Vacation Spots In Tampa
Enjoy Your Vacation

No matter whether you've come to Tampa for adventure, play, sport or fun, there is lots to do in Tampa. When we think of vacation spots in Tampa, we think about sunshine and warm climate, vacation attractions for the whole family, roller coasters, golf, water sports, fishing, professional sports teams, and a major university. Four hundred wild bottlenose dolphin make their home in the waters of Tampa Bay. Busch Gardens, the Florida Aquarium, Dinosaur World, nature, wild animals and sea life are all part of Tampa. Enjoy yourself here. You know what we say, the best souvenirs are happy memories.

Vacation Spots in Tampa

1. Landmarks of Tampa
2. Vacation Spots In Tampa: Busch Gardens
3. Vacation Spots in Tampa: Adventure Island
4. Vacation Spots in Tampa: Florida Aquarium
5. Vacation Spots in Tampa: Professional Sports
6. Vacation Spots in Tampa: Bayshore Boulevard
7. Vacation Spots in Tampa: Museums
8. Vacation Spots in Tampa: Night Life
9. Vacation Spots in Tampa: Museum of Science and Industry
10. Vacation Spots in Tampa: Ybor City
11. Vacation Spots in Tampa: Family Play Spots
12. Vacation Spots in Tampa: Shopping and Food
13. Vacation Spots in Tampa: Lowry Park Zoo
14. Interesting Facts About Tampa
15. What is the Weather in Tampa?
16. Quick History of Tampa

Landmarks of Tampa

Some vacation spots in Tampa are the massive Sunshine Skyway Bridge over Tampa Bay; Ybor City a National Historic District; the Bayshore Boulevard along the Bay, the longest sidewalk in the world; the Sulphur Springs Water Tower; and the Rivergate Building, a cylindrical building called the Beer Can Building.

Vacation Spots In Tampa: Busch Gardens

Busch Gardens is a popular vacation spot, 335 acres of vacation fun, famous for its thrilling rides and its animal wildlife park. I'd need a whole chapter to do it justice. The Montu is one of the tallest and longest inverted roller coasters in the world, with 60-foot vertical loops. The SheiKra is the first diving coaster with a 90-foot drop, loops, an underground tunnel and a water splashdown. Busch has many gentle rides for youngsters, too. Busch Gardens is rightly famous for its wild animals, 2700 of them, including big cats, rhinos and ostriches. See them roaming the Serengeti Plain as you move through by Railway or the Skyride or a Safari. You can get up close to animals in the new Congo area called Jungala. There's also the Lory Landing aviary and the Birds of Prey stage show. On my trip, a parrot sat on my shoulder and a chimp played with my hair.

Vacation Spots in Tampa: Adventure Island

Adventure Island is a 30-acre water park next door to Busch Gardens. It features many water rides, slides, corkscrews, a big wave pool, sand volleyball courts, and dining. If I tell you that 50 lifeguards are on duty, you get an idea of the size. Adventure Island vacation spot is open from March through October.

Vacation Spots in Tampa: Florida Aquarium

The Florida Aquarium is a 250,000 sq. ft. architectural glass wonder in Tampa, one of the top 10 aquariums in the United States. Among its 20,000 species of aquatic plants and animals, you'll see the sharks, otters, gators, turtles, snakes, sea urchins and exotic sea dragons. You can even swim with the sharks. It has touch tanks for the kids, and fascinating shows for everyone. The aquarium also runs Dolphin Quest Eco-Tours, a boat ride to see some of the 400 bottlenose dolphin that call Tampa Bay home. I recommend this vacation spot to everyone.

Outside the Aquarium is the American Victory, a restored World War II Victory ship with a museum on board.

