The Atlas Obscura Guide To Florida

335 Cool, Hidden, and Unusual Things to Do in Florida

Updated March 23, 2023

Come for the beaches, stay for the live mermaids. The glare of Florida canʼt hide itʼs panoply of wonders, from a coral castle built by one love-stricken man to a fort that eats cannonballs. The Sunshine State really seems to attract visionaries.

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Unusual Attractions in Florida

Key West, Florida

Dry Tortugas

These remote Florida islands have a history of sea turtles and sunken treasures, and one of the world's largest coastal brick fortresses.

Coral Gables, Florida

Venetian Pool

The only swimming pool listed on the National Register of Historic Places is emptied and refilled each day with naturally filtered water.

Chiefland, Florida

Manatee Springs

Where manatees are the snowbird vacationers in these balmy Florida springs.

Lake Wales, Florida

Bok Tower Gardens

Possibly the most beautiful carillon in the world, set atop Iron Mountain in Florida.

Key Biscayne, Florida

Neptune Memorial Reef

An underwater city for the dead.

St. Petersburg, Florida

Salvador Dalí Museum

Florida might be at its most surreal in this museum devoted to the famed Spanish artist.

Williston, Florida

Devil's Den

The scuba diving training facility was named for the steam that rises from the cave's chimney.

Weeki Wachee, Florida

Weeki Wachee: City of Live Mermaids

Welcome to old Florida, where a 1940s mermaid show is still enchanting visitors.

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Cool Places to Eat & Drink in Florida

Key West, Florida

Captain Tony's Saloon

Florida's oldest bar was once a morgue, complete with a hanging tree and gravestones.

Port Orange, Florida

The Last Resort Bar

Where serial killer Aileen Wuornos drank her last beer.

Fort Lauderdale, Florida

Mai-Kai Restaurant

When you can't get to the Pacific, just go to Florida.

West Palm Beach, Florida

Bulk Candy Store Museum

This shop also boasts some sweet memorabilia from "Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory."

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Atlas Obscura Itineraries

10 Watery Wonders on Florida’s Gulf Coast

With all its tidal pools, mangrove islands, and estuaries, Florida’s Gulf Coast shoreline is one of the most dynamic in the country. Throw into the mix almost a thousand natural springs, and Florida truly is a place with as much to explore both above water as below. This ten-stop itinerary is by no means exhaustive. The mermaid shows, cave-diving, underwater museums, mangrove-kayaking, and wildlife-watching opportunities presented here still only scratch the surface – and the depths - of the myriad activities possible along this wondrous coastline.

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