My family is going to Tampa for a long weekend in Oct. Is the beach still pleasant? Is it worthwhile to still stay at a beachfront hotel? Our sightseeing includes the Dali Museum, Ybor City and either Busch Gardens or Lowry Park Zoo? Any suggestions for a central hotel location? Any suggestions for activities for teens? Thanks - Laura

There will be a heck of a difference between early and late October, the latter starting to become cool. I won't mention the possibility of a hurricane, but I just did. Depending on how cool you like your swimming, the Gulf should still be tolerable.

All the beach areas (Pass-a-Grille, St Pete Beach, Treasure Island, Indian Rocks, Clearwater Beach) are about the same in terms of the beach quality, and there will be about a zillion hotels and small motels available for you to choose. Google any of these places for hotel listings.

I don't have teenagers, but I know someone will come up with some ideas for you. I can only recommend the Museum of Science and Industry in downtown St Petersburg as a really interesting place for teenagers, though it might not sound that way.

The weekend newspapers always have lots of entertainment recommendations, so when the time is closer you should get back on this forum and ask for a listing of activities and events to be sent to you by someone in the area.

prslim, whera will you be coming from? By most people's standards, it will be hot in the Tampa Bay area throughout October; only a Floridian would call it cool! So I would say you will find the beach lovely. It will still be hurricane season, but no sense in worrying about that now.

As to location: as you know, Ybor, Busch Gardens and the zoo are in Tampa, the Dali is in St. Pete, and the beaches are west (and then north and south) of both of those. I would recommend staying at the beach. You'll have a 30-40 minute drive to Tampa, but that's no big deal. IMO, it's better to stay on the beach and "commute" to sightseeing than stay in Tampa, say, and "commute" to the beach. If you can swing it, the Don CeSar on St. Pete Beach can't be beat.

Another idea: go kayaking, either at Fort DeSoto park, or at Honeymoon Island. (You can Google those, both have excellent facilities, trails, etc.) Or just spend the day at one of the two. You can take a ferry from Honeymoon to Caladesi Island, where the shelling is very good.

I think you are going to want to stay on Clearwater Beach for the teen crowd. October is off season, but if there is a beach crowd, that's where it will be. Clearwater is also closer to your Tampa destinations. St. Pete is for the adult crowd. Indian Rocks is my favorite, but it adds to your drive and probably too quiet for the youngsters.

There are years you could be in Lake MIchigan in October, so you should be good.

We travel to Naples every year at Christmas and swim in the ocean. Naples isn't that much further south than Tampa.

Thanks for all the good info - we are from Minnesota so our idea of warm is 65....The kids enjoy science museums so we'll check out Tampa's. Anyone know a good spot for Cuban Food in Ybor City?

We usually go to the NC beaches every year (in October) & the weather is typically perfect, as is the water. Tampa, will obviously be even warmer. Typically water temp for that time of year (in Tampa), is 75.

THE spot for Cuban food in Ybor is the Columbia, which is an area chain, but its flagship, original restaurant is the one in Ybor. It's a bit scruffy around the edges, but it's a classic, and the food is good. The tile work is not to be believed, and the sangria is actually great. Acropolis in Ybor is good Greek, and the Creperie is nice for... crepes!