If there is magic on this planet, it is contained in water. - Loren Eisley

Vacation Spots in Tampa: Professional Sports

Tampa has three professional sports teams. Their games are popular vacation spots. The Tampa Bay Buccaneers of the National Football League brought home the Super Bowl title in 2003. The Tampa Bay Lightning of the National Hockey League were winners of the Stanley Cup championship in 2004.The Tampa Bay Rays play major league baseball, winning the American League pennant in 2008. Spring training brings more teams to town. The New York Yankees, Philadelphia Phillies, Toronto Blue Jays, as well as teams in the Grapefruit League to the area around Tampa Bay and St. Petersburg. The University of South Florida also has strong sports programs. Tampa sports fans are a breed apart.

Tampa Bay is a golfer's paradise, with dozens of golf courses and golfing events like the Senior Champions Tour. While you're on vacation you can polish up your game at the Arnold Palmer Golf Academy or Ben Sutton School of Golf.

Vacation Spots in Tampa: Bayshore Boulevard

Bayshore Boulevard is 6 miles of sidewalk along the water and the historic homes of Tampa, probably the longest continuous sidewalk in the world and a Tampa landmark. This is the place for runners, walkers, bikers and skaters and vacationers to congregate and enjoy the views.

Vacation Spots in Tampa: Museums

Tampa's many museums and theaters are all terrific vacation spots: the Tampa Bay Performing Arts Center: Jobsite Theater; the Tampa Theatre; the Tampa Museum of Art; Stageworks Theater Company; Tampa Bay History Center; the Gorilla Theatre; and the Univerity of South Florida Contemporary Art Museum. The Florida Orchestra also is based here. The Salvador Dali Museum is in St. Petersburg, Florida.

Vacation Spots in Tampa: Night Life

Tampa ranked 6th in the entire nation for its party scene, according to one magazine. Nightlife takes off in the Tampa areas of Channelside, Ybor City, SoHo, Hyde Park, International Plaza, Bay Street and Seminole Hard Rock. Particularly in Ybor City, a remarkable vacation spot, college students, people on vacation, raunchy bartenders, dance floors and video screens, contests and non-stop music make it a happening weekend. Tampa is known worldwide as the birthplace of Death metal music, an evolution of Heavy Metal. Many of the heavy metal bands perform around the city. Underground rock bands are also on the scene.

Seminole Hard Rock Casino has lavish restaurants and bars, a huge 90,000-square-foot casino and famous entertainers.

Vacation Spots in Tampa: Museum of Science and Industry

The Museum of Science & Industry, called MOSI, has hundreds of hands-on exhibits that bring science to life. My inner child had a wonderful time learning about color, sound, chemistry, magnetism, math and optical illusions. There is an IMAX dome theater, butterfly garden and the high-wire bicycle. The Tampa Planetarium is also here. In fact, at vacation's end we really didn't want to leave.

Vacation Spots in Tampa: Ybor City

Visit Ybor City, one of only three National Historic Landmark Districts in Florida. Ybor City was once the Cigar Capital of the World, with 200 factories at work. Now on weekends, it is Tampa's night time party place. Tour a cigar factory where cigar rolling is an art. Take the Ybor City trolley or a walking tour of this vacation spot to view the architecture, Latin social clubs, tattoo parlors, the Ybor City Museum State Park, and nightclubs.

Vacation Spots in Tampa: Family Play Spots

1. Malibu Grand Prix in Tampa is vacation play time to the max, with miniature golf, gocart racing, batting cages, and a lively game room.

2. Kid City is another Tampa vacation spot, an attraction geared to your rug rats, a miniature outdoor city of stores, bank, and firehouse, where kids can see what they want to be when they grow up.

3. Dinosaur World, a half hour from Tampa in Plant City, is too good to be true, with 150 huge realistic dinosaurs in a prehistoric setting. Youngsters will also explore spooky caves and an archaeological dig. They are all man-made models, of course.

Vacation Spots in Tampa: Shopping and Food

Shopping is exciting when you vacation in Tampa. Hyde Park is a well-known vacation spot for shopping. Famous brands, tasty restaurants and free parking keep everyone coming back. The International Plaza on N. West Shore Blve brings you Tiffany, Louis Vuitton, Gucci, Coach and Neiman Marcus. Westshore Plaza nearby is another mall with 4 major department stores, including Saks Fifth Avenue. But if "Discount" is your middle name, head to Prime Outlets discount mall 40 minutes south of Tampa, where 130 designer and brand-name outlet stores like DKNY, Villeroy & Boch, Ralph Lauren, Sak's and Ann Taylor offer close-out specials.

