Tampa Tourism

Hey everyone!  Travis here with some great Tampa Bay entertainment news!  It's been a while since we've done a giveaway, so we are going to try this again. 

Hopefully you have all heard about the brand new production at the Tampa Bay Performing Arts Center - Wonderland, Alice's New Musical Adventure.  if you haven't heard, just check out the previous blog by clicking here. 

Well, we have two tickets to give away for the performance on Thursday, Dec. 3 at 7:30 at the Performing Arts Center. 

These will be Facebook giveaways, so don't forget that you have to be a fan of the Visit Tampa Bay Facebook page (www.Facebook.com/visittampabay). 

We'll be doing the giveaway on Tuesday, Nov. 10 at 10am, so make sure you are there and ready to answer a trivia question. 

The first 10 correct repsonses have a chance at the tickets.  so, we'll see you then! 

And keep checking back for more updates about cool Tampa Bay entertainment options and other things to do in Tampa Bay.
 

1. The 205 foot neo-Gothic and art deco Singing Tower carillon is an experience like no other. Name the famed architect who designed it.
2. Name the Music Director for the Orlando Philharmonic Orchestra and what year of his tenure is he entering into?

Hey everyone!  Travis here with some cool Tampa tourism information.  We dont' usually post information like this, but because these are such important people to what we do at Tampa Bay & Company, we had to tell everyone! 

We honored our Volunteer of the Year yesterday at the 13th Annual Tampa Bay & Company Volunteer Appreciation Luncheon, which was held at The Florida Aquarium.  This year, volunteer Loretta Cunningham was honored with the Volunteer of the Year Award. 

Quotes from the VIC Manager:
Visitor Information Center Manager Natalie Bryant stated during the luncheon that this year’s winner has an excellent knowledge of the area and always offers valuable suggestions so visitors get the best experience possible during their time in the Tampa Bay area.  “Loretta has all the qualities you seek in a volunteer, and it is in her very core and personal makeup to think how they can offer help to others.”

“She goes above and beyond the monthly hours requested of Tampa Bay & Company volunteers and participates in the Visitor Information Center on a weekly basis,” said Bryant.  “However, it is not the quantity of hours that makes our winner so special but the quality of service provided each and every time she participates.”

So, congrats Loretta and thank you for everything you do.

Ok, now that taht's done, we can go back to talking about Tampa Bay entertainment.  So, keep checking back for more great things to do in Tampa Bay. 
 

Hey everyone!  Travis here with some Tampa tourism news.  Plus, it's some really cool Tampa Bay entertainment. 

The Sixteenth Annual ExTRAVELganza, the Bay Area's Premier Vacation & Sports Auction
Featuring the New Tours of Taste, take places on Friday, Nov. 13 from 7-10pm. 

It's happening at the at the spectacular newly opened Mainsail Conference Center!  As far as Tampa Bay hotels go, this one is amazing! 

There is no other fundraising event in the Bay Area quite as extraordinary as ExTRAVELganza, which provides the opportunity to purchase dream travel packages while raising scholarship dollars for hospitality and/or culinary arts students.

And, attendees will be delighted with a spectacular inaugural event - a Titanium Chef Competition with celebrity judge. Seats will be limited for this event.

So, make sure you log on to www.extravelganza.org to get more information about attending...also, they are looking for items for the auction.  So, if you have something you'd like to donate, you can do that as well...just check the site for details. 

See you there.  And keep checking back for more updates about Tampa Bay area events and other great things to do in Tampa Bay! 
 

Hey everyone!  Travis here!  Have you ever thought about becoming a Tampa Bay & Company partner?  Well, if not, trust me, it's totally worth it. 

One of the reasons it's worth it is the ability to come and network with the other 700+ Tampa Bay & Company partners at the monthly Business By The Bay events. 

As far as Tampa Bay area events are concerned, this one is packed with potential. 

You can network with people in, and out, of the tourism industry in Tampa Bay.  This month's BBTB will be held at Stumps Supper Club in Channelside.  It happens in two days on Oct. 29 from 5-7pm. 

All you have to do is click here to register.  If you are a Tampa Bay & Company partner...it's FREE!  Just register and come on out. 

If you are a "potential partner" (which is everyone who's not a partner), there's a small fee, but again, it's totally worth it.  Same goes for you, just log on, register and come on out. 

Jeremy and I will both be there, so look for us.  See you all on Thursday at Stumps Supper club.

Until then, keep checking back for more great things to do in Tampa Bay!
 

Hey everyone!  Travis here...not with some Tampa tourism updates.  And not with some cool things to do in Tampa Bay.  but with something everybody in Tampa ends up experiencing.  That's right, road work in downtown Tampa! 

good news...it seems to be on schedule.  Bad news, it's still around.  But all in all, it's for the betterment of the area, and it's a good thing.  So, here's your update. 

This is the Tampa UCAP Downtown Water Pipeline Replacement Project update for the week of October 26th.  The Downtown project continues on schedule.

