berries. It remains the longest undeveloped stretch of oceanfront on Florida’s east coast.

15 Devil’s Millhopper (Gainsville)

Attracting visitors since the 1880s, the 120-foot bowl-shaped crater with a tiny pine forest at the bottom of Devil’s Millhopper Geological State Park is one of Central Florida’s most unique natural wonders.

A trail, a 232-step wooden staircase, and multiple boardwalks lead down to the massive 500-foot-wide sinkhole. Twelve streams trickle down into the sinkhole creating the beautiful blue pond in the center. Thick green vegetation, such as moss, fungus, and ferns line the walls around the pond.

Scientists believe that the limestone base is over 10 thousand years old, weakened by acid rain until the ceiling of the cavern could no longer support the earth on top, creating a sinkhole. Fossil shark teeth, marine shells, and the fossilized remains of extinct land animals tell a lot about Florida’s history.

14 Broken Bridge (Bahia Honda)

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The Bahia Honda Rail Bridge is a derelict railroad bridge in the lower Florida Keys that once connected Bahia Honda Key with Spanish Harbor Key. Built by Henry Flagler as part of the FEC’s Overseas Railroad, the state of Florida purchased it from the Florida East Coast Railway (FEC) after the 1935 Labor Day Hurricane and converted it for automobile use as part of the Overseas Highway in 1938.

After a replacement Bahia Honda Bridge was opened in 1972, two spans of the old bridge were removed for the safety of boat traffic and to prevent pedestrian access to unsafe parts of the bridge.

The bridge overlooks a small-but-stunning turquoise beach which fills up pretty quickly in nice weather.

13 Coral Castle (Homestead)

Coral Castle is a quirky oolite limestone structure created by the Latvian-American eccentric Edward Leedskalnin. It is both a feast for the eyes with its mind-bending sculpture garden carved of massive coral rock, as well as a fabled love story about the man who created it, by himself, no less. The castle is a tribute, much like the Taj Mahal, to its creator’s long-lost love.

The castle is noted for legends that claim the 1100 tons of coral rock were carved single-handedly by Leedskalnin from 1923 to 1951 (28 years) using reverse magnetism or supernatural abilities to move and carve the stones.

It is not actually known how Edward achieved this massive feat and this is partly the reason why so many visitors are attracted to the castle.

Over the many years of the magnificent castle’s existence, it has been compared to such famous structures as Stonehenge and the Great Pyramids, because no one knows how Edward Leedskalnin (just 5 feet tall and 100 lbs.) built the castle and carved the statues on the property using only hand-made tools.

Coral Castle remains one of the world’s most mysterious accomplishments and is one of the coolest things to see in Miami!

12 Cassadega

Cassadaga is one of the most unusual places in Florida. The small unincorporated town of Volusia has earned fame as the “Psychic Capital of the World.” The “Spiritualist Camp” was founded in the mid-1890s by George P. Colby who claimed that the Native American spirit guide, Seneca, led him to the site.

Nowadays, people come here for a reading, healing, or plain old curiosity. Some say the place is a spiritual energy vortex, similar to Sedona or Stonehenge where they felt a deep feeling of calm while visiting.

Small and unassuming, the 57-acre community hosts a 55-home neighborhood of small, charming bungalows, and the Colby Memorial Temple. It is a fun destination with a lot of history,  a beautiful lake, a gazebo overlooking a meditation pond, and a bookstore. Tours, workshops, and seminars are available. The Cassadaga Spiritualist Camp was designated in 1991 as a Historic District and listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

I loved hiking the whimsical Fairy Trail on the northern side of the park under a canopy of dense trees. It’s alleged that this 0.2-mile looping trail is where psychic energy mingles with peaceful places. I won’t lie, part of my motivation for visiting Cassadaga was to get my pixie Instagram moment with the “Fairy Wings” located on a lovely trail strewn with fairy houses, gnomes, and wildflowers.

But the pièce de résistance is of course getting a psychic reading from one of the 40 Certified Mediums at the camp. It was a hoot!

