Ultimate Guide to Planning Your Tampa Bay Vacation

1. Tampa Bay Overview

Regionally, Tampa Bay encompasses four cities — Tampa, St. Petersburg, Clearwater, and Bradenton. Tampa Bay is actually a body of water, the largest open-water estuary in Florida, covering nearly 400 square miles around these cities. While the television media has expanded their viewing area to also include Hernando County to the north and Sarasota County to the south, geographically Tampa Bay only includes these four cities.

2. Activities and Attractions

Moreover, besides its unlimited outdoor recreational opportunities, including some of the nation’s best beaches, Tampa Bay is unique in its diversity of available activities. Home to the African-themed Busch Gardens Tampa Bay, it also boasts major sports, museums, shopping, entertainment venues, and water parks. If you’re looking forward to a vacation in the Tampa Bay area, learning a little bit about the region and what to expect will help you maximize your time and resources.

3. When to Visit Tampa Bay

If you plan to visit the Tampa Bay area for vacation, one of the hardest tasks can be deciding the best time to go. Apart from the weather, special events and promotions significantly influence attraction crowds. Typically, the area’s beaches experience the heaviest foot traffic during spring break and summertime. You may prefer to organize your trip around one of these popular events:

• Gasparilla (Tampa) – January
• Florida State Fair (Tampa) – February
• Florida Strawberry Festival (Plant City) – March
• Honda Grand Prix (St. Petersburg) – March