Serviced Apartments in Tampa

Facts About Tampa

Tampa is a major city lying on the Gulf Coast of Florida. The city is nestled upon Tampa Bay, while being the biggest city in this region and the administrative seat for Hillsborough County as well. It is the third highest-populated city in all of Florida along with being the 47th highest populated city in the U.S.

Here are some more interesting facts about Tampa:

• Tampa operated as a military center in the 19th century with Fort Brooke being established. The cigar industry was brought here by Vincente Martinez Ybor, whose name adorns Ybor City. 
• Tampa was formally reincorporated in 1887 as a city after the Civil War. 
• It has a flourishing economy today, spurred by tourism, finance, healthcare, technology, maritime activities and construction. The port is the biggest in this State, drawing more than $15 billion in economic activities. 
• Tampa is a part of the Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, Florida Metropolitan Statistical Area with a whopping 3.1 million residents. 

As of the year 2018,the growth rate of Tampa stood at 1.63% annually with numerous Fortune 1000 companies headquartered here including WellCare, OSI Restaurant Partners, TECO Energy, Raymond James Financial and others like Sykes Enterprises, Masonite International and The Mosaic Company.  

Tampa International Airport is the main airport here while the St. Petersburg-Clearwater International Airport is located across the bay in Pinellas County. The Sarasota-Bradenton International Airport lies in Sarasota nearby. 

Cost of Living in Tampa

Restaurant meals cost anywhere between $10-55 while one-way transportation tickets are priced at roughly $2-4. Monthly passes cost around $65 on average while rentals hover between $1,200-$3,700. 

Tips for Visiting Tampa

Here are some useful tips for visiting Tampa that you should keep in mind:

• Tampa offers a relaxed ambiance with golf courses, amusement parks and lovely beaches. 
• If you are staying in downtown, make use of the Telo Line Streetcar and you should choose rental cars for visiting other Tampa areas and the Clearwater and St Pete beaches along with locations in Sarasota. 
• You can save money and hassles with strategic passes like the Tampa City Pass and Sunpass. 
• You can quickly get tanned in Tampa; get hold of sunscreen before venturing out. 
• Florida is the USA’s lightning capital and hence be careful about storms and lightning when you are here. 
• Learn how to bypass rip currents. 
• Do not swim in fresh water unless it has been marked as safe for swimming. 

Things to Do in Tampa

Tampa has several activities and things to do. Some of them include the following:

1. What are the most popular things to do in Tampa?

Popular things to do in Tampa include the Tampa Riverwalk, Tampa Theater, Armature Works, Busch Gardens, Tampa Golf, Florida Aquarium, Tampa Boat Tours and Tampa Electric’s Manatee Viewing Center. 

2. What are some free things to do in Tampa?

Free things to do in Tampa include the Tampa Riverwalk, beachside walks, Curtis Hixon Waterfront Park, Book + Bottle and its free wine tastings on Fridays, Pinellas Trail and Gizella Kopsick Palm Arboretum.

3. Does Tampa have many romantic attractions? 

Romantic attractions in Tampa include Honeymoon Island State Park, Sunset Sailing, Tampa Theater, Hillsborough River State Park, paddle excursions, admiring art at the Salvador Dali Museum and exploring the Pinellas Park. 

4. What are the most family-friendly things to do in Tampa? 

Family-friendly things to do in Tampa include the Museum of Science & Industry, Dinosaur World, Topgolf, Glazer Children’s Museum and the Florida Aquarium among others. 

5. What are the more unusual things to do in Tampa? 

Unusual things to do in Tampa include the Wat Mongkolratanaram Buddhist Temple, SkatePark of Tampa, Laser Ops Extreme Gaming Arcade, Centro Ybor, Big Cat Rescue and TECO Line Streetcar System exploration. 

Places to Visit in Tampa

Tampa is dotted with several attractions and lovely places to visit. It has more than 165 parks and beaches that cumulatively encompass 2,286 acres in total. 

