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During your Tampa vacation, don't miss these great establishments and attractions:
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.
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.
Adventure Island
If the summer heat gets to you before one of Tampa's famous thunderstorms brings late-afternoon relief, you can take a waterlogged break at this 25-acre outdoor water theme park near Busch Gardens Tampa Bay . You can also frolic here during the cooler days of spring and fall, when the water is heated. The Key West Rapids, Tampa Typhoon, Gulf Scream, and other exciting water rides will drench the teens, while other, calmer rides are geared toward younger kids. Wahoo Run plunges up to five riders more than 15 feet per second as the half-enclosed tunnel corkscrews more than 600 feet to a waiting splash pool. There are also places to picnic and sunbathe, an arcade, a volleyball complex, and an outdoor cafe. Although some people tend to go barefoot here, I suggest you wear shoes at all times -- it gets kind of nasty after a while.
The Westshore Hotel
The Westshore Hotel is art decor style hotel located in the "Upscale" West shore business district. Located just a short walk from two major Malls, the hotel features five floors of well-appointed guest room fitness center and outdoors swimming ...
Grand Hyatt Tampa Bay
* 2-1/2 miles from Tampa International Airport* 8 miles from the Convention Center and downtown* 10 miles from Clearwater and St. Petersburg* 35 miles from Lakeland* 55 miles from Sarasota* 75 miles from ...
Sheraton Suites Tampa Airport
Nearby Aiports: * Tampa International Airport - 3 Miles Nearby Cities: * South Tampa - 1 Mile * Westshore - 2 Miles * Hyde Park - 4 Miles * Citrus Park - 5 Miles * Ybor City - 5 Miles * Tampa - 5 Miles * Macdill - 6 Miles * Brandon - 8 Miles * Carrollwood - 8 Miles * Lutz - 11 Miles * Oldsmar - 15 Miles * Temple Terrace - 15 Miles * Saftey Harbor - 18 Miles * St. Petersburg - 20 Miles * ...
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