Tampa’s history dates back to 1513, when Ponce de Leon came to the Pinellas coast. More Spanish explorers followed, then pirates and eventually the U.S. Army in the mid-1800s, to establish Fort Brooke. The railroad and citrus crops arrived about the same time. By 1890, Ybor City was the place to buy hand-rolled cigars, luxury hotels were built along the waterfront and wealthy Northerners came to Tampa during the winter to escape the cold. Recreation was primarily beach activities at the turn of the century.

Today, Tampa parks offer playgrounds, tennis and basketball courts, ball fields, picnic areas, trails, beach access and river access. The dog park at Davis Islands Beach, just across the bridge from downtown, allows residents of the furry, four-legged variety an opportunity to play in the sand and water. Tampa Parks and Recreation offers classes and activities, and sports leagues for children and adults. There are more than 50 golf courses in the area, offering challenges for every level of play. The docks at Channelside and Davis Islands are a great place to cast a line for any of the more than 300 species of fish that live in the warm waters of Tampa Bay.

Busch Gardens Tampa Bay offers thrill rides, dining, shopping and live entertainment. The park has an African theme and is home to 2700 animals housed in natural habitats. Adventure Island is a tropical water park with slides, beaches, play areas and a volleyball complex.

Spectator sports include baseball (Tampa Bay Devil Rays), football (Tampa Bay Buccaneers), hockey (Tampa Bay Lightning), greyhound racing and horse racing. Bicyclists will enjoy the view and cool breezes on the 6-mile ride along Bayshore Boulevard. Other places to ride include Suncoast Parkway Trail and on the Friendship Trial Bridge.

The Florida Aquarium is located in a three-story glass-domed building containing more than 10,000 aquatic animals and plants. Various Florida locales are represented including a cypress swamp, a river with otters, bays, beaches and a coral reef. You can take a close look at the manatee at Lowry Park Zoo at the Florida Manatee and Aquatic Center. The zoo is features native plants and animals, primates, and a children’s zoo. Wildlife on Easy Street is home to rare and endangered cats and visitors are given the opportunity to pet a cat during the tour. The Museum of Science and Industry (MOSI) features hands-on exhibits, demonstrations, a hurricane simulator, a wilderness with three miles of trails and a children’s science area.

Centro Ybor Museum, located in the historic Ybor City neighborhood, features the clothing and workspaces of those who hand-rolled cigars in the early 1900’s. Historic photographs and a video illustrate the history of cigar making and the growth of Tampa from swampland to world-class city. Ybor City is also known for its authentic Cuban food, particularly the toasted Cuban bread and coffee served at the Tropicana Restaurant, a well-known local landmark. The Ybor City Museum State Park is on the site of a former bakery. The large brick ovens are on display along with a cigar worker’s cottage furnished with period pieces.

The Henry B. Plant Museum is on the University of Tampa’s campus. Formerly the ornate Victorian Tampa Bay Hotel, the museum is filled with the buildings original late 1890s furnishings and decorative arts. First class accommodations and activities for guests in 1891 are re-created. Live stage performances illustrate the lives of hotel guests and workers.

Old Hyde Park is set amidst 1920’s mansions and cottages in one of Tampa’s most charming neighborhoods. It is an elegant shopping district that spans seven blocks and houses such upscale stores as Jacobson’s, Crabtree & Evelyn, The Pottery Barn, Williams Sonoma, Laura Ashley, Ann Taylor and Polo/Ralph Lauren. You can also enjoy a nice meal or cup of java at one of Old Hyde Park’s fine eateries.

Gasparilla is Tampa’s biggest celebration. Named for legendary pirate Jose Gaspar, “last of the Buccaneers,” it is a festival of boats, entertainment, pirates, parades, food, games and general merriment. Gaspar often called himself Gasparilla and began his mutinous ways when he seized command of a Spanish war ship in 1783, setting sail for Florida and a life of piracy. His treasure is reportedly buried along the Florida coast and has yet to be recovered. In 1904, the story of Gaspar was adopted as the patron rogue of the Festival Parade, a citywide celebration. “Ye Mystic Krewe of Gasparilla” was a group of 40 who planned a “surprise pirate attack” on the residents of Tampa. On horseback, in full pirate costumes, the krewe “captured” the city during the Festival Parade. The incident was so successful that the “Ye Mystic Krewe of Gasparilla” organization became permanent and replicated the attack each year until 1954 when a fully rigged pirate ship was commissioned. Named the Jose Gasparilla, the ship is docked at the Tarpon Weigh Station on Bayshore until the Gasparilla Festival when the ship, filled with pirates, sails into the harbor, docking at the Convention Center, to “attack and capture” Tampa to start the Gasparilla festivities.