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Sights Overview

A semitropical climate and access to the gulf make Tampa an ideal port for the cruise industry. The waters around Clearwater and St. Petersburg are often filled with pleasure and commercial craft, including dozens of boats with day trips and night trips featuring what purveyors euphemistically call "Las Vegas action": gambling in international waters. It's fitting that an area with a thriving international port should also be populated by a wealth of nationalities. The center of the Cuban community is the east Tampa enclave of Ybor City, whereas north of Clearwater, in Dunedin, the heritage is Scottish. North of Dunedin, Tarpon Springs has supported a large Greek population for decades and is the largest producer of natural sponges in the world. Inland, to the east and north of Tampa, it's all suburban sprawl, freeways, shopping malls, and -- the main draw -- Busch Gardens.

The coastal area north of Tampa is sometimes called the Nature Coast, and aptly so. Flora and fauna have been well preserved in this area, and West Indian manatees are show stoppers. These gentle vegetarian water mammals, distantly related to elephants, remain an endangered species, though their numbers have grown to about 3,500 or more today. Many manatees have massive scars on their backs from run-ins with boat propellers. Extensive nature preserves and parks have been created to protect them and other wildlife indigenous to the area, and these are among the best spots to view manatees in the wild. Although they are far from mythical beauties, it is believed that manatees inspired ancient mariners' tales of mermaids. U.S. 19 is the prime route through this rural region, and traffic flows freely once you've left the congestion of St. Petersburg, Clearwater, and Port Richey. If you're planning a day trip from the bay area, pack a picnic lunch before leaving, since most of the sights are outdoors.