In our speech, there are often words that sound the same, but have nothing in common in lexical meaning.
And here you can get lost easily with the words Tampa and Tampa Bay.
Many People think that Tampa and Tampa Bay are something not connected to each other.
Let me tell you their real meanings today.
Is There a Difference Between Tampa and Tampa Bay?
Yes, there is a small difference between Tampa And Tampa Bay.
Tampa is a city and region that is located in Tampa Bay and it is called the Tampa Bay Area.
Tampa is a city located in the west-central part of the Florida peninsula.
And the city lies on the shores of a large natural bay, calledTampa Bay and extending about 55 km into the interior of the Florida peninsula.
For most of its length, the bay has a width of 8 to 16 km.
The Tampa Bay Area urban region includes three main cities: Tampa, Clearwater,St.
Petersburg, as well as several dozen towns with a population of 10 to 100 thousand inhabitants.
In total, about 4 million people live in the urban region of Tampa.
Directly in the city of Tampa in 2021, there were 352,000 residents.
Nearest major cities to Tampa:
Miami – 330 km
Orlando – 160 km
Jacksonville – 260 km
Atlanta – 670 km
New Orleans – 780 km
The origin of the name “Tampa” is not known.
One of the assumptions refers to the ancient language of the local tribes, in which the word “Tampa” meant “Fire sticks”, most likely the Indians called lightning that was very frequent duringsummer storms in the vicinity of Tampa Bay.
Another assumption is based on the fact that already since 1695 the Bay of Tanpa has been used on maps.
Spanish people misunderstood the Indian language and used the word Tanpa as a local designation.
Over time, “Tanpa” was transformed into “Tampa”.
Main Sightseeing in Tampa
One of the great and completely unique features of Tampa is its close proximity to nature.
The Florida Panhandle is surrounded by water, nature reserves, and national parks.
You won’t have to look for any outdoor activities to start your stay in Tampa.
There are 6 main districts in the city of Tampa: downtown (Downtown Tampa), North (North Tampa), West (West Tampa), East (East Tampa), South (South Tampa) and New Tampa (New Tampa), which include about 80 smaller areas.
Today, the historic legacy of the city’s growth can be felt in the city’s oldest neighborhood, Ybor City, located northeast of downtown Tampa.
Ybor City was formed as a Latin American area, where the production of cigars was concentrated.
Having reached its dawn at the beginning of the Great Depression (500 million cigars were rolled in Ybor City factories in 1929), the area has experienced decades of neglect and decline, and is partially restored only in the last decade.
Main Attractions of Ybor City:
- Ybor City Cigar Museum – cigar museum;
- Ybor City State Museum – a small but interesting museum that highlights the original history of the area;
- Centro Ybor – a shopping and entertainment complex with a 20-screen cinema; restaurants, clubs and shops in the 7th Avenue area; operating historic trams;
- Busch Gardens Tampa Bay – theme park with African animals and thrilling roller coasters;
- Adventure Island – a water amusement park near Busch Gardens Tampa Bay;
- Lowry Park Zoo – Tampa Zoo, home to about 2,000 animals;
- Florida Aquarium – an aquarium famous for its glass façade, where 20,000 aquatic plants and animals are collected;
- Museum of Science & Industry (MOSI) – a museum of science and industry with an IMAX theater and a planetarium;
- Tampa Bay History Center – a museum of the history of Tampa Bay;
- Tampa Museum of Art – Tampa Museum of Art;
- Sunshine Skyway Bridge – a beautiful and majestic bridge between Tampa and St.
Petersburg;
Family Trip To Tampa
Throughout the year, Tampa has plenty of fun for kids (and teens) of all ages – amusement parks, animal encounters, and even some educational activities.
There are many activities to do in Tampa when you are there with children.
No less popular in Tampa is the Adventure Island water entertainment complex.
On the territory of 25 acres, there are all kinds of water slides and attractions, and for thrill-seekers and adrenaline junkies there are several high-speed slides – 25 meters of almost free fall called “Water Typhoon” .
For children, there is a real children’s paradise of entertainment and permissiveness called “Attack of splashes.” This complex has just an uncountable number of all kinds of carousels, swings, water slides and other equally exciting attractions.
The park is open daily.
Ticket price is 70 USD
The Florida Aquarium has special honor among families.
Here, without much difficulty, you can see everything that is underwater.
For example, you can see scuba divers underwater.
The entire aquarium is divided into 4 zones, each of which represents its own part of the aquatic flora and fauna of the coast of Florida.
In addition to small fish, you can see sharks, rays, turtles, and jellyfish here.
Tampa is a fun city.
Every year, residents and guests look forward to the most beloved holiday –the Gasparilla Pirate Festival.
The festival takes place at the end of January and is a very significant event for Tampa.
According to legend, once upon a time a pirate named Jose Gaspare sailed in these places, and it is in honor of his brave and grandiose adventures that a holiday is held, which the locals simply call Gasparilla.
At the very beginning of my article, I wrote about heavy rains with thunderstorms.
So, this is not a very pleasant natural phenomenon in Tampa, it happens mainly in the summer months.
Be sure to take this into account so that rain will not ruin your vacation.
FAQ
Is Tampa the same as Tampa Bay?
No, Tampa is a city and Tampa Bay is a large natural bay.
Are Tampa and Tampa Bay two different cities?
No.
Tampa is a city and Tampa Bay is a large natural bay extending about 55 km into the interior of the Florida peninsula.
For most of its length, the bay has a width of 8 to 16 km.
How Far is Tampa Bay from Tampa?
Tampa Bay is 10 miles from Tampa.
In addition, Tampa city has its own international airport, so it will not be difficult for tourists to get here.
Tampa is 330 km from Miami International Airport and 160 km from Orlando.
Tampa has the largest seaport in Florida, where tourist cruise ships stop very often.
