1. Everyone In Tallahassee Has Garnet And Gold In Their Closet
Tallahassee is a proud college town, and its heart belongs to the Florida State University Seminoles football team. So if you’re not a fan, you’re in the wrong place.
2. Lofty Pursuits Is The Best Place To Get Ice Cream In The Summer
Be sure to grab an ice cream cone from local favorite Lofty Pursuits—but be careful, some flavors will turn your mouth bright blue!
3. Be Careful Who You Kiss On The Landis Green Bench
Everyone in Tallahassee knows the rhyme of the Landis Green bench: “If this bench could talk / The stories it would tell / of kisses young and old / if you sit, beware the spell.”
4. Tally Is The Real Swamplandia
Tallahassee is true swampland, and locals are darn proud of it. The Tallahassee Museum takes full advantage of the surroundings with sculptures, tree-to-tree adventures, and the annual Swamp Stomp music festival.
5. Your 21st Birthday Will Be A Little Wet
It’s an FSU tradition to throw someone in the picturesque Westcott Fountain on his or her 21st birthday—but let’s face it, most people go willingly.
6. There Are 10 Days Of Excellence Every November
Two words: unlimited rides. The North Florida Fair has everything you could want—livestock shows, a demolition derby, performances galore, and deep-fried foods—but most teenagers remember Midnight Magic when they rode every ride to their hearts’ content.
7. You Know It’s Football Season When…
Tallahassee marks FSU football season with the Downtown GetDown, an epic pre-game tradition that shuts down streets on Friday nights to host local bands and some killer food from local hot spots.
8. Springtime Is The Best Time In Tallahassee
Come March, this city explodes with Tallahasse pride, all centered around the Springtime Tallahassee festival. There’s a parade, a music festival, a face-painting kids’ park, a beer garden, and basically everything else you could want coming out of winter.
9. The BBC Has Nothing To Do With British Television
Like true Southerners, Tallahasseeans love blues music, and there’s no place better to catch a show than at the Bradfordville Blues Club. If you’re lucky, you can jam outside by the firepit.
10. The Best Band In The Land Is From Tallahassee
Football isn’t just about throwing the pigskin. At Florida A&M or FAMU, it’s also about catching the performances of the Marching 100, dubbed the Best Band in the Land.
11. Watch Out For These Tough Ladies
The Tallahassee RollerGirls, made up of the teams Capital Punishment and the Jailbreak Betties, are tough AND they donate much of their proceeds to charity.
12. Lake Ella Has Healing Properties. Just Ask A Tibetan Monk
Back in 2009 a visiting group of Tibetan monks poured sand from a sand mandala they had created into Lake Ella, a ritual that dispersed its healing energies into the water. So not only is it gorgeous, it’s blessed.
13. Everyone In Tallahassee Knows How To Do All The War Chants And Tomahawk Chops
Better learn the FSU rituals in homage to their Seminoles name if you’re going to head to a home game—if you don’t, you’ll quickly feel out of place.
14. You Haven’t Really Had Smoked Sausage Until You’ve Had It Here
Just trust in the fact that you’ve never had smoked sausage quite like the delicious goodness Bradley’s Country Store serves up.
15. Everyone In Tallahassee Gobbles Up The Greek Food Festival
Tallahassee’s Holy Mother of God Greek Orthodox Church celebrates the city’s Greek culture with costumes, dance, and more spanakopita, tzatziki, and baklava than you could imagine.
16. Mounds Are Not Just Candy Bars
The Lake Jackson Mounds Archaeological State Park is a crucial dig site, formerly home to the Fort Walton culture.. Archeologists have uncovered various ceramics of the tribe, but a few mounds still stand for visitors to explore.
17. Fairy Tales Are Real In Tallahassee
Former FSU teacher Laura Jepsen built a house around a stunning tree to look exactly like an old Tudor cottage—or as locals know, a home out of a fairy tale.
18. The Panhandle Is Not Like The Rest Of Florida
Tallahassee locals know that Southern charm is alive and well in Florida—if you’re in the panhandle. If you’re looking for the flash and glitz of Miami, you’re in the wrong place.
19. Don’t Forget Your Saddle And Riding Boots
Horseback riders take note: The annual Red Hills Horse Trials in Tallahassee is one of the top events in the equestrian world.
20. Na-Na-Na-Na Na-Na-Na-Na, Batmobile!
When you’re watching “The Dark Knight,” do you dream of getting a look at the real Batmobile? All you have to do is visit the Tallahassee Automobile Museum.
21. The ‘X’ Is Silent In TFFxFAME, But The Crowds Aren’t
The Tallahassee Film x Art x Music x Experience Festival, or TFFxFame, the local film festival is a local treasure, drawing major crowds to all kinds of arts events and performances.
22. It’s Not Christmas Without A Drive Through This Park
All Tallahassee locals remember being young on Christmas and driving through the winter wonderland of Dorothy B. Oven Park to see all the twinkling lights.
23. The National High Magnetic Field Laboratory Will Really Pull You In
Your funny refrigerator magnets have nothing on FSU’s National High Magnetic Field Laboratory, whose electricity bill tops $8 million yearly because it houses the largest magnetic laboratory in the world.
24. The Conquistadors Live Up To Their Name
The Tallahassee Rugby Football Club pushed their way through the Deep South Rugby Union, going undefeated last year and drawing a major fanbase from the city. And this year? Don’t dismiss the Conquistadors.
What have you had to explain to out-of-towners about Tallahassee? Tell us in the comments below! 
