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Vacationing in Tampa - The Crown Jewel of Florida's Gulf Coast

Tampa is fast becoming one of Florida's premier vacation destinations. For family vacationers, Busch Gardens is undeniably a strong draw, as it combines an excellent zoo with some of the most thrilling roller coasters you'll ever ride. Tampa also offers a great hands-on museum, a wonderful and interesting aquarium, several high-quality art museums, and three major sports venues. Visit Tampa, the jewel of Florida's west coast.

Sports are king in Tampa, with three major franchises from the NFL, NHL, and Major League Baseball. The NFL's Tampa Bay Buccaneers call Raymond James Stadium home. The venue is one of the premier stadiums in the country, and offers unique fan enhancements, such as the three million dollar pirate ship at one end of the stadium. Florida's only domed field-sport stadium, Tropicana Field is home to the Tampa Bay Devil Rays. The roof is a high-tech translucent membrane supported by a structural system that somewhat resembles a bicycle wheel. The Ice Palace, located in downtown Tampa, is a state-of-the-art, $160 million entertainment venue. It is the home of the Tampa Bay Lightning of the National Hockey League and hosts more than 170 events annually.

The area's biggest theme park, Busch Gardens is a thrill park with the best roller coasters in the state and one of Florida's best zoos with about 2800 animals. Also known as"The Dark Continent," the theme park is divided into nine different areas fashioned after locations in Africa. Nearby Adventure Island is a 25-acre watermark offers loads of twisting and turning slides and water attractions.Daredevils will be thrilled by high speed rides such as The Water Moccasin, a 6-story-high twisting, extra wide water slide, and Tampa Typhoon, a 76-foot near free-fall drop.

Accommodations in the Tampa Area

Fast becoming one of the hottest tourism destinations in South Florida, Tampa, along with nearby St. Petersburg and Clearwater, offers visitors almost unlimited choices in lodging, ranging from full-service resorts to family friendly vacation rentals. Chain hotels and motels, many of them close to the area's major attraction, Busch Gardens, round out the city's accommodations.

Attractions in the Tampa Area

There's a lot more to the Gulf Coast of Florida than sun and surf. Area attractions offer a myriad of things to see and do, whether you're looking to fill an hour or a day. With choices as varied as museums, cruises, and historical sites, you'll never have a dull moment during your visit to our balmy coast. Of course, our beautiful beaches remain the reason people visit year after year, and we've outlined the best. And our parks section gives you the breakdown on the best local, state, and national parks to see during your visit. So let us show you some of our favorite places to play.

Explore this comprehensive web site regarding what to do, what to see, and where to stay while visiting the Tampa, Florida. We are confident you will find the information you here at the Tampa Visitors Information Guide.

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