5 Weird Facts You Didn't Know About Miami

Florida can be a strange place, and Miami can be just as bright and weird. Some facts could be obscure laws that are still in effect today. Other nuggets of information are interesting moments in the city's history. It's also normal for every city to have its quirks or hidden facts, so we'll be taking a look at some odd facts about the Magic City.

Sidewalks and oranges

Every city or town has their strange and outdated laws. In Miami, the weirdest one we found was that it's illegal to sell oranges on the sidewalk. Violators could face up to 30 days in jail!

At least it isn't as outlandish as in Destin, Florida, where you could get penalized for selling ice cream in a cemetery.

Wreckreational

One of Miami's selling points is the massive port, inviting millions of cruise ship passengers and commercial ships per year. It's also called the "Wreckreational Diving Capital of the World." There are over 75 shipwrecks in the Miami waters, which makes it ideal for scuba divers and enthusiasts. The remains of these ships also help in artificial reef programs, according to South Beach Divers.

It only snowed once!

For Miami residents, this may not seem so strange. In fact, it's expected. Most southern areas and states, including the the warmer regions, had snow at least three times in their histories. Miami is an exception.The only time it snowed in the city was on January 19, 1977. A cold front merged with a "strong arctic high" to create the super rare moment across the region.

Man-made beaches

Before Miami Beach was incorporated in 1915, it existed as swathe of mangrove swamps. The area was completely developed into a beach hub, making most areas pretty much man-made, including the beaches! In fact, the city imports thousands of tons of sand to keep the beaches replenished.

No basements!

For some Americans, they've come to expect basements as part of houses. Not in South Florida. The region is a tropical area with sandy lands, mangroves and swamps, meaning the ground isn't stable and hard enough to support basements or even subways. That hasn't stopped city officials and even Elon Musk from thinking about underground tunnels in the future. Either way, you won't find any basements in the Magic City!

Photos: Getty Images