TAMPA  "THE HEART OF TAMPA BAY"

So much to see and do! Tampa Bay – the second largest metro area in Florida – offers a variety of treasures in the communities that surround its beautiful waters. From gleaming high rises and the rich Latin heritage of Tampa, to St. Petersburg’s European-style charm of café-lined streets along the nation’s most beautiful waterfront, and to Clearwater’s white sand beaches, Tampa Bay offers everything under the sun.

A visitor here can enjoy it all within a 45-minute drive from their hotel. Three bridges span Tampa Bay, and the drive yields a spectacular vista of all that is Florida: palm trees, gliding pelicans and dolphins paint a picture of a paradise where summer never ends. Thirty-five miles of some of the best beaches in the world border the Gulf of Mexico: from Clearwater’s pristine Caladesi Island to south beyond St. Petersburg and the expansive Fort de Soto Beach. Here, fresh grouper is king, and golden sunsets are the dessert to cap off a perfect day in the sun.

Just minutes away in downtown St. Petersburg, this resort city boomed while the big bands played and is now home to a thriving arts community. Seven arts districts, dozens of galleries, world-class museums such as the Dali Museum and the Chihuly Collection, and a rising curtain on a host of performing arts rival the best arts cities in the world. And, sandwiched between museums and galleries, is stylish Beach Drive, a European promenade with open-air cafés overlooking beautiful waterfront parks, Mediterranean-tiled towers and the masts of sailboats.

Tampa’s Busch Gardens is not only one of America’s most popular theme parks with heart-palpitating rollercoasters, but it is also home to one of the largest zoos in the United States. Downtown Tampa’s Riverwalk provides a linear path past the Tampa Museum of Art, Curtis Hixon Park and the city’s gleaming business district. And less than a minute away, the Ybor City Historic District, where former cigar factories transformed into restaurants and nightclubs and the smell of Cuban coffee seems to seep from the old hexagon block sidewalks. 

From the shores of Tampa Bay, discover everything from 21st century cities embracing the future, to spinetingling rollercoasters, the crack of a Major League Baseball bat and the perfect place to nestle your toes in the sand. We invite you to explore and discover the treasures of Tampa Bay.

A Wild Ride!
ZooTampa Trips You Around the World

Featured on the hit television show Animal Planet, ZooTampa is a lush, 65-acre tropical habitat that’s home to more than 1,300 exotic animals. Divided into six distinct areas with interactive exhibits that take you on a journey around the world, the zoo also offers fun rides and a special Splash Pad area where you and the kids can cool off—so don’t forget your bathing suits! Your adventure begins at Manatee Circle, anchored by a beautiful Manatee Fountain that's perfect for photo ops. Just next door is the Asia section, where you can come nose-to-horn with an Indian rhino and spend time with a hulking Komodo dragon, a laid-back sloth bear, and a clouded leopard. For manatee lovers, the David A. Straz, Jr. Manatee Hospital is a must-visit. This on-site hospital allows the zoo’s veterinary and animal-care staff to treat sick, injured, and orphaned manatees, rehabilitating them for eventual release back into the wild. There’s also a stingray feeding area nearby—an unforgettable hands-on experience. Head over to the Africa area and you’ll feel like you’ve been transported to a savannah village, where giraffes, zebras, elephants, rhinos, and other native species roam. For a closer look, hop on the Safari Tram for a behind-the-scenes tour. Don’t be surprised if you spot baby elephants playing in the mud to keep cool! One of the most entertaining sections of ZooTampa is the Primate area, where orangutans, chimpanzees, and siamangs compete for your attention with their playful antics. At the Wallaroo Station, kids can interact with goats and ponies at the Petting Zoo and visit with koalas, emus, and wallabies. There are also fun rides here, like the Tasmanian Tiger Coaster, perfect for thrill-seekers of all ages. Between the animals, the rides, and the splash zone, you can easily spend an entire day exploring ZooTampa. It’s open daily from 9:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. and is located at Lowry Park, 1101 W. Sligh Ave, Tampa, FL 33604. For more information, call 813-935-8552 or visit zootampa.org.

