Top Things to Do in Tampa, Tampa, Florida

Tampa Florida apparently gets lots of visitors. But many just pass through. Lots flit through on their way to join the cruise ships departing from the growing port. Others use the highly rated airport as a gateway to speed through on to the theme parks of Orlando, or to vacation on the gorgeous beaches of St Petersburg close by.

I was invited to spend five days in the city and I was impressed with what I discovered. There was a real sense of energy and positivity. Importantly for visitors, I found a myriad of things to see and do. These included thrills, wildlife, culture, art and incredible places to eat. What follows is my recommendation on the must-see and must-do sights, activities and the best things to do in Tampa.

Busch Gardens is totally fantastic. It combines an extensive range of animals with extreme rollercoaster thrill rides around an African theme. The park covers a vast area zoned into different regions like Edge of Africa, Nairobi, Congo and Pantopia. The Serengeti Plain takes up an enormous section of the park, and you can experience it either on the free trains that travel around the park or on the Serengeti Safari. This has an additional charge but gets you really close to the animals on an open-topped truck. It includes feeding giraffes by hand. An incredible and moving activity. ...... (follow the instructions below for accessing the rest of this article).