Tampa Airport is one of the main ways to reach the flourishing city of Tampa and the beautiful west coast resorts of Florida. Whether you’re visiting for work or a holiday, you’ll find that a hire car can help you get around both the city and the surrounding towns and beaches.
Tampa treats
From Tampa Airport, the city’s own attractions are just a short drive away. A little to the north of the city centre you’ll find Busch Gardens, one of Florida’s most popular theme parks. Busch’s special feature is combining both animals and white-knuckle rides. So look out for a range of thrilling water-rides and roller-coasters amid lush gardens that also house creatures like tigers and gorillas.
Nearby is the family-friendly Lowry Park Zoo. This park near I-275 is home to more than 2,000 animals, ranging from rhinos to penguins. In true crowd-pleasing Florida style the zoo also features a log flume water ride that crosses the park’s crocodile enclosure.
And completing the acclaimed trio of animal attractions on the south side of downtown, is the world-class Florida Aquarium. This houses a huge collection of more than 20,000 fish, animals and plants.
Old Tampa
It’s fun to explore the Ybor district of Tampa, just to the east of downtown. This was once a thriving area of cigar making and in 1929, around 500 million cigars were hand-rolled here. Today it has become a colourful neighbourhood with lively streets by day and a sizzling nightlife. And the Ybor City area is deemed a US National Historic Landmark.
Around the rest of Tampa the historic highlights include the 1914 City Hall, a ten-storey ornate brick landmark in the heart of the downtown. You’ll spot it by the huge clock on its tower. And don’t miss the Tampa Theatre. This beautifully restored symbol of the roaring twenties was once one of the US’s most modern and well equipped movie theatres. It still has an extraordinary ornate interior. Tampa Theatre is in the heart of the city and still makes a great spot to see a film.
Head for the seaside
From Tampa Airport you’ll find it’s easy to drive to the glorious sandy beaches of the Gulf Coast at resorts like St Petersburg, Bradenton and Sarasota. St Petersburg is just 20 miles to the southwest and is another major tourist destination with white sand beaches, calm turquoise seas and an inspiring dose of culture. Look out for the futuristic Salvador Dali Museum and the neo-classic Museum of Fine Arts.
Drive 40 miles due south and you’ll reach Bradenton on the far side of Tampa Bay. The glorious sand beach runs down a narrow offshore strip of land to Sarasota, another six miles south. At the northern tip of this are the millionaires’ beachside villas of Anna Maria Island.
Bradenton itself features a palm-fringed marina, a waterfront park and an intriguing collection of old Florida buildings in the Manatee Village Historical Park. At Sarasota you’ll find even more fine white sand beaches, a beachside botanical garden and another animal theme park. The Sarasota Jungle Gardens offer a mix of exotic vegetation and animals, including spider monkeys, parrots and alligators.
