Tampa Travel Guide

 
by cregc
 
  •   Tampa
    by cregc
  •   Tampa
    by stephaniellen
  • My sister & I in front of the Dali Museum
      My sister & I in front of the Dali...
    by LauraBBX
  • Downtown Tampa - April 2013
      Downtown Tampa - April 2013
    by MM212
  • Just outside the art museum
      Just outside the art museum
    by tampa_shawn
 

Pro

tampa_shawn profile photo

 Great town, lots to do, fantastic weather and a great location 


Con

sargentjeff profile photo

 Very Humid!! Thunder storms are rampant in summer 


In a nutshell

Lhenne1 profile photo

 Nice place for a vacation with the family. 

 

Explore Tampa

Things to Do  

Busch Gardens

Busch Gardens, Tampa

 38 Reviews  Busch Gardens in Tampa has some 2,700 animals from across Africa including lions, tigers, elephants, camels, zebras, and more. This is also a very large amusement park, but easily overshadowed by nearby Disney World. Busch Gardens was owned by Anheuser-Busch until 2009 when it was purchased by the... 

Ybor City

Ybor City, Tampa

 19 Reviews  Ybor city is the area where Tampa's original ethnic inhabitants settled and is one of only three national historic districts in Florida. At one time Ybor was the "Cigar capital of the world". Due to that distinction it is best known for its Cuban history but other ethnic groups who were new to... 

Hotels  

Renaissance Tampa International Plaza

 1 Review and 283 Opinions  This hotel has some grave problems, many of which are rooted in the fact that it is part of a large... 

Hampton Inn And Suites North

 1 Review and 263 Opinions  It was a two night stay in this hotel and it was a hotel that gave a good feeling upon entering. The... 

Restaurants  

Bern's Steakhouse

Bern's Steakhouse, Tampa

 8 Reviews  Bern's has been a Tampa icon since 1956 and known for its large steaks of course but also so much more in an upscale casual ambiance. From 25 types of caviar to a world's largest wine cellar with over one-half million bottles, Bern's offers truly unique and 5-star dining in a real steakhouse... 

La Columbia

La Columbia, Tampa

 4 Reviews  The one place you must eat while in Tampa is the Columbia Restaurant. Since 1905 it has been a Tampa tradition, and one of the most celebrated restaurants in the city. The Columbia has received numerous rewards including induction into the "Fine Dining Hall of Fame" in Nation's Restaurant News,,... 

Nightlife  

Ybor City

Ybor City, Tampa

 20 Reviews  We wanted some cigars for a wedding gift, so we swung by -- where else -- the cigar capital of the free world, Ybor City. We were looking for a small, quiet place where we cigar novices could choose a bundle or box of cigars without the pressure of a bunch of cigar snobs looking over our shoulders.... 

Channelside

Channelside, Tampa

 5 Reviews  Wet Willy's is a small chain of bars that features frozen daiquiri-like drinks made in big premixed coolers lined up behind the bar. This Channelside location is surprisingly popular with 20-somethings on weekend nights after about 10 pm. Their drink flavors include Attitude Improvement, Call a... 

Transportation  

Trolleys and Buses

Trolleys and Buses, Tampa

 13 Reviews  Ambiance Transportation offers daily scheduled bus transportation service between Orlando, Ft. Lauderdale and Miami. From the website the coach is new and quite nice. The trip is approx 4 hours. They have reclining seats, overhead bins, AC, a on-board bathroom, and free movies on board so remember... 

Local traffic

Local traffic, Tampa

 11 Reviews  I have rarely been so frustrated as driving around Tampa, especially near the beaches. Despite a relatively small amount of traffic, I have never had so many people pull out in front of me, cut me off, or creep across a 4-lane road despite oncoming traffic. Seemed like the people had no concept of... 

Shopping  

International Plaza

International Plaza, Tampa

 4 Reviews  This mall is cram packed with high end stores like Nordstrom, Neiman Marcus, Dillards, , Robb & Stucky Interiors, Aveda, Brookstone, Discovery Channel Store, Harry and David, Kenneth Cole, Kenneth Cole, Montblanc, Helzberg Diamonds, Swarovski.... In fact, I have friends who fly into Tampa just to... 

