12 Of The Most Eccentric Towns In Florida

While most know Florida for its breathtaking beaches, subtropical island resorts, and family-friendly theme parks, what about the Sunshine State’s more unconventional destinations? From a community populated by psychics to a town with a world-record frog leg festival, Florida is teeming with weird and wonderful attractions if you know where to look. For that reason, if you find yourself bored with the usual or wanting a more memorable getaway, these 12 eccentric Florida towns promise brow-raising thrills and plenty of peculiar fun.

Key West

Although Key West is a renowned vacation destination, the colorful community sets itself apart with its unique ability to transform from day to night. Famous for its party vibe and inclusive atmosphere, this Florida Keys town welcomes people from all walks of life. During the day, travelers of all ages can enjoy charming attractions like Smathers Beach and the Key West Butterfly and Nature Conservatory. But when night falls, Key West takes on a different vibe, undergoing a complete metamorphosis.

Duval Street, Key West’s vibrant main strip, transforms into one big party when the sun goes down. The traditional “Duval Crawl” encourages guests to hop from one place to the next, from upbeat clubs like the Aqua Bar and Nightclub to laid-back bars like Durty Harrys. From October 17th to 26th, Key West will also host its grown-ups-only Fantasy Fest. The 10-day tropical Mardi Gras will feature an array of parades, costume parties, and other themed festivities.

Christmas

For a family-focused Florida destination, what could be better than a town with Christmas spirit year-round? Christmas, a census-designated place in Orange County, is as weird and wonderful as its name. Driving down local roads like Blitzen Avenue and Rudolph Street, you will probably spot a few homes decorated for the holiday season, even in the dead of summer. At the intersection of Fort Christmas Road and State Road 50, you can also spot a massive Christmas tree, proudly displayed year-round.

Beyond its offbeat holiday spirit, Christmas visitors can enjoy Florida's great outdoors. Orlando Wetlands Park is popular with birders, with gorgeous footpaths winding through the marsh-enveloped park. Families can also explore Jungle Adventures: A Real Florida Animal Park, which offers a guided swamp cruise, boardwalk paths, and animal encounters. Potential sightings include tropical birds, a Florida panther, and alligators galore.

St. Augustine

As the “Nation’s Oldest City,” St. Augustine may not be renowned for eccentricity, but it is brimming with some truly zany attractions. Founded on Florida’s northeast coast in 1565, St. Augustine boasts landmarks like Castillo de San Marcos, a masonry fort built over 327 years ago. But beyond these dignified historic attractions, visitors can also discover a more eclectic and eccentric side of history in St. Augustine’s museums.

The St. Augustine Pirate & Treasure Museum is an educational adventure for families, transporting guests over 300 years back in time to the Golden Age of Piracy with its authentic pirate artifacts and interactive exhibits. Elsewhere, older travelers can discover a darker side of history at the Medieval Torture Museum, while architecture enthusiasts can marvel at the Villa Zorayda. Modelled after a Moorish palace in Granada, Spain, the quirky Gilded Age home is now a museum, displaying over-the-top opulence.

Cassadaga

Travelers seeking an all-out eccentric town may prefer Cassadaga, the "Psychic Capital of the World." Believers and skeptics alike are welcome to explore the Volusia County community, a metaphysical homebase for psychics, mediums, and spiritualists. With a history of spiritualism dating back to the late 19th century, Cassadaga is the ultimate Florida destination to embrace the unconventional and otherworldly.

At the heart of it all, the Cassadaga Spiritualist Camp welcomes guests to explore its spiritual offerings. The camp spans 57 acres, with mediums offering readings and services right out of their homes. They also host fun events with vendors and readings throughout the year, like Fall Fest, happening October 24th to 26th and 31st to November 1st, 2025. Afterward, nature lovers can stroll enchanting local parks in Cassadaga, like the Horseshoe Park and Fairy Trail, where tiny fairy homes can be spotted amongst the trees.

Safety Harbor

Skirting the western shore of Tampa Bay, Safety Harbor is another Florida town with a mystical presence. Now a relaxing waterfront town, Safety Harbor was once thought to contain the Fountain of Youth. The belief began with Spanish explorer Hernando de Soto in 1539, who dubbed its local mineral pools "Springs of the Holy Spirit” or “Espiritu Santo Springs.” Consequently, Safety Harbor became a hub for health-conscious tourists, drawing them from across the globe.

Whether you believe in their mystical properties or simply want a relaxing spa day, the historic springs can still be enjoyed at the Safety Harbor Resort & Spa. Alternatively, travelers on a budget can enjoy other charming locales like Safety Harbor Waterfront Park and Whimzeyland, a surreal local landmark. Affectionately dubbed the "bowling ball house," the colorful home is adorned with sculptures, paintings, and unsurprisingly, bowling balls. Free to visit and fun to photograph, the installation is both bizarre and beautiful.

Williston

Situated in Florida’s heartland, Williston is another town known for its bizarre and beautiful local attractions. At first glance, the community seems like any other Florida town, with nothing all that special. However, Williston’s intrigue lies in its surrounding natural landmarks. A gateway to Florida’s Nature Coast, visitors can discover unique sights and experiences at the Devil’s Den and Blue Grotto, two spectacular natural springs.

