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Once popular only as a major business centre, a new Tampa has emerged over the years from the shadow of a dull town that functioned as mundanely as the business dealings that would take place here. This new city has parks, fancy restaurants and active night life for recreation of the locals as well as zoos, aquariums, architecture and museums that draw an array of national and international tourist to this historic town along Florida’s Gulf Coast.
Visit the Busch Gardens
One of the most popular Tampa attractions, Busch Gardens is a place to have some family fun. Spanning for as much as 297 acres, there’s no limit to the activities that you can undertake here including animal watching, live shows, dining opportunities, shopping as well as gaming. Older than the nearby Walt Disney, the Busch Gardens has its own themed lands based on countries around the globe including as well as animal exhibits fashioned after the Serengeti Plain and the Myombe Reserve. Besides, park has educating activities centred on animal conservation. Don’t forget to check the park timings as they vary as per the season of the year.
Let Your Mind Float at the Florida Aquarium
If we think of a place that has marine life boasting over 20,000 plants and animal, we almost always imagine an ocean or a sea. The Florida Museum located in Downtown Tampa, however, contains this marine diversity within the confines of a few acres. But that doesn’t mean that it can be explored in jiffy, it’ll take you at least 3 hours to navigate through the scores of stingrays, moray eels and sea turtles inhabiting the museum. You will also get to see mighty sharks as well as adorable African penguins and polar bears here. The aquarium remains open between 9.30 am to 5pm every day.
Sail Away to Dolphins with a Boat Tour
The coastal location of Tampa makes it an ideal place to take a boat tour around its bay. Depending upon your inclination, you may choose sunset sails, half-day trips or everyone’s favourite dolphin cruises. In fact, you can club your Florida Aquarium visit with a Wild Dolphin Cruise that departs from the aquarium daily. You will find schools of bottlenose dolphins here and you can see them diving in their natural habitat. If you are lucky, you can also spot sea turtles that are sometimes seen in these waters.
Find Entertainment at the Tampa Theatre
Constructed in 1926, the Tampa theatre is highly recommended for an astounding film screening experience. Considered one of the world’s most ornate theatres, the ceiling of the Tampa theatre famously spots 99 bulbs representing the stars in the night sky. Designed by the celebrated architect John Eberson, the interiors of the theatre were fashioned to look like a Mediterranean Garden. If don’t fancy watching a film, take a 90-minute tour where you’ll hear stories on the art and architecture of the theatre.
Meet and Greet the Animals at the Tampa’s Lowry Park Zoo
Whether you are an animal lover or a curious onlooker, you’ll love it in the 60 acres environs of the Tampa Lowry Park Zoo. The 60-acres of this zoo hosts natural habitats of animals, water play areas along with a few rides. You will also get to see educational shows on animal conservation and awareness of their life and struggles. Among a score of animals you will have an encounter with are the African elephants, koalas, orangutans, penguins, giraffes as well as tigers. This family-friendly spot is best visited in the early hours of the morning when the temperatures are at their lowest and the animals at the peak of their energy.