Tampa

Introduction

Tampa is situated on the north shore of Tampa Bay on the west coast of Florida in the United States. The metropolitan area of which it is a part, is usually referred to as the "Tampa Bay Area". The largest city in the greater West Central Florida region, it is also the county seat of Hillsborough county. A 2008 estimate^[1] puts the city's population at 340,882. To the west of the bay lies Saint Petersburg, a popular tourist destination, while Bradenton is on the southern shore of the Bay Area.

History

The current location of Tampa was once inhabited by indigenous peoples of the Safety Harbor culture (most notably the Tocobaga and the Pohoy, who lived along the shores of Tampa Bay). The area was explored by Spanish explorers in the 16th century, resulting in violent conflicts and the introduction of European diseases, which wiped out the original native cultures. Although Spain claimed Florida as part of New Spain, it did not found a colony in the Tampa area, and there were no permanent American or European settlements within today's city limits until after the United States acquired Florida from Spain in 1819.

In 1824, the United States Army established a frontier outpost called Fort Brooke at the mouth of the Hillsborough River, near the site of today's Tampa Convention Center. The first civilian residents were pioneers who settled near the fort for protection from the nearby Seminole population, and the small village was first incorporated as "Tampa" in 1849. The town grew slowly until the 1880s, when railroad links, the discovery of phosphate, and the arrival of the cigar industry jump-started its development, helping it to grow from a quiet village of less than 800 residents in 1880 to a bustling city of over 30,000 by the early 1900s.

Neighbourhoods

• Downtown Tampa
• New Tampa
• North Tampa
• East Tampa
• West Tampa
• South Tampa

Sights and Activities

• Busch Gardens - Based on African themes, the park is full of animals, live shows and thrilling rides. The park claims to have some of the tallest, longest and fastest roller-coasters in America: Kumba, SheiKra, Gwazi and the inverted Montu. And for those looking for a more relaxed type of entertainment, the safari will take them across the wild life of Africa, with more than 2,500 animals to see.
• Museum of Science and Industry - Aiming to combine fun and science, MOSI includes 450 hands-on activities, including an IMAX theatre, a butterfly garden, Disasterville and the Sky Trail ropes course.
• Florida Aquarium - 701 Channelside Drive (Channelside district, just east of downtown), ☎ +1 813 273-4000. Daily 9:30AM-5PM. 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. The aquarium also has a great outdoor water play area (included with admission), so on hotter days bring swim attire and towels for the kids - bathrooms are located adjacent for changing. There is a fee for parking at the main lot, but on busier days/times only members are allowed to use it - others will be directed to the parking garages nearby. Adults $28.95, ages 3-12 $23.95, discount if bought online.
• Tampa Museum of Art - 120 W. Gasparilla Plaza (downtown Tampa on the Hillsborough river), ☎ +1 813 274-8130 (main), +1 813 421-8380 (tickets). M-Th 11AM – 7PM; F 11AM – 8PM; Sa Su 11AM – 5PM. Adults $15; seniors $7.50, Florida educators $7.50, military plus one guest $7.50 (each); students $5; and children ages 6 and under free. Pay-as-you-will admission Th 4PM-8PM.
• Tampa Theatre
• Lowry Park Zoo ,1101 West Sligh Avenue, ☎ +1 813 935-8552. 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. Popular section of the zoo include the Florida Wildlife Center with alligators, bears and Manatees; the Asian Gardens with Komodo Dragons, Rhinoceros, and leopards; and the new Safari Africa with meercats, elephants, and a wide variety of African animals. There is a large water play area near the entry of the park and in the Australia area (the kind where water comes up from the ground) that kids are drawn to - bring a towel and a change of clothes on hot days, or in case your child can't resist.
• Ybor City State Museum

