Ports of Call - USA - Florida - Tampa
Cruise passengers love Tampa’s semi-tropical climate; and the waterfront area with its immediate access to the Gulf of Mexico is an ideal port for the cruise industry. Carnival, Holland America, Celebrity and Royal Caribbean cruise lines have been sailing from Tampa for years.
Once a small fishing village that later became the “Cigar Capital of the World,” Tampa Bay has become one of the Sunshine State’s most vibrant vacation destinations.
The adventure park Busch Gardens combines world-class thrill rides, Broadway-style live entertainment and one of North America’s largest zoos. Other attractions include Tampa Bay’s scientific playground at MOSI, The Florida Aquarium and Tampa Museum of Art,
The Hillsborough River flows through Tampa and is a popular recreation site for hiking, biking, horseback riding, fishing, canoeing and kayaking.
Where the river meets the bay in downtown Tampa is where tycoon Henry Plant built the opulent Tampa Bay Hotel in 1891. Now a National Historic Landmark, the hotel is the Henry Plant Museum with all original hotel furnishings depicting the turn-of-the-century Victorian lifestyle. Tampa has a variety of motels, hotels, inns and resorts.
Ybor City is Tampa’s Latin Quarter and one of only three National Historic Landmark Districts in the state. Ybor City’s culture and heritage lives on through its brick streets, wrought-iron balconies and globe street lamps. Historic buildings have turned into trendy boutiques, coffeehouses and nightclubs.
Photo courtesy Tampa Bay CVB
Main attractions in Tampa include:
Busch Gardens Tampa Bay
Ybor City
MOSI
Florida Aquarium
Beaches
Tampa Museum of Ar
Hillsborough River
Henry Plant Museum
Adventure Island
Dinosaur World (Plant City)
Discovery Cove (Orlando)
SeaWorld Orlando
Tampa's Lowry Park Zoo