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Tampa is the main city within the Tampa Bay region in the somewhat forgotten East Coast of Florida’s panhandle. Not only are some of the USA’s oldest urban areas located here (including St Petersburg), the average age of its inhabitants are the oldest in the country as well, making this region the retirement capital of the US. This clearly was not a great hook for tourism, so the last decade has seen a massive amount of investment into new start-of-the-art sporting and entertainment facilities, which explains why this smallish urban centre has been able to attract three sporting franchises to the Tampa region.

Some of the new attractions include the Florida Aquarium, which have recreated exhibitions of Florida's wetlands, marshes, bays and beaches, all under one roof. The aquarium has thousands of the state's aquatic animals and plants and a Coral Reefs Gallery, which is filled with sharks, rays, and barracuda. Thered are also several top-ranked zoos in Tampa – Busch Gardens, which is a huge open plains type zoo, and Lowry Park Zoo, your more conventional cage ‘em up zoo. The Museum of Science and Industry is worth going to if only for the fact that you can experience a real life hurricane, which are famous in these parts.

Like the rest of Florida, you can get your fair share of golfing, fishing, boating and gambling in and around Tampa. As well, over the Bay is St Petersburg, home of the Buccaneers, and some of Florida’s forgotten but relatively uncrowded beaches.

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Tampa Bay International Airport is located only 8km west of downtown Tampa. Tampa’s Hartline Bus Route 30 provides direct service between downtown Tampa and the Airport

Amtrak has several stations within the Tampa Bay region, with the most central being located at 601 Nebraska Ave in downtown Tampa. The Greyhound Terminal is located a couple of blocks away at 610 Polk Street.

Tampa Bay’s public transport system is bus based, with the Hillsborough Regional Transportation Authority (HART) providing services for the Tampa metropolitan region. Over the Bay in St Petersburg and surrounding towns, the Pinellas Suncoast Transit Authority (PSTA) provides bus services for this region.

TAMPA BAY BUCCANEERS

RAYMOND JAMES STADIUM

Ticket information through NFL

TAMPA BAY DEVIL RAYS

TROPICANA FIELD

Ticket information through MLB

TAMPA BAY LIGHTNING

ST PETE TIMES FORUM

Ticket information through NHL

Tropicana Field hosts the Devil Rays and is actually located in nearby St Petersburg at 1 Tropicana Drive. Opened in 1990, the Devil Rays played their first game there in 1998. Tropicana Field has a capacity of 45,000.

Tropicana Field is a domed stadium that actually belies its name. It was more accurately called the Thunderdome when it used to host the Lightning in its early formative years. The fibreglass roof is actually illuminated orange when the Devil Rays are not playing. Modern amenities include interactive game areas, a Devil Rays Fan Wall of Fame, a 3 story/365-day-a-year sports bar and retail shops are located outside the right and centre field walls.

Public transit access to St Petersburg from Tampa is a little difficult on the weekend and on weeknights. During the weekday, you can catch the special 100x service between Tampa and the Gateway Mall north of St Petersburg in Pinellas Park. From there you catch the PSTA Route 59 south along 4^th Av to St Petersburg, which goes past Tropicana Field. The Greyhound Bus is another option between St Petersburg and Tampa.

Raymond James Stadium, formerly called Houlihans Stadium, hosts the Buccaneers and is located at 4201 North Dale Mabry Highway, Tampa, about 7km north-west of downtown. Opened in 1998, the Stadium has a capacity of 65,500 and is located next to the old Houlihan Stadium. The Stadium was the site of the Superbowl in 2001. Its key architectural feature is location of a pirate ship at the end of the Stadium, which doubles as a function area for spectators during the game. It has become one of the most recognisable features of any ground in the US.

By public transit from downtown Tampa, take the Hartline Bus Route 7 north that goes to the Tampa Center Shopping Complex, which is across the road from the Stadium. Thankfully, unlike many services in Tampa, this route also runs on Sundays.

The St Pete Times Forum, or the Tampa Ice Palace as it was formally known, hosts the Lightning and is located at 401 Channelside Drive Tampa. Opened in 1996, the Palace has a capacity for ice hockey of 19,500. It is located in downtown Tampa on the Garrison Channel between the Florida Aquarium and the Tampa Convention Center.

By public transit, take the Hartline Bus Route 8 from downtown that goes directly past the Ice Palace or simply walk.

End February – Champions Tour Verizon Classic, TPC of Tampa Bay, 5300 W Lutz Lake Fern Rd, Lutz.

Ticket information to come

Tampa Bay Downs, 11225 Racetrack Road, Tampa (season: early Jan to early May).  

Tickets available at course

UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH FLORIDA

Ticket information through USF Bulls

The USF Bulls are located at 4202 E  Fowler Avenue, Tampa, which is about 20km north of downtown Tampa. The Bulls have teams in most sports, including football and men’s and women’s basketball. The football team plays out of the Raymond James Stadium, home of the Buccaneers. The basketball teams play out of the USF Sun Dome, which is located on campus and has a capacity of 11,500.

From downtown, catch the Hartline Bus Route 12 to the USF Transit Centre.