Events and Festivals

Holidays

• New Year’s Eve - The US celebrates the outgoing of the old year and incoming of the New Year quite dramatically. Every state boasts its own parties to ring in the New Year, but none is more extravagant than New York’s Time Square, which sees people overflowing into the neighboring restaurants, bars, parks, beaches, and neighborhoods.
• Martin Luther King Jr. Day (officially Birthday of Martin Luther King, Jr. and sometimes referred to as MLK Day) is an American federal holiday marking the birthday of Martin Luther King Jr. It is observed on the third Monday of January each year, which is around King's birthday, January 15. The holiday is similar to holidays set under the Uniform Monday Holiday Act. The earliest Monday for this holiday is January 15 and the latest is January 21. King was the chief spokesperson for nonviolent activism in the Civil Rights Movement, which successfully protested racial discrimination in federal and state law.
• St Patrick’s Day - March 17 celebrates the US’s large Irish population. Many cities around the country boast boisterous parades and Irish-themed parties, especially New York and Chicago, where the river is dyed green. Be wary of the drunkenness that dominates as this is definitely a party-day.
• Memorial Day - Memorial Day is an important holiday throughout the United States, but not for crazy festivities. Parades commemorating wartime heroes are often held and the day is also the ‘unofficial’ start of summer. Most visitors follow the crowds to parks and beaches, which are capped off with informal BBQs.
• Independence Day - Also known as the Fourth of July, Independence Day celebrates the US’s break from the British during the 18th century. Barbecues, street parties, beach trips, and weekend getaways are commonplace to appreciate freedom.
• Labor Day is a public holiday celebrated on the first Monday in September. It honors the American labor movement and the contributions that workers have made to the strength, prosperity, laws, and well-being of the country. It is the Monday of the long weekend known as Labor Day Weekend. It is recognized as a federal holiday. Beginning in the late 19th century, as the trade union and labor movements grew, trade unionists proposed that a day be set aside to celebrate labor.
• Halloween - Halloween is a fun holiday on October 31 for all generations to dress up in costumes and relive their youth. Children walk around the neighborhood trick-or-treating for candy, while adults attend parties. Other seasonal events include haunted houses, pumpkin farms and carving, and corn mazes.
• Thanksgiving - On the fourth Thursday in November, Thanksgiving is held in almost every home in the US. Tourists will have a hard time finding anything to do as the country essentially shuts down in observation. A typical Thanksgiving meal consists of turkey, stuffing, mashed potatoes and pumpkin pie commemorating the original Pilgrim’s feast at Plymouth Rock.
• Christmas - On December 25, Christians celebrate Christmas as the pinnacle of their calendar by attending church and opening gifts from Santa Claus. Almost everything shuts down to promote family togetherness. The northern regions hope to experience a “white Christmas,” with trees and festive lights blanketed by snow.

Sport

• Super Bowl Sunday - the world’s most watched sporting event and one of the highest grossing TV days of the year, Superbowl Sunday is a spectacular extravaganza. Held the first Sunday in February, the Superbowl is the final playoff game between the NFL’s top two teams. The venue rotates every year around America, yet the local parties seem to remain. Pubs, bars and restaurants are great places to enjoy the Superbowl or locals throw their own parties with different variations of betting.
• The World Series is the annual championship series of Major League Baseball (MLB) in North America, contested since 1903 between the American League (AL) champion team and the National League (NL) champion team. The winner of the World Series championship is determined through a best-of-seven playoff, and the winning team is awarded the Commissioner's Trophy. As the series is played during the fall season in North America, it is sometimes referred to as the Fall Classic.

Other Events and Festivals

• Gasparilla Pirate Festival
• Guavaween

Weather

Tampa has a tropical climate with warm to hot weather and humid conditions year-round, though there are some seasonal differences regarding temperatures. Summers last from May to October with average highs of 29-32 °C and nights in the 20-24 °C range. This is also the wettest time of the year, especially from June to mid-September with an average amount of 150-200 mm a month, accounting for around 60% of the annual amount of 1,150 mm in just 4 months. From November to April, temperatures are a much more pleasant 22-27 °C on average during the day with nights mostly between 12 °C and 16 °C. It's mostly dry and sunny with occasional rainshowers though. This obviously is the best season if you want to do more than just lazying around.

Getting There

By Plane

Tampa International Airport (IATA: TPA, ICAO: KTPA, FAA LID: TPA) is located around 11 kilometres from Tampa's CBD. A few dozen of airlines serve the airport, mainly on domestic routes, but there are a few interesting alternatives on international routes, like the one to London Gatwick Airport.

By Train

The Silver Service/Palmetto, operated by Amtrak, travels between New York and Tampa.

