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During your Tampa vacation, don't miss these great establishments and attractions:
Henry B. Plant Museum
Originally built in 1891 by railroad tycoon Henry B. Plant as the super-chichi 511-room Tampa Bay Hotel, this ornate building is worth a short trip across the river from downtown to the University of Tampa campus. Its 13 silver minarets and distinctive Moorish architecture, modeled after the Alhambra in Spain, make this National Historic Landmark a focal point of the Tampa skyline. Although the building is the highlight of a visit, don't skip its contents: art and furnishings from Europe and Asia, plus exhibits that explain the history of the original railroad resort, Florida's early tourist industry, and the hotel's role as a staging point for Theodore Roosevelt's Rough Riders during the Spanish-American War.
The Florida Aquarium
See more than 5,000 aquatic animals and plants that call Florida home at this entertaining and informative attraction. The exhibits follow a drop of water from the pristine springs of the Florida Wetlands Gallery, through a mangrove forest in the Bays and Beaches Gallery, and out onto the Coral Reefs, where an impressive 43-foot-wide, 14-foot-tall panoramic window lets you look out at schools of fish and lots of sharks and stingrays. Also worth visiting are the educational "Explore a Shore" playground, a deepwater exhibit, and a tank housing moray eels. You can look for birds and sea life on 90-minute Eco Tour cruises in the Bay Spirit, a 64-foot catamaran. The aquarium also offers a Dive with the Sharks program (tel. 813/367-4005) that gives certified scuba divers the chance to swim with blacktip reef, sand tiger, and nurse sharks for 30 minutes. The $150 price tag includes a souvenir photo and T-shirt.
Lowry Park Zoo
The opportunity to watch 3,000-pound manatees, Komodo dragons, Persian leopards, and rare red pandas makes this a worthwhile, albeit not entirely necessary, excursion after the kids have seen the plains of Africa at Busch Gardens. With lots of greenery, bubbling brooks, and cascading waterfalls, this 24-acre zoo displays animals in settings similar to their natural habitats. Other major exhibits include the Florida wildlife display, Asian Domain, Primate World, Aquatic Center, free-flight aviary with a birds-of-prey show, hands-on Discovery Center, and endangered-species carousel ride. The Wallaroo Station has kids' rides, a small water park, a kangaroo walk-about, and a petting zoo. Lowry Park has one of Florida's three manatee hospital and rehabilitation centers. The Eco Tour is very popular, featuring a cruise on the Hillsborough River, where you'll see turtles, herons, and manatees. The cost is $10 for adults, $9 for seniors, and $7 for children 3 to 11. The zoo is also a sanctuary for Florida panthers and red wolves.
AmeriSuites Tampa Sabal Corporate Park
AmeriSuites Tampa Sabal Park is an all-suite resort style, located in a peacefull office park. There is a jogging trail which runs behind our pool and around the park. One side of the property is on a pond with numerous water fowl. We are right off of I-75 and one exit south of I-4 so we are easy to reach from anywhere in the ...
Best Western All Suites Hotel Near USF Behind Busch Gardens
Our property features 150 deluxe suites located just 3/4 of a mile behind Busch Gardens & Adventure Island, plus we're approximately a mile from USF Campus, Moffitt Cancer Center, Shriners, Veterans Hospital and MOSI Museum. Our newly renovated property is a "tropical style" resort featuring a heated pool & hot tub, a 4,000-square foot sun deck, complimentary pool tables and ping pong. We now offer FREE shuttle service to Busch Gardens (see Hotel for times) and high speed internet in most ...
Econo Lodge Midtown
The Econo Lodge Midtown hotel is conveniently located less than four miles from the Tampa International Airport and the downtown area. This Tampa hotel is near many area attractions, including the Tampa Convention Center, the Ice Palace, the Lowry Park Zoo and the University of Tampa. Guests will enjoy the free deluxe continental breakfast, free local calls, free USA Today and seasonal outdoor pool. This Tampa hotel consists of spacious guest rooms that include coffee makers, hair dryers, ...
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