Whether you are a believer or not, it’s an interesting town to explore with a fascinating history and quirky, but friendly, residents.

10 Whimzeyland (Safety Harbor)

Whimzeyland is the star attraction in an adorable town that embraces artists in every form. Aka the Bowling Bowl House, this one-of-a-kind local landmark is a favorite with Instagrammers to stop and take photos.

Whimzeyland has been a work in progress for over 20 years when the owners started decorating the exterior of the home with different materials – plexiglass, sculptures, metal, bottle trees, paintings, and recycled materials. The name “Bowling Ball House” came from dozens of free bowling balls they picked up at a flea market and incorporated into the landscape. The name stuck and the home became a local landmark and one of the most unique things to do in Florida.

This unique thing to do in Florida is conveniently located…here are some things to do for a weekend in Tampa, just 30 minutes away.

10 Boneyard Beach (Jacksonville)

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“Boneyard Beach” is so-called because of the bleached skeletons of dead driftwood oak branches. These three miles of shoreline along the Nassau Sound are a visual wonderland and locals keep it a close-kept secret retreat.

Over time, the cedar “bones” have become sun-bleached, smoothed, and battered by sun, sand, and wind.

While the trees are no longer standing, Mother Nature still has an important job to do in the coastal ecosystem. They protect the cities and inland salt marshes by dispersing and breaking up wind and waves, slowing further erosion and absorbing the brunt of Atlantic hurricanes.

It’s no wonder that this magical beach of massive driftwood trees is an Instagram sensation…for those who find out about it.

INSIDER TIP: Click here for the ONLY beach packing list you’ll ever need!

9 Little Havana (Miami)

If you’re looking for a unique cultural scene in Miami, look no further than the fun and festive neighborhood of Little Havana! Miami’s vibrant Cuban heart is centered around Calle Ocho (SW 8th Street), a dynamic cultural thoroughfare lined with Latin-inspired restaurants, cigar shops, rum bars, cafes, bakeries, art galleries, and music venues.

Here’s what you MUST try while in Little Havana:

• Cigars are all the rage, and I bought the biggest one I could find…and did smoke (part of) it!
• Cuban coffee, aka cafecito, is a type of espresso originating in Cuba that has been sweetened with demerara, a raw type of brown sugar sugar, during brewing. The silky smooth brew is made with dark roasted finely ground coffee beans.
• Azucar Ice Cream Company is known for artisanal ice cream and sorbet with tropical flavors. Yum!
• Stroll along streets with brightly painted bins, statues, and murals.
• Dance to the lively Latin music that wafts throughout the area.
• See if you recognize anyone on the Hollywood-style walk of fame.
• Watch the domino games at Domino Park.

Cubans put Miami on the map in the 1960s when refugees flooded out of their homeland and began inhabiting Miami.

After immersing in Cuban culture, head just outside of the hub to family-owned Versailles “The World’s Most Famous Cuban Restaurant.” The famous Cuban gem began life back in 1971 as an unpretentious café but boasts having the most authentic Cuban cuisine in the world.

I have to admit, my traditional Cuban sandwich made with incredible flaky toasted Cuban bread was the best I’ve ever had (including having visited Cuba). Visitors can also try their delicious flan, vaca frita (shredded flank steak) or lechon asado (roast pork), picadillo (hash made with ground pork ), and plátanos maduros (fried, sweet plantains).

8 Blowing Rocks (Hobe Sound)

Stretching more than a mile, Blowing Rocks Preserve’s towering limestone terrace dominates the intersection of sand and sea, the longest and most dramatic stretch of rugged shoreline in Florida. The area is an environmental preserve as well as the largest Anastasia limestone outcropping on the Atlantic Coast.

The stunning natural phenomenon consists of craggy limestone formations riddled with erosion holes. Waves break against the rocks, spraying through erosion holes, creating a “blowing” spray into the air, which can reach up to 50 feet.

