In 1821, the United States bought Florida from Spain and decided to build forts and trading posts in the new territory. Fort Brooke, one of these historic military forts, was established in January 1824, and when the nearby pioneer community was incorporated in 1849, they called the joint settlement “Tampa Town”. The name was shortened to simply “Tampa” in 1855.
Tampa is on the west coast of Florida near the Gulf of Mexico. With a population of 392,890 (2018), it’s the third-largest city in Florida, after Miami and Jacksonville. Tampa is part of the metropolitan area often called the “Tampa Bay Area” which also includes the cities of St. Petersburg and Clearwater. The Tampa Bay area has a humid subtropical climate – hot and humid summers and dry and mild winters. Average highs range from 21 to 32 °C year-round, and lows 11 to 24 °C.
There are 165 parks and beaches covering 9.25 km2 within Tampa’s city limits and 42 more in the surroundings, covering 280 km2. Tampa is also home to a number of attractions and theme parks, including Busch Gardens Tampa, Adventure Island, the Lowry Park Zoo, and the Florida Aquarium. The Tampa area is also home to a number of museums, e.g. the SS American Victory, a former World War II ship turned into a museum, docked in downtown’s Channel District
Seafood is very popular in Tampa and the cuisines reflects its history. You will find Cuban, Spanish, Floribbean, Italian, Colombian and Puerto Rican food everywhere – to name just a few. They also love their food trucks in Tampa, and the area holds the record for the world’s largest food truck rally
If you visit Tampa in late January or early February you should definitely attend the Gasparilla Pirate Festival. Often referred to as Tampa’s “Mardi Gras”, this mock pirate invasion’s flotilla and subsequent parade draw over 400,000 attendees every year. Apart from the pirate-themed one, numerous other Gasparilla festivities take place each year between January and March. The Gasparilla parade is the third largest parade in the United States
When you feel the need for culture, the Straz Center for the Performing Arts is the place to go. They host everything from lavish Broadway shows to classical music and rock concerts. It is the largest facility of its kind in the Southeastern United States.
You can fly directly to Tampa International Airport (TPA) from Gatwick Airport or in-directly via other European hubs
Blue skies, sunshine, spectacular sandy beaches, warm ocean water, amazing food from all over the world, theme parks, and a century of Cuban culture – Tampa is truly an amazing and diverse travel destination.
Passport and entry permit
ESTA
Brits are allowed to travel to the US on vacation and stay for up to 90 days without a visa. To be able to do this, you must apply for the entry permit ESTA. An application should preferably be made no later than 3 days before departure. An approved ESTA application is valid for 2 years, or for as long as the passport is valid.
UK citizens do not need a visa for entry into the US, but an entry permit (ESTA) and a machine-readable e-passport are needed. You must apply for your entry permit at least 72 hours before departure in order to obtain a permit for boarding. It is important that the information in your registration matches the information in your passport. You have to apply and pay for your own entry permit, which is valid for two years following approval. An application costs $ 14. Application for the entry permit ESTA must be done at their official site. You must present your application number at the check-in at the airport.
E-passport
From April 1, 2016, in addition to an approved ESTA application, you must have an electronic passport that is valid throughout your stay in the United States. The e-passport is marked with a special symbol on the front and has an embedded electronic chip.
An E-passport is the same as a biometric passport.
Other
Taxis
There are plenty of taxis in all major cities; it’s easy and the prices are always the same regardless of the company. The prices are fixed and the price cannot be negotiated.
Tips
You’re expected to pay a tip for most service outlets in the United States. At restaurants, you should tip about 15-20% of the bill, taxi about 10% and luggage assistance at the hotel/airport about 1-2 USD per bag and about 1-2 USD per day for housekeeping.
Tourist tax
The hotels in the US charge a travel tax and tax of approximately USD 17-27 per room and night which is paid directly to the hotel on site. This fee covers some common facilities, such as WiFi. The sums are mandatory and the exact amounts are determined upon arrival at the hotel. Also, note that the hotels in the United States normally apply an age limit of 21 years. This means that at least one person in the group must have turned 21 years of age.