| | History (Source: WCities) | Top | In 1527, Spanish explorer Panfilo de Narvaez set off with a fleet of four galleons in search of that coveted New World treasure—gold. His plans failed. A hurricane blew his ships off course to a landing on the coast of the Gulf of Mexico. In the village, so the story goes, de Narvaez spotted a glittering gold ornament and thought he had found every early explorer's dream. But, that treasure turned out to be Spain's very own doubloons, salvaged by native tribes who had plucked them from shipwrecks! More explorers came seeking treasure. The pirates Black Caesar, José Gaspar and Jean Lafitte left a legacy, literally and figuratively. They are remembered fondly—even honored—today at the region's annual Gasparilla Festival , a party that features a pirate invasion in full costume. When fishing fleets arrived to take advantage of the fish-rich waters of Tampa Bay, another industry developed. Fish remains a mainstay of the region's economy and the backbone of the area’s restaurants. As commerce grew, the addition of miles-long causeways and bridges connected the string of islands with the mainland. The Skyway Bridge, a series of connectors that stretches 14 miles across glittering Tampa Bay, is now a tourist attraction in its own right. Eventually, contemporary buccaneers began promoting the Tampa region as prime real estate. During the 1920s boom years, promoters followed in the tracks of entrepreneur and railroad magnate Henry Plant. Plant brought a r
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| How To Get There (Source: WCities) | Top | Getting There Air Tampa International Airport ( TPA ) +1 813-870-8700 http://www.tampaairport.com TPA is located six miles from downtown and services the following airlines: Air Canada ( +1 800 776 3000 / http://www.aircanada.ca ) American ( +1 800 433 7300 / http://www.aa.com ) British Airways ( +1 800 247 9297 / http://www.british-airways.com ) Continental ( +1 800 525 0280 / http://www.continental.com ) Delta ( +1 800 221 1212 / http://www.delta.com ) Jet Blue ( +1 800 538 2583 / http://www.jetblue.com ) Southwest ( +1 800 435 9792/ http://www.southwest.com ) United ( +1 800 241 6522 / http://www.ual.com ) US Airways ( +1 800 428 4322 / http://www.usairways.com ) From the Airport Shuttle: Bay Shuttle ( +1 866 259 9929; +1 813 259 9998 / http://www.tampabayshuttle.com ) Super Shuttle ( +1 800 282 6817; +1 727 572 1111 / http://www.supershuttle.com ) Taxi: Yellow Cab of Tampa ( +1 813 253 0121 ) United Cab ( +1 813 253 2424 ) Car Rental: Payless Car Rental ( +1 727 381 5377 / http://www.paylesscarrental.com ) Avis ( +1 800 831 2847 / http://www.avis.com ) Alamo ( +1 800 327 9633 / http://www.alamo.com ) Budget ( +1 800 527 0700 / http://www.budget.com ) Dollar ( +1 800 4000 / http://www.dollar.com ) Hertz ( +1 800 654 3131 / http://www.hertz.com ) National ( +1 800 227 7368 / http://www.nationalcar.com ) Train Amtrak ( +1
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| What To Do (Source: WCities) | Top | While Tampa's business environment takes itself very seriously, its entertainment empire offers a good laugh, great dining, an impressive nightlife and plenty of sports activities tossed in for good measure. Amusement Parks Busch Gardens is the undisputed king of the Tampa entertainment scene. More than 3,000 animals dwell on a Serengeti veldt in this African-themed park. Visitors can observe wildlife in natural habitats on over 300 acres, as well as enjoy a number of amusement rides, animal shows and nature exhibits. The park is home to five terrifying roller coasters, including the Montu and the Kumba, which were ranked among the top five steel roller coasters in the world by Amusement Today magazine. A third, Gwazi, is the Southeast's largest and fastest dueling wooden roller coaster. Busch Gardens' Adventure Island offers 30 acres of water-themed amusements ranging from a bevy of corkscrew slides to a wave pool, waterfalls and a children's play area. Two attractions devoted to injured animals make for a heartstring-tugging adventure here. In Tampa, Wildlife on East Street harbors a coterie of lions, tigers and other big cats without a home, and you can even sleep among them in three rustic cabins. The Suncoast Seabird Sanctuary in Indian Rocks Beach offers a close-up look at the care and feeding of injured birds. Other intriguing amusements in the Tampa Bay region include Lowry Park , an "open" zoo where 1,500 animals are separated f
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