Preserved by residents in 1969 and turned over to The Nature Conservancy, the Blowing Rocks Preserve protects 73 acres of Jupiter Island, from the namesake rocks to sensitive estuarine habitats, mangroves, tropical and oak hammocks, and the beach dunes.

7 Shark’s Teeth (Venice)

Known as the Shark’s Tooth Capital of the World, Caspersen Beach in Venice has converging currents that leave behind shells, small rocks, and fossilized prehistoric shark teeth that become visible as the waters recede. Teeth from the giant Carcharodon megalodon sharks are triangular and generally range from 1/8 to 3 ½” long, are very hard, and are usually dark gray or black onyx in color.

One of the coolest and quirkiest things to do in Southwest Florida is search for these ancient shark teeth. Wannabe shark hunters can rent basket diggers and floating filter/shifters specially designed for finding shark teeth from Shark Frenzy, a small family-owned business in Venice, just a few minutes away.

6 Cold Springs (Central Florida)

Central Florida is known for its unique natural springs, and floating lazily down a crystal cool river in an inner tube is one of the best pastimes during the hot Florida summer.

Ichetucknee Springs, Juniper Springs, Silver Springs, Ponce de Leon State Park, and Ginnie Springs are among my favorites.

My first and favorite is Ginnie Springs, a privately owned park on the south side of the Santa Fe River. Ginnie Springs boasts some of the clearest waters of all the natural springs in Florida and a constant temperature of 72 degrees cold (brrr!). Made up of a group of seven springs and white sand, there are accessible limestone caverns at the bottom.

We launched our tube into the water at the Beaver’s Landing river access point.  We drifted with the current for about an hour.

I also tried snorkeling in the springs, accessible by a pontoon deck with a wooden staircase. I descended the steps to where the water was immediately over my head. It was so cold! I’m not a strong swimmer, and the frigid water made me a bit nervous, so I did not stay in very long.

5 Christ of the Abyss (Key Largo)

Christ of the Abyss, aka Christ of the Deep, is an 8.5-foot, 4,000-pound bronze. sculpture of Jesus Christ that stands in 25 feet of water in the John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park off the coast of Key Largo.

Snorkeling at Christ of the Abyss is probably the most famous underwater attraction in the Keys. It is also known as Christ of the Deep. The top of the statue is submerged about 8-10 feet deep, so as a snorkeler, you will be quite a bit above it, but will certainly be able to see it.

4 Devil’s Den (Williston)

Located in the small, unassuming town of Williston, a prehistoric spring called Devil’s Den beckons the curious who are willing to don snorkel or dive gear and venture into the eerie, chilly 72-degree medieval stone portal into the underworld cave.

Devil’s Den was formed 10,000 years ago from a geomorphic event called a karst window. At one point, the carbonate bedrock that formed the roof over the Devil’s Den dissolved into a sinkhole and revealed the subterranean river.

Caves, ancient rock formations with stalactites, and fossil beds (some fossils date as far back as 2 million years ago!) fill the crystal blue sinkhole. A steep flight of stairs leads to the water which ranges in depth from 8 – 200 feet, and free-swimming without snorkel gear is not permitted.

There is an opening at the top of the cave that lets in a natural beam of light, illuminating most of the cave. The experience is one big adrenaline rush!

3 Airboat with Alligators (Everglades)

About 30 miles west of Miami, Everglades National park is a 1.5 million acre natural preserve of wetlands, mangroves, marshes, and saw grass prairies that host a diverse range of plant, fish, and animal species native to South Florida. It is the only subtropical preserve in North America.

Alligators and crocodiles inhabit the park along with snakes and turtles. You will also find panthers, deer, boar, black bears, grey foxes, manatees, and many other species of animals.

The most fun way to see the spectacular UNESCO World Heritage Site is on a propeller-powered airboat that can skim and seemingly hover over the surface of the water.

From the boat, visitors have a front-row seat to view the teaming wildlife up close-and-personal, from over 200,000 resident alligators, snakes, and manatees, to diverse bird species and leatherback turtles and even panthers.