By Car

Tampa is easily accessible via the major interstate highways, I-75 from north and south, and I-4 from the east. From either highway, exit onto I-275 to reach Tampa. However, be prepared for frequent traffic jams particularly when it rains; nearly all of Downtown and the airport area are under constant and complete construction. Also be ready to deal with terrible drivers, as this is the retirement state.

By Bus

Greyhound offers bus connections throughout Florida and some further beyond.

By Boat

Cruise ships from five cruise lines operate from Tampa, mostly to Caribbean islands and Mexico. The Tampa cruise terminal is on the Ybor channel downtown.

Getting Around

By Car

The main freeways in Tampa are Interstate 275, Interstate 4, the Veterans Expressway (toll FL 589), and the Leroy Selmon Crosstown Expressway (toll FL 618). Some of the main east-west roads through town are Kennedy Boulevard (SR 60), Gandy Boulevard (SR 694), Hillsborough Avenue (US 92) and Fowler Avenue (SR 582), while some of the north-south roads are Dale Mabry Highway (US 92) and Florida/Nebraska Avenue (US 41). Traffic is especially bad during the rush hours: from about 7:30AM to 9:30AM and 3:30PM to 7:30PM. During these times, try especially to avoid I-275, especially between I-4 and SR 60 (by the airport) as this section runs by downtown and is currently being rebuilt.

There are numerous car rental facilities at both the airport as well as several places in Tampa itself, including downtown. Many international rental companies have a wide selection of rental cars and these include Hertz, Avis, Dollar, Thrifty, Enterprise, Budget and Alamo/National. Most companies will require you are at least 25 years of age, although younger people might be able to rent cars at slightly higher rates and with some insurance differences as well. A national driver's license is usually enough, but an additional international one is recommended. Also note that it usually costs more to include lots of other extra things. For example extra drivers, GPS, the first full tank, SLI (Supplemental Liability Insurance), PAI (Personal Accident Insurance, usually covered already at home), road assistance/service plan, and drop-off costs for one-way rentals.
If you want to book a car, it is recommended that you book your car before arriving in the USA. This is almost always (much) cheaper compared to just showing up. Also, try and book with a so-called 'broker', which usually works together with a few or many car rental companies and can offer the best deal. Some examples include Holidayautos, Holidaycars and Sunny Cars. Some of the cheapest deals to book from Europe, includes Drive-USA, which also has a German version.

For more information and tips about renting cars and campers, additional costs, insurance, traffic rules, scenic routes and getting maps and fuel it is advised to check the USA Getting Around section.

By Public Transport

There is a trolley bus system in Tampa, which has the following lines running in the CBD area:

• The purple line runs north-south from I-275, through downtown to the northern end of Harbor Island. It has service every 10 minutes at 17 stops, Monday through Friday from 6:00-9:00am and 3:00-6:00pm.
• The green line runs only on Friday and Saturday nights from 6:00am-2:00am. It has service every 10 minutes at 17 stops along the Hillsborough River (west side of CBD), the northern tip of Harbor Island, and along Channelside Drive.

HART provides bus services throughout Hillsborough County. There are four types of routes offered: "local", "Commuter Express", "MetroRapid" (Bus Rapid Transit), and Trollies (see below). Local routes are ones which have many stops in a small region. Commuter Express lines are long-distance lines namely providing service from suburbs into Tampa. Only local to local & commuter express to local transfers are allowed. Fares are $1.75 for local routes and $2.75 for commuter express lines. Four small routes (83, 87, 88, & 89) have a 50¢ fare with no transfers. Riders over 65, 17 and under, on Medicare, or disabled are half-price: 85¢ for "local" routes and $1.35 for "commuter express" routes. Bus transportation in the Tampa area is not popular and one can expect plenty of room in buses. Marion Transit Center at 1211 N Marion St, just north of downtown is the hub for almost all local and regional buses.

PSTA, offers service in Pinellas County (the county west of Tampa Bay, home to Clearwater and St. Petersburg) similar to what HART offers in Hillsborough.

