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Tampa is the third most populated
city in the southern American state of Florida, just 80 miles from Orlando. An increasingly popular destination for tourists taking advantage of the Florida climate, Tampa is also a haven of
modernity with skyscrapers and commerce dominating the downtown area.
Today the region offers a
wonderful array of outdoor activities, thanks to its beautiful natural setting. The area has rolling, pine covered northern
plains as well as white sand beaches and barrier islands. Camping, fishing, swimming, boating, sunning, and snorkeling
are always available in this sunny and well-kept area of Florida. The Gulf Coast offers
just as many white sand beaches and beautiful sunsets as the Atlantic side of Florida, if not more so. The crystal clear
springs further inland have drawn visitors for a long time. Finally, the resort towns to the south, including Sarasota,
are always full of visitors during the winter as everyone tries to escape the cold.
The city of Tampa has developed
into a full metropolis, with
everything to offer visitors of all ages. The area has seen the addition of a world-class
art museum dedicated to the work of the surrealist painter Salvador Dali.
The Tampa Museum of Art boasts
its own collection of art from around the world-nearly 7,000 objects fill the many galleries. The $84 million Florida Aquarium is a dazzling landmark in Tampa, and it has begun to draw large crowds of visitors. In
addition to cultural and educational offerings, Tampa boasts quite a nightlife with many restaurants and clubs to choose from.
The Ybor District is Tampa's own Little Havana, and the wrought iron gates and cobblestone
streets lend a certain charm to the area. Of course, no visit to Tampa would be complete without a visit to Busch
Gardens, the amusement park and zoo built by the famous beer brewery.
Visitors to the Tampa area
stay in the resorts of St. Petersburg and Clearwater, across Tampa
Bay from the city. Most pay at least one visit to Tampa itself, however, for the exciting attractions and excellent
museums on offer, particularly families with children in town. The most popular attraction is the Busch Gardens
entertainment park. Tampa is also within easy reach of Orlando, site of the world-famous Walt Disney World's theme and Adventure Park. Many visitors
will spend an extra day in Tampa touring the Florida Aquarium, partying in Ybor (pronounced Eee-bore)
City's clubs or watching the Tampa Bay Buccaneers play at Raymond James Stadium in the fall or
the New York Yankees train at Legends Field from mid-February through March.
Tampa has even more museums
and attractions that await those who want to sample the Florida Gulf Coast. Life there is just as sunny
and warm as it is on the Atlantic side of the peninsula, and maybe even a little more so. Towns like Sarasota, just
a bit south of Tampa, have been attracting visitors for years, and now Tampa too has lots to bring even more guests to the
area. The museums, aquariums, culture, clubs, and beaches are drawing more and more visitors to Tampa
every year.
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