 |
| Tampa Bay Area |
|
|
|
|
|
|
 SEE
- Florida Aquarium, 701 Channelside Drive, Phone: (813) 273-4000, [15]. Daily 9:30AM-5PM. Channelside district, just east of downtown. Fabulous aquarium following a drop of rain from a swamp through Florida's aquifer, to its rivers and out into the Gulf of Mexico and Atlantic Ocean. Restaurant, gift shop, children's play area, touch tank, interactive dive experiences, and eco-tours of Tampa Bay. Adults $17.95, ages 3-12 $12.95.
- Lowry Park Zoo, 1101 West Sligh Avenue, Phone: (813) 935-8552, [16]. Daily 9:30AM-5PM. One of the top-rated zoos in the country, featuring children's areas, restaurants, a manatee hospital, and first-rate encounters with animals from around the world. Make sure to tour the aviary and feed the lorikeets. Adults $15, ages 3-11 $10.50.
- Busch Gardens, McKinley Drive, Toll Free: 1-888-800-5447,[17]. More than just an amusement park -- also a top-notch zoo. Expensive, but a very enjoyable day -- rides, shows, and the Anheuser-Busch Clydesdales! This is a fun place for all ages, kids, teens, and even adults. It has a family friendly atmosphere with lots of things to do and see. The scenery is amazing; it has a feel of different places as you travel throughout the park. Rides vary from a huge merry go round to the famous rollercoaster, Montu. There are many different types of rides to choose from and also many roller coasters to choose from as well. Not a ride fan? You can check out the many shows they perform daily. Ice skating, singing, magic, birds, dolphins and other performances can be found all around the corners of Busch Gardens. Not a show fan either? Then check out the many food establishments spread out through the park. They offer fast food like popcorn and fries to a nice sit down meal. Also check Busch Gardens out during different holidays. They always have special events and offers. For instance, for Halloween they have Howl-O-Scream when the park is open all night long. They also have special events for over night stays, New Years, and special ticket sales for Florida residents. Always watch out for these special events because they happen all the time. If you do one thing while you’re in Tampa, go visit Busch Gardens. It is a great place to remind you about how fun Tampa really is. It is one of the biggest attractions in the Tampa Bay area. The rides, food, and shows will make you want to come back!
- Museum of Science and Industry (MOSI), 4801 E Fowler Av., Phone: (813) 987-6100, [18]. Daily 9AM-6PM. Hands-on children's science museum, including an IMAX dome and stellar revolving exhibits. Great way to spend a day with the family. Adults $23.95, ages 2-12 $19.95.
- Tampa Museum of Art, 600 N. Ashley Drive, Phone: (813) 274-8130, [19]. Daily 10AM-5PM, Closed Mondays. An extensive collection of Greek and Roman antiquities, as well as contemporary and traveling exhibitions. Check the website for monthly "Art After Dark" exhibitions. Adults $8, Children under 6 Free. Free admission on Saturdays 10AM-Noon.
- Tampa Theatre, 711 Franklin Street, Phone: (813) 274-8982, [20]. Opened in 1926 and located right downtown, the Tampa Theatre is a historic movie palace featuring a wide range of independent, foreign, and documentary films on a daily basis. Architecturally stunning both inside and out, it is no wonder that the Tampa Theatre has become both a city and national landmark being listed in the National Register of Historic Places since 1978. It is Tampa's only non-profit theatre and operating costs are largely covered by its membership program, various corporate sponsors as well as ticket sales.
- University of Tampa. Formerly the Tampa Bay Hotel built at the turn of the 20th century by railroad magnate H.B.Plant, the beautiful old building is now used as the administration building and classrooms for the University of Tampa. It has been lovingly restored to most of its prior glory; the ballroom is a showpiece with its domed ceiling under brilliant silver minarets. There is a small, but very interesting museum in the building that recreates a large portion of Tampa's early history, as well as giving visitors a peek into how the hotel appeared when it first opened.
- University of South Florida. The main campus for this university. Blossoming from five buildings in its opening (1960) to 164 buildings on the Tampa campus alone, this beautiful college is now educating more than 29,000 students. With beautiful greenery, fountains, and named the “top architecture school in Florida” by the Florida Board of Architecture and Interior Design in 2002. A sports fan? The University of South Florida has you covered here as well! Home to the Division-1 football (at Raymond James Stadium) and basketball (at the on-campus SunDome) among others.
- Ybor City. Is a historic Spanish district located near downtown featuring a wide range of nightclubs, bars, and shops making it a popular evening and weekend hotspot. Originally home to Cuban and Italian immigrants the city was famous for its many cigar factories and is where the Cuban Sandwich first popularize
|
|
|
DO
- Cruise ships, Port of Tampa.
- Gasparilla Pirate Festival, [21] is an annual event consisting of several parades, live entertainment, and fireworks. The event is also known as the Mardi Gras of Tampa, and normally takes place on the last two Saturdays in January.
- Guavaween. [22] offers daytime events and nighttime parade on the last Saturday in October in Ybor City.
- Sant'Yago Knight Parade is an illuminated nighttime parade that takes place one Saturday in February in Ybor City.
- Several film festivals take place at the Tampa Theatre several times a year.
- Read the Tampa Tribune -- Tampa has some sort of event going on nearly every weekend, especially in the spring and early summer. Art festivals, a terrific Renaissance festival, street festivals -- take advantage of the great weather and enjoy our city.
- Surprisingly, ice skating is a popular activity in the Tampa Bay area. The Tampa Bay Skating Academy in nearby Oldsmar has two NHL-sized ice surfaces. Other well-known rinks include Sunblades Center and the rink in Westfield Countryside Mall, both in Clearwater.
- Lettuce Lake Park between I-75 and the University of South Florida has boardwalks that go through a nearly pristine area with 700 year old cypress trees, alligators, egrets and herons. One end of the boardwalk overlooks the Hillsborough River in its original state, a far cry from what it looks like in the downtown area.
|
|
|
EAT
- La Teresita, 3246 W Columbus Dr., (813) 879-4909. Inexpensive Cuban diner with good food and interesting characters. A true Tampa institution.
- Hugo's Spanish Restaurant, 931 S Howard Ave., (813) 251-2842. Slightly more expensive than La Teresita, but still a bargain in the pricey SoHo neighborhood. $10 will buy you a mountain of food at lunch time.
- Westshore Pizza, 927 S Howard Ave., (813) 251-2020. Numerous other locations throughout Tampa Bay. A local chain with good, cheap eats including pizza and cheesesteaks.
- El Taconazo, 913 E Hillsborough Ave., (813) 232-5889. Known locally as the "Taco Bus." Simple and delicious Mexican food for very little money. The ceviche is a steal at only $5, but be forewarned: there's no air conditioning.
- New Soul Sandwich Shop, 518 N Willow Ave., (813) 251-3720. Definitely "off the beaten path." Great soul food in industrial neighborhood, just off Kennedy. Don't mind the ramshackle surroundings, as the proprietors and the regulars are quite friendly.
- The Jerk Hut, 207 E Twiggs St., (813) 223-4473. and 1406 E Fowler Ave (813) 632-9551 Don't be put off by the name - "jerk" is a Jamaican term for slow-roasting meats. The Jerk Hut serves theirs with an addictive sweet red sauce. Also, curries and oxtail stew.
- Mel's Hot Dogs, 4136 E Busch Blvd., (813) 985-8000. A tacky little restaurant near Busch Gardens. Good hot dogs and bizarre hot dog related memorabilia.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|