Tampa/St. Petersburg Overview

Soar across the glittering waters of Tampa Bay on a beach-bound causeway and you'll know why travelers have been lured here for centuries: water clear as a teardrop and warm as breakfast toast, 28 miles of sand and an equally welcoming business climate.

Districts

Tampa Bay, one of the world's great secluded harbors, is a vast body of water separated from the Gulf of Mexico by a peninsula that stretches from Clearwater on the north to St. Petersburg on the south.

Tampa's Hillsborough River winds its way through the Busch Gardens/University of South Florida section of the city and through downtown Tampa, bisecting the city as it makes its way to the sea. On the east side of the river, you will find a number of attractive hotels in the city's downtown core.

In the center of the huge bay is a peninsula with MacDill Air Force Base at its southern tip. North of that is the city of Tampa, which got its name from a Native American word meaning "a bundle of sticks," a reference to the region as a campsite. Three routes—Courtney Campbell Causeway, Gandy Bridge and Howard Franklin Bridge—connect the city to St. Petersburg and Clearwater.

Drive across the glittering waters of Tampa Bay on one of its three bay-spanning causeway/bridges and you will end up on the peninsula that is home to downtown Clearwater and downtown St. Petersburg. North of Clearwater is the tranquil little town of Dunedin, founded by Scots and still dedicated to keeping that heritage alive through annual festivals and monthly bagpipe concerts. East of Dunedin is Safety Harbor, home to a popular spa.

Entertainment

While Tampa's business environment takes itself very seriously, its entertainment empire offers a good laugh, great dining, an impressive nightlife and plenty of sports activities—spectator or participatory—tossed in for good measure. In addition, Tampa Bay's museums cover a wide range of informative adventures.

Busch Gardens is the undisputed king of the Tampa entertainment scene. More than 3,000 animals dwell on a Serengeti veldt in this African-themed park, which is listed among the top 10 attractions in the nation by Byways magazine. Visitors can observe wildlife in natural habitats at this 300-acre park, as well as enjoy a number of amusement rides, animal shows and nature exhibits.

St. Petersburg Beach is the official beach for the St. Petersburg region. Packed with restaurants, motels, hotels, shops and souvenir sellers, the beach is always busy. Many clubs throughout the region, particularly in St. Petersburg Beach and the string of islands along the coast, cater to the late-night crowd with music and dance options.

Dining and Drinking

Tampa Bay is a land of natural abundance. All manner of fish thrive in the warm waters of the Gulf, and the region's more than 2,500 farms harvest everything from winter vegetables to spring strawberries. Tampa likes to call itself the "Big Guava," a reference to its adoration for the exotic yellow fruit that grows here in abundance and turns up in the Spanish cuisine of Ybor City as guava jelly, guava paste, guava shells in sweet syrup and even pickled guavas!

Tampa Bay also likes its beer. Tampa is the site of the state's first brewery, the Florida Brewing Company (est. 1897); Anheuser-Busch brews and dispenses its suds at a special exhibit in its Busch Gardens theme park.

Add to all that the melange of cultures, each making its own mark on the region's cuisine, and you have an intriguing array of dining options, from a Greek salad laced with creamy feta cheese to a platter of Spanish arroz con pollo with yellow rice, a sizzling steak or a savory selection of Italian pasta.

Where To Stay

Tampa Bay boasts an eclectic roster of hotels to satisfy just about any visitor's needs—antique or contemporary, grand or cozy, serene and quiet or right in the heart of the action.

Location, attention to detail and an eye for the season—these are the attributes that define the region's hotels, each relying on one or more of these elements to define itself in this split-personality region. Some accommodations pride themselves on their convenience to business connections in downtown Tampa, but everywhere else relies on miles of scenic beaches to lure guests. Across the causeways, on the beaches of Clearwater and St. Petersburg Beach, Madeira Beach and Treasure Island, several small, family-operated motels welcome you to sandals-and-sarong serenity, where dressing for dinner means donning closed-toe shoes.

Did You Know?

The name Tampa comes from an Indian word meaning "sticks of fire." Lightening is common in this area. St. Petersburg is the sister city of Takamatsu, Japan.

Orientation/Geography

Tampa and St. Petersburg are located on the coast. Tampa is at the head of Tampa Bay. Florida is bordered by Georgia, Alabama, the Gulf of Mexico, and the Atlantic Ocean.


Content Provided by WCities