Tampa, Florida

Tampa is a city located in Hillsborough County on the west coast of central Florida in the United States. Easily accessible by Interstate 4 and Interstate 75, it is the largest city in the Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater metropolitan area which is composed of roughly 2.6 million residents, making it the second largest MSA in the state behind the new Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach MSA, and third largest MSA in the south. It is also the third largest city in the state following Jacksonville (Duval County consolidated) and Miami. It is also the county seat of Hillsborough County{{GR|6}}. The Population within the city limits in 2004 according to the U.S. Census Bureau is 321,772. The area code served by the city is 813. Other cities in Hillsborough County include Temple Terrace, FL and Plant City, FL.

Attractions and points of interest

• Big Red Balloon Sightseeing Adventures offers hot air balloon rides.
• Hyde Park is an upscale district in South Tampa. There are many fine shops and restaurants in the area as well as a movie theatre.
• Malibu Grand Prix is an entertainment complex with two 18-hole miniature golf courses, a gameroom, and two race tracks.
• Seminole Gaming Palace - Seminole reservation, casino, Hard Rock Cafe
• The Skatepark of Tampa is a world-famous skatepark, with many professional skateboarders flocking to it in January for the Tampa Am, and in March, for the Tampa Pro.
• Tampa Union Station is an historic train station between downtown and Ybor City.
• Ybor City is a National Historic Landmark District near downtown. It is a hotspot at night (especially on the weekends due to the many nightclubs, bars, restaurants and other entertainment venues in the area). Ybor City and Tampa in general were an integral part of the Florida death metal scene.
• West Tampa south of Raymond James Stadium, includes many Cuban and Spanish businesses, along Columbus Drive. Columbus Drive is also known as Boliche Boulevard after a famous Cuban dish. La Teresita, La Ideal, Lincoln Restaurant, The Italian American Club, and the Letter Carriers Hall are some of the well known local gathering places in Tampa. The "Brothers to the Rescue" Corner monument is in West Tampa at Dale Mabry Highway and COlumbus Drive.

Cinemas

• Tampa Theatre is a historic movie palace that shows a wide range of independent, foreign and classic films in addition to an occasional live show. It also is the home of several film festivals that occur throughout the year.
• Museum of Science and Industry (MOSI) has an IMAX dome theater
• The Fun-Lan Drive-In is the only drive-in theater left in Tampa. Fun-Lan has four screens each showing first-run movies. There is also a flea market in the morning five days per week.

Colleges and universities

• Florida Metropolitan University (FMU)
• Hillsborough Community College has several campuses around the Tampa Bay area.
• University of South Florida (USF) is located in north Tampa, near the Busch Gardens amusement park, and the town of Temple Terrace.
• University of Tampa (UT) is located next to downtown Tampa, on the Hillsborough River, where it enters Tampa Bay. UT is a preferred winter practice destination for northern rowing teams from Ivy League schools.

High schools

• Alonso High School
• The Academy of the Holy Names
• Armwood High School
• Berkeley Preparatory School
• Blake High School (named after Howard W. Blake)
• Bloomingdale High School
• Brandon High School
• Chamberlain High School
• Durant High School
• East Bay High School
• Freedom High School
• Gaither High School
• H.B.Plant High School
• Hillsborough High School
• Jefferson High School
• Jesuit High School of Tampa
• King High School
• Leto High School
• Middleton High School
• Newsome High School
• Plant City High School
• Riverview High School
• Robinson High School
• Sickles High School
• Tampa Bay Technical High School
• Tampa Catholic High School
• Tampa Preparatory School
• Wharton High School

Middle schools

• Adams
• Benito
• Ben Hill
• Booker T. Washington
• Buchanan
• Coleman
• Davidsen
• Dowdell
• Eisenhower
• Farnell
• Ferrell
• Franklin
• Greco
• Hill
• Liberty
• Madison
• Monroe
• McLane
• Memorial
• Orange Grove
• Pierce
• Progress Village
• Roland Park
• Sligh
• Stewart
• Van Buren
• Walker
• Webb
• Williams
• Wilson
• Young

Additionally, middle school students visit Nature's Classroom, an outdoor biology program. There is also a K-8 facility, James, with another one, The New Rampello K-8 School, under construction. It will open in August of 2005.

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Live theatre

• Friday Morning Musicale 809 Horatio Street, Tampa, Florida (813) 251-1990. The building, originally built in 1926, now serves as a community center and theatre. It is located in Hyde Park area of South Tampa.
• Gorilla Theatre is an intimate venue in Drew park.
• Tampa Bay Performing Arts Center is located in downtown on the Hillsborough river and hosts a variety of live shows and concerts
• Tampa Theatre shows classic and art house films. It occasionally hosts live performances.

Museums

• African Art Gallery
• American Victory Museum
• Centre gallery student art gallery at University of South Florida
• Cigar Museum And Visitor Center is in Ybor City.
• Henry B. Plant Museum is located at the University of Tampa across the river from downtown.
• Museum Of Science and Industry (MOSI)
• Salvador Dalí Museum is located across the bay in downtown Saint Petersburg, Florida. It boasts one of the largest collections of Salvador Dalí's art in the world.
• Saunders Planetarium is part of MOSI.
• Tampa Bay History Center is in downtown.
• Tampa Museum of Art is in downtown on the Hillsborough river.
• Tampa Police Museum is in downtown.
• Ybor City Museum State Park is near downtown Tampa in Ybor City.

Shopping centers

• International Plaza and Bay Street, located in the Westshore business district, is home to many upscale department stores (with Nordstrom, Dillard's, Robb & Stucky Interiors and Neiman Marcus as anchors) as well as a hotel that was recently built on the premises.
• WestShore Plaza is a upper-middle class shopping center, one mile away from International Plaza and Bay Street. On the middle class end, the mall is anchored by Sears and JCPenney, and on the higher end, anchored by Macy's and Saks Fifth Avenue.
• University Mall, in the northern part of the city near the University of South Florida, with Sears, JCPenney, Macy's, Dillard's, and Burlington Coat Factory as anchors.

Sports teams

Tampa is home to four major professional sports teams and a number of minor league teams.

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• Major League Baseball: Tampa Bay Devil Rays: Tropicana Field in St. Petersburg, Florida
• National Football League: Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Raymond James Stadium in Tampa
• National Hockey League: Tampa Bay Lightning: St. Pete Times Forum in Tampa
• Arena Football League: Tampa Bay Storm: St. Pete Times Forum in Tampa
• Major League Soccer: Tampa Bay Mutiny: defunct
• Florida State League (Single-A baseball): Tampa Yankees: Legends Field in Tampa
• Additionally, the New York Yankees of Major League Baseball play spring training games at Legends Field.

Zoological gardens and aquaria

• Big Cat Rescue is a non-profit sanctuary for large cats. The facility is in the Citrus Park area and is open to the public.
• Busch Gardens is a popular theme park with rides, shows and animals.
• Florida Aquarium is located in the Channel District near downtown.
• Lowry Park Zoo is rated one of the nation's top mid-sized zoos.
• Suncoast Primate Sanctuary.
• University of South Florida Botanical Gardens.