Vacation Planning to Tampa Bay

I contend that my parents retired to Tampa to guarantee frequent visits from their grandchildren. Not only are there enough activities to keep my son and daughter entertained during their frequent visits, there’s plenty of distraction for us “grown-ups,” too.

Tampa Bay is the region on the midwestern coast of Florida, and includes not only the city of Tampa, but all of Hillsborough County. Across the bay, St. Petersburg and Clearwater are the largest of several beach communities on a peninsula set in the tranquil Gulf of Mexico.

When to Go

In deference to the school calendar, we visit mainly in the summer, when temperatures stay within the 80s and 90s. Tampa Bay is purported to be the lightning capital of the world, and we have seen some dazzling electric shows on these warm nights.

For many folks, hot and humid weather is ideal. I am not one of those people, so we prefer taking the trip during the coolest months of January, February and March. Swimming is not always an option, however, during that time.

 

• The Tampa skyline at night.

DoxaDigital

Getting Around

Most driving expeditions will include the north-to-south thoroughfares I-275 and I-75, with I-275 traveling over the Howard Frankland Bridge toward the beach. Both highways connect to I-4, the east-to-west artery connecting to Orlando and the east coast of Florida. Dale Mabry Highway, the city’s backbone, is lined on both sides by miles of retail centers.

Bayshore Boulevard is a pleasurable scenic drive with Hillsborough Bay on one side, and impressive neighborhoods on the other. Although it doesn’t get much notice from tourists, the Bayshore Boulevard Linear Park, at 4.5 miles, is the world's longest continuous sidewalk. The 10-foot-wide sidewalk connects to the Bayshore Greenway Trail.

Just north of downtown St. Petersburg, the wide sidewalk along Coffee Pot Boulevard offers a similar scenic experience. The HART Line is an inexpensive system of public streetcars, trolleys and buses connecting many of Tampa’s key tourist areas.

Know Your Tampa Bay Neighborhoods

Downtown Tampa is the municipal and business district. The Tampa Theatre and the world class Tampa Bay Performing Arts Center are on the east side; the University of Tampa’s Henry B. Plant Museum is on the west.

 

• The lavish interior of the Tampa Theatre.

Courtesy of Tampa Bay & Company

Channelside encompasses the Port of Tampa, the 20,000-seat stadium St. Pete Times Forum, the Florida Aquarium and Channelside Bay Plaza entertainment complex, a lively, family-friendly district during the day and a popular nightspot. People watching is best done from a table near the window at Joffrey’s Coffee & Tea Company.

Tampa has its own “SoHo,” or south Howard Avenue, known for its restaurant row. One of the area’s oldest establishments, Bella’s, is also one of the best, serving no-fail Italian dishes. I’m partial to the plate-sized, brick-oven pizza. [Read more about where to eat in our Tampa Bay Restaurants and Hotels article.]

Ybor City is Tampa’s “Latin Quarter,” where Cuban immigrants built a home away from home in the early 1900s. If you enjoy cultural and historical immersion, this National Historic Landmark District merits a visit. [Read more about Ybor City in our Cuban Culture article.]

Downtown St. Petersburg enjoys a bohemian, artsy reputation, due to the wealth of galleries and museums. The most notable of these is the Salvador Dalí Museum, containing the world’s most comprehensive private collection of the abstract artist’s work. The Florida Holocaust Museum and the Museum of Fine Arts showcase works with different perspectives.