2 Mangroves (various)

For a unique kayak experience, head to the mangrove tunnels located in various spots in the state.

A mangrove ecosystem is both important and picturesque. Exposed roots anchor the trees in shallow water and along shorelines forming an overhead canopy and providing a protected habitat for wildlife.

One of my favorites is on Lido Key. From a launch site in South Lido Park, kayakers can paddle trail through a labyrinth of narrow waterways of shady mangrove canopies which create an ethereal vibe. If you get lucky you may even spot a few dolphins (we did!) and manatees along the way.

Kayaking in the 2,000-acre Tomoka State Park was our favorite outdoor activity in the Daytona Beach area. The Tomoka River is beautiful with biodiversity and wildlife. One bank of the river was so unique with a canopy of old oak trees dripping with Spanish moss forming a tunnel on one side.

If you’re vacationing in the Keys, you won’t want to miss Sombrero Beach, not just for the shimmering turquoise beach, but for the adjacent mangrove tunnels. There is a series of intertwining tunnels that you can explore on your own or on a guided tour. Some of the offshoots are so low and narrow you’ll have to lay prone in your kayak to get through!

1 Manatees (Crystal River)

There’s only one place in North America where you can legally swim with manatees, and that’s in the Crystal River area.  Located about 90 minutes north of Tampa, on the west coast of Florida, the water temperature is a consistent 72 degrees year-round. During the winter months, more than 400 1000-lb. manatees migrate here to escape the cold waters of the Gulf of Mexico.

These docile, slow-moving swimmers were placed on the endangered species list in 1966 and have since been under close watch to ensure the survival of the species.

Swimming with these passive creatures is an unforgettable experience.  After getting a briefing on all of the dos and don’ts of interacting with the animals, swimmers get into a boat to find the gentle giants. Manatees are very curious by nature and often initiate interaction with humans.  Such was the case with us.

Our captain spotted two manatees and stopped the boat so our small group could slip into the water to observe. On the bottom, about ten feet down, a large mama manatee was resting while her baby played nearby. Suddenly the baby spotted us and made a beeline for us.

As I watched with my head in the water, hanging onto the side of the boat, the baby came up underneath me and flipped me onto my back! I won’t lie, it scared me. Eyes as big as silver dollars, I may or may not have screamed through my snorkel.

I looked at the captain and said, “I didn’t touch her!” because we’d been strictly told NOT to touch the sea cows. He just laughed and said, “The babies are playful, and there’s nothing you can do when they initiate an encounter but be still and enjoy it!”

Getting upfront and personal with the baby manatee was a magical, once-in-a-lifetime experience and the most unique thing to do in Florida!

What NOT to Do!

Robbies

You may have heard of Robbies in Islamorada where you can “feed” giant tarpon. Yes, the tarpon are there, but so are the gigantic pelicans standing sentry around the tarpon pool. These birds have acclimated to this feeding spot where they can steal an easy meal – they are VERY aggressive and they bite! And they are protected so be careful about shooing them away. If you want to avoid an injury, I recommend that you save your money and bypass this tourist trap.

Most photos by Kary Kern.

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About the Author

Patti Morrow is a freelance travel writer and founder of the award-winning international blog Luggage and Lipstick and the southern travel blog Gone to Carolinas. TripAdvisor called her one of “20 Baby Boomer Travel Bloggers Having More Fun Than Millennials” and she was named one of the “Top 35 Travel Blogs” in the world.

She is also the star of the upcoming TV series “Destination Takeover” which is scheduled to premiere in the new few months.

Patti is the author of the book “Girls Go Solo: Tips for Women Traveling Alone,” and has over 150 bylines in 40 print and online publications, including The Huffington Post, International Living Magazine, Washington Post Sunday Travel, Travel Girl, Travel Play Live Magazine, and Ladies Home Journal. She has traveled extensively through six continents looking for fabulous destinations, exotic beaches, and adventure activities for her Baby Boomer tri