Sunset on Bradenton Beach, Florida.

As you head on your road trip or vacation this summer, you’ll have some idle time where you’re waiting in line at an amusement park, sitting in traffic, or simply chilling at the beach. Make that idle time fun for your family or yourself by taking this pop quiz of Florida knowledge! All of these are true or false. Answers appear at the bottom of the page. Good luck.

1. Florida has 67 counties.
2. Explorer Christopher Columbus named Florida.
3. The movie “Scarface” was filmed in Florida.
4. Florida ranks number three among U.S. states for its population.
5. More than 90% of the oranges grown in Florida are used as whole fruit (not for orange juice).
6. Lake Okeechobee is the state’s largest lake.
7. The capital of Florida is Orlando.
8. More than a million alligators live in Florida.
9. The fabled and famed creature Bigfoot has been seen regularly in Florida.
10. Florida’s famous love bugs were created in a lab at the University of Florida.
11. More than 70 million people visited Orlando in 2017.
12. Florida has more than 1,300 miles of coastline.
13. Plant City, Florida, is called the Winter Strawberry Capital of the World.
14. Florida has produced two U.S. presidents.
15. 

    Old Florida postcard

    Gatorade was named for the University of Florida Gators.

Florida Fun Facts Pop Quiz–Answers

1. True! Palm Beach County is the largest county in terms of land mass.
2. False. Explorer Ponce de Leon named the state “la Florida,” which means “flowery place” in Spanish.
3. False. Although this famous movie with Al Pacino focuses on Miami and the Cuban exiles, most of the film was shot in Los Angeles.
4. True. The only states that rank higher are California and New York.
5. False. Actually, 90% or more of the oranges grown in the Sunshine State are used for orange juice.
6. True. You can see Lake Okeechobee from space.
7. False. It’s Tallahassee!
8. 

   Some of the millions of visitors to Orlando in 2017.

   True. There are about 1.25 million alligators in Florida and a total of 5 million spread across the Southeast U.S. There are also crocodiles in south Florida.

9. False. However, the Skunk Ape is Florida’s own legendary Bigfoot-like creature.
10. False. That’s a myth. This report on Snopes.com explains why this isn’t true and quotes a UF professor who says, “If we created them, they would be orange and blue.”
11. True. Orlando, America’s most visited destination, attracted 72 million people in 2017, according to Visit Orlando.
12. True. It ranks second only to Alaska for its amount of coastline.
13. True. This town in the Tampa Bay area produces an abundance of yummy strawberries in the winter. It even hosts an annual Strawberry Festival that attracts national music acts.
14. False. It is one of the most populous states in the U.S. but surprisingly has not been the birthplace for a president.
15. True. The drink was developed at UF.

Gators hanging out at one of our favorite places in Orlando, Gatorland.

So how’d ya do? If you need to brush up on your Florida knowledge, make sure to read other articles on Florida Culture Travel. We have more than 60 Florida-focused articles where you can have fun learning about the Sunshine State. Got a place in mind for us to visit in Florida? Then leave a comment!