Hi and welcome to our blog – your source of Tampa Bay&Company news, events, activities and more!  Let us take you through the ins and outs of what's happening in the world of Hillsborough County’s Destination Marketing Organization, and your source of what’s happening in Tampa Bay.

Keep checking back to hear about national and international journalists and reporters that will be on scene in the Bay area, or find out what’s going on in the local Tampa Bay news scene. 

Make sure you subscribe to the RSS feed (link to the top-right) to have the latest blog posts available to you, and keep checking back for what’s new and what’s to come!  Until next time…

That’s right!  After months of effort and planning, the NCAA Division I Women’s Basketball Committee has chosen to host the 2015 Women’s Final Four Championship in Tampa Bay!  The Women’s Final Four rolled through Tampa Bay this past April, and to say it was a success wouldn’t do it justice. 

No matter who you are, or where you worked, this past April you absolutely KNEW that the NCAA Women’s Final Four was here.  This one single tournament has an estimated Direct Economic Impact of more than $19 MILLION. 

That means, whether it’s an attraction, a restaurant, or a hotel…or even if you were just having your meeting or convention in the area, then this event had an impact on you. 

From the Westshore District to Ybor City and throughout Tampa Bay, there were Women’s Final Four activities going on everywhere.  As far as things to do in Tampa Bay were concerned, this topped the list.  And now we can look forward to its return in 2015. 

The NCAA also chose host cities for 2012-16, which were: 2012 – Denver, Colo.; 2013 – New Orleans, La.; 2014 – Nashville, Tenn.; 2015 – Tampa Bay, Fla.; 2016 – Indianapolis, Ind. 

Check out some more information here – Women’s Final Four in Tampa Bay.

Were you here for the last Women’s Final Four, or have you attended the event elsewhere?  Drop a line and tell us about it.  

Until next time, keep checking back here for the latest on Tampa Bay area events.  From attractions to hotel updates and even Tampa Bay emergency information, we’ll have it ready for you. 

So, five BIG EAST men’s soccer teams are heading to the NCAA Division I Men’s Soccer Championship this year. Can you guess who my favorite is?

The USF Bulls of course! Sunday afternoon the USF men’s soccer team beat St. John’s,  1-0, in overtime. This is USF’s first BIG EAST Championship title in the program history. The win also grabbed the league’s automatic bid into the national tournament. USF (14-4-2) advances to the NCAA Championship for the third time in four years as a BIG EAST member.

Make sure to root for our local student athletes this weekend. The first round games will take place on Friday, Nov. 21 and Saturday, Nov. 22.

Go Bulls!

I am sure that you are as ready for the weekend as I am. And as I have said before, there is so much to do in Tampa Bay, that there is just no possible way to fit everything in. Here are a few Tampa Bay area events and activites from our partners going on this weekend.

Tonight, Channelside Bay Plaza is hosting a smooth jazz session in the Channelside Courtyard. From 6:00 p.m. – 9:00 p.m. stop by for the smooth sounds of Al Chisolm + The On Que Players. Afterwards, you can walk over to Howl at the Moon and sing along with the piano players, Splitsville and try to strike out in a bowling match against your friends, Sling Shots for line dancing lessons or one of the many other Channelside Bay Plaza hot spots for some Tampa Bay nightlife.

Saturday, head over to Centennial Park in Ybor City to celebrate the history that once made Tampa the “Cigar Capital of the World’ with the 10th Annual Cigar Heritage Festival. The festival will include a kid zone, lessons in Sicilian wine making and sausage making, cigar rolling, dominos, live entertainment and even a charity beer garden. Oh, and did I mention it’s free admission?

If you’re still going strong Sunday night, Jimmy Fallon will be at the Tampa Improv. Tickets are sold out for both showings Saturday night, so if you want to get in on Sunday, log on and buy your tickets A.S.A.P! Jimmy Fallon, one of my favorite comedians, is best known for his impressions on Saturday Night Live and roles in movies like Taxi and Fever Pitch.

