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Overview
Settled by immigrants from Spain, Cuba and Italy, the city of Tampa has a rich multi-cultural heritage. In the late 19th and early 20th centuries, the Cuban population developed a thriving cigar industry in Ybor City, and even today smoke shops and tobacconists line the streets of this historic Tampa district. The Ybor City State Museum has preserved several historic buildings in the area, and Tampa visitors can tour the old Ferlita Bakery and La Casita, a home once occupied by factory workers, for a glimpse of the neighborhood's history.
Today, as in the past, the city of Tampa maintains a large shipping industry, but its booming economy also relies heavily on tourism, finance, agriculture, health care and real estate. The downtown Tampa Bay Performing Arts Center and St. Pete Times Forum, the Tampa Bay Lighting's NHL arena, regularly attract large crowds to the city, and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers provide one of the most popular reasons for visiting. Tampa family vacations are sure to include Busch Gardens, an Africa-themed zoo and theme park, and with the Tampa Museum of Art and Museum of Science and History added to the mix, there are plenty of interesting things to do in Tampa for tourists of all ages and interests.
As for food and entertainment in Tampa, the city boasts boisterous clubs and irresistible restaurants, from waterfront seafood houses and tapas bars to Italian eateries and breweries. Among the city's classic choices are Bern's Steakhouse in the Tampa SoHo district, and Columbia Restaurant, a beautiful Spanish dining establishment in Ybor City. New restaurants pop up frequently, particularly in the SoHo neighborhood, and Tampa's trendsetters frequent the sleek environ of T. C. Choy's for innovative Asian cuisine, or dig into gourmet omelets at the breakfast counter of Daily Eats.
Exuding energy and passion, Tampa nightclubs are often internationally themed, and always lively. And while visitors will find plenty of easy-going pubs and a handful of sleek cocktail bars, dancing is essential to the Tampa nightlife scene. Popular dance clubs like Club Prana and Empire & Climax in Ybor City are always a hit, but for the liveliest gig of all, schedule your Tampa vacation for the weekend of the Gasparilla Pirate Fest. Tampa festivals don’t get much better than Gasparilla, where visitors experience killer shows, a parade, and a giant celebration on the Tampa waterfront. It’s here that guests come to appreciate the scenery, nautical heritage and spirit of celebration that mark the city’s character.
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