Tampa Travel Guide
Travel guide to Tampa, Florida with comprehensive information about events, shopping, and major Tampa sporting events to help you enjoy your visit more.
Tampa Overview
On Florida's west coast, about an hour's drive from Orlando, Tampa is a super family destination where you can enjoy the best theme parks with the excellent beaches of the Gulf Coast right on your doorstep. Tampa is a relaxing and invigorating destination with plenty of attractions for all ages, and ranks as one of the most popular holiday spots in the USA.
Tampa is a place that is defined by its great reputation as a top holiday destination. It is without doubt one of the most hospitable places in the world, with plenty to experience within easy reach of the city - great hotels and resorts are available along the coast in Clearwater and St Petersburg, you can visit the famous Busch Gardens theme Park, and within a short drive of the city, you can try out the many attractions that nearby Orlando is famous for.
Tampa is a destination where the whole family can enjoy a holiday, and is a place you can visit year round- especially since cheap flights to Tampa are almost always available.
Tampa is a place equally suited to a family holiday in the sun or a relaxing holiday playing golf at one of the excellent Tampa Golf Courses, and as popular with the old as it is with the young.
Top Tampa Attractions
Perhaps the most popular attraction for visitors to Tampa is the famous Busch Gardens theme park. This great family amusement park in Tampa has a huge selection of thrilling rides, and has been entertaining people for more than twenty years. The Tampa Zoo next door to Busch Gardens in Tampa allows visitors to the city to see a number of impressive wild animals in large natural environments.
As far as other local attractions go, the lovely gulf coast beaches of Clearwater and St Petersburg are amongst the best and most popular in Florida, with miles and miles of white sand to lie back and soak up the sun on.
Shopping in Tampa
Like most other American cities, Tampa is great for shoppers. With a number of enormous warehouse type shopping centres selling discounted goods at the strip malls close to Busch gardens, those looking for bargains are well served.
In the city itself, and the surrounding areas such as Clearwater and St Petersburg, things a re decidedly more up market, and you are more likely to see Armani and Hugo Boss rather than K-Mart on labels. The smaller beach resorts have the usual mix of craft shops and art galleries that seem to sell exclusively to people furnishing their retirement condos.
Tampa Sporting Events
Sports fans visiting Tampa have loads of things to choose from, when it comes to both watching and participating. With literally dozens of golf courses along the coast, this part of Florida has developed quite a reputation as a great place for a golf holiday.
The three main American sports teams in Tampa are the NFL team the Tampa Bay Buccaneers; baseball team the Tampa Bay Devil Rays; and the famous NHL hockey team - the Tampa Bay Lightning. The teams are all popular, but if you want to attend a game, it is usually possible to get tickets from a local agent on match day.