A weekend like this will probably leave you with a severe case of the Monday’s when it’s over. Make sure you come back and tell me how it went and what you’re planning for next weekend. Until then, have fun and be safe! For a complete list of Tampa Bay area events, check out our Calendar of Events.

Want to see the next major wrestling Superstar before anybody else? For almost 5 years, Florida Championship Wrestling (FCW) has been the spot to get your live wrestling fix in Tampa Bay. Now, FCW is officially sanctioned and recently reorganized by WWE, making it the arena where tomorrow’s WWE Superstars are trained.

Past FCW talent includes: Mike Graham, Dusty Rhodes, Jack Brisco, Gerry Brisco, Steve Keirn, Barry Windham, Kevin Sullivan, Dick Slater and more. With 60 different talents from 14 different countries, the shows will have you on the edge of your seat cheering! Also, fans can expect WWE Superstars to make regular guest appearances on FCW programming and live events.

Every Thursday night the arena will host a Wrestling Extravaganza and everyone is invited. The wrestling matches will also be aired on Brighthouse Sports Network on Thursday at 11:30 p.m. and Saturday at 6:00 pm. so you don’t ever have to miss a match!

So what are you waiting for? Tickets are only $10 for adults and $5 for kids 10 and under. Check out the WWE Superstars of tomorrow ringside, tomorrow night!

Tampa Bay Rays 3rd baseman, Evan Longoria, has been
named Jackie Robinson AL Rookie of the Year by the Baseball Writers' Association of America. And he didn’t just scrape by with a win; he took all 28 first-place votes!

We are all so proud of how great our Rays did this season, going from one of the worst teams in the league to making it to Game 5 of the World Series. The whole team pulled together to give us a memorable season. 

Longoria showcased his talents all season by hit hitting .272 with 27 home runs and 85 RBIs in 122 games. Longoria was also the first rookie third baseman to his three home runs in one game since 1952 in a September game against the Twins.

Congratulations Evan Longoria, AL Rookie of the Year! A well-deserved honor!

Looking for something a little different this weekend? How about an art viewing or perhaps a wine tasting? This weekend is packed with arts and culture in Tampa Bay. Here are a few fun (and affordable!) events going on this weekend with some of our partners.

If you are interested in art and art history, the Salvador Dali Museum holds regular Avant-garde Lecture Series’. On Friday at 6:30 p.m., guest speaker Andrew Laird will be talking about the origins of Classical influences from Greece and Rome in Mexican, Cuban and North American art, myth and nationalism. Even better, the lecture is free with museum admission which is only $5 after 5:00 p.m.

Also on Friday, the Tampa Bay Performing Arts Center will be hosting their Scene on the Green. This month’s showing is Monty Python and the Holy Grail. Don’t forget to bring lawn chairs and blankets for this free, outdoor movie showing on the TBPAC Riverwalk.Keep your fingers crossed that the Tampa Bay weather stays fabulous!

Visit Malio’s Prime Steakhouse Saturday night for the San Rafael Wine and Live Music Series. From 7 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. there will be a wine tasting of MAIRENA Vinos De Mendoza paired with specialty cheeses by Malio's. From 7:00 p.m. to 11:00 p.m. enjoy live music from Half Circle and Friends. A whole evening for just $20.00 per person!

In honor of Veteran’s Day, MOSI will bring in patriotic music, hands-on science exhibits and an IMAX Dome Theatre film to honor our country’s heroes! Times for the special event vary. For all of our hometown (and visiting from out of town) heroes, November 8-11 MOSI will offer free admission to the museum for all active and retired military personnel, EMTs, firefighters, and police officers.

Invite a little culture into your life this weekend. While you’re at it, have fun! Don’t forget to come back Monday and tell me what you ended up doing this weekend in Tampa Bay! For a complete list of things to do in Tampa Bay this weekend, check out our Calendar of Events.

Ok, so you may have heard that 7th Avenue in Ybor City was just named one of America’s 10 Greatest Streets…and if you haven’t heard, where have you been??!!