Local Customs  

Some folks hate Tampa

Some folks hate Tampa, Tampa

 4 Reviews  According to www.stripclublist.com, Tampa boasts about 32 strip clubs/gentleman's clubs within the city limits. With a population of 303,447 in Tampa, that is about one strip club for every 9,500 people. For comparison New Hampshire has just one gentleman's club for every 440,000 people (I guess... 

Warnings and Dangers  

Rough Neighborhoods

Rough Neighborhoods, Tampa

 6 Reviews  The worst area you're likely to encounter is gonna be the outskirts of Ybor City. If you drive to Ybor, park in one of the parking garages. They're pretty close to the center and well-maintained. Your other option will be along one of the side streets (at night), say 8th or 9th Ave, and you could... 

Lightning

Lightning, Tampa

 3 Reviews  Tampa is the lightning capital of the world, but there's not much to be afraid of. You are twice as likely to be struck by lightning as you are to be shot while attending school, so you're not bloody likely to be struck. However, there's some stuff you should know: * If a rain storm with lightning... 

Tourist Traps  

Ybor City

Ybor City, Tampa

 1 Review  As a Tampa native, today's Ybor City is highly disappointing. The robust, vibrant, culturally unique neighborhood where my parents and grandparents grew up (see pic) AND the artistic bohemian community that began Ybor's comeback in the 80s have both been largely replaced by an unexciting collection... 

What to Pack  

Clothes

Clothes, Tampa

 7 Reviews   I like to travel light, but this is up to you. You don't need any heavy winter clothes in Tampa, that's for sure! During the summer, make sure you have light clothes and flip-flops! It rains a lot too, so be prepared! For the winter, I would say spring/fall clothes. Sunscreen is a must!... 

Sunscreen

Sunscreen, Tampa

 3 Reviews  If you're not used to a lot of sun, you'll need to apply sunscreen often -- unless your idea of a nice tan is fire engine red. Locals can often spot tourists a mile away by their brand-new 'Florida' gear and peeling sunburns. The ozone layer is thinning, so be prepared... Mosquito repellent is a... 

Off The Beaten Path  

Canoeing

Canoeing, Tampa

 5 Reviews  hillsborough river state park is located northeast of tampa near the town of thonotoassa. historically the area was the site of fort foster during the second seminole war. most visitors come to the park to canoe the river's class II rapids and to walk the park's seven miles of nature trails.... 

Downtown

Downtown, Tampa

 4 Reviews  The Christopher Columbus Monument is located just south of the central business district along Bayshore Drive. The statue was created by Albert Sabas, and features a statue of Columbus atop a stone pillar. The statue is located in aptly named Columbus Statue Park which is the northern end of... 

Sports & Outdoors  

Fishing

Fishing, Tampa

 5 Reviews  Captain Dave is a grizzled veteran Tampa charter fisherman, and while he may be gruff at times, he knows his stuff. For $600, four of us fished for nearly eight hours, catching just a few edible fishing including flounder. We began our day at O'Neil's Marina in St. Pete next to the Sunshine Skyway... 

Favorites  

Beach

Beach, Tampa

 5 Reviews  From downtown Tampa, the big beach towns of Clearwater Beach, Indian Rocks Beach, Indian Shores, Bellaire Beach, Reddington Shores, Fort Desoto Park, and others. Fort DeSoto Park beach was named America's best beach in Dr. Stephen P. Leatherman's annual rankings. Another nearby favorite is... 

University of Tampa

University of Tampa, Tampa

 5 Reviews  University of Tampa is located on the Hillsborough River just across from downtown Tampa's Central Business District. UT has nearly 6,000 students who are able to graduate with degrees in about 100 different areas. The most impressive and historic building on campus is Plant Hall, built in 1888 and... 

Comments

Map of Tampa