Tampa, Florida

Multi-ethnic Tampa on the Florida peninsula's west coast is a thriving city where quaint historic neighbourhoods co-exist happily with sleek skyscrapers, and shrimp boats vie with cruise liners for space in the busy port. It was the Cuban immigrant community, led by Vicente Martinez Ybor, who put Tampa on the map when they introduced the cigar industry in the 1880s and developed Ybor City, now fully restored to its Latin Quarter elegance and a favourite neighbourhood for tourists to explore, by day or night.

Most visitors to the Tampa area stay in the resorts of St Petersburg and Clearwater, across Tampa Bay from the city.

 Most pay at least one visit to Tampa itself, however, for the exciting attractions and excellent museums on offer, particularly families with children in tow. The most popular attraction is the Busch Gardens entertainment park. Tampa is also within easy reach of Orlando, site of the world-famous Walt Disney World's theme and adventure park.

Attractions

Ybor City in central Tampa, with its cobblestone streets and huge old cigar factory buildings, is a National Historic Landmark District that beckons visitors back to an era when this Latin Quarter was known as the cigar capital of the world. The historic enclave, founded in 1886, has been fully restored and although the cigar factories are no longer operational, the buildings now house shops, restaurants, clubs and art galleries drawing large numbers of visitors. It is still possible to watch locals demonstrate the ancient art of premium hand-rolled cigar making, or spend a wild night applauding Spanish Flamenco dancers.

Busch Gardens is a massive zoo-come-theme park, which predates Florida's more famous Walt Disney World and offers an equally exciting and entertaining experience for visitors. The park is based on an overall African theme, divided into eight different areas with thousands of animals living in naturalistic environments. The site also contains thrill rides, live entertainment venues, shops and restaurants, all easily viewed from above from the Skyride cable car that crosses the park. In one day it is possible to visit Tutankhamen's Tomb in Egypt, cross the plains of the Serengeti and watch snake charmers in a Moroccan sultan's tent.

The hands-on Tampa Science Museum is designed to educate, amaze and amuse both young and old with more than 450 interactive exhibits. Visitors can, for example, experience what it is like to be in a Gulf Hurricane with winds of up to 74 miles per hour (200km/h), or defy the laws of gravity in space. The biology section features a unique way to explore the human body and stroll through a butterfly garden. Also at the museum is Florida's first IMAX dome theatre, and the museum building is set in a 47-acre nature reserve which features walking trails.

The Tampa Museum of Art boasts stunning facilities, and is located along Gasparilla Plaza. The 66,000-square-foot building houses a collection of 20th-century and contemporary art, as well as a renowned collection of Greek and Roman antiquities. There is also a changing special exhibitions programme. The new building, which opened in February 2010, is itself a work of art. From the innovative translucent ceilings to walls covered with LED lighting, the seven interior galleries and one exterior sculpture gallery offer visitors a world-class experience.

The Henry B. Plant Museum in the heart of downtown Tampa is designed to transport visitors back to the turn of the century. The ornate building is Moorish in design, featuring 13 silver minarets, said to be a copy of the famed Alhambra Palace in Spain, and in itself is worth a visit. Railroad tycoon Henry Plant built the edifice in 1891 as the 511-roomed Tampa Bay Hotel. Today it houses period art and furnishings from Europe and the Orient, and details via exhibits the history of the resort and the early days of the tourist industry.

More than 5,000 aquatic creatures, including crocodiles and moray eels, live at the three-storey Florida Aquarium where it is possible to explore the underwater world in air-conditioned comfort. The aquarium utilises behind-the-scenes tours, dive shows, audio tours, close-up animal encounters and touch-tanks to spice up the experience. There are also numerous informative and entertaining theme exhibits. For more information contact your preferred travel agent:  ZB MYTRAVEL www.zbmytravel.com info@zbmytravel.com (954) 559 0642