Tampa Bay Convention and Visitors Association
400 N. Tampa St. #1010
Tampa, FL 33602
(813) 223-2752
(813) 229-6616 (fax)
Population
280015
Time Zone
Eastern
Latitude/Longitude
27.97° /-82.45°
Today's Forecast
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HIGH: 84
LOW: 65
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For years, Tampa was known as a port on the Gulf Coast that was more of a home base for going somewhere else than an active tourist destination. No more. A short drive to some of the country's best beaches, Tampa now boasts of a state-of-the-art aquarium, the best African American art museum in the state, and the largest science museum in the Southeast. Tampa is also a major sports center offering pro football and hockey, tennis, golf, fishing, and greyhound racing.
Adults at Kid’s Prices!
Adults pay what kids do at Busch Gardens Tampa
WorldsOfDiscovery.com
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Orlando and its theme parks may be only an hour away, but Tampa has plenty for families to do, too. At the Florida Aquarium, you can embark on a journey through the state's wetlands, marshes, bays and beaches while staying in air-conditioned comfort. Among the exhibits of aquatic animals and plants by the thousands is the impressive Coral Reefs gallery, a half-million gallon tank that represents life in the Dry Tortugas, and the 5,000-foot Sea Hunt exhibit, where sharks, jellies, and moray eels reside. For dry-land animal adventures, Busch Gardens theme park is another time-tested favorite. With more than 2,000 animals in a variety of African-themed sections, it's ranked among the nation's top zoos. Busch Gardens is also well-known for its thrill-ride roller coasters Kumba, Montu, and Gwazi. The adjacent Adventure Island water park provides 30-acres of fun in the sun with rides and attractions ranging from the ridiculously exciting to the all-together serene.
Just a few blocks away, the Museum of Science and Industry, one of the nation's largest science centers, has hundreds of interactive exhibits. Visitors can step into a Gulf hurricane, see films in the IMAX theater, and explore the Florida environment along trails in the Back Woods area. One of the state's endangered species, the gentle manatee, is cared for at the Florida Manatee and Aquatic Center at Lowry Park Zoo. Along with native species, the zoo features tigers and other Asian animals, primates, exotic birds, and large mammals of the African plains.
Tampa's downtown waterfront is a thriving center for high culture, anchored by the Tampa Convention Center and the Tampa Bay Performing Arts Center, the largest performing arts complex south of the Kennedy Center. Its five theaters feature Broadway touring productions, pop and classical music concerts, opera, and dance. The ornate Tampa Theatre, first opened in 1926, also presents films and concerts. Nearby, the Tampa Museum of Art offers a variety of changing exhibits from classical antiquities to contemporary art, from the Old Masters to the avant-garde, while the Tampa Bay History Center presents changing exhibits on the area's development, including the influence of railroad magnate Henry B. Plant. Just across the river, the Henry B. Plant Museum occupies a wing of the former Tampa Bay Hotel, an ornate Moorish structure dating from the 1890s that is now the main building of the University of Tampa.
Visitors interested in the arts should also see the University of South Florida's Contemporary Art Museum, which offers changing exhibits of works by emerging and internationally recognized artists as well as an outstanding permanent collection of photographic, African, and contemporary art. Neighboring St. Petersburg boasts both the St. Petersburg Museum of Fine Arts and the Salvador Dali Museum.
Tampa has much to offer sports enthusiasts. The Tampa Bay Buccaneers play NFL football at Raymond James Stadium, the Devil Rays of Major League Baseball play at domed Tropicana Field, and the New York Yankees take spring training here. Legends Field hosts the Tampa Yankees of the class-A Florida State League once their big league brethren have decamped for the Big Apple. Visitors can also enjoy NHL hockey with the Tampa Bay Lightning and arena football with the AFL's Tampa Bay Storm, each at the St. Pete Times Forum. Horse and greyhound racing are also available.
As with most of Florida, Tampa is yet another prime location for tennis, golf, fishing, and boating. But, outdoor enthusiasts may be amazed to learn that just a few minutes from downtown, Canoe Escape offers trips down the Hillsborough River through a 16,000-acre wilderness park. Paddlers are likely to see birds, turtles, alligators and other Florida wildlife cruising their natural habitat.
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