Tampa Bay Destination Guide
Tampa Bay Transportation
Tampa International Airport serves Tampa/St. Petersburg as well as most of Florida 's Gulf Coast . From Fort Myers to Spring Hill, most of the major cities on the Emerald Coast are a short drive from the Tampa area. Tampa International offers all the usual post-flight travel facilities, including taxicab companies, limos, buses, and rental cars.
If you are driving to Tampa or elsewhere along Florida's Emerald Coast, you' ll likely take I-75. Interstate 75 runs south down the peninsula's western coast from Georgia, through Gainesville and along Tampa Bay. This the only major highway that runs through Tampa unless you are coming from Central Florida.
If you are interested only in the Gulf Coast, you can take a more scenic highway along the beach. Highway 19 runs along the coast north of Tampa, through popular destinations like Spring Hill, Brooksville and Clearwater.
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FAQ
1. I am planning a vacation to Tampa Bay. How can I get information?You can call the Tampa Bay Convention & Visitors Bureau toll-free at 1-800-44-TAMPA or 813-223-2752 to speak to an information counselor. If you are in Tampa, you can pick up an Official Tampa Bay Destination Guide and map at the Visitor Information Center, located in the Channelside entertainment complex. The Center is open 7 days a week from 9:30-5:30 Monday through Saturday and 11:00-5:00 on Sundays. Or simply go to www.visittampabay.com. TravelGolf.com also provides travel tools such as maps, accommodations, reviews and area features.
2. Where is Busch Gardens and how much does it cost?Busch Gardens is located just north of downtown Tampa, with easy access from the I-275 interstate. Ticket prices are subject to change, so please visit the Busch Gardens website.
3. What is the weather like in Tampa Bay?Tampa enjoys a temperate, semi-tropical climate marked by an average winter temperature of 62.5 degrees Farenheit and an average summer temperature of 81.4 degrees Farenheit.
4. Where is the Tampa Convention Center and what hotels are nearby?The Tampa Convention Center is located along downtown Tampa's waterfront. From I-275 you'd take exit 25 (Ashley St) and follow the signs on Ashley Street.
5. How much is a cab from the airport to downtown?An estimated $12-16 will get you from Tampa International Airport to the downtown area (7-8 miles).
6. Can you tell me about the beaches in Tampa Bay?You can enjoy three public beach areas in Tampa - E.G. Simmons Park off I-75 South, Picnic Island in South Tampa or Ben T. Davis Beach on S.R. 60. You can also experience the white sand and crystal blue waters of the Gulf Beaches across the bay.
7. My friends told me about a pirate festival in Tampa Bay. When and what is it?You've heard of the hundred-year-old tradition in Tampa Bay known as the Gasparilla Pirate Fest, a weekend long celebration each February that draws nearly 500,000 downtown and includes a pirate invasion, parade, arts festival and lots more fun.
8. How did Tampa get the nickname "The Big Guava"?Tampa received its nickname "The Big Guava" when Gavino Gutierrez, an early Tampa pioneer, tried to cultivate guavas commercially here but was unsuccessful due to the climate and rising land prices. However, a local newspaper columnist was more successful at planting the idea that, if New York is "The Big Apple," it would only be right to refer to Tampa as "The Big Guava." There is a Latin-style Halloween celebration called Guavaween held in Ybor City each October that is based on the nickname.
9. I've heard there's a great area to run near downtown. Where is it?According to Runner's World, Tampa's best downtown run is along Bayshore Boulevard on the world's longest continuous sidewalk, which parallels the west shore of Tampa Bay. Every day from sunrise to sunset you'll find most of Tampa's running population trekking the 4.5-mile north-south stretch between Platt Street (start near the pirate ship and painted fish) and Gandy Boulevard. En route, you'll pass by some of Tampa's most prestigious homes, many on the National Historic Register, in Old Hyde Park.
10. What is the building with the "funny shaped top" that is near downtown Tampa?That would be the former Tampa Bay Hotel, a National Historic Landmark that is now part of the University of Tampa and houses the Henry B. Plant Museum. The hotel was built in 1891 by railroad magnate Henry B. Plant. His architect produced a building unrivaled in style in Florida or the nation at that time - a Turkish and Moorish fantasy of minarets (the funny shaped top), domes, cupolas, horseshoe arches and rambling verandahs.
11. I've heard that Ybor is Tampa Bay's hot spot. Can you tell me about it?Tampa Bay's Latin Quarter, Ybor City (it's pronounced E-bore), has been duly dubbed "The Nightlife Capital of Florida's West Coast." There are plenty of bars, clubs and restaurants to warrant the name, and Seventh Avenue is closed off to cars on weekend nights for pedestrian traffic. And there's a lot of history within the district as well. One of only three National Historic Landmark Districts in Florida, Ybor City was once known as the "Cigar Capital of the World." Take the afternoon to take a walking tour of the area.
12. I hear the Hillsborough River has great canoeing. Can you tell me about it?Canoe Escape is a locally-owned business that offers two-hour, four-hour and full-day canoe trips down the Hillsborough River. You can travel just a few miles from downtown and take a canoe adventure through the heart of the 16,000-acre wilderness area on the Hillsborough River, where you are likely to see white ibis, alligators and turtles.
13. Can you give me information on safaris in Tampa?Busch Gardens' Edge of Africa animal attraction features the most intense safari experience outside Africa where you can encounter species including hippos, lions, hyenas, meerkats and giraffes closer than ever before. For manatee viewing, head to Lowry Park Zoo that includes The Florida Manatee and Aquatic Center, where guests get the chance to see these gentle sea-cows up close. The zoo also runs a hospital that treats those rare and endangered manatees that are injured or become ill in the wild.
14. Is public transportation available? Yes. HARTline operates many bus routes including a free trolley service
in the downtown area. www.visittampabay.com has maps and route information.