Construction activity will continue on Florida Avenue.  This includes jack & bore activity (a type of tunneling technology) at Twiggs St. and pipeline installation in the two westerly lanes of Florida Avenue from Jackson Street to Kennedy Boulevard. 

Survey work and utility location will begin on Nebraska Avenue between Channelside Drive and Brorein Street.

Starting October 26th, the north parking lane and north travel lane on Madison St., from Morgan Street west to Franklin Street will be temporarily reopened.  These same lanes will be closed again to complete the tunneling activity at the intersection of Florida Avenue and Madison Street in early November. 

Road closures and detours October 26-November 1, 2009
 
Florida Avenue:  The two lanes on the west side of Florida Avenue, starting at Whiting Street north to Twiggs Street, will be closed from Oct. 5 through Nov. 27, 2009.
 
Twiggs Street:  The northernmost travel lanes, turn lanes and parking lanes on Twiggs Street from Morgan Street to Franklin Street will be closed beginning October 26th.  There will be one lane open for east bound traffic only.

Motorists traveling west will be detoured north on Morgan Street to Polk Street. The work is expected to be completed by the end of November.  There will be no street parking available in this area.
 
Jackson Street: The northern most travel lane and parking lane on Jackson Street from Franklin Street to Florida Avenue will be closed from October 26 through November  6th. 

Motorists should expect a new traffic pattern during the lane closure.  There will be no street parking available on north side of Jackson Street between Franklin Street and Florida Avenue.
 
Nebraska Avenue:  The northbound eastern travel lane from Channelside Drive to Brorein Street is scheduled to be closed from October 26th to November 30th. 

There will be one lane open for north bound traffic only on the west side of the street. Motorists traveling south will be detoured on Brorein Street.  There will be no street parking available in this area. 

And there's your update...but keep checking back, because as we get this info, we'll share it with all of you. 

And as always, we'll continue posting awesome Tampa Bay area events and other cool Tampa Bay entertainment.
 

Hey everyone!  Travis here with a Tampa tourism update.  This is breaking news in from the county, so listen up! 

In today’s regular Hillsborough County Board of County Commissioners meeting, the motion carried 7-0 to rename the Tampa Bay History Center building the 'J. Thomas Touchton Tampa Bay History Center.'

The renaming of the building was brought forward by Commissioner Rose Ferlita to honor the dedication and drive Touchton demonstrated to make the new facility a reality. Touchton, the founding chairperson, spent 20 years actively raising both endowment and capital funds for the History Center project. 

Plus, the Touchtons are in the process of donating their historic map collection of more than 3,000 items to the History Center. These maps and charts represent some of the “Florida” map-makers visions that have been created over the past 400 years.

The Tampa Bay History Center is located at 801 Old Water Street in the Channelside District, and serves as the County's official repository for historic artifacts. With a total cost of $52 million, $17 million provided by the County, the History Center includes 25,000 square feet of exhibit areas, featuring 12,000 years of local history, interactive displays and multiple theaters, plus a gallery that features temporary exhibits.

In addition, a research library is staffed by the Hillsborough County Library system. The Columbia Restaurant operates the Columbia Cafe, complete with a replica of the original Columbia Restaurant bar in Ybor City, founded in 1905.

If you want to learn more about the Tampa Bay History Center, visit www.tampabayhistorycenter.org.

and there's your breaking news update!  Check back for more Tampa tourism updates, as well as information on great things to do in Tampa Bay! 
 

Hey everyone!  Travis here with some Tampa tourism information that I thought should be mentioned.  The Tampa Port Authority has been recognized for financial reporting excellence for ninth consecutive year!

Technically, they were awarded the Certificate of Achievement for Excellence in Financial Reporting for its Comprehensive Annual Financial Report (CAFR) for the 2008 fiscal year, from the Government Financial Officers Association of the United States and Canada (GFOA).

The certificate underscores high standards in the area of governmental accounting and reporting, as well as a constructive “spirit of full disclosure” in its communication methodology.

So, let's here it for the Tampa Port Authority for leading the way in financial reporting. 

Ok, back to more Tampa Bay Area Events and fun things to do in Tampa Bay!  See you soon...
 

Hey everyone!  Travis here with some more great Tampa tourism news!  Today we are congratulating MOSI on being named one of 10 recipients of the 2009 National Medal for Museum and Library Service, the nation’s highest honor for museums and libraries.

The medal is presented by the Institute for Museum and Library Service and is a huge honor. MOSI is the only museum in the state of Florida to receive this medal, and the only Science Center in the country!

With this award, MOSI joins the ranks of prestigious organizations such as the Franklin Institute and the San Diego Zoo. 

The annual award is presented by the Institute of Museum and Library Services and it recognizes institutions for outstanding social, educational, environmental, or economic contributions to their communities.

So, let's all give a huge congrats to MOSI!!!!!!

And as always, keep checking back for more Tampa tourism updated, as well as information about great things to do in Tampa Bay and great Tampa Bay events. 

