Romantic Tampa Bay Long Weekend

Tampa is situated on the north shore of Tampa Bay in West Central Florida. It was founded as a Native-American fishing village; the Spanish came during the mid-1500s looking for the fountain of youth and gold. Today Tampa is a thriving city, with one of the most diverse and integrated populations, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. The city also is a popular tourist destination, given its year-round good weather.

Home to Busch Gardens, the Florida Aquarium and Lowry Park Zoo, Tampa has long been a family-travel favorite. For history buffs, there’s Ybor City, Tampa’s Latin Quarter, which is a designated National Historic Landmark District. The area was once a center for cigar manufacturing prior to the embargo on Cuban tobacco. It now boasts art galleries, shops and restaurants, including Columbia Restaurant, the oldest in Florida and one of the world’s largest Spanish restaurants.

This elegant, beachfront castle sits directly on the sugary white sands of the Gulf of Mexico on the Island of St. Pete Beach. The resort is just 30 minutes from Tampa International Airport and 25 minutes from St. Petersburg/Clearwater Airport.Guests have privileges at a private 18-hole PGA golf course and eight Har Tru tennis courts, located one mile from the hotel. The resort boasts three restaurants, three lounges, 24-hour room service and the beautiful, new Spa Oceana. The hotel also offers babysitting, currency exchange, concierge, florist, parking, laundry facilities, and boutiques.All rooms have high speed Internet, hairdryers, irons and ironing boards, minibars, coffeemakers, flat screen TVs, and breathtaking views of the Gulf of Mexico or Boca Ciega Bay.Pet rooms are not available to be booked online. The Don CeSar resort fee includes the following:Wireless Internet in guestrooms, unlimited local phone calls, self Parking, 24-hour access to fitness center, 24-hour shoe shine service, and housekeeping gratuity. Check-out time is 11 am.

The Florida Aquarium gives visitors an all-access pass to the mysteries of the deep. Observe seahorses, lobsters, colorful fish, moray eels, gators, river otters, Australian sea dragons and many more. If you're feeling truly adventurous, take advantage of the "Swim with the Fishes" or "Dive with the Sharks" programs (advance reservations required). Kids will love the wide range of colorful and fun-filled interactive displays. The aquarium also sponsors ecotours aboard a 64-foot catamaran, affording patrons an opportunity to get even more up-close-and-personal with the sea. See website for complete list of attractions, calendar of events and more.

A century ago, here in the Latin Quarter of Tampa, cigarmaker Vincente Martinez Ybor began an industry that brought this city worldwide renown—those famed Tampa cigars. Here, too, poet and patriot Jose Marti, the hero of Cuban liberation, plotted and pleaded for his cause. History surrounds you in Ybor City where one thing seems hardly to have changed at all in a century—a strong sense of pride in community and culture. You can learn more about all that in this museum where the past is chronicled in yellowing pages, spidery script and cigar bands. It's poignant, stirring and just a little sad. Ybor City's far from sad these days, however. It's in the midst of a renaissance, the likes of which it hasn't seen for many years. Now the streets rock on weekends, and the fiesta goes on and on and on, well into the wee hours.

Visit Tampa’s Latin quarter for a taste of Cuban cuisine, entertainment and history.

This restaurant is owned and operated by the same Tampa family that founded it two generations ago. Beautifully hand-painted tiles and intricate fretwork decorate the exterior of the restaurant, while the interior boasts a two-story atrium. Warm lighting and a sense of history combine to create an elegant and relaxed atmosphere. Enjoy authentic Spanish cuisine, such as paella, black beans and rice or traditional Spanish yellow rice and chicken. Share a pitcher of sangria while flamenco dancers provide entertainment. Call ahead to verify nights and times for the show.

Tampa's Ybor City, began its intriguing history when cigar makers settled here after a disastrous fire that drove the industry north from Key West. Today it is a National Historic Landmark District lined with old buildings and historic sites. Today's Ybor is a lively and popular shopping, dining and entertainment district featuring everything from museums to flamenco dancing and of course, plenty of cigars. The area really comes alive when the sun sets with a bevy of nightlife options. Do not miss the annual Halloween Parade, known as the Mama Guava Stumble or Guava-ween!

Owned and operated by the city's Leisure Services Department, this "botanical experience" of tropical splendor, orchids and bromeliads features streams and pools adorned with colorful pink flamingos. There are special activities for children and wildlife presentations for everyone. Horticultural displays occur seasonally. A Rainforest Information Center here has exhibits of some of the eerier critters, including snakes and other reptiles, spiders, and scorpions. In the Garden you'll also find a captivating butterfly aviary.

Fountains burble and splash. Benches nestle under tree branches. And Europe lives in Tampa at Old Hyde Park Village, one of the state's most handsome shopping malls. A cluster of shops and outdoor cafes in an impossibly pretty shopping complex creates a village atmosphere reminiscent of cobblestoned Mediterranean towns. Beautifully landscaped, the Village is anchored by Jacobson's department store with 75 specialty shops, galleries, theaters and restaurants lining pretty pathways that wind through the village. A number of events take place here each year.

The beautiful Tampa Theatre's Mediterranean-style interior is reminiscent of a grand courtyard filled with antiques, statues and marble tiles. Roman and Greek mythological figures stand guard in the alcoves, and more than a dozen sculptured birds oversee the auditorium. As you sit in the cool darkness, a romantic atmosphere prevails. Clouds drift slowly across a ceiling filled with illuminated stars. A Tampa City landmark listed in the National Register of Historic Places, the theater is open year-round and features quality films, live concerts and special events.

The natural beauty of Caladesi is breathtaking with its pristine water and sugar white sand providing the ideal spot for swimming, shell collecting and sunbathing. Numerous birds and wildlife call the island home and can be observed while hiking the three mile nature trail. Kayaks are available for rent for exploring the three mile waterway through the mangroves. There is a marina for boaters along with a snack bar, picnic tables, shelters and gift shop. The island is accessible only by private boat or by using the Caladesi Connection ferry service located at Honeymoon Island State Park. Visitors are allowed four hours on the island. No pets are allowed on the ferry.