Tampa


 * Travel Tips for Tampa, Florida:**


 * St. Petersburg Wikitravel Website:** [])
 * Tampa Wikitravel Website**: []
 * Clearwater Wikitravel Website**: []
 * Winter Haven Wikitravel Website**: []
 * Sarasota Wikitravel Website**: []


 * Ron Watkins - January 2013:**

I thought I never post anything on this site, been to lots of interesting places, stayed at some very nice hotels/resorts, but my latest trip to Tampa, FL. prompted me to want to share with you a place I stayed at. "Sailport Waterfront Suites" a property I found on iD90. I was very impressed by the location, cleanliness, room rate and friendly staff. Only 5 min from airport ($13 for cab ride), surrounded by water on three sides, close to shopping, restaurants and other attractions, and they provide free shuttle service to most of those locations. Its not the Ritz but very clean and well kept, covered parking, onsite security. Average cost per night around $89.00. Keep in mind this is a suite complete with kitchen.


 * Roger Martensen - December 2011:**

I have traveled to the Tampa area many times in the last couple of years. It can't be a day trip and you will need to rent a car at the airport. Florida car rentals are fairly inexpensive.

You can get to many great beaches in about 7-10 minutes from the airport, Clearwater being the closest and best. Just follow the signs for the beaches once you leave the airport. Lots of restaurants on the beach where you can eat with your toes in the sand.

If you decide to stay a few days, I would recommend going to one of the keys off Sarasota. Sarasota is located about 40 minutes south of Tampa on the other side of the bay. Take the highway for the Sky bridge out of the airport and it will take you over the bay, (what a view), and hook on to I-75 south. Go a few miles and you will see signs for the beaches.

Any of the keys are fine but they all have their own personality. The first one you come to is Ana Maria and it is the most laid back and the cheapest on which to stay, still pretty expensive in the winter. Not alot to do there except hang on the beach.

The next one is Longboat Key and it is the most expensive, still not alot to do there unless you are spending big bucks and stay at a resort that includes a golf course. Very nice and upscale.

Next up is Lido Key, not real place to stay but home of Armond Circle, very upscale expensive small shopping district. Fun place to go for a few hours, the beach is nice and only a block or two from the shopping. Access it from downtown Sarasota, don't miss the famous sailor, nurse statue at the bridge over. Captain Jacks by the statue is a great place to have lunch and watch the boats come into the harbor. You can also walk to downtown Sarasota from the restaurant and it is a good 2 hours of entertainment.

Last up is Siesta Key, my favorite. Cool little downtown region on the island and the the beach has been voted the best beach in American so many times, it has been removed from consideration. The sand is like powdered sugar and the beach is flat and wide. Count on an hour and a half to stroll from one end to the other. There is a free yoga class by the public beach at 8:00 summer, 9:00 winter, Monday, Wednesday, Friday and Saturday. Lots of great restaurants on main street one block off the beach.

If you are in the mood for some golf, call ahead to Oakford G.C.. It is off I-75, east on the Fruitdale exit about 8 miles. It is a beautiful 27 hole course and if you get a tee time in advance, book it for right after 2:00 pm and the cost is only $20 for 18 holes with a cart. You won't be sorry if you like golf, it is an incredible deal.

On the way back to the airport, look for the signs for the manatee watching station at the power plant if you want to view these guys before you leave.

Feel free to contact me if you have any questions, I have a home in the area and have lots more information if you are heading that way. Roger Martenson


 * Mike Summers - March 2012:**

Roger's information above was right-on. My son and I went to Tampa/Sarasota for some spring-training baseball. We were not disappointed. After landing at TPA, we headed to the Tampa Bay Brewing Company (Website: [] ) where the beer was excellent and the calamari was tasty. We loved the Meat Loaf! The Brew Company is located in the Ybor City section (Websites: [] and [] and []) of Tampa near downtown. Lots of other nightlife in this area. Another restaurant near the airport that we visited before flying home was The Refinery (Website: [] ), I tried pumpkin gnocchi which was very good. We went south to Sarasota for baseball. While there, we tried a couple of restaurants. One was the Sarasota Brewing Company (Website: [] ) which had excellent pizza and salads. The beer was excellent also. Based on Roger's comments above, we also visited Siesta Key and ate at the Lobster Pot (Website: [] ). The food was excellent. It's a New England seafood place in Florida! Here's a list of other restaurants on Siesta Key: []). My son and I also checked out the many beaches from St. Pete north to Clearwater. Here's some websites about St. Pete Beaches: [] and [] . Of the tiki bars that you'll find every 500 feet along the shore, Paradise Grille (Website: [] ) is the best dinner stop. Enjoy a cheeseburger (in Paradise) and fries while listening to a guitarist doing Cash or Travis. After eating, head a little further south along the beach to earn your dessert: a scoop of ice cream or some fresh ground coffee at Paradise Sweets (Reviews: [] ). If you want seafood, the overwater Wharf restaurant (Website: [] ) has great seafood in a great location. Order the grouper which comes with a lemony relish of olives, capers, and tomatoes is a hit. Another restaurant worth visiting is Sloppy Joes (Website: [] ); they have the biggest, tenderist calamari that I've ever enjoyed. If you want the best place for breakfast, head to the Seahorse and try the maple-pecan pancakes. Limited, but excellent breakfast food (Review: [] ). If you want something to do during a rainy day, two choices: 1) visit the Dali Museum near downtown St. Pete (Website: [] ) which is about ten miles from the beach, but worth the drive or 2) visit the Chihuly Collection of blown-glass sculptures (Website: [] ) which resemble forests, gardens, and coral reefs. If you're a beach guy like me, you need a minimum of two nights, but a week would not be out of the question. Oh, I forgot to mention, but the water temperature in March was 77 degrees! Enjoy! Mike Summers