Hey everyone!  Travis back with some cool Tampa tourism news!  We are excited to help spread the word that the Westin Tampa Bay has been awarded the Four Diamond Rating from AAA!!!!!!

Here's the scoop -
Open less than six months, the Westin Tampa Bay, has been awarded the prestigious Four Diamond Award from the American Automobile Association (AAA) for 2009.  The Westin Tampa Bay is part of a select group of AAA Four Diamond Award winners throughout the U.S., Canada, Mexico and the Caribbean.

Four Diamond hotels represent just 3.4 percent of the more than 58,000 AAA diamond rated lodgings and 2.8 percent of the nearly 27,000 AAA rated restaurants.  It is the only Westin to receive this award in the Tampa Bay region.

To be considered for a diamond rating, hotels must undergo a rigorous evaluation process, including an unannounced visit from one of AAA’s 65 full-time and highly trained professional evaluators. Once a property has been approved, AAA then assigns a diamond rating, from one to five diamonds, to each approved hotel depending on the level of service, décor, and amenities.

Now how cool is that...let's hear it for the Westin Tampa Bay...thanks for representing Tampa the way you do!  and for those of you who want to see and experience what the fuss is all about, you can make reservations and get more information at www.westin.com/tampabay. 

See everyone back here again later...and keep checking back for more information about great things to do in Tampa Bay, as well as other Tampa tourism info.
 

hey everyone!  Travis here with some Tampa Tourism news!  By now, I'm sure you've all heard that Tampa is bidding to host the FIFA World Cup!  In case you haven't, now you know. 

And if you don't know much about it, let's just say that it's HUGE!  It's like hosting 4 or 5 Super Bowls at once!  So, it's pretty important, and it would be a great thing if it came to Tampa. 

Well, the team has been put in to place.  The Tampa Bay Bid Committee for the World Cup is ready to bring it home.  Leading the Tampa Bay Bid Committee as Chairman will be Chuck Sykes, president and chief executive officer of Sykes Enterprises, Inc. 

Also included in the Tampa Bay Bid Committee are community leaders, elected officials, industry professionals and others, including one of the most powerful women in the world...honestly! 

Now, Tampa Bay is among the final 27 cities under consideration to serve as a potential World Cup host city.  Tampa Bay & Company is requesting the support of community members, partners, Tampa Bay fans, and everyone else to help bring the FIFA World Cup™ back to the United States and to Tampa Bay for the first time. 

Log on to www.GoUSABid.com/TampaBay and join the movement to bring this prestigious event to our destination.  It only takes seconds to sign the petition, and a goal of 50,000 signatures has been set! 

When I say that it only takes seconds, I really mean that it only takes seconds, so help us out and log on! 

And as always, keep checking back.  We'll be bringing you updates about this and other Tampa tourism information, along with great things to do in Tampa Bay and Tampa Bay area events.
 

1. This ancient period, which followed the Jurassic period, is believed to be the period in when new carnivore groups developed including the Tyrannosaurs, Spinosaurs and Dromaeosaurs.
2. Who is the Creator and BBC Series Producer of ‘Walking With Dinosaurs’?

1. Name the winged creature featured on the Walking with Dinosaurs show that would most likely be the first to know when it would rain?
2. The tail of this dinosaur was without question one of the most dangerous weapons ever evolved by a plant-eating animal?

1. The Florida Aquarium Center for Conservation has three divisions. Name them.
2. Sharks are very sensitive to capture and handling stress.  This is partly due to a shark's low capacity for aerobic metabolism under duress.  When stressed, sharks quickly switch to anaerobic metabolism, building up an excess of of this type of acid?

1. Name the type of Penguin featured in the Penguin Promenade exhibit at the Florida Aquarium?
2. The Coral Reef Exhibit in the Florida Aquarium actually simulates this actual reef near Key West, Florida?
   

Hey everyone!  Travis back with some cool Tampa Tourism information that you don't usually see.  Hillsborough County recently revised and updated their SouthShore: What A Difference A Bay Makes Ecotourism Guide.  The guide highlights activities in the SouthShore area, as well as the small businesses in the community that cater to visitors and outdoor enthusiasts. 

The pamphlet lists outdoor activities including biking, bird-watching, canoeing and kayaking, crabbing, geocaching, hiking, golfing and many more.  Also listed are accommodations, ecotours, nature education centers and a calendar of events.

To view the SouthShore Ecotourism Guide, just head over to www.hillsboroughcounty.org/econdev/tourism.  Or, if you are out and about, you can also pick one up at the Apollo Beach Chamber of Commerce and the Tampa Bay & Company Visitor Information Center at Channelside Bay Plaza. 

This is a perfect guide if you want to get out and explore Tampa Bay's natural bueaty in ways you never have before.  So, get out there and start exploring! 

We'll be bringing you more great things to do in Tampa Bay, both in nature and elsewhere, so keep checking back for some cool Tampa Bay area events!
 

1. Name the three Weeki Wachee Mermaids that will be performing at this event at the Florida aquarium.
2. When did the original Weeki Wachee Springs underwater theater open?