Plan Your Next Vacation in the Sunny Tampa

Maybe Miami and Orlando get all the attention for being such hot spots for night life and theme parks, respectively, but Tampa has a lot going on as well for those who wish to come and check it out. Here are a few points for the first time Tampa Bayer.

Check Out Tampa’s Amusement Parks

Here’s a tip from a longtime Florida resident, keep it on the hush-hush: Orlando is overrated. Oh sure, it’s fun, we’re not contesting that, but the truth is that an afternoon in Disney World gets kind of old kind of fast. Your feet hurt, you’re constantly being bombarded with all this light and color and noise that, for kids, is awesome, but for an adult? Well… it can be a bit tiring.

Universal Studios is fun, but unless they’re doing some kind of special event like Halloween Horror Nights, it can be a bit dead. Busch Gardens, on the other hand, is a family-friendly theme park, but it caters to adults. With breakneck roller coasters, every kind of beer you could ever want and live music, Busch Gardens is perfect for couples, guys/girls nights out and birthday parties for grownups. If that’s not really your speed, there are alternatives like Yuengling Breweries and the Florida Aquarium.

Don’t Be Too Picky About Tampa Hotels Locations

There are good and bad locations in most cities, but in Tampa, there aren’t many bad spots to rent a hotel. All Florida hotels, no matter where you go, are a short drive from the beach. The Tampa hotels are no exception to this rule. When it comes to renting a room, what you want to consider is price, you want to consider the luxuries you’re looking for, you want to consider all of those things that you would normally consider, but the fact is that no matter where your inn, motel or hostel may be, it’s all going to be close to the beach. Unless you absolutely have to be right next door to the Lowry Zoo or Steinbrenner Field, just go ahead and rent a room wherever you please, because chances are you’ll be able to walk back to your room in your flip flops from the nearest patch of clean white sand. That said, keep this next tip in mind, too…

Explore Pinellas County for the Best Beaches

Pinellas County neighbors Tampa, and here’s a secret that the locals know: the beaches in Tampa are okay, but the beaches in Pinellas County are some of the best on the East Coast. Stay in Tampa, eat in Tampa, take in a ballgame in Tampa, but if you want to spend a whole afternoon on a nice quiet beach, check out Caladesi State Park. If you want more of a boardwalk sort of atmosphere, go to Clearwater Beach in Clearwater, FL.

Remember: Summer Lasts 11 and a Half Months in Florida

There’s a joke here in Florida that we actually have five seasons here: Summer, Summer, Summer, Christmas, and Summer. Snowbirds, the visitors from Jersey and New York, come down every Winter to get away from the freezing cold of the northern states during that time of year, but if you’re visiting from anywhere else in the country, feel free to visit any time you like, or just whenever the plane tickets are cheaper. As long as we’re not right smack dab in the middle of hurricane season, there’s no such thing as bad beach weather in Tampa Bay.

Try the Black Beans and Rice

Some of the best food in Florida is the Cuban cuisine. Florida kind of borrows a little bit here and there from all of her neighbors: gumbo and gator from Louisiana, pizza and subs from the northerners, country fried cuisine from Georgia, and toasted sandwiches, pastries and black beans and rice from Cuba.

There are a lot of great Cuban cafes in Florida, but one of the best is La Teresita in Tampa with its low prices and huge portions. In any Cuban restaurant you’re going to find a few staples including quality espresso, Cuban sandwiches and roast pork with black beans and rice. Try some fried plantains on the side and grab a few donuts to take home and you’re doing Cuban cuisine right.

Tampa doesn’t get the press that Orlando and Miami get, and that’s exactly why smart travelers come here to get away from the heavy tourism that floods the rest of Florida’s major cities. If you want the warmth of the sun with a little less hustle and bustle, check out Tampa in the off-seasons for the full Florida experience.

This guest post article was written and provided by Charles Watkins who loves to travel and write about his experiences.

Gareth

My name is Gareth Leonard, a Marketing Director turned World Traveler with a passion for slow, meaningful travel. I have been traveling the world full-time for the past 9+ years and document it all on Instagram and YouTube. Come join me!