Just in case, here’s a recap - The American Planning Association announced that 7th Avenue will be recognized as one of the 10 Great Streets in America for 2008, through their Great Places in America program.   They have singled out 7th Avenue as a Great Street in America for its history, distinctive character, and strong community engagement.

Ok, enough with the details, and on to some…well, details! 

Make sure you make it down to Rough Rider’s Park (at 7th Avenue and 13th Street in Ybor) on Wednesday, Nov. 12 at 2pm for a sign unveiling ceremony by our very own City of Tampa Mayor Pam Iorio. 

Oh, and for those of you who were wondering, the nine other 2008 Great Streets are: Broad Street (Philadelphia, PA), Clarendon and Wilson Boulevards (Arlington, VA), Commercial Street (Portland, ME), Main Street (Annapolis, MD), Mill Avenue (Tempe, AZ), South El Paso Street (El Paso, TX), Summit Avenue (St. Paul, MN), Washington Street (Boston, MA) and West Main Street (Louisville, KY). 

I’ll see you in Ybor City for the ceremony, and possible for a celebration later that night!  Stop back in and let us know what you thought, or even if you agree with 7th Avenue receiving the honor. 

And keep checking back here for the latest things to do in Tampa Bay.   

Have you ever wanted to climb a frozen, vertical waterfall, or maybe surf down a building size water-wall? Unless you are a professional you probably shouldn’t attempt these activities, but that doesn’t mean that you can’t experience them. Extreme is making its way to MOSI’s IMAX Dome Theatre on November 14.

Extreme is a documentary was filmed using IMAX cameras and trails adventurist athletes as they surf, windsurf, ski, snowboard, rockclimb and iceclimb. The action packed documentary also has an original music soundtrack.

On opening night, MOSI will have local adventure enthusiasts at the theatre from 6:00 pm to 9:00 pm to talk about what fuels their passion for adventure. MOSI is home to the only IMAX Dome Theatre in the state of Florida making it one of the premier Tampa Florida attractions. So make sure you stop by and check out the newest Extreme experience at MOSI's IMAX Dome Theatre for the latest in Tampa Bay entertainment!

Wondering where to eat? Have you heard of Pelagia Trattoria? This innovative, Mediterranean-inspired gem is located in the Renaissance Tampa Hotel International Plaza and the people who run it are creating quite a buzz in the Tampa Bay dining circuit.

Fabrizio Schenardi, executive chef of Pelagia Trattoria, and Jim Bartholomay, general manager of the Renaissance Tampa Hotel International Plaza have been respectively named Executive Chef of the Year and General Manager of the Year for 2007 by Renaissance Hotels&Resorts.

The Renaissance Tampa Hotel International Plaza is rated with 4 AAA Diamonds and is self-described as reminiscent of “a Mediterranean villa, a Spanish square, or even a Cuban plaza.”

Pelagia Trattoria and its celebrity chef have received awards, notoriety and rave reviews from local media like the St. Petersburg Times, Tampa Tribune, Discover Tampa Bay Newcomers Guide and national media like Southern Living Magazine, the Link Magazine, Zagat Survey and Restaurant Forum Magazine.

Award-winning celebrity chef, innovative and sophisticated cuisine, first-class Latin-style hotel in Tampa’s chíc Westshore business district… sounds like my kind of place. Drop me a comment if you’ve been to either Pelagia Trattoria or the Renaissance Tampa Hotel International Plaza and let me know if you thought it was as fabulous as everyone is saying it is.

It’s official – the coolest way to tour Tampa’s downtown waterfront has taken off and is full-speed ahead!  Whether you are a visitor or a resident, you’ll want to hop on your “Segway Personal Transporter,” which weighs 105 pounds, rolls on 19-inch tires, zips down the sidewalk at a maximum 12 miles per hour, and travels 24 miles between plug-in recharges. 

Chances are that you have already seen this small fleet of upright Segways zipping through Cotanchobee Park or gliding silently along the Bayshore Boulevard sidewalk.  The company responsible – Magic Carpet Glide Tours, which opened in early October.  Now I know what you are asking yourselves…what route do you take? 