The TECO Line Streetcar runs from Whiting and Franklin Streets downtown to Centennial Park in Ybor City with 9 stops along the way (11 total stops). The line is useful for tourists and convention-goers. The line runs by many local shops, restaurants, and attractions including the convention cente, Embassy Suites, the Tampa Bay Times Forum, Channelside, the Florida Aquarium, and through Ybor City. There are 3 types of streetcars in operation: 9 "Birney Safety" replicas (picture, right), one "Breezer" open-air replica (picture, left), and one original "Birney" car (#163, not pictured) which operated in Tampa from 1923-1946 and went through 10,000 man-hours of restoration. Even if you're not using it for transportation, the streetcars are a fun way to see some of the city's historic and cultural sights. Each station is covered and offers benches, ticket vending machines, and information kiosks. Dick Greco Plaza in downtown serves as an intermodal station, offering connections to HART buses, taxis, and easy pedestrian access to the surrounding area.

As of June 2018, a one-way fare is $2.50. A 1-day, unlimited ride pass for streetcars, trollies, and local HART buses are available for $5. Riders over 65, disabled, on Medicare, or 17 and under are discounted to $1.25 per trip or $2.50 for 1-day unlimited, with appropriate ID. A "Family All Day Ticket" is also available, allowing 2 adults plus 3 children or 1 adult and 4 children to ride streetcars only for only $12.50. Children under 4 are free, but if taller than the fare box ID is required. Exact change is required when purchasing on board, streetcar drivers do not provide change.

Additionally, automated Ticket Vending Machines (TVMs) are installed at all streetcar stations and accept cash or credit cards and can provide change when paying cash. Three-day and one year passes are available from TVMs and authorized sales outlets. Sales outlets along the line are located at Bank of America building's concierge (downtown), Grand Central at Kennedy (Channelside), Wine Design (Channelside), Tampa Bay Convention & Visitors Bureau Visitor Center (Channelside), Centro Ybor Visitor Information Center (Ybor City), and the HART Administrative Office (1201 E. 7th Ave in Ybor City). Tickets and passes for the streetcar and all HART lines can be purchased online. For more information about the streetcar line, tickets, or HART services, call +1 813 254-4278.

Service is available M-Th noon-10PM, F-Sa 11AM-2AM, and Su noon-8PM. Streetcars arrive every 20 minutes, except every 30 minutes on Friday/Saturday from 1AM-2AM. Service is extended when the Tampa Bay Lightning play at the Tampa Bay Times Forum, allowing spectators to park in Ybor City and avoid the end-of-game traffic encountered when parking near the Forum.

By Foot

Unfortunately, Tampa is not very pedestrian-friendly. Ybor, Downtown, and SoHo are the only areas you can really get around on by foot. Plan to rent a car, if you're flying in.

Eat

There's plenty of choice in Tampa, from budget places to grab a burger or pizza, to expensive haute cuisine restaurants.

Drink

• Cigar City Brewing, 3924 West Spruce Street, ☎ +1 813 348-6363. West Tampa section of Tampa. Very popular craft brewery with a tasting room. edit
• Ybor City is a historic area of Tampa which now hosts the region's best known bar and nightclub district. It is a nationally known arts/bar/dining district and one could take several days visiting all of the bars and places to eat here. Certain parts to the extreme west and east sections of this neighborhood can be dangerous after midnight, but if you stay in the main areas it's well lit and there are plenty of police around. You can find any type of bar here, from punk rock/metal, hip-hop, house, blues, indie, country, or dive.
• Tampa Bay Brewing Company, 1600 E. 8th Avenue, ☎ +1 813 247-1422. Ybor City section of Tampa. Good variety of well made beers