• ZooTampa – ZooTampa lies at Lowry Park with more than 2,000 animals, rides, educational shows, interactive exhibits and more attractions. 
• Big Cat Rescue – One of the biggest global accredited sanctuaries, Big Cat Rescue is home to big cats that have been abandoned or abused. It houses 80 tigers, lions, cougars, bobcats and other species. 
• Busch Gardens Tampa Bay – This attraction covers a whopping 335 acres or 1.36 square kilometers and is a park with an Africa theme near the University of South Florida. It has numerous adventurous roller coasters for which it is famous, including the Cheetah Hunt, Sheikra, Kumba and Montu. Visitors may also interact with and view African wildlife here. Adventure Island is the whopping 30 acre or 12 hectare (ha) water park which is adjacent to the Busch Gardens Tampa Bay. 
• Florida Aquarium – This is a massive aquarium in the Channel District that covers 250,000 square feet. It has more than 20,000 species of wonderful aquatic plants and other animals. It is known for its novel glass based architecture and has the adjacent SS American Victory which is the World War II Victory ship preserved immaculately in the form of a museum ship. 
• Tampa Bay History Center – This is a museum within the Channel District with more than 60,000 square feet worth of exhibits covering a period of 12,000 years. It has a map gallery, theaters, museum store and a research center. 

Places to Eat in Tampa

There are several great places to eat in Tampa including The Melting Pot, Outback Steakhouse, Front Burner Brands, Fleming’s Prime Steakhouse & Wine Bar, Carrabba’s, Bonefish Grill, Checkers and Rally’s, Columbia Restaurant, PDQ and Taco Bus. 

Street Food in Tampa 

Tampa has a vibrant and flourishing street food circuit with everything from bistros and bakeries to little cafes and farm-to-table joints. The food here in Tampa has distinct Floribbean, Cuban, Spanish and Italian influences. There are numerous barbecue, Vietnamese, Colombian and Puerto Rican restaurants in the area as well. Seafood is immensely popular in Tampa along with Greek cuisine. Tarpon Springs is a great area to explore for feasting on these two varieties. Food trucks are hugely popular with the area holding the record for the largest rally of food trucks in the whole world. The areas of South Tampa, Ybor and Seminole Heights are famous for street food. Tampa is the origination point of the Florida avatar of the Cuban sandwich and deviled crab. The former has been labeled as the signature sandwich of the city of Tampa courtesy of the City Council. 

Shopping in Tampa 

Several shopping areas are reputed in Tampa including the Bay Street, International Plaza, SoHo District, WestShore Plaza and Hyde Park Village. Palma Ceia is where you will come across the Palma Ceia Design District. Tampa Bay Center and East Lake Square Mall were previous shopping hubs in the area. 

Transportation in Tampa

Tampa has three airports, namely the Tampa International Airport, which is the key airport and primary commercial flight hub. The St. Petersburg-Clearwater International Airport lies in adjacent Pinellas County while the Sarasota-Bradenton International Airport lies in Sarasota nearby. The intercity passenger railway network is based at the Tampa Union Station which is a famous facility next to downtown between Ybor City and Channel District. 

The station has the Amtrak Silver Star facility which runs for New York City and Miami on a daily basis. Union State is the transfer hub for the Amtrak Thruway Motorcoach service as well. The Port of Tampa is the biggest Florida port by way of output and tonnage. The Hillsborough Area Regional Transit Authority or HART is what operates public mass transit and this includes streetcar lines and public bus networks alike. The key hub for the HART bus network is the Marion Transit Center in Downtown Tampa, catering to almost 30 express and local routes. 

HART also runs a rapid-transit bus network named MetroRapid which operates between the University of South Florida and Downtown. The TECO Line Streetcar offers electric streetcar services throughout 11 stations along a route spanning 2.7 miles or 4.3 kilometers in total. It links the Channel District, Ybor City, downtown Tampa and the Tampa Convention Center. The TECO Line fleet has exquisitely varnished wooden interiors which hark back to the late 19th and mid 20th century streetcar models. Neighborhood Electric Vehicles (NEV) transportation is available throughout Ybor City and Downtown Tampa. Water taxis are also available throughout the Hillsborough River and waterfront for passengers. 

Weather in Tampa 

Tampa has hot and long summers along with short, cool and windy winters. The temperatures usually range between 52 and 90 degrees Fahrenheit. The best time to visit Tampa is between late February and early May and also between mid October and early December for enjoying the weather and indulging in various activities and attractions alike.