Well, from Channelside, tours pass by the St. Pete Times Forum, follow the Tampa Riverwalk, pass around the Tampa Convention Center, and then move to Bayshore Boulevard, passing by Tampa’s famous Gasparilla ship, the Jose Gaspar.  Tours continue onto Davis Islands, where riders can enjoy a lovely view of downtown Tampa from a different vantage point.  From there, riders Segway over to Harbour Island, and then back to the starting point at Channelside.

And the cost is pretty good too.  Tours cost $50 per person for 90 minutes.  Tour times are 10:30am, 1:30pm, and 5:30pm.  For more information or to make a reservation you can call Magic Carpet Glide at 813-380-1916.  You can even visit their website – www.magiccarpetglide.com.

Take a ride and let us know what you think…inquiring minds want to know! 

Until next time, keep checking back here to see the latest Tampa Bay area events, updates on Tampa Bay Tours, and what's new on the Tampa Bay sports scene, the hottest updates from venues from Ybor City to the Westshore plaza, and so much more. 

It’s Friday, and you know what that means… here’s what to do this weekend in Tampa Bay. Our partners are bringing you a ton of things to do in Tampa Bay this holiday weekend!

As it is Halloween, Friday you should be doing something holiday related. If you don’t have any small children to take trick-or-treating (or even after they’re done and tucked in for the night), The Florida Aquarium is throwing its 11th annual Halloween costume bash, Nauti-Night. From 8:00 pm to midnight enjoy steak and shrimp skewers, beer, wine, soda and live entertainment (all included with the cost of admission). The costume contest is offering a $2,500 cash prize for the most original costume. Not only is it the “It” party to be at, it’s also for a good cause. Proceeds from the event go to The Florida Aquarium marine science education.

On Saturday and Sunday, the 20th Annual Ruskin Seafood Festival, is going on. There will be live music, a boat show, arts&crafts, a Kid’s Fun Land area and, of course, as much savory, fresh seafood fare as you can handle.

Also, it’s Grandparent’s Weekend atDinosaur World where Saturday and Sunday grandparent’s get free admission to the park when they bring a grandchild. So grab you’re favorite grandkid and go check out the 150+ life size dinosaurs, dig for fossils, explore a “boneyard” and dine in the “Caves” (a subterranean picnic area).

Have fun, be safe and don’t forget to come back and drop me a comment Monday to let me know how your weekend was. For a full listing of weekend events make sure you check out our onlineCalendar of Events.

Happy Halloween from Tampa Bay & Company!

I just got back from lunch at Roy’s Hawaiian Fusion Cuisine and it was so fabulous, that I just had to blog about it. Wine cellars tucked behind glass walls created a soothing ambiance throughout the restaurant. Splashes of color were scattered around the restaurant with deep maroons and creamy yellows.

All of the food was savory and cooked perfectly. On the advice of our friendly (and knowledgeable) waitress we began by ordering appetizers: the Hong Kong Calamari and the Lakanilau Roll. The calamari was cooked into a Szechwan sweet-and-sour sauce that was just the right amount of sweet. The Lakanilau Roll is a sushi roll made of dynamite crab, tempura asparagus and avocado. The tempura added the perfect crunch to the savory roll. To top it off, the roll was wrapped in a slice of mildly salty, tender Kobe beef. It was the type of sushi roll that you crave when you’re not even hungry.

For a main entrée I had macaroni-and -cheese. You may be confused as to why an award-winning, cutting edge restaurant with gourmet appetizers serves good ‘ole mac&cheese so let me elaborate. The macaroni and cheese was served on a piping hot skillet with melted white truffles and enough cheese that tiny strings attached my fork to my plate with every bite. The dish had bite-size, fresh snow crab pieces and crispy green peas that added a beautiful color and texture to the dish. Definitely not mom’s mac & cheese.