Sleep

• Amerisuites Budget Hotel. Various locations, free Wifi access, breakfast and special offers.
• Baymont Inn & Suites Tampa near Busch Gardens/USF, 3001 University Center Drive (near USF Behind Busch Gardens), ☎ +1 813 971-8930, toll-free: +1-800-786-7446, fax: +1 813 971-8935.
• Best Western Brandon Hotel & Conference Center, 9331 Adamo Drive, ☎ +1 813 621-5555, toll-free: +1-877 287-6026, fax: +1 813 699-1939.
• Gram's Place (Hostel), 3109 N Ola Ave, ☎ +1 813 221-0596. Clean, quiet, restful, music-themed "Bed & Beat" rooms and a simulated railroad depot and sleeper car, over-sized in ground Jacuzzi and BYOB bar in courtyards. Dorms $23+, private rooms $50+.
• Ramada Tampa Airport Westshore, 1200 N West Shore Boulevard, ☎ +1 813 282-3636, toll-free: +1-800-449-4343, fax: +1 813 282-0055.
• Motel 6 Tampa Downtown, 333 E Fowler Avenue, ☎ +1 813 932-4948, fax: +1 813 931-4577.
• Motel 6 Tampa East - Fairgrounds, ☎ +1 813 628-0888, fax: +1 813 20-4899. 6510 US 301.
• Suburban Extended Stay Hotel Airport, 6902 W. Hillsborough Ave, ☎ +1 813 886-7799, fax: +1 813 243-9833.
• Tampa Stadium (Hillsborough) Microtel Inn & Suites, 5405 North Church Ave, ☎ +1 813 739-2244, fax: +1 813 739-2250.
• Vista Inn and Suites, 400 E. Bearss Avenue, ☎ +1 813-961-1000. Check-in: 3PM, check-out: 11AM.
• Clarion Hotel & Conference Center, 2701 E. Fowler Ave, ☎ +1 813 971-4710.
• Comfort Suites At Fairgrounds-Casino, 4506 Oak Fair Boulevard, ☎ +1 813 868-7770.
• Courtyard Tampa Brandon, 10152 Palm River Rd (Rt 60 & Falkenburg Rd), ☎ +1 813 661-9559, fax: +1 813 661-4583.
• Courtyard Tampa Westshore/Airport, 3805 West Cypress St, ☎ +1 813 874-0555, fax: +1 813 870-0685.
• DoubleTree Suites by Hilton Hotel Tampa Bay, 3050 North Rocky Point Drive West, ☎ +1 813 888-8800.
• Embassy Suites by Hilton Tampa USF Near Busch Gardens, 3705 Spectrum Blvd, ☎ +1 813 875-1555.
• Embassy Suites by Hilton Tampa Airport Westshore, 555 N. Westshore Blvd, ☎ +1 813 977-7066.
• Fairfield Inn & Suites by Marriott Tampa East/Fairgrounds-Casino, 6720 Lakeview Center Drive, ☎ +1 813 626-3000. Check-in: 3PM, check-out: noon. $79-159.
• Hampton Inn & Suites Tampa/Ybor City/Downtown, Hampton Inn & Suites Tampa/Ybor City/Downtown 1301 East 7th Avenue, ☎ +1 813 247-6700. Rooms and suites with free internet, flat screen TV, and large work space. Hotel provides, free hot breakfast, pool and fitness center. $85-140.
• Hilton Tampa Airport Westshore, 2225 North Lois Ave, ☎ +1 813 877-6688.
• Hilton Tampa Downtown, 211 N Tampa Street, ☎ +1 813 204-3000. Check-in: 3PM, check-out: noon. Hotel in a skyscraper; amenities include a 5th floor pool with fire pit and a restaurant on the ground floor. $169/night.
• Mainsail Suites Hotel & Conference Center, 5108 Eisenhower Blvd, ☎ +1 813 243-2600, fax: +1 813 243-2600.
• Tampa Airport Marriott (At the Tampa International Airport), ☎ +1 813 879-5151, toll-free: +1-800-564-3440, fax: +1 813 873-0945.
• Residence Inn Tampa Downtown, 101 East Tyler Street, ☎ +1-813-221-4224. Check-in: 4PM, check-out: 11AM. Extended stay accommodations with full size kitchens, free Internet, and complimentary hot breakfast buffet daily.
• Sheraton Tampa East Hotel, 10221 Princess Palm Ave, Tampa, FL 33610, ☎ +1 813-623-6363, e-mail: [email protected],. Check-in: 4Pm, check-out: 11AM. Just off I-75, this upscale hotel is 2.9 miles from the Florida State Fairgrounds and 9.9 miles from Busch Gardens Tampa. Warm rooms with balconies come with WiFi (fee), flat-screen TVs and coffeemakers. Club rooms provide access to a lounge with complimentary continental breakfast, all-day snacks and afternoon appetizers. Suites offer microwaves, mini-fridges, and living areas with pull-out sofas. Parking is free. Other amenities include an American grill and bar, plus regular wine-tasting. There’s also a 24/7 fitness center, tennis courts and an outdoor pool. Other perks include a business center and 30,000 sq ft of meeting space.
• Emerald Greens Golf Resort and Country Club, 13941 Clubhouse Dve, ☎ +1 813 961-9400, toll-free: +1-866-974-7336, fax: +1 813 961-9424.
• Grand Hyatt Tampa Bay, 2900 Bayport Drive, ☎ +1 813-874-1234. 35-acre resort-like hotel along a wildlife preserve on the upper shores of the bay.
• Seminole Hard Rock Hotel and Casino, 5223 N. Orient Rd, ☎ +1 813 627-7625.
• Renaissance Tampa Hotel International Plaza, 4200 Jim Walter Blvd, ☎ +1 813 877-9200. In Tampa's Westshore business district and walking distance from the International Plaza Mall.
• Safety Harbor Resort and Spa, 105 North Bayshore Drive, toll-free: +1-888-237-8772.
• Tampa Marriott Waterside Hotel & Marina, 700 South Florida Ave, ☎ +1 813 221-4900, toll-free: +1-888-268-1616, fax: +1 813 204-6342. Luxury hotel.
• Tampa Marriott Westshore, 1001 N Westshore Boulevard, ☎ +1 813 287-2555, toll-free: +1-800-564-3489, fax: +1 813 289-5464.
• Westin Tampa Harbour Island Hotel, 725 South Harbour Island Boulevard (Take South Harbour Island Blvd. to Harbour Island. The hotel is at the first right-hand turn.), ☎ +1 813 229-5000.
• Holiday Inn Tampa Westshore, 700 North Westshore Boulevard, ☎ +1 813 289-8200.
• Le Méridien Tampa, 601 N. Florida Avenue, ☎ +1 813 221-9555, toll-free: +1-855-811-0049. Check-in: 3PM, check-out: noon. Once a federal courthouse, this new Tampa Bay hotel mixes contemporary culture with its European heritage. The Bizou Brasserie restaurant is open from 6AM to 10PM and provides a comfortable, relaxed setting for date nights, business lunches, post-work relaxation or a special evening downtown. 169-329.

