Tampa, the largest city in the Tampa Bay area and the third-largest city in Florida, is a bustling tourist destination. With a humid subtropical climate, it teems with gardens, parks, zoos, museums, historic architecture, restaurants and shopping outlets. Regarding accommodations, a large range of vacation home rentals in Tampa—villas, cottages, condos, cabins and apartments and chalets—furnished with all the modern facilities and amenities are available at the very best prices.
Why Visit Tampa?
Tampa is an ideal vacation destination for various things—big rides and thrills, excellent dining and shopping, dazzling nightlife, and thrilling water sports activities. If you love any of these activities, do not shirk from visiting this vacation destination.
Things to Visit in Tampa
Tampa boasts many popular attractions that are dedicated to its unspoilt nature, a rich history and culture, Avant-Garde arts and galleries, interesting science and amazing wildlife. So, spare your time to visit the following:
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Busch Gardens: Spread over 335-acre of land, this is a sprawling family entertainment and adventure park that features thrill rides and live performances of wild animals in their habitats. Safari tours are available here to enable tourists to see grazing animals on the plains. Many special animal tours are also available, including a chance to hand-feed giraffes and kangaroos. You will find to do myriad things to do in this park, including water rides, kiddie rides and roller coaster.
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Tampa Zoo at Lowry Park: As one of the most popular zoos in Tampa, it features over 2, 000 animals, including Australia, Asia and Africa. It is also home to a large aquarium and three pools that are used for the treatment of ill or injured manatees. While visiting this zoo, you can go close to some of the birds and animals—Indian rhino, tortoises, penguin, etc.—to feed them with your hands. It also provides some rides, including a safari, a mini train ride and a roller coaster.
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Henry B. Plant Museum: Once owned by Henry Plant, a railroad tycoon, it was transformed into a museum in 1933. It is a luxurious Victorian palace with distinctive Moorish features. It traces the history of the Plant’s contribution and the hotel to the development of Tamp and Florida. Its various rooms—the Garden Room, the Reading and Writing Room and the Grand Hall have fine period furnishings and enables visitors to peep into the lifestyle of Henry B. Plant.
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Sunshine Skyway: Located on I 275/US 19, this toll bridge is a major source of attraction to tourists. With 12 miles length, it curves gracefully across the entrance to Tampa Bay. The most impressive feature of this bridge is the 4.25-mile middle section, which remains suspended from two gigantic pylons to give room to allow the passage of large ocean-going vessels beneath. By driving over the bridge, you can see the beautiful views of the ocean and take photographs.
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Big Cat Rescue: This is a famous wildlife sanctuary with over 60 animals including lynx, jaguar, bobcats, caracals, servals, leopards, lions and tigers. Here, you will learn about the care and rehabilitation of these animals. The mission of this non-government organization is to stop the illegal trade of big cats. Remember that you are allowed to visit it on a guided tour, which you should book well in advance. If you are visiting it with a child below the age of 10 years, you must go for ‘Kids tour’ which is available on a few days.
Beaches near Tampa Florida
Beaches are the great places in Tampa for tourists to spend holidays amidst its white sand, plentiful sunshine and lots of things to do. The most popular beaches located here are the following:
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Redington Beach: If you want to enjoy a vacation without a crowd, this beach is the right place for you. It has a relaxed atmosphere with bars, restaurants, shops and parking. If you come to enjoy a vacation in this beach with your kids, your vacation pleasure will know no bounds as they will get to play in the sand.
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Clearwater Beach: If spring break is your weakness, this beach is your favorite destination. It has clean sand, stunning sunsets, warm water and great dining facilities. The splish-splash activities available here include boat trips, parasailing, jet-skiing, etc. Nightlife is also very enjoyable activity here.
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St Pete Beach: As one of the best beaches in Tampa, it has lovely sunset and cool ambience. You can relax here for long hours and bake in the sun. As a nature lover, you can enjoy a boat tour in search of birds and turtles. Many water sports activities are also available here. Seafood is very popular in this beach.
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Pass a Grille Beach: As a part of the longest public beach in the country, it is an ideal place for tourists to relax. Fishing tours and sunset tours are available here. Outdoor markets, shopping and restaurants make it a complete vacation destination for tourists. Water sports activities are also available here.
Best Time to Visit Tampa
In terms of weather, tourism and safety, the best time to visit Tampa is from October 22ndto April 15th. During this time, the minimum temperature is 45°F (7°C) and the maximum temperature is 85°F (30°C). The average temperature hovers between 55°F to 75°F (13°C to 49°C). The probability of rainfall is less than 14% i.e., it may rain once a week on average. But there is no snowfall on the ground.
How to Visit Tampa?
Whether you are a national or international tourist, you can easily access Tampa. The main airports located here are Punta Gorda Airport, Sarasota–Bradenton International Airport, St. Pete–Clearwater International Airport and Tampa International Airport. The local means of transportation include buses, taxis and cars.
Vacation Home Rentals in Tampa
FindAmericanRentals, one of the most reliable Tampa vacation rentals by owner, offers no-booking-fee vacation rentals to tourists at very affordable prices around the clock on a prompt basis. So, you can contact it anytime to book your accommodations.
