Tampa began its life in 1539 when Spanish explorers arrived and started a small outpost. The town began to grow rapidly in the late 1800’s after Henry B. Plant extended his railroad there and trade began to boom. Tampa has been well known for its cigar industry which also boomed in the late 1800s. Today, fueled by an excellent business community, a growing port, and active tourism, Tampa is one of the fastest growing cities in the state of Florida.

1. Busch Gardens: The Busch Gardens is the number one attraction in the town of Tampa. It offers a two-in-one kind of attraction in that it offers an outstanding zoo along with an amazing series of thrill rides. The zoo offers over 2,000 animals for viewing and has a safari ride where you can see lions, gorillas, zebras, and giraffes in a Serengeti Plain setting. The rides offer everything from “Land of the Dragons” for the kids to Kumba – the largest and one of the fastest roller coasters in Florida. The newest ride at Busch Gardens is SheiKra which positions you in a vertical position staring at the ground for 4 seconds before plunging straight down at over 70 mph into an underground tunnel before re-emerging and doing it all over again. Adventure Island is located adjacent to the Busch Gardens and is a Key West themed water park covering 30 acres. Busch Gardens is located at 3605 E. Bougainvillea Ave., Tampa, 33612. Telephone (813)987-5209.

2. Florida Aquarium: The monstrous aquarium is hard to miss. It is located on the waterfront and sports a large blue, shell shaped roof. The aquarium offers a wide variety of experiences. Along with the normal display tanks full of exotic fish, you will find natural habitat displays featuring alligators, otters, and birds, you will find The Florida Coral Reefs Gallery where you can go underwater to view coral and fish through a giant glass wall, you can even take a 90 minute cruise around the bay. Located at 701 Channelside Drive, Tampa 33602. Telephone (813)273-4000.

3. Tampa Bay Rays: The local baseball team (located in St. Petersburg) was brought into MLB in 1998 and were originally named the Tampa Bay Devil Rays and wore green and black. The team plays in the always tough American League East with the Yankees, Red Sox, and Blue Jays. They finished out of last only once prior to 2008. It was decided that change was in order so the team was renamed the Tampa Bay Rays and their colors were changed to blue and gold. In 2008 the Rays responded to the changes by becoming the American League Champions and but eventually losing to the Philadelphia Phillies in the World Series 4 games to 1. The Tampa Bay Rays play in cozy, 45,000 seat Tropicana Field. Tropicana Field is a domed stadium and can be enjoyed in any weather. Located at 1 Tropicana Dr. St., St. Petersburg, 33705. Telephone (888)FAN-RAYS

4. Tampa Bay Buccaneers: The Tampa Bay Buccaneers were brought into the NFL in 1976 as an expansion team. They took a long time to achieve a consistent level of success and wore those bright orange uniforms which made them difficult to love. Today, the Buccaneers have redesigned uniforms, play in the relatively new (opened in 1998) 65,700 seat Raymond James Stadium and now known for their bone-crunching defense, have achieved a consistently high level of play. Located at 4201 Dale Mabry Hwy., Tampa 33614. Telephone (ticket office) (813)879-2827.

5. Henry B. Plant Museum: When you arrive in Tampa, one thing that catches your attention is a huge brick building with silver spires reaching to the sky. This is the old Tampa Bay Hotel which was built by Henry B. Plant in 1891 to house the well-to-do passenger on his rail line. The building cost over three million to build and was furnished in luxurious fashion for another five hundred thousand. The hotel was a failure and was purchased by the city in 1905. It then became part of the University of Tampa in 1933. The Henry B. Plant Museum is located on the ground floor of the south wing in the Tampa Bay Hotel. The museum features items that were original to the hotel such as a collection of Wedgwood china, Venetian mirrors, and 18th century French furniture. Located at 401 W. Kennedy Boulevard, Tampa, 33606. Telephone: (813)254-1891.

6. Tampa Museum of Art: The museum has more items to display than it can put out at one time so the collection is always in rotation. The Tampa Museum of Art offers Greek and Roman antiquities, 20th century American fine art, and an outdoor sculpture garden. Located at 600 N. Ashley Drive, Tampa, 33602. Telephone: (813)274-8130.

7. Tampa Theater: The Tampa Theater was designed by architect John Eberson in 1926. The architect strove to create the feeling that you were outside while in the theater. Twinkling overhead lights simulate stars, smoke machines simulate clouds, and there is lighting effects that simulate the sun rising. There are elaborate tours through the Tampa Theater which are conducted twice a month which feature a movie about the theater and a mini-concert put on using a 1,000 pipe organ. The best way to see this theater though is to simply go see a movie. Located at 711 N. Franklin Street, Tampa, 33602. Telephone (813)274-8981

8. Ybor City: Ybor city was created when Don Vicente Martinez Ybor relocated his cigar business from Key West to Tampa in 1886. He brought with him some 20,000 migrant workers. This section of Tampa became a boom town through the early 1900s. The cigar business has died out but Ybor City has recreated itself into a maze of clubs, restaurants, and of course, cigar shops. This section of Tampa really comes alive in the nighttime. Ybor City is located 3 miles due east of downtown Tampa.

9. Columbia Restaurant: This is the oldest restaurant in all of Florida. The Columbia Restaurant consumes an entire city block on 7th avenue. The restaurant features Latino food and the flamenco dancing makes for a lively, fun evening out. Located at 2117 E. 7th Avenue, Ybor City, 33605. Telephone (813)248-4961