Thursday, May 7, 2009

Destination: Tampa, FL

Okay so Brandon and I both live in the Tampa Bay area so it’s possible that we may have somewhat of a biased opinion. However, with that said, neither one of us would ever recommend or reside in a location that was anything less than enviable. Although we are both extremely familiar with the hot spots and local special events, we still take the time to explore new areas, overlooked bars, chill beach spots, or recently opened locations. I suggest you check back often for updated posts regarding the Tampa Bay and Clearwater areas.















In our opinion, Tampa is by far the most overlooked city in Florida. Sure, most of America’s population has heard about Busch Gardens, Adventure Island, and of course our many sports teams like the Tampa Bay Lightning, Buccaneers and Rays. However, there is so much more than that! I considered myself to be pretty spoiled due to the fact that I was born and raised in Clearwater. However- Brandon, on the other hand, hasn’t been as fortunate. He came across Tampa by an accident due to a unfortunate Christmas trip to Boca Raton, FL. On his way back from Boca to North Carolina (where he lived at the time) he decided to randomly stop and get a hotel room for the night. As you could probably tell, he fell in love with the beautiful scenery, relaxed atmosphere, and tropical weather… he was hooked. One thing lead to another and three months later he was Tampa Bay’s newest resident.

Tampa (and the surrounding area referred to as Tampa Bay) offers everything you could want, from outdoor activities, award winning beaches, popular night life and stunning downtown area. It also happens to be home to Gasparilla which is an annual pirate parade that is only rivaled by Mardis Gras, a Super bowl venue, concert hot spots, as well as a hub for college championship games such as SEC basketball and ACC football.

Tampa is without a doubt one of the fittest cities in America. Perhaps it's because of the beautiful weather year round, gyms located on every corner, or possibly due to one of our many treasures, Bayshore Blvd. Bayshore Blvd is a haven for runners, walkers, bikers and roller bladers. Stretching for 4.5 miles along the bay, it’s the longest continuous sidewalk in the world. It’s no wonder Tampanian’s take advantage of this site as often as possible, Lined with extravagant homes, and manicured palm tress- it’s a site to behold. If you're lucky you may witness dolphins swimming just off Bayshore Blvd, it's a fairly common site!



















Your key to getting around Tampa, and any city for that matter, is to understand how it's laid out. As with every city there are districts, sections and clever neighborhood names; each offering you a different experience, social environment, and surrounding. Below we will take a look at the most common areas and what each is known for.

*TIP* Need Bar or Restaurant Recommendations? Email us!

Downtown Tampa
Located at the intersection of I-4 and I-275, Downtown Tampa is a quaint yet lively city. This area is slowly becoming more compared to Miami and Fort Lauderdale with the large development of condo high rises, such as Skypointe and The Element. Although there aren’t many restaurants or bars located within the designated downtown area, it’s clear that it is growing at a rapid pace. Just south of downtown is the Channelside district which houses the St. Pete Times Forum. The Forum is home to the Tampa Bay Lightning (hockey), numerous concerts and shows, as well as college basketball tournaments. Channelside Plaza is located next to the St. Pete Times Forum and is considered to be one of Tampa’s popular club/hangout areas. The plaza is filled with restaurants and bars which range from casual waterfront to elegant dining. Within the same plaza is the Port of Tampa where a few Carnival, Royal Caribbean and Norwegian Cruise lines ships dock. Right next door to the port is the Florida Aquarium which is supposed to be an awesome attraction, although neither of us have visited yet.






























South Howard (SOHO) and Hyde Park
Just 1.5 miles west of downtown Tampa is South Howard Avenue, also referred to as SOHO. A few blocks of South Howard is dedicated for night life entertainment and social gatherings, which I can promise you is by far one of the most energetic and desirable “party” locations in the Tampa Bay area. There are numerous bars and restaurants that offer both reasonably priced food and drinks. The weekends in Tampa begins on Wednesday and runs right through Sunday, with Thursday and Saturday being the most eventful. However, no matter what day of the week it is- lively, and more importantly- attractive, bar goers will be present and ready to partake in the Howard Hop. [[The Howard Hop is strictly for those who know how to have a good time. Can’t decide on a bar? No problem- The SOHO district has multiple bars within close proximity that offer no cover charge… making it both convenient and fun to switch up locations!]] Bars like CHEAP, MacDintons, The Kennedy, The Lime, Hyde Park Café (HPC), and Cork are the most popular in this area. South Howard ad Hyde Park is primarily a chill, laid back location- however both Hyde Park Café and MacDintons have pretty popular club like areas. FYI- Both Brandon and I prefer CHEAP and MacDintons.

Please note that South Howard is considered to be a prestigious yet lively location. Hint- dress the part all while avoiding looking like a douche or common whore. For girls- the key is to not dress like you get paid to have sex- it’s pretty simple. For guys- it gets a little tricky but for some reason, I feel like you should know this information already. However, I’m constantly running into guys in South Howard that don’t know how to dress so I’ll toss out a couple of suggestions. Sparkly, bedazzled out shirts with swirly or wing like designs on the chest and/or back area, tight jeans, and backwards hats are not acceptable- I don’t care who you are!

Ybor City
Ybor is considered to be the “Historic District” of Tampa Bay. I could say I know the impact this area had on the community and the Tampa Bay area in general… however that would be a lie. Of course, as you could imagine, I do know what kind of night life it offers. If you think that “Historic Districts” refers to old, somewhat dilapidated buildings with old appliances mixed with a bit of modern designed interiors and new technology then you’re right. However, when it comes to Ybor- old buildings/warehouses and appliances are far from being maintained, let alone preserved. New technology just means that they house DJ booths, phone lines, and the occasional large screen television. Ybor is known for its chaotic club scene, cheap drinks, and large crowds. This is definitely a hot spot for the “less experienced” clubbers and bar goers. What I mean by that, is it seems that Tampa Bay puts such emphasis on the Ybor area when really, its just a good time for those who are younger than 21 or who don’t have a clue as to what other surrounding districts have to offer. In general, whenever I go to Ybor I get a “Shit, I’m on a public bus in the middle the projects” feeling. Aside from the filthy and low class atmosphere, it does have its random, once ever 5-6 months moments.

Let me add, that for those who are interested, Ybor does house some of the most known and active gay bars such as Honey Pot, G-Bar, and Flirt. I’ll agree that although I’m personally not a fan of Ybor, my gay friends and I had a good time.

USF Area
Located north of downtown off of I-275 is the USF area. This area is most notable for housing the University of South Florida and it's many students. Like all designated college spots, this area offers multiple college bars (18+) and pretty much nothing else when it comes to night life choices. If you’re into pitchers of cheap/old beer, smoke filled pool halls, and inebriated 19-20 year olds then I’m sure you will be pleased with this setting. Although Busch Gardens, a family oriented theme park, can be found within the USF area- I wouldn’t necessarily consider it to be the safest location. If you do plan on exploring this area, please remember to lock your doors, keep an eye on your drink at all times, and please kids- don’t talk to strangers or willingly get into windowless white vans!

New Tampa
New Tampa is north of downtown by about 15 miles. Considered to be more of the family oriented, or what Brandon likes to call “the suburban”, area. New Tampa is a quiet, peaceful area that is populated with large homes, fenced in yards, and newly constructed developments. Expect lots of new restaurants and shopping centers, sparse if any night life options, and middle aged women walking their beloved pooch/pushing in this area


Brandon & Jenny - Caribbean experts on information you SHOULD know but nobody tells you! www.tips-fb.com

No comments:

Post a Comment