The first of the attractions, despite its devilish name, is a heavenly snorkel and dive site. Hidden underground in a 120-foot-wide cavern, Devil's Den is a prehistoric marvel. With its waters at a constant 72°F, visitors can scuba dive and snorkel the spring year-round, witnessing its ancient underwater rock formations. Alternatively, Blue Grotto, the second of Williston's springs, is another favorite dive spot due to its crystal blue waters. Much like Devil’s Den, the water here remains at a constant 72°F, although the spring stands out for its diverse aquatic life, including friendly resident turtles.

Titusville

While Williston attracts visitors underwater, Titusville draws your eyes to the sky. Bordered by the St. Johns River and Indian River Lagoon, the town offers access to the Canaveral National Seashore and Merritt Island Wildlife Refuge. However, Titusville’s main claim to fame is its Space Coast identity and proximity to NASA's Kennedy Space Center. Thanks to this setting, it is not uncommon to see a rocket flying overhead.

Less than 15 miles across from NASA’s launch pads, Space View Park is one of the best spots in Titusville to see a rocket flight in action. If a launch isn’t scheduled for your time in Titusville, the park still offers scenic Indian River views, perfect for a picnic on the water. Afterward, the American Space Museum & Walk of Fame is just a short walk away, or you can make the drive to Merritt Island for a tour of the Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex.

Tarpon Springs

Over on Florida’s Gulf Coast, Tarpon Springs boasts a vibrant heritage and unique coastal culture. Brought to life by Greek sponge divers in the early 1900s, the humble waterfront town went on to become the “Sponge Capital of the World.” Today, sponge diving is still a prominent industry here, although it often takes a backseat to tourism. However, local excursions often offer the best of both worlds, like trips aboard the St. Nicholas VI Sponge Boat.

Overlooking the Anclote River, Dodecanese Boulevard is the town’s colorful main strip. Here, visitors can see the historic Sponge Docks and shop for sponge-themed souvenirs at quirky shops like The Sponge Exchange and The Tarpon Sponge Company. Honoring its origins, the Boulevard is also where you will find some of the best Greek spots in town, like The Limani and Dimitri's on the Water.

Lake Placid

Despite being surrounded by nearly 30 freshwater lakes, Lake Placid is not your average waterfront community. Once voted “America's Most Interesting Town” by Reader's Digest, this “Town of Murals” is a peacock amongst pigeons. While many visit the town for its serene waterfront scenes at spots like Lake June Park, travelers seeking Lake Placid’s unique side are more attracted to its out-of-the-ordinary arts scene.

Art lovers can discover over 47 one-of-a-kind murals dotted throughout Lake Placid, depicting local history and Florida themes. Some paintings are also specially designed to complement a business, like the local American Clown Museum and School. This eccentric attraction is fun for the whole family and impossible to miss, its exterior brightened with a colorful collage of red-nosed clowns.

Cedar Key

Much like Lake Placid, Cedar Key is a spirited waterfront town that sets itself apart from the pack. Unlike Gulf Coast island towns obstructed with high-rise resorts and crowded beaches, this Old Florida gem is rugged and unspoiled. Whether booking a boat ride with Tidewater Tours or exploring the Cedar Keys National Wildlife Refuge, nature-loving travelers can experience a more authentic and wild side of Florida.

Spanning 13 islands, the refuge can only be reached by watercraft, supplied by local businesses like Cedar Key Boat Rentals & Island Tours. Undisturbed by urban development, the islands are each a wildlife hotspot, offering a rare look at Florida’s unspoiled wilderness. Frequent animal sightings include osprey, dolphins, turtles, and manatees, the majestic and slow-moving cows of the sea.

Seaside

A town as pleasant as its name, Seaside is a town so picture-perfect, it feels like walking through a postcard. As the birthplace of the New Urbanism design movement, Seaside prioritizes people over cars, resulting in a compact and quaint layout. Much of the town’s allure and whimsy is centered around this look and feel. Walking past its pastel buildings, narrow roads, and picket fences, Seaside often feels too pretty to be real.

Using Seaside’s surreal beauty to its advantage, parts of “The Truman Show” were filmed here in 1998 to capture the town’s flawless aesthetic. However, while the essence of Seaside was immortalized in the film, the charms of this walker’s paradise are even better in person. Seaside’s Central Square is arguably the cutest part of town, featuring cute shops like Sundog Books, cafes like Amavida Coffee Roasters, and bars like 87 Central. Nearby, Airstream Row adds a funky flair, with restaurants like Barefoot BBQ housed in vintage Airstream trailers.

Fellsmere

For another quirky dining experience, Fellsmere, the “Frog Leg Capital of the World,” is a hub for adventurous foodies. The tucked-away rural town would probably fly under people's radar were it not for its iconic Fellsmere Frog Leg Festival. According to Guinness World Records, the celebration is the largest of its kind in the world, and Fellsmere has been known as the world’s frog leg capital since 1996.

January 2026 will mark the event’s 35th run, with tons of frog-themed food and events to look forward to. While the culinary scene is its main draw, the event also features carnival rides and live entertainment, making it fun for the whole family. Outside of festival season, Fellsmere businesses like the Marsh Landing Restaurant are a great alternative, offering frog legs and other classic Florida eats year-round.

Discover Florida’s Eccentric Side

There is no denying that Florida has a free spirit, but when it comes to picking a vacation destination, visitors tend to go with its more tame and mainstream towns and cities. However, for travelers who love all things strange and offbeat, these 12 eccentric Florida towns unveil the Sunshine State’s weird and wild side. Whether visiting Cassadaga for a psychic reading, lacing up your clown shoes in Lake Placid, or sampling frog legs in Fellsmere, these Florida towns will leave you with unforgettable memories and stories you can tell for years to come.