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Greater Tampa Bay, Florida
Activities and attractions for Tampa Bay visitors.
The Tampa Bay area of Florida generally refers to four counties surrounding and north of the large body of water known as Tampa Bay: the counties of Pinellas, Hillsborough, Pasco and Hernando. It is one of the most colorful and culturally diverse areas in Florida. It has the classic gulf beaches and barrier islands that appeal to so many Florida tourists; the big city and small town atmospheres; great theme park attractions; a wide range of professional and non-professional sports enterprises; federal, state and local parks and preserves, cultural activities and many downright funky things to do. In short, Tampa Bay packs a wide range of activities and attractions into a compact space.
Florida's huge expanse of sandy beaches and coastline, formed by the Atlantic Ocean and Gulf of Mexico, combined with its temperate climate, has lured millions of people to seek vacation experiences or permanent homesteads in the state for hundreds of years. The early railroads brought thousands of wealthier vacationers to the pioneer hotels and resorts springing up along Florida's seashores and they delighted in the sun and fun romps on the beaches. Many of these early vacation spots took form as Florida towns and cities and spawned others nearby as commercial pursuits began to flourish near these population centers. The Tampa Bay area's development began in such a way as railroads brought visitors to its beaches and its deep water port lured commercial investors.
Today the city of Tampa is still known for its seaport, but also for its thriving commercial sector, sports franchises and theme parks. The larger Tampa Bay area welcomes world travelers to its beaches and coastal islands; its back bay and inland waters for fishing and boating pursuits; its public park lands where hiking and biking trails lead the adventurous through some of the remaining Florida wilderness; and to some of the finest man-made and nature-made attractions anywhere in the world.
The Tampa Bay area's ethnic diversity is well known. From the famous Cuban center in Ybor City to the Greek concentrations in Tarpon Springs; to older German, Italian, Scottish and European communities to newer Asian, African and Latino communities, Tampa Bay sports a collage of architectural elements, festivals, restaurants and lifestyles. Residents and visitors alike patronize and partake in the flavored atmospheres established by this divergence of culture and it makes the Tampa Bay experience that much richer.
For further information on cities in the Tampa Bay area, please click on the underlined, linked city name in the directory listing. |
Pinellas CountyYear 2000 population: 921,482. Major cities, population or tourist centers include: Belleair
Beach Clearwater
Beach Some of the more familiar islands included in Pinellas County are: Anna Maria Island Longboat Key Hernando CountyYear 2000 population: 130,802. Major cities, population or tourist centers include: Brooksville |
HillsboroughYear 2000 population: 998,948. Major cities, population or tourist centers include: Apollo
Beach Plant City Riverview Pasco CountyYear 2000 population: 344,765. Major
cities, population or tourist centers include: Dade
City Port
Richey |
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