Learn

• The University of Tampa
• The University of South Florida
• Argosy University/Tampa
• South University-Tampa
• Keiser University

Keep Connected

Internet

There is a very small internet bar/cafe culture in the USA. Even then most of the internet bars/cafes tend be located in major urban centers. Accessible WiFi networks, however, are common. The most generally useful WiFi spots are in coffee shops, fast-food chains, and bookshops, but also restaurants and hotels more and more have a network to connect on. Some of them might require you to buy something and you might need a password too, especially in hotels.

Phone

See also International Telephone Calls

The general emergency phone number is 911. The USA has a great landline phone system that is easy to use. The country code for the U.S. is +1. The rest of the telephone number consists of 10 digits: a 3-digit area code, and a 7-digit number. Any small grocery store or pharmacy has pre paid domestic or international phone cards. These phone cards are very cheap and offer good rates. The once ubiquitous pay phone is now much harder to find. Likely locations include in or near stores and restaurants, and near bus stops. The cellphone network in the states is slowly getting better but is still not as good when compared to other western countries. Cell phones tend to operate using different frequencies (850 MHz and 1900 MHz) from those used elsewhere in the world (2100 MHz). This used to prevent most foreign phones from working in America. Phones must be tri- or quad-band to work in the U.S. Fortunately, technology has meant that most phones should now be able to pick up one of the U.S. networks. Prepaid phones and top-up cards can be purchased at mobile phone boutiques and at many discount, electronics, office supply and convenience stores. A very basic handset with some credit can be had for under $40.

Post

The US Postal Service is a very good and well priced mail system. There are post offices in every small and large town for sending packages internationally or domestically. Although some might keep longer hours, most are open at least between 9:00am and 5:00pm. If wanting to send a letter or postcard it is best just to leave it in a blue mail box with the proper postage. First-class international airmail postcards and letters (up 28.5 grams) cost $1.10. There are also private postal services like FedEx, UPS, TNT and DHL, which might be better value sometimes and are generally very quick and reliable too.

External Links

• Official Governmental Website