#Double decker ybor series#

Split into zones including the Florida wetlands and coral reefs, this giant aquarium promises close-up sightings of turtles, stingrays, sharks and otters. There’s plenty more marine life at the Florida Aquarium.

The dolphins are so reliable that sightings are guaranteed. But there’s also plenty of adventure with Spanish Conquistadors and crafty pirates.ĭolphins love the waterways of Clearwater Beach, and Tropics Boat Tours head out to see them on a double-decker catamaran. The region’s back story is best told at the Tampa Bay History Center, which has an admirable emphasis on the indigenous Americans who lived here first. Worth the trip: accessible only by boat, Caladesi Island boasts three kilometres of unspoilt beach It’s undeveloped, has a nature trail for those venturing inland, and an absolutely glorious three-mile white-sand beach. Caladesi Island is arguably the most magical of these, should you take the ferry across.

#Double decker ybor series#

A series of barrier islands line the coast. True beach junkies might prefer some island time, however. Some plump for the photogenic palm trees and easy-to-reach location of Ben T Davis Beach, others the expansive, swimming haven of Clearwater Beach. Tampa Bay locals have strong views on the best beach. Live music often kicks in on the stage while you’re tucking in to your meal. Surrounded by shipping-container street-food stalls and looking out over the water, Sparkman Wharf has become Tampa’s go-to alfresco dining destination. Many of Tampa’s top restaurants congregate here, too, and Tampa Bay Food Tours hops between a select handful. Yoga lessons grace the parks, street entertainers draw crowds and outdoor photo exhibitions add a flourish. The 2.4-mile Riverwalk is the perfect introduction to Tampa.

Visit Cuba: José Martí Park has been owned by the people of Cuba for over sixty years

Technically Cuban territory, owned by the Cuban people, it is your chance to cross the border without a passport. The tour reaches its crescendo, however, at José Martí Park. He also points out community stalwart restaurants such as Columbia, run by the same family for five generations. On the way, Lonnie tells tales of how the Cuban revolution against Spanish rule was plotted in Ybor. They make their way along Seventh Avenue, the beating heart of Ybor. The heritage, the distinct Cuban tinge to the local culture and the basics of the game bolita (a gambling game involving balls pulled from a bag) are all explained on Lonnie Herman’s Ybor City Historic Walking Tours. Cuban migrant workers followed, Tampa developed a worldwide reputation for cigars and Ybor City grew around the factory. Vincente Martinez Ybor moved his cigar factory here from Key West in 1885. But Ybor City provides the historic twist. Sunshine, brilliant beaches and boat trips combine with a buzzing food and drink scene and a raft of high-entertainment attractions. Tampa Bay today is the consummate Florida all-rounder. It’s also one that has been going on in Ybor City for more than a century. The process is calm, practised and precise. The Tabanero Cigar Factory workers go through them, methodically, rolling them into cylinders. At each desk, there is a big pile of tobacco leaves.