Lots to do in Tampa other than Superbowl.
Tampa will be the center of the Football universe again next Sunday (2/1). The Superbowl is not the only thing Tampa has going for it. The Tampa Bay area has everything from a hot entertainment district (Ybor City) to relaxing beaches around the St. Petersburg area. The beaches are only about a 30 minute drive and contain some of the highest ranked in the world. Here are some of the things you can find in the Tampa Bay area-
Tampa:
-Hit the Florida Aquarium in Downtown Tampa. A world-class aquarium that will give you a complete look at Florida's natural habitat and lots more. It's quite an impressive building with a huge atrium in the middle.
-Try your luck at the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino which is just outside the Tampa city limits. It's similar to the property we have down in Hollywood/Ft. Lauderdale.
-Hit Ybor City during the day or night. The historical Latin district of the city has something for everyone. During the day there are restaurants, a movie theater and some cool shopping. At night...the place transforms into the premier night spot with tons of clubs and bars to keep you busy. The whole district has a New Orleans feel. There is even a yearly event called Gasparilla. Around Fat Tuesday...'pirates' invade the city and kick off a week's worth of events. The highlight are the parades where the beads fly like Mardi-Gras. Years ago they used to have a day parade - geared to the kids...and a night parade geared to the adults.
-Busch Gardens is a must for the thrill-ride seeker. It's grown up a lot over the years and rivals any major Florida theme park. The park has some of the BEST roller-coasters in the Southeast US.
-The Tampa Bay Lightning play at the arena in downtown Tampa. It's fairly new and I'm not sure if they are playing this weekend.
-Hit the museums. Tampa has some 'big-city' art museums and also has the Museum of Science and Industry which is great for the kids.
St. Petersburg and Pinellas County (just over the Howard Franklin Bridge or I-275):
-Located on the Gulf of Mexico..Ft. DeSoto Park and Caladesi Island are a must. They make the top of the US's best beaches every year.
-Hit any of the beaches...or drive up the coast to visit all the small beach towns.
-The Pier is located on the Bay side of St. Pete and is an inverted pyramid with shops and restaurants.
-North of St. Petersburg is Clearwater Beach. Clearwater is the lively beach of the Bay area. It still has a bit of the old Florida feel from your Spring Break days. It's a lot more tame than you'd find on Florida's Southeast coast...but has enough for everyone in the family.
-North of Clearwater Beach is Tarpon Springs. Tarpon Springs developed as a Greek sponge diving town and has used that history for a great tourist spot. Greek restaurants and shopping await.
Check these Tampa items out-
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