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Guide to Tampa, USA (Florida)
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Click to go to Flight Prices for Tampa
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Tampa
A city divided by the Hillsborough River, Tampa is more commercially oriented than many other popular Florida destinations, but it has plenty to offer any visitor. From grand museums to golden beaches, Tampa has it all, flavoured with a distinct Mexi-Flori zest. There is a definite moneyed feel about Tampa with its top-notch restaurants, designer boutiques and flashy vehicless.
How To Get There
The city is served by Tampa International Airport and St Petersburg-Clearwater International Airport. Both accept flights from a wide range of domestic and international carriers, but Tampa International is more worldwide focused. It lies 21 kilometers (13 miles) from downtown. The citys bus network offers cheap services into the city, while private shuttle or taxi will cost considerably more. Flight time from London is approximately ten hours.
Travelling Around
Getting around town can be done mostly by public bus, but if you want to combine travelling with sightseeing, take a historic trolley around downtown Tampa and the famous Ybor City sector.
When To Go
Tampa sees a huge rise in visitors when the weather is at its best between December and May. Daily temperatures run from anywhere between 60F (15C) to 80F (27C), and any showers will be brief. On the other hand, youll get clear streets, minimal traffic and discounts aplenty if you visit during summer. Beware though - summer is hurricane season, and the air is heavy and damp with west-coast-Floridas trademark humidity.
What To See
The Tampa Museum of Art has a great collection of paintings, sculptures and photography, and is best known for its Classical displays including vases and lamps retrieved from 2nd century Greek and Roman sites.
The Florida Aquarium is packed with interesting things including a wetland recreation, a limestone cave, a dune-studded beach and a coral reef housed inside a giant tank. The coral is popular for the detailed guide. Speaking through an intercom system, divers take you on a tour through the coral where thousands of fish show off their dazzling colours.
The Museum of Science & Industry (MOSI) with its 450 interactive exhibits is heaven for children. They can do everything from playing a giant pinball machine to piloting a miniature hot-air balloon.
Ever-popular theme park Busch Gardens is a must for thrill seekers.
Hotspot
Nothing harks back to the American golden age quite like a drive-in movie theatre. At the Fun-Lan Drive In you can soak up some of that old time American culture. The only thing you need is a car!
The Fun-Lan opened on January 10th 1950. Admission price was 48 cents, and bag of popcorn was 10 cents. Prices have gone up a little since then (adult tickets cost 6 dollars and childrens are 2 dollars) but the atmosphere is still as great as it was nearly sixty years ago.
Night Life
Ybor City is where most of Tampas partying happens. Walk down 7th Avenue East between 15th and 20th streets after nightfall and youll know youve arrived. Friday and Saturday nights are busiest, but theres plenty of action on week nights too and even Sundays.
Spread over nine acres on the east bank of the Hillsborough River, the Tampa Bay Performing Arts Center is the largest theatrical venue south of Washington DCs Kennedy Center in. It hosts a huge array of performances including Broadway plays, classical and pop concerts, operas, cabaret and improvisation.
Look out for free papers Weekly Planet, Focus, and Accent on Tampa Bay while youre there for up to date listing.
fast facts
- Tampa Bay is the largest open water estuary in Florida
- in 2006 the city had a population of 334,550
- the name Tampa is believed to mean "sticks of fire" in the Calusa language
- Tampas eight sister cities include Le Havre, Izmir and Oviedo
Quick History
Spanish explorer Ponce de Leon landed in the Tampa Bay area in 1513, but the Spanish explorers ignored western Florida in favour of the east coast. In 1824 the U.S. Army established Fort Brooke to protect Tampa Bays strategic harbour. The Tampa Bay region started to develop when the territory became part of the United States in 1845. It was made accessible to the rest of the state and nation in 1884 with the railroad extension to the Hillsborough River. Tampas economic growth began with the discovery of phosphates in the late 1880s. Mining and shipping industries sprang up, making Tampa's port the seventh largest in the nation. Another important historical moment for Tampa was the building of Vicente Martinez Ybors cigar factory in 1886. This area is now the hub of Tampas Hispanic culture. Tampa rose to national importance during the Spanish-American War when it served as the main point of take off for U.S. troops bound for Cuba. The advent of the automobile was responsible for a large settlement wave between 1923 and 1926, and the 1960s saw the business district grow with the building of office skyscrapers. Proximity to some of Floridas best beaches and amusement parks have made Tampa a magnet for tourists, and it is a popular destination for both American and international visitors.
Money
There are around two dollars to the pound. Up-to-date exchange rates can be found on this currency converter.
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