Whether you’re looking for an intimate and innovative place to take a date or a chic, high-end place for a middle of the day business lunch, swing by Roy’s. You won’t be disappointed. I’ll probably be somewhere by the open kitchen ordering enough Lakanilau Rolls to feed a family of five

Hi everyone, Lisa here! As I have said before, I have such a fun job! Who wouldn't want to show off their destination to over 20 freelance travel writers?!

From Oct. 23-26, Tampa hosted an annual meeting for Freelance Success, a community of independent professional writers and editors. With more than 100 freelance writers visiting the Bay area, Tampa Bay&Company's Marketing and Sales Departments collaborated to host three FAM tours to maximize the media exposure for Tampa Bay. 

Freelance Success attendees were able to choose from three “only-in-Tampa-Bay” experiences to participate in: Ecotourism, Dining & Culture, and Family Fun.  In all, more than 20 freelance journalists experienced the best of the Bay area for this joint effort. 

The caliber of publications that were represented during these FAMs was exceptionally strong and included the New York Times, National Wildlife, Better Homes&Garden, Chicago Tribune, Cooking Light, National Geographic Traveler, LA Times, Boston Globe, Travel + Life, Miami Herald and many more. The writers were fun, outgoing and very impressed with Tampa!

During the FAMs, the journalists experienced some of Tampa Bay's treasures including Tampa’s Lowry Park Zoo, The Florida Aquarium, Big Cat Rescue, MOSI, the Ybor City State Museum, the Henry B. Plant Museum, The Tampa Theatre, the Dali Museum, Skipper’s Smokehouse, Stump’s Supper Club and the PELAGIA Trattoria.  Be on the lookout for these stories in the coming months! 

Actually one of the journalists already posted a blog entry about her experience here in the Bay area.  Click here to check it out!

~Cheers

Want to check out tonight’s Bulls game against Cincinnati but don’t want to stay at home? Head over to USF’s Sun Dome Arena for Bulls Frenzy II, a free watch party. The Bulls need to kick some Bearcat butt tonight in order to stay in the Big East Conference, so this game is going to be intense.

Join the sea of green-clad USF student to cheer on the hometown team in a great party atmosphere. Above and beyond watching the nationally televised game via big screen, the 2008 – 2009 men’s and women’s basketball teams will be introduced to the crowd. During the Bull Frenzy there will also be interactive games on the basketball court with both teams and the students as well as free t-shirts and other giveaways.

The free event is open to the general public. The game will start at 7:30 pm, but doors open at 6:30 pm so make sure you get there early! Wear green and cheer loud! Afterwards, come back and tell me what you thought of the Bulls and the Bearcats.

Go Bulls!

On Monday, the weather dipped to a crisp 70 something degrees and there wasn’t a cloud in the sky. It was the perfect for a day on the green, so that’s exactly where we went for another fabulous Tampa Bay&Company event.

Our 15th Annual Golf Tournament, Tee Off for Tourism was the best way to kill a few hours in the middle of the day. This year’s tournament attracted 68 golfers from all over the Bay area to the lush Emerald Greens Golf Resort & Country Club. We also hosted an online auction of donated hotel stays and attraction tickets among other vacation getaway packages that raised about $10,000.

The proceeds from both the tournament and auction are being used to fund five college scholarships for local Hillsborough County high school students completing the Academy of Travel & Tourism program. Not only was the tournament a blast, it was for a good cause!

All in all, the tournament was a success. If you’re coming to visit Tampa Bay and want to get a few games of golf in, make sure you check out our list of partner golf resorts. If you’ve been to any of our local golf resorts, drop a comment and let me know how your Tampa Bay golf experience went.

Many of our Tampa Bay&Company partners are giving you an early treat? Or is it a trick? Halloween has come early for this weekend's things to do in Tampa Bay!

The 3rd annual Hall-O-Boo! event is going on this Friday and Saturday at MOSI. From 5 to 9 p.m. this family-friendly event offers pumpkin decorating, Halloween mask making, Mad Scientist shows, costume contests and even A Bat Cave behind the IMAX Dome Theatre. There will also be hay rides outside and a Monster Mash Ball. Tickets are $8 for members and $10 for non-members.

