For tourists wanting to experience the most in Florida without having to travel from city to city, Tampa has a little bit of everything. Regardless if the visitor is looking for pristine beaches, parasailing, jet skiing, and just lazing about in the sun, or a fun day at Busch Gardens and the Florida Aquarium, or a visit to historic Ybor City, one is sure to find something enjoyable to see and do. Don’t forget to try one of the great cruises around Tampa Bay. Hand rolled cigars and crisp, hot Cuban sandwiches are just some of the treats in store for the lucky vacationer.
Busch Gardens offers a full day of activities including rides, shows, animal attractions and adventure camps. Food is available throughout the park from tasty treats and quick snacks to a full dining experience. Tours cost extra and are available from the Serengeti Safari, where one can feed a giraffe; to Saving a Species, where the visitor can get up close and personal with a rhino and the ultimate Keeper for the Day, where one can experience what it is like to be a zoo keeper for a day.
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The Florida Aquarium is located in the Channelside area where one can enjoy seeing sea creatures, plants, birds and even follow a drop of water from the underground aquifer to the deep sea. Don’t miss the Penguin Promenade from 10 to 3 daily. And for those who like to walk on the wild side, the aquarium also offers a dive with the sharks, which include species from around the world. The sharks and equipment needed for the dive are provided.
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Adventure Island is Busch Garden’s premier waterpark featuring thirty acres of water-soaked fun in the sun. Just down the street from Busch Gardens, there are seven hundred feet of twists, turns, and water mines that ultimately ends with a plunge in the pool.
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Henry B. Plant Museum is housed in an 1891 national historic landmark, the Tampa Bay Hotel, which is located on the University of Tampa campus. There the visitor can enjoy being transported to turn of the century Florida in a Victorian palace featuring towering minarets and Moorish revival architecture. European furniture and art treasures from the original railroad resort and the Gilded age are featured.
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Ruth’s Chris Steakhouse specializes in pasta, seafood and steaks. This restaurant is a favorite place for couples to go. A bit more upscale than the others, visitors can expect an average entrée to run over $40, but casual dress is the norm.
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El Rincon Mexicano offers authentic Mexican food in a cozy atmosphere where the lighting is soft and the authentic music is easy enough to have a conversation over. Visitors can also dine on the colorful patio.
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Guadalajara Mexican Restaurant offers homemade Mexican food like Oaxaca pork tacos, rice-based Horchata and fresh corn tamales served in an absolutely charming atmosphere with colorful tile and a bubbling fountain. Guadalajara is located close to Tampa International Airport.
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Lauro Ristorante offers great Italian cuisine like Mozzarella Lucania, Bruschetta Ben Fatta, and Salmone Affumicate. Background music is provided. Open for lunch and dinner. Reservations are suggested.
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Carrabba’s Italian Grill offers fresh from the grill treats such as Chicken Marsala, Grilled Salmon, and Filet Fiorentina. Special children’s menu offers pasta, chicken fingers, and kid-sized pizza.
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Frontier Cattle Company is not only known for their great seafood and steaks, but also features live music as a part of the visitor’s dining pleasure Thursdays thru Sundays. Alcoholic beverages are served and there is a seated bar within.
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Many of the attractions in Tampa offer discounts on the price of admission if they are purchased prior to the day a person wishes to visit. These discounts can range from three to ten dollars a ticket and when ticket prices reach the sixty dollar a day mark, ten dollars is a lot of money, especially for families with children. Most of these attractions have online web sites where the tickets can be purchased and some tickets can even be gotten at the local AAA Automobile Club in the area where a person lives. Not only can some money be saved but also time spent standing in line to buy tickets. Naturally, it is usually much quicker to already have a ticket and just proceed right into the park.
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When swimming in the warm coastal waters of Tampa Bay, it is important to realize that there may be some unpleasant sea life to be avoided. A jellyfish is nearly transparent and kinda looks like a floating balloon. If you see one, you are probably too close to avoid getting stung by its tentacles. The best way to get relief is to apply meat tenderizer on the sore spot as it breaks down the poison. Another thing to avoid is the stingray, a bottom-dwelling creature with a spiny tail. The best way to scare them off is by shuffling your feet through the water. However, if a person steps directly on one, chances are a barb from the tail is going to be the result. There is no quick relief from this unfortunately except a quick trip to the emergency room.
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Most people realize that summertime in Florida is very hot and humid with temperatures in the high eighties and low nineties. But it is important for the visiting tourist to realize that an additional hazard also exists. That of course is the prospect of tropical storms and hurricanes. If a person has never been through one, it is not an experience to enjoy. If one is forecast to hit the area, please make sure to heed the advice broadcast on the news. Should the storm be projected as a category three or above, it is best to beat the crowd by getting out of the area and heading for home immediately. Even if one gets through the storm okay, and these can include category one storms as well, chances are the power will be out for several days and it will be very, very hot, not to mention uncomfortable, without air conditioning, hot food or cold drinks.
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Regardless of what city a tourist may choose to visit, there are areas that are best avoided. In Tampa, the area is a roughly rectangular area in East central Tampa bordered by I-275 on the west, Busch Blvd on the north, 50th Street, which turns into 56th Street on the east, and I-4 on the south. Although there are tourist areas that border right on this edge, this is a mostly neglected part of town where life is pretty harsh. There isn’t anything there for the visitors anyways so it is best to avoid this part of town.
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Channelside offers a variety of entertainment possibilities including complementary catamaran cruises, dance clubs, piano bars, extreme games, and IMAX movies as well as restaurants and shops that are unique. Whether the visitor wants to explore a 3D cave, play state-of-the-art video games or watch the Port of Tampa at work, they will find it all at Channelside. Regardless if the vacationer wants to fill the day or go over into the evening, Channelside offers a variety of nightly entertainment at Banana Joe’s Island Party dance club, Margarita Mama’s and the Sling Shots Country Saloon.
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Hyde Park Café is a three in one place where the young and beautiful set hangs out, the average Joe comes to be entertained, and even a few executives show up. Featuring hot DJ-led dance parties, outdoor seating in the gallery area, and the VIP area that leans towards the exclusive side.
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Club Prana has been termed as Ybor’s crown jewel featuring Latin, hip-hop, reggae and house dance parties. Sporting four separate levels and multiple dance floors, the patron can also enjoy DJs, drink specials and occasional live band music. The interior is not to be missed with sci-fi caliber light shows, a rooftop bar and simply vibrating sound systems.
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