Tampa, Florida

Introduction to Tampa

Tampa, Florida has an enormous variety of attractions and perks for the people who live in and around the city. Waterside cafes, Busch Gardens, the Florida Aquarium, Channelside shopping, and the Tampa Bay Bucaneers, Devil Rays, and Lightning are just few of the biggest attractions. Then there’s Ybor City, where visitors can find hand-rolled cigars and Cuban sandwiches. And don’t forget the ocean and the white sand beaches, which offer people the chance to participate in jet skiing, parasailing, sport fishing, and boating. Every year, the Gasparilla Pirate Festival draws a huge crowd of rowdy swashbucklers. The city has a population of around 372,000, which makes it the third largest city in Florida.

Tampa Culture

Tampa is a very multi-cultural city and has a Hispanic population that exerts major influence in the area. 10% of the population are Latino, and the area was named one of the five most diverse, integrated urban areas in the United State by the Census Bureau. There are a number of museums to visit in and around Tampa, including the Pioneer Florida Museum, the St. Petersburg Museum of History, the gulf Coast World of Science, the Yulee Sugar Mill Ruins, the Boatyard Village, the Salvador Dali Museum, and the Children’s Museum of Tampa. Live theater can be seen at the Friday Morning Musicale in Hyde Park, Gorilla Theater in Drew Park, the Tampa Bay Performing Arts Center, and Tampa Theater. The city also has a number of art galleries of interest, such as the African Art Gallery, Artists Unlimited, the Centre Gallery, the Covivant Gallery, and Graphicstudio.

Tampa Sports and Leisure

Tampa has a lot to offer in the way of sports, with four major professional teams. The Tampa Bay Devil Rays play in Major League Baseball across the bay in St. Petersburg. The Tampa Bay Bucaneers play in the National Football League (NFL) while the Tampa Bay Lightning are part of the National Hockey League (NHL). And the Tampa Bay Storm play in the lesser-known Arena Football League. Spring training in Major League Baseball brings many teams to the area, including the Tampa Bay Devil Rays, the New York Yankees, the Philadelphia Phillies, and the Toronto Blue Jays. Minor league baseball also has a Tampa team called the Yankees.

Tampa Outdoors

The weather in Tampa Bay is typically characterized by bright sunny days and calm breezes, with the average annual temperature hovering around 72 degrees. It is a good idea to put on sunscreen when participating in any outdoor activities in the area. The area has a variety of natural beaches, lakes, and rivers that create opportunities for snorkeling, diving, sailing, fresh or saltwater fishing, kayaking, cruising or sunbathing. The area has dozens of golf courses, and many championship events are hosted here, including the Champions Tour Outback Steakhouse Pro-Am.

Tampa at Night

Tampa Bay is known for its nightlife scene and the variety that it offers. Any night of the week there will be music in bars such as rock, reggae, blues, country, punk, salsa, and jazz. There are a few trendy spots with nightclub scenes tailored to sophisticated partygoers, such as Channelside and International Plaza’s Bay Street. The SoHo district offers the chance to mix and mingle with friends, while Ybor City is widely known as the place to be at night.

Nearby Cities and Towns

High Points

Tampa strengths, compared to Peers (similar size places nationally) or State (other places in Florida):

Category	Trophy
Racial Diversity (vs. Peers)	Top 8%
Affordability of Property Taxes (vs. Peers)	Top 13%
Public Transportation Use (vs. State)	Top 14%