Thread: Port of Tampa

And if you visit Tampa, you should check out the old cuban quarter called "Ybor" City...looks like New Orleans architecture. The Spanish Restaurant (not cuban) The Columbia is located there to. (at least the original location is) You can tour some of the old cigar factories get a taste of "old Tampa"

Originally Posted by Bombero

JV, where did you hear such a thing?.. Granted there are alligators, but they're everywhere down here, I've got a five footer living the the drainage canal behind our house right now.. I've lived and worked in Sarasota as a Firefighter for 37 years and if there were monitor lizards here, I would know about them... Rest assured, if you vacation here again, you won't be eaten, at least not by a monitor...

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LOL Have your ears checked Bombero, we have thousands of Monitors here in the Cape!! Enough to get the government to send people down here to take care of it!! We have so much land here that has been wild, and now there is so much construction they are showing up in neighborhoods!!

Yes!
The Columbia is a wonderful place to eat!
Years ago, there was also one called Las Navidades. At least I think that was the name. Do you happen to know if it is still there?

Going to Tampa in Sept. Any new ideas on dining options??? Any must sees, must eats??

If you want to try Spanish food, I would suggest The Columbia in Ybor City (Cuban Quarter of Tampa) or Seafood the Collonade on Bayshore Blvd.

Busch Gardens, Lowry Park Zoo, the Aquarium, Pinellas County Beaches, Channelside (the port) has some good night spots and restaurants but they seem to change frequently so it is like a box of chocolates, you never know what you are going to get (in a good way!)

Originally Posted by Bombero

Another nice place to visit in Tampa is the Lowery Park Zoo. We've been there several times and it's great, and makes a nice family day trip. About a 10-15 minute taxi ride from the Port.

I was there today (4/20/2012) for the first time ever. Mom accused me of watching the animals through my camera after seeing me try to find some animals in my LCD screen only to watch them move.

After seeing the whole zoo and eating lunch there in about three hours, we went to the Florida Aquarium. It is next to Terminal 2. Next to the garage Mom parked in is a "Cruise Parking" garage. When I was there, I thought, "We know where to go if we sail out of Tampa someday." But now that I think about it, I wonder where the other cruise terminals are.