Tampa Florida
If you want to take in more on your trip to Florida than an audience with the Big Mouse, a side trip to Tampa Florida might just be the answer. Get through the scruffy suburban sprawl and you'll be rewarded with historic buildings side by side with sparkling high rise, excellent museums and theatres, easy access to some of the state's best beaches, incredible wildlife encounters and plenty of good hotels.
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Tampa Florida is close to the best that the state has to offer and makes a great side trip from Orlando or a less hectic base for a longer vacation. Deep in the heart of the city's old cigar industry area is Ybor City, a national historic landmark district full of handsome former cigar warehouses and factories, wrought iron balconies and a host of eateries and bars.
One of Ybor's greatest draws is the Tampa Theater dating from 1926. Perfectly preserved with all its original fittings, the theatre plays classic and independent movies and has some theatrical performances. A traditional Wurlitzer organ is played before each show.
Another great attraction is the Museum of Science and Industry, a fantastic hands-on science museum, and a haven for children. Between the flight simulator, Gulf Coast hurricane and the longest high-wire bike in a U.S. museum (where your kids can cycle a 98-foot-long cable suspended 30 feet above the ground) they'll be begging to come back for more.
There are plenty of animal attractions in the area too from gator canoe trips on the city's Hillsborough River to manatee encounters at the city's Lowry Park Zoo. Alternatively check out the Florida Aquarium where you can see alligators hatch, question divers on a coral reef who will point out the answers to your questions or orgaize a boat trip to see dolphins in Tampa Bay.
From Tampa you can visit Busch Gardens theme park and Adventure Island waterpark - two massive attractions in their own right. But if you've had enough of manufactured-attractions and fancy some natural hot spots a trip to the beaches of St Petersburg will keep you happy. Here you can wallow in the sunshine, walk the silver white beaches and laze around the pool drinking cocktails.
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