Florida is so much more than sensational headlines and retirement communities. While its beaches are popular for a reason, there are plenty of other ways to have fun along—and in between—the Sunshine State’s more than 1,300 miles of coastline. Every year, residents of the third-most populous state in the U.S. also welcome spring breakers, retirees, spring trainees, and circus performers seeking refuge in Florida’s tropical climate—the only place you’ll find one in the contiguous states.
Of course, theme parks are a major draw, but there are plenty of Old Florida attractions for those who prefer “dusty” over “Disney.” Wax museums and bad taxidermy might not be as thrilling to everyone as a high-tech ride at Universal Studios, but that’s the charm of Florida: You can have both, sometimes along the same stretch of sun-bleached road—and hopefully never far from a Twistee Treat.
This classic Old Florida attraction—family-owned since the 1970s—features thousands of objects “representing 25 decades of history and Americana.” As the name suggests, you’ll find all 45 presidents (or their wax counterparts) here, along with their First Ladies, and replicas of Mount Rushmore, the Statue of Liberty, Uncle Sam, and the White House. Viewed by more than 50 million people from all 50 states and around the world—including two actual presidents—the one-of-a-kind, handmade White House is 50 feet long, 15 feet wide, and filled with miniatures (crafted at a 1-inch to 1-foot scale) including furniture, wallpaper, and working lights.
Orange World is one of several huge gift shops located along Route 192 in Kissimmee, an area full of hotels, restaurants, and other tourist attractions. But before Disney or Universal Studios, the area used to be surrounded by orange groves—as far as the eye could see—and Orange World makes it easy for visitors to “take some [Florida] home” with them. Out of a dome-shaped building claimed to be the “World’s Largest Orange,” Orange World sells every variety of citrus fruit you can imagine, including unique varieties such as Sol Zest Mandarins and Honeybells grown locally in the Indian River region.
1487 North Mangonia Circle, West Palm Beach, United States
Southeast Midport Road, Port Saint Lucie, United States
508 South Myrtle Avenue, Sanford, United States
1 San Diego Road, Ponte Vedra Beach, United States
654 Oriskany Street, Jacksonville, United States
Selected Location, 30.263054, -82.092649
1125 Carnes Place SW, Atlanta, United States
1811 Mulberry Avenue, Chattanooga, United States