Brew, Brats & Schnitzel
16th Annual Oktoberfest Tampa

Break out your lederhosen, dirndls, and beer steins, because when Munich, Germany’s world-famous Oktoberfest wraps up in September—after 16 days and 14 million pints of beer—Tampa Bay’s 16th Annual Oktoberfest will just be getting started. 

Recognized as one of the top five Oktoberfests in the U.S., this year’s celebration kicks off on Friday, October 10, and runs through Sunday, October 12, at Curtis Hixon Waterfront Park, which transforms into the city’s largest waterfront biergarten for this festive, family- and pet-friendly event. 

A full authentic Bavarian Food and Beer Hall will be serving up pleasing pilsners, hearty hefeweizens, rich dunkels, and traditional Oktoberfest Märzens. Expect mass quantities of German and Bavarian favorites—bratwurst, currywurst, sauerkraut, chicken schnitzel, warm pretzels, and more—all available throughout the three-day celebration. 

But Oktoberfest isn’t just about food and drink. There will be plenty of singing, dancing, and a whole lineup of quirky games and contests, including the “Liter Stein Bucket Race” (an obstacle course where you try not to spill your beer), “Carry the Wench” (where you carry your date on your back), “Tug of War,” “Keg Stacking,” and many more fun challenges. 

General admission is just $10 for adults and free for kids. VIP tickets are also available and include a commemorative one-liter acrylic stein, complimentary refills, open bar access, tableside service, express entry, exclusive access to the VIP Tent, and the Konig’s Feast—a full Bavarian food plate with all the fixings. Festival hours are Friday from 4:00 p.m. to 11:00 p.m., Saturday from 11:00 a.m. to 11:00 p.m., and Sunday from 11:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. at Curtis Hixon Waterfront Park, 600 N. Ashley Dr., Tampa. For more info, visit oktoberfesttampa.com.

Corona Cigar Co Is Smokin’ Hot.

Jeff Borysiewicz has a passion for two things: offshore fishing and smoking cigars. But it was cigars that ultimately changed his life. 

In 1996, Borysiewicz launched Corona Cigar Co., a small, home-based, one-man operation. For the next two years, he was the company’s only employee, handling everything himself—from selling cigars out of a catalog to ordering them and packing shipments. In 1998, he opened his first brick-and-mortar store, a modest 1,500-square-foot shop in Orlando. The business flourished, and by 2001, he began plans to open a megastore in the city. Outfitted with a huge walk-in humidor, a massive inventory of premium and rare cigars, and a dedicated Smoking Lounge stocked with top-shelf spirits, Corona Cigar Co.’s cutting-edge Orlando location became an instant success. 

Borysiewicz went on to open two more stores in Orlando before setting his sights on the Ybor City neighborhood of Tampa, where he envisioned opening the world’s largest cigar bar and lounge—and he did just that. Today, the Ybor City location boasts over 5,000 square feet of humidified space, private lockers, multiple lounges, and an elegant full-service bar featuring the most extensive collection of whiskies and small-batch bourbons in Tampa. The bar offers over 400 spirits, including rare pours such as Johnnie Walker King George V blended Scotch whisky and The Macallan 62-year-old single malt. It also serves a variety of classic cocktails and has an extensive port collection. 

Still, the true stars of the show are the exceptional handcrafted cigars. The Corona Cigar Co. showcases one of the world’s finest selections of premium and rare cigars, including an impressive collection of extremely rare vintage pre-embargo, pre-Castro Cuban cigars, along with limited editions from renowned international cigar makers—many of which are exclusive to Corona Cigar Co. 

In addition to cigars, the stores feature a wide selection of luxury cigar accessories such as pipes, humidors, lighters, cutters, and more. You can find Corona Cigar Co. in Tampa at the MetWest International Shopping Center at 4142 W. Boy Scout Blvd; in Orlando at 127 S. Orange Ave and 7792 W. Sand Lake Rd; in Lake Mary at 1130 Town Park Ave; and in Sarasota at 22 N. Lemon Ave. For more information, call 1-888-70-CIGAR or visit coronacigar.com. And if Jeff Borysiewicz isn’t at one of his cigar emporiums, chances are he’s out offshore—casting his line and enjoying the other passion that started it all. 

coronacigar.com