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Tampa provides a big city feel with its many museums, performing arts centers and shopping venues. It is also home to top family attractions and beautiful beaches are just minutes away. You probably won’t have enough time on your vacation to do everything, but it will be fun to try!
Family activities are abundant. Choose from theme parks such as Busch Gardens and Adventure Island Water Park or hands on nature and science exhibits such as can be found at Lowry Park Zoo, the Florida Aquarium or Museum of Science and Industry. Children can form an appreciation for the arts at The Childen’s Art Museum while their parents visit the Tampa Museum of Art, the Ybor City Museum or attend a production at the Tampa Bay Performing Arts Center
Transport yourself back to turn-of-the-century Tampa at the Henry B. Plant Museum or learn about the area’s colorful history from its “first people” through to the present at the Tampa Bay History Center.
For a day at the beach, you have a wide choice for the Tampa Bay area is known for its beautiful beaches, many of which are regularly included on “best beaches” lists. Anclote River Park is a popular beach for fishing, swimming, picnicking, playing or just relaxing, with over 30 acres to explore, Ben T. Davis Park offers panaramic views of Tampa Bay while your dog is welcome at Davis Islands Park. More beautiful beaches are located across the causeways in Clearwater Beach and St. Petersburg Beach and on several barrier islands accessible only by boat.
Shopping runs the gamut from trendy Old Hyde Park Village, to International Plaza with over 200 specialty shops and Bay Street at the Plaza, an open-air village of fine restaurants and small boutiques. What used to be warehouses and empty lots on the waterfront downtown is now Tampa's newest elite shopping complex, known as the Channelside district. The one thing not missing in Tampa Bay is a bustling night scene. From dance clubs that feature internationally respected DJ’s to top-notch Latin bands, the area offers diverse venues that will keep you dancing all night long.
The St. Petersburg Pier has a little bit of everything to satisfy every single member of your family. Visitors can fish, shop, feed pelicans, watch dolphins, or patronize one of the many eating establishments. Extending a quarter-mile into the Tampa Bay, the Pier has an aquarium on the second floor that is free for those under 12 years of age.
Tampa is a bit sports city and boasts about its NFL Champion team, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and also is proud of the NHL Tampa Bay Lightning, MLB Tampa Bay Devil Rays and AFL Tampa Bay Storm. Several major league baseball teams have spring training camps in the area including the Toronto Blue Jays at Knology Park in Dunedin and New York Yankees at Legends Field in Tampa.
Golfers have a nice selection of public and municipal courses if they aren’t lucky enough to secure a vacation rental in one of the many nice golf course communities in the Tampa area. Fishing here gives you the opportunity to pursue popular species such as redfish, speckled trout, snook and tarpon or the less sought-after jack crevalle, black drum and ladyfish, either on your own, with a guide or on a charter boat. Boating, especially sailing, on Tampa Bay is serious business with regattas and competitions year round. Craft are readily available for rent or charter and several renowned sailing schools are located in the Tampa Bay area.
Round out your vacation with a day trip to the Nature Coast area to the north or the Sarasota area to the south.
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