On Saturday, Guavaween is taking over the streets of Ybor City for one of my favoriteTampa Bay area events.  From 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. the kid-friendly Kia Motors Guavaween Family FunFest is going to be fun for the whole family. There’ll be amusement rides, arts & crafts, safe trick-or-treating and the Children’s Costume Parade & Contest. After the family activities end, the less kid-friendly Guavaween begins. Join about 80,000 of your closest friends and wander around Ybor City all night to catch live music on multiple stages and witness the annual Mama Guava Stumble Parade.

Sunday, more family fun returns with The Florida Aquarium’s Guppyween.  From 4 to 9 p.m. kids in costume get in free for a night of safe trick-or-treating. While you’re there, check out their newest gallery, Ocean Commotion. Here, kids experience cutting edge technology where they can play with a virtual dolphin or call a virtual whale.

As I said, Halloween comes early this year! Both your children and their dentist will be thrilled! Make sure you come back and let me know how the festivities went, we can compare Guavaween notes. As always, for a complete list of things to do this weekend make sure you stop by our Calendar of Events. Until next Friday…

"We are confident. We like to go into every game thinking that we can win,” said Tampa Bay Rays outfielder B.J. Upton. That’s the spirit boys!

The final score of Game 2 of the World Series was 4-2 and the plays were all over the board: grounders from Carlos Pena and Evan Longoria in the first, an RBI single from Upton in the second and a safety squeeze from Jason Bartlett in the fourth. It was teamwork at its finest at Tropicana Field yesterday night.

Yet, despite the 180˚ turn the Tampa Bay Rays have made this season, there are still some baseball fans out there that are unsure of our teams’ merit. In today’s newspaper, the New York Times posed the question “Was it the skill of the Rays’ pitchers or the flop of the Phillies’ hitters that tied up the World Series, one game apiece?” Whatever it was (I’m leaning towards skill, but that’s just me), let’s try and do it again.

After a disappointing Game 1 loss and an exciting and well-deserved Game 2 win, the Rays are en route to Philadelphia where ALCS MVP Matt Garza is scheduled to pitch in Game 3 tomorrow night. Make sure you tune in to cheer on the home team.

Go Rays!!!

It’s time to start checking days off on your calendar. Only 100 more days until game time with the Super Bowl in Tampa Bay! There is going to be so much happening!

Just last week, the NFL Commissioner, Roger Goodell, was in town for the Super Bowl Host Committee Luncheon. Everyone is expecting about 100,000 to come to Tampa Bay to cheer on their favorite team. Raymond James Stadium holds about 72,500 people, but everyone in Tampa Bay will be watching this game.

Don’t stay home and watch the game by yourself! Come on down, and join us for the party (make sure you grab a seat at a sports bar early). Also, don’t wait until the last minute to book your flight and hotel. There are a ton of hotels in Tampa Bay but if you start planning your Super Bowl party early, all you’ll have to worry about come February 1 is getting a new jersey, a cold beer and some spicy wings.

Also, keep checking back to the host committee website for the latest Super Bowl XLIII updates and things to do in Tampa Bay while you're down here.

TAMPA BAY SPORTS ALERT!  How's this for Tampa Bay entertainment...Baseball fans will want to make their way to downtown Tampa tomorrow to see, and yes visit with, the 2008 World Series Championship Trophy.  Here’s the letter, straight from the City of Tampa Mayor’s office –

“Fans will have an opportunity to experience the excitement of the postseason with a special viewing of the 2008 World Series Trophy at Tampa City Hall Plaza, located at 306 E. Jackson Street. Mayor Pam Iorio will address attendees at 10 a.m. and then fans will be able to see and take photos with the Trophy.”

So, if you are looking for things to do in Tampa Bay, all while supporting your hometown team, then take an extra long lunch break tomorrow and come celebrate a pending victory for the Tampa Bay Rays with the City of Tampa.  And, don't forget to drop back here for more updates about the Tampa Bay Rays activities. 

See you there…and GO RAYS!