doodle_bop20

My freinds and I will be coming to The Tampa area in July(2-8)and we have never been to Florida and I would like to know what is there to do besides Busch Gardens. I also wanted to know any suggestions about beaches in the area, good resturants...etc. Thanks!

doodle_bop20

Also I didn't realize that we were coming around the Fourth of July so were is a good place to catch fireworks? Also during that week does it tend to be more crowded? I saw on some posts that we should hit the beach on a weekday but being that we will be there on a hiliday would it still hold true?

Gekko

The "Tampa area" is large and includes St Pete. Where exactly will you be staying? In the city of Tampa, which is 30-60+ minutes from the beaches, depending on traffic, or on the beach (the St Pete side of the bay)?

The beaches are always extra crowded on holidays.

doodle_bop20

We will be staying at the Wingate Inn(the newer one on Dona Michelle Drive)

youngtom2910

there is an interesting dali museum in st pete

Gekko

Wow, you're staying inland, north of Tampa. Have you mapped the hotel's location?

You'll need a car to drive to attractions in Tampa & St. Pete, or to the beach, which is a hike west.

Malesherbes

Yikes....are you committed to staying there for some reason? It's way out in Timbuktu, removed from restaurants, beaches, everything!

Tandoori_Girl

Florida is in a severe drought right now. There are wildfires throughout the state. So unless things change, count on July 4th being all but canceled this year, especially fireworks. You are not totally lost in timbuktu -- you can easily access the interstate. Take I-275 all the way into Tampa then into St. Pete and get off at the exit before the Sunshine Skyway (30-40 minutes drive time) and go to Ft. DeSoto Park. It is 3 islands of beach so you can surely find a spot to call your own. Bring food and drinks because they have none of either. Visit the old fort. You are staying in an area known as New Tampa and there are supposedly some nice restaurants there but I haven't been up that way as it's far from where I live. But it is actually very nice, lots of wilderness. Check out Lettuce Lake Park with its terrific birding tower. There are a few really great canoe trips up there that take a few hours, bring a picnic lunch and prepare to see at least 20 alligators sunning themselves. Take a hike through the Hillsborough River State Park. Go to the MOSI near you, if you like science. If you like water parks don't miss Adventure Island, a great way to wile away a hot July day on the Lazy River, and good value for the cost. Get on I-75 and head south to the Ellenton Outlet Mall (there is a Saks outlet store, Tommy's, etc.) and be sure to spend at least an hour touring the nearby Gamble Mansion, one of the only plantations in Florida, 2' thick walls and a huge sistern.

Malesherbes

Tandoori, the drive from that Wingate to Ft Desoto is over 50 miles and will take doodle bop20 an hour to do...in good traffic, not 30 or 40 minutes! Add another 20 minutes on for Ellenton.

If you are coming primarily for Busch Gardens doodle_bop20, then the location is convenient, but not for the rest of what tourism in Tampa Bay is all about. Because Busch is removed from most of the "to do" places, most people choose to stay closer to town or at the beaches, then make the drive the day they are going to Busch, rather than vice versa.

doodle_bop20

Im not entirely committed to staying at that hotel, I got into it through a Busch Gardens vacation package. I have a list of all the other hotels offered. These are all near BG. Amerisuites, La Quinta Inn, Best Western all suites, Comfort Inn Conference Center, Doubletree Guest Suites, Embassy Suites, Hampton Inn & Suites, Sailport Resort, Sheraton Tampa Riverwalk, Tampa Hotel, and the other Wingate Imm. Are these better locations or did we completly screw ourselves with this package? Thanks for all the help!

doodle_bop20

Also if there any other suggestions as far as hotels and things to do by all means feel freee to share. Im from D.C and the furthest south I've been was to Georgia so I know damn-near nothing about Florida except what I read about red-tide.

Malesherbes

Is it possible for you to change hotels at this point? Because there are so many different Embassy Suites, Hamptons etc I'm not sure which ones they are using, but do know Sailport, which is on Rocky Point on Tampa Bay. That would put you 40 minutes from the beaches, about 25-30 minutes from Busch, and 5 from the airport. It's a pretty area simply because it's on the water, but I have no earthly idea how nice the hotel itself is inside, if they've kept it up etc. I'm hard pressed to understand how they qualify as being a resort! The location is far preferable to Wingate, though, unless the primary reason for your trip is Busch.

Sheraton Tampa Riverwalk is downtown Tampa--easy to get to Ybor City for the night life, closer to some of the better Tampa restaurants around the SoHo area, and about 15 minutes from the airport.

The beaches (St Pete Beach to Clearwater Beach) are spectacular. If you didn't do Busch's vacation package, one of the hotels on the beach would be my preference.

jnathan

Tampa has soem fgreat stuff to do depending totally on your age and interests of course, Busch Gardens, sea World Science Center, the Zoo. Two hours north is Homosassa State park, nearby swimming with manatees. Tampa? till have Jai-Lai for an evenig of entertainment? Must eat seafood.

doodle_bop20

Yes it is possible to change hotels right now. More times than not I will. But thanks to everyone who responded you guys have been a great help. Like I said any other suggestions are more than welcome. Oh, and are there any outbreaks of red-tide in the Clearwater/St. Pete area right now? Someone told me about you guys having a terrible drought this season, but if it lets up where is a good place to catch fireworks(if they do it)?