How we do Tampa Bay
Live it
Tampa neighborhoods include so many charming and historic options. Urban neighborhoods like Channelside, Hyde Park, Seminole Heights and Ybor City are filled with character, thriving local businesses and restaurants galore, and they’re just minutes from downtown. The suburbs (i.e. Carrollwood, Westchase, Riverview) are family-friendly communities with space to spread out and a variety of living options from condos to single-family homes.
Learn it
The Hillsborough County School District is the 8th largest in the US! Tampa has 122 public elementary schools, 69 middle schools, 44 high schools, and near equal numbers of private and parochial schools. This expansive network means tons of resources and extracurriculars. College kids have dozens of excellent options too, including the University of South Florida, University of Tampa, Stetson Law (Florida’s first law school) and Hillsborough Community College.
Earn it
Tampa’s job market is more than just robust, it’s the strongest in the state. Compared to national averages we’re growing faster, earnings are higher and unemployment is lower. Our booming tech scene is partially to thank and the future will yield even more opportunities—a full 90% of Tampa’s IT decision makers plan to add new positions in the coming year. Major employers include Publix, MacDill AFB and USF. Culturally diverse jobs in an irresistible location!
Savor it
The Columbia may be the nation’s oldest Spanish restaurant and Tampa’s food claim-to-fame may be the Cuban but that’s just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to our cuisine. We have the kind of culinary diversity you might expect in such a melting pot, from a James Beard award-winning steakhouse to a fully restored 110-year-old building housing 15 decidedly modern restaurants in a bustling marketplace atmosphere. Whatever you’re craving, Tampa has it!
Shop it
From global brands to local labels, our shopping scene is top drawer. International Plaza shows off goods from Louis and Gucci, while Hyde Park Village offers charming brick walkways and tree-lined beauty. In Ybor City, quaint vintage shops rub elbows with conscious-minded design boutiques to give 7th Avenue its legendary vibe. The funky Indie Flea pops up monthly at Armature Works and discounted luxury treasures are yours at Tampa Premium Outlets.
Curate it
Tampa Bay was named one of the country’s most culturally diverse urban areas. One of our best-known institutions is the Museum of Art. Connected to the Children’s Museum via the Riverwalk, it’s easy to make a family-friendly day of museum-hopping. On the other side of the bridge, in picturesque downtown St Petersburg, is one of Architectural Digest’s 10 most interesting museums in the world: The Dalí. It’s home to eight of Salvador’s 18 masterworks.
Sweat it
The verdict is in: South Tampa loves to sweat—no surprise when bathing suit weather is nine months a year. And we exercise enthusiasts like our fitness with a view. Bayshore Boulevard is South Tampa’s de facto gym, Al Lopez Park’s shady boardwalk winds around a lake, Armature Works loves outdoor yoga, the great lawn at Curtis Hixon Park is tailormade for group fitness, and Julian Lane Park has an exercise trail with outdoor gym equipment.
Cheer it
Tampa Bay really does have it all. How many warm weather areas can boast as many college and professional sports teams? Grab your jersey and get your ticket because it’s time to: Fire those cannons for the Buccaneers! Bang those thundersticks for the Lightning! Ring that cowbell for the Rays! Chant for the Rowdies with Ralph’s Mob! We’re also the home of NY Yankees Spring Training, D-1 USF Bulls and D-2 Eckerd College Tritons, UT Spartans and St Leo Lions!
Thrill it
Got the need for speed? Looking for water-drenched fun in the sun? Wanna see dinosaurs come alive? Busch Gardens boasts 300 acres of attractions based on exotic explorations around the world, including 12,000 animals and eight rollercoasters. Right across the street is Adventure Island, combining high-speed thrills with tranquil tropical surroundings. And where else but Dinosaur World could you dig a 30-foot stegosaurus skeleton out of the sand?
Park it
Tampa has so many awesome parks for fishing, splashing, biking, playing, sunbathing and communing with nature. Kids love Curtis Hixon’s interactive fountains and 8-acre grassy lawn sloping toward the river (while fur babies love its fenced-in doggie park). Ballast Point is one of the best family spots in Tampa—fish off the 600-foot pier while the kids cool off in the shaded splash park then meet back up for casual food and ice cream at the concession stand!
Stroll it
Winding its way along Hillsborough Bay from MacDill AFB to Downtown, the 10-foot-wide path outlining Bayshore Boulevard is America’s longest continuous sidewalk. South Tampa’s signature feature is also the city’s unofficial gym. You’ll find people walking, jogging, biking and rollerblading down the nearly flat pavement at all hours. With the water on one side and some of Tampa’s most expensive real estate on the other, the scenery can’t be beat.
Beach it
We Tampeños have hit the beach lottery. With something like 250 sunny days a year, we live less than an hour from a dozen of the most beautiful stretches of sand in the world. They all feature soft white sand and calm blue water, so the decision comes down to amenities. Full-service beach with cabanas, restaurants, water sports and entertainment? Think Clearwater Beach. Communing with nature in a pristine setting utterly absent of condos? That’s Caladesi Island.
Bet it
Seminole Hard Rock is the sixth largest casino in the world. Museum-quality memorabilia is on display, music videos play on huge screens and lyrics scroll across the walls. Rubbing elbows with slots, poker, blackjack and baccarat is Council Oaks, one of Tampa’s most notable restaurants. Twenty miles west lies Tampa Bay Downs, the only thoroughbred track on the west coast of Florida, featuring horseracing, poker tourneys and several restaurants.
Boat it
We’re living in one of the most popular boating areas in the entire country thanks to the size of Tampa Bay, its proximity to the gulf and the many destinations ready and waiting for boaters. You can boat for years and still have new places to explore. Should you buy, store, maintain, insure and buy gas for your own boat? Heck no! There are several boat clubs and dozens of rental outfits offering up every imaginable make and model at surprisingly reasonable prices.
Brew it
With nearly 100 craft breweries, Tampa Bay has made its name as a bona fide beer region. Among them is 1) South Tampa’s first brewery, 81Bay, with its maritime atmosphere and multimedia murals; Cigar City Brewing, the biggest name in the Tampa Bay beer scene, serving up some special edition batches you can only get in the brewery; and Tampa Bay Brewing (featured on Diners, Drive-Ins & Dives), which focuses on classic beer styles.