InsideTampa.com is your source for information on things to do in the Tampa, Florda area. From Shopping to Restaurants, Night Life to Sporting Events, InsideTampa.com gives you the inside scoop on Tampa Attractions!
About Tampa
Nearly 350,000 people live in the city of Tampa, with over 2.7 million living in the surrounding areas that encompass Tampa Bay. Those surrounding areas are comprised of four counties – Hillsborough, Pinellas, Pasco, and Hernando Counties.
Tampa was first discovered by Narvaez in April of 1528, but Tampa’s population and economy didn’t begin to thrive until 1883, when phosphate was discovered. Tampa’s large port facilitated this growth, and today, Tampa is still known as the largest producer and manufacturer of phosphate in the world.
B. Plant’s railroad would follow shortly after, bringing tourism and goods in and out of Tampa. In 1885, Vicente Martinez Ybor moved his cigar manufacturing plant to Tampa, in a historic area now known as Ybor City. The cigar business’s booming popularity triggered staggering economic and financial growth for the Tampa area.
Ybor City is still a popular attraction, even today, with the world famous Columbia Restaurant, the oldest restaurant in Florida. To learn more about Tampa Restaurants, click here.
Ybor City is also a popular Nightlife Attraction. To learn more about Tampa Nightlife, click here.
Economy
Tampa has a diverse economy, thanks to its history of cigar and phosphate manufacturing, thriving agriculture, tourism, and the close proximity to the Port of Tampa. Every year, the Tampa area produces thousands of electronics, medical equipment, paint, paper, cigars, and steel.
Due to warm climates, the Tampa area also is a hot-bed for raising cattle and harvesting fruit. Two popular breweries call Tampa home – Anheuser-Busch and Pabst.
The majority of Tampa Bay residents have jobs in business/professional services, with trade/transportation/utilities a close second, followed by government, and education/health services.
Tampa has a large collection of small businesses, particularly in areas like Hyde Park,
Westshore, and along Kennedy Boulevard. Hyde Park Village is perfect for retail shopping. To learn more about retail shopping in Tampa, click here.
Tampa Travel
The Tampa Bay area is popular travel destination because of its warm climate year-round, beautiful beaches, and abundance of activity. There is always something happening in Tampa Bay! Tampa has proudly hosted the Super Bowl four times – 1984, 1991, 2001, and 2009, as well as the NCAA Final Four, the ACC Championship in both football and basketball. To learn more about Tampa Sporting Events, click here.