Downtown Tampa and the Convention Center in the foreground
Photo by: RudolfStricker, Creative Commons
The city of Tampa is on the west coast of Florida. It is the state’s second largest metropolitan area with around 2.7 million people residing in its four counties. Previously inhabited by a variety of indigenous cultures, Tampa is now a highly urbanized city that is home to people who live the fast paced lifestyle in a sprawling city while preserving the quiet calm of nature’s beauty – a distinction that has earned it the rank of the 5th best outdoor city as released by Forbes magazine.
Tampa is a city that thrives on activity, dynamism, and variety, highly evident in the different architectural designs that line the city, the skyscrapers that tower over the area, and the slew of facilities – educational, sports, artistic, industrial – that can be found at every turn. There is something to do here for everyone whether in water or on land that it hardly comes as a surprise that a lot of people flock to Tampa all year round.
Among the notable things that people go to Tampa for are its many educational facilities consisting of universities and top notch primary and secondary schools, art venues and entertainment centers that are home to different talented performing arts companies such as The Florida Orchestra, Opera Tampa, and Stageworks theatre. Museums that hold exhibits on various fields can also be found in different areas of the city.
Must see for tourists are the Museum of Science and Industry, which has three floors of science related exhibits as well as a planetarium and the only domed IMAX theatre in Florida, the Tampa Bay Historic Center, and the SS American Victory a museum ship that has previously seen action in World War II. The city’s serious side is balanced by a robust nightlife along the many bars and clubs in certain areas of the city as well as a bevy of parks and beaches where one can just enjoy the sun and take in the pleasures of living.