As the rest of the country pulls out sweaters and sips on pumpkin spice lattes, Florida’s fall traditions have a different vibe. While the Sunshine State may not boast the quintessential crisp autumn air and colorful leaf changes we associate with fall some parts of in the South, it offers its own unique style of autumnal fun inspired by the season. As a born and raised Floridian, I grew up having these traditions kick off the build-up to the holiday season.
From spotting manatees to feasting on stone crabs, here are 7 Florida fall traditions you won’t find anywhere else.
Note from the Editors
Following the destruction of Hurricane Helene and Hurricane Milton, make sure to consult local visitors’ bureaus and businesses to ensure travel is advised.
Favorite Fall Traditions That Floridians Love
Experience Florida’s Spooky Side
Fall is spooky season and Florida has its fair share of lore. In Tampa, the Ybor City Ghost Tour offers a chilling deep dive into the city’s historic past, uncovering mafia mischief and paranormal activity. Start your tour at Hotel Haya with sangria, and return to the Ybor City boutique hotel after the tour with a cigar.
Meanwhile, in St. Augustine, its historic streets offer equally spine-tingling adventures with haunted tours of its old structures. For a more tranquil scare, head to Cassadega, a small town in Central Florida known as “The Psychic Capital of the World,” and where the Hotel Cassadega is rumored to be haunted. A Halloween event there draws crowds.
Stroll Through an Art Festival
As the weather cools and the afternoon rain storms dwindle, Florida becomes the perfect place to host outdoor festivals. The Shine Mural Festival in St. Petersburg is known for turning blank city walls into multi-story artworks thanks to visiting mural artists from around the world. The architectural art installations have put St. Pete on the map as a colorful, eclectic city that celebrates art on every corner.
Meanwhile, in Central Florida, the annual Winter Park Autumn Arts Festival has been running for over 50 years and is the only juried fine art festival featuring exclusively Florida artists. Nearby in Daytona Beach, the Halifax Art Festival features fine art from across the United States and benefits the Museum of Arts and Sciences.
Celebrate Stone Crab Season
Fall marks the start of Florida’s stone crab season, which is October 15 through May 1. Local festivals celebrate the arrival of this prized seafood and the history of the coastal communities deeply influenced by this delicacy. In Cortez, one of the last remaining historic fishing villages in Florida, the Cortez Stone Crab and Music Festival upholds the traditions of its maritime community.
But it’s Florida’s Paradise Coast that is considered the epicenter of the stone crab industry. Everglades City holds the title of “The Stone Crab Capital of the World,” and it’s here where the annual Blessing of the Stone Crab Fleet has become a Florida tradition. The September celebration brings together the community for live music, food, drink, and distinctly Florida games (like the mullet toss), as a harbinger to a fruitful and safe stone crab season. Don’t leave without picking up crabs for your own seafood picnic at the family-run Grimm’s Stone Crab.
Attend the Georgia-Florida Football Game
No fall in Florida is complete without the Georgia-Florida Football Classic. Held annually since 1933 in Jacksonville, this intense rivalry brings together fans from the University of Georgia and the University of Florida for a weekend of tailgating, competition, and sport. The game is famous for being the stage for football’s rising stars. This event is about more than just football—it’s a fall tradition that bonds (or breaks up, if only for the weekend) friends and families along the Florida-Georgia state line.
See a Sand-Sculpting Competition
While other states are building snowmen, Floridians take to the beach for sand sculpting competitions. Siesta Key’s Crystal Classic International Sand Sculpting Festival in November brings together master sand sculptors who turn the soft, powdery sand into intricate works of art. The festival includes live music, food vendors, and family-friendly activities.
In Fort Meyers, things are just as serious with the Annual American Sand Sculpting Championship, which features a vendor village and plenty of activities for the entire family, including four-legged ones.
Start Spotting Manatees
Once temperatures drop in late fall to early winter, Florida’s gentle sea giants migrate toward warmer waters. They typically relocate from the coast to Florida freshwater springs, which remain at a steady temperature year-round.
At Shingle Creek, just outside Kissimmee, a peaceful paddle at the headwaters of the Everglades often results in spotting these serene creatures gliding through the water. For a more interactive experience, head to Crystal River, one of the select places where you can legally swim with manatees. On Tampa Bay’s Coast, you’ll find the sea cows huddled at the Teco Manatee Viewing Center at the outflow of the Big Bend Power Station in Apollo Beach, which uses the bay waters for cooling and circulates the warm, clean water back into the bay.
Peruse the Ultimate Antique Extravaganza
Every November, just before Thanksgiving weekend, the sleepy town of Mount Dora transforms into a treasure hunter’s dream. Over 800 antique curators and sellers from all over the country set up beneath the old oaks of Mount Dora for the Renningers Antique Extravaganza.
Renningers is also a flea market and antique center open year-round, but it only hosts three “extravaganza” weekends per year where extra collectors from across the country set up their tents. An all-day affair, be sure to wear good walking shoes and bring a small wagon to tote around your found treasure.