When it's time to eat, Tampa has it all, from haute cuisine to burger joints. Bite into a Cubano, the local specialty, a panini-style pressed sandwich. On a crusty loaf of Cuban bread they pile roast pork, Genoa salami, melting cheese, pickles and spicy mustard. Enjoy it with Cuban coffee and my personal favorite, Key Lime pie. Or light up one of the cigars that made Tampa famous.

Vacation Spots in Tampa: Lowry Park Zoo

Lowry Park Zoo, a great vacation destination in Tampa, features over 2,000 animals, interactive exhibits, rides, educational shows and more. Child magazine ranked it the number one zoo for families. The expanded zoo brings the animals up close and personal for you to enjoy. White tiger cubs, elephants, big cats and manatees are a few of the attractions. The Zoo also offers the River Odyssey Ecotour, a cruise on the Hillsborough River.

Interesting Facts About Tampa

Tampa is a Gulf Coast vacation spot in Florida with about 300,000 permanent residents. The cluster of cities, Tampa, St. Petersburg and Clearwater, is called the Tampa Bay Area. With 2.7 million residents, this is the second largest population center in Florida, next to Miami. The Calusa Indian word "Tampa" may mean "sticks of fire," possibly referring to the occasional lightning strikes here during the summer.

Tampa is easy to reach by driving south on Interstate 75 to Interstate 275. You can fly into Tampa International Airport or St. Petersburg-Clearwater International Airport, or take the Amtrak Silver Star to Tampa Union Train Station. In the city, people get around by car, bus, taxi, the quaint streetcars or watertaxi.

The economy is well diversified, and many Fortune 1000 companies have a presence in Tampa. Tampa's port is now the seventh largest in the nation. It is also Florida’s largest tonnage port, handling nearly half of all seaborne commerce that passes through the state. Tampa currently ranks second in the state behind Miami in terms of cruise ship travel.

Tampa is a big college town. The University of South Florida has almost 45,000 students, ninth largest in the nation. There are also 11 other colleges and institutions of higher learning.

MacDill Air Force Base is the U.S. military headquarters for two joint war commands and employs 14,000. All U.S. military operations in the Middle East and Africa are coordinated from here.

The Port of Tampa, seventh largest port in the nation, is home port for many cruise ships and an interesting vacation spot. You can embark from here to destinations in the Caribbean and Mexico, or you can watch the humongous cruise ships. Take a balloon ride on a hot-air balloon at sunrise or sunset to see the beauty of Tampa.

What is the Weather in Tampa?

Tampa has a subtropical climate warm enough for coconut palms and royal palms and vacationers. The summer temperature is always below 95 degrees Fahrenheit. It does not snow in Tampa and winter temperatures are always above freezing. Tampa Bay is the Lightning Capital of North America, because of the frequent summer storms.

Quick History of Tampa

Spanish explorers visited the area briefly in the 1520's looking for gold. When the United States purchased Florida from Spain in 1821, only native Indians, escaped slaves and Cuban fishermen lived in the this area. Escaped slaves built Angola, a village on the eastern shore of Tampa Bay. The 1870 census shows that Tampa Town had a total population of 800.

But then, phosphate, used for fertilizer, was discovered here in 1883. This discovery helped develop Tampa and the Port of Tampa. Henry Plant built a railroad line that linked Tampa by land. Then Vicente Martinez Ybor brought cigar manufacturing to Tampa from Key West, and built Ybor City, a community of cigar factories and homes for the immigrant workers. The Cubans, Spanish, Italians from Sicily, and European Jews who came to Ybor City for factory jobs gave Tampa its multi-cultural spirit.

I hope you have a wonderful vacation.
I wish you a very happy day.

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Vacation Spots in Tampa