Things You'll Need:
- Car
- City Map
- Comfortable Walking Shoes
- Sunglasses
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Step 1
Traveling around Tampa can be a little daunting if you're visiting for the first time. Like most major cities, you will encounter heavy traffic during peak morning and afternoon hours, high-volume traffic on the major roadways and in some cases you may experience traffic congestion and parking issues at local attractions. Tampa is a city of many things to experience and these places are located all over the city from north to south, east to west and right in the middle of the city. To keep your driving time as minimal and localized as possible, it's a good idea to plan ahead and map out your day by concentrating on a particular location of the city for each day's outing.
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Step 2
Finding a good restaurant will be easy no matter what part of the city you're visiting. There are hundreds to choose from and include family-style buffets like CeCe's Pizza, Picadilly Cafeteria and Golden Corral and local favorites such as Lee Roy Selman's, Carraba's and the Cheesecake Factory. For ultra fine dining there's Ruth Cris Steakhouse near the airport, Six Tables Fine Dining in south Tampa, Armani's located atop the Grand Hyatt hotel downtown and Bern's Steakhouse in Hyde Park. Share a romantic dinner and dancing on the Starlite Cruise ship departing from Channelside or Jackson's Bistro located on Harbour Island. For an evening of cool jazz and fine dining in a 1920's atmosphere the place to go is Michael's Seven One Seven South in the SoHo district. Waterfront dining and views of the sunset can be found at Bahama Breeze, Rusty Pelican and Landry's Seafood all located on the Courtney Campbell Causeway. Valencia Gardens near downtown and the world famous Columbia Restaurant in Ybor City both serve authentic, traditional Spanish cuisine.
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Step 3
Fun and adventure await you at Busch Gardens and Adventure Island. Plan on an all day outing when you visit either park. Lowry Park Zoo, one of the premier zoos in the country and known for its manatee rehabilitation program, offers a great day of observing wild animals in natural habitats, rides for the kids, large aquarium for the manatees, reptile house, bird shows and places to eat. There's plenty of parking and it's located right across the street from the Hillsborough River where there are picnic tables and swings. The Museum of Science and Industry has shows, interactive programs and the IMAX theatre. Located in the Channelside district is the outstanding Florida Aquarium and if you want to get up close to wild cats in their natural habitats visit the 42-acre Big Cat Rescue sanctuary.
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Step 4
Other places of interest to explore are Wine Not Winery where you can make your own distinctive wine and label, bargain hunting at Big Top Flea Market and Oldsmar Flea Market, picnicking and canoing at Hillsborough State Park, plants and flowers at the USF Botanical Gardens and horseback riding for all ages at In the Breeze Ranch. For sand and surf, stop by Ben T. Davis beach located on the Courtney Campbell Causeway or Picnic Island Park located in Port Tampa.
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Step 5
Exploring Tampa's museums and landmarks is a great way to learn about the history and culture of the city. The Tampa Theater, built in 1926 and still fully operational, features first run and classic movies, concerts and events, and is a Tampa City landmark and named to the National Register of Historic Places. Its Mediterranean architecture, marble staircase, and statuary are exquisite. Tours of the theater are available. Also in the downtown district is the Henry B. Plant Museum located at the University of Tampa. Listed as a US National Historic Landmark, the museum was originally part of the Tampa Bay Hotel doing the first tourist business in Florida for the wealthy during the gilded age. The museum depicts and showcases the Victorian age. Other museums of interest include the Tampa Museum of Art, Ybor City Museum and American Victory Mariners Memorial and museum ship.
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Step 6
The hot spots for late night clubs offering dining, dancing and music are numerous and range from sophisticated ambiance at the Blue Martini located at International Plaza, the Oak Room in WestChase, Studio Inc in Carrollwood and Club Prana in Ybor to themed clubs such as Sling Shots, Margarita Mama's and Howl at the Moon located at Channelside. For alternative clubbing there's The Castle in Ybor where you can dress in your most creative costume or enjoy a comedy show and dinner at the Tampa Improv.
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Step 7
Experience the excitement of playing Las Vegas style slot machines or join a game of poker at Seminole Hard Rock and Casino. Open 24/7, there's plenty to do. The casino offers a hotel, fine dining restaurants, buffet style restaurant, food court, bar, music and dancing. At the Tampa Greyhound Track, join a poker game in the card room and wager a bet on simulcast greyhound and horse races, trotters and jai alai action from around the country. Full lunch and dinner menu served daily. For seasonal horseracing December through May, there's Tampa Bay Downs which also has a clubhouse, simulcast races, fine dining and bars.
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Step 8
There are plenty of activities for sports enthusiasts whether you enjoy watching or participating. Depending on the time of year you visit, you'll have the opportunity of seeing the NFL SuperBowl Champions Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Raymond James Stadium and Stanley Cup winners Tampa Bay Lightning and arena football team Tampa Bay Storm at the St. Pete Times Forum located near Channelside. For golfers there's the Babe Zaharias Golf Club, WestChase Golf Club, Rocky Point Golf Course and Rogers Park Golf Club. For adventurers, rent a canoe or kayak at Canoe Escape and explore the Hillsborough River. Guided tours are also available.
