Interactive Experience

It's an exciting time for the crew at the Glazer Children's Museum offices! Seems like only yesterday we were at the topping off ceremony.

Today another milestone was reached as the Museum launched its new website today, and boy is it gorgeous! Hats off to the guys over at Spark Brands for a very colorful and creative concept that came out looking great!

Special recognition also goes out to the Glazer Children's Museum staff for their vision and direction of the site as well.

Goes perfect with the Just Imagine theme, as all of the moving parts of the site allow you to just use your imagination.

I am a firm believer in how your experience with a brand on the web should reflect your physical experience, meaning you should be able to gain insight as to what your experience at the Museum will be like, by visiting the website.

With this website, its very easy to "Just Imagine" all of the possibilities at the Glazer Children's Museum.

The museum will add to an already impressive lineup of Tampa Florida attractions we have on display as well as giving local and visiting families plenty of things to do in Tampa Bay!

Okay guys so here we go! One of the most anticipated shows to hit Tampa in a very long time, or at least since I got here back in 2001! Any of course, you can count on your boy as always to have a ticket giveaway going!

In case you have been under a rock for the last few months and didn't know, Wonderland the Musical will descend upon Tampa Bay from November 24- January 3, 2010!

In this world premiere of a new musical by lyricist Jack Murphy, book writers Jack Murphy and Gregory Boyd and acclaimed composer Frank Wildhorn, Alice is a children’s book writer in Manhattan who is suffering through a creative block, estranged from her husband and alienated from her daughter. It takes a trip to a strange-yet-familiar Wonderland for her to regain her life’s balance and again find the love and everyday magic that reside in us all – if we know how to look.

Today you are trying to be the lucky recipient of two tickets to the Thursday December 3 performance at 7:30pm!

Here are the rules again, just in case you forgot...1 - You have to be following us on Twitter.com (www.VisitTampaBay.com/Twitter); 2- Answer two questions about Wonderland the Musical. 3.  You have to re-tweet the original tweet in order to be eligible to win (a lot of people forget this one, so make sure you re-tweet separately); and 4 - You have to answer the question(s) on Twitter and be the first to do so.

Okay guys here we go!

1. Name this cast member and the character she will portray in Wonderland the Musical, whose credits include on Broadway: In the Heights (four 2008 Tony Awards®), Good Vibrations. Off-Broadway: In the Heights (Drama Desk Award), Byzantium?
2. Name this talented producer of Wonderland the Musical, who also serves as the President/Executive Director of the Tampa Bay Performing Arts Center?

Alright guys there you have it! I suggest you get to answering, if you want those two tickets! I will be back around 530 to announce today's winner so happy guessing!

Stay tuned in for more Tampa Bay area events and things to do in Tampa Bay!

Hello gang, Jerm here and just wanted to let you know about a cool vacation planning tool we are featured in that recently launched!

Gozaic is a new and interesting way for you to plan life-enriching travel and join a community that shares the passion that you have for experiencing culture and heritage. Feel free on the GoZaic site to build your own custom itineraries exploring sites with stories to tell.

Book guided tours to destinations rich in culture. Share your photos and reviews with others.

Tampa Bay is one of many featured destinations on the site, so hop on there and check us out and all that there is to do here. From shopping in Tampa Bay, to all of the historical and cultural options, there is plenty to choose from.

Thats all for now, so stay tuned for more vacation planning tools and things to do in Tampa Bay!

Alright guys, well I thought I was able to stump everyone this time with the difficult trivia questions, but I guess I was wrong and we have a winner!

Oh well I guess I won't get to keep the tickets for myself and take one of my lovely lady friends to meet Ms. Vayne! Instead our good friend Justin Kidder will have to take my place and find a lady friend of his own!

Congratulations to Justin and whomever he is taking with him as he gets to enjoy the prize package of a 4-pack of tickets with front of the line fear passes, and tickets to fright feast! This is also the last week of Howl-O-Scream, so maybe Ms. Vayne will show up and recruit Justin and his guests? Okay maybe not, but congrats Justin and thanks to everyone that played today!

If you didn't win, you can still purchase tickets on-line or just go Thursday, Friday or Saturday and get your tickets at the box office!

Stay tuned for the rest of this week as I may be giving away some other stuff to other Tampa Bay area events! Jerm is signing off now so stay tuned for updates on things to do in Tampa Bay!

Okay guys here it is, its time for Jerm to give away some Howl-O-Scream tickets, so I hope you guys got your trivia hats on!

Now as I said yesterday, this is a pretty sweet prize we are giving away so to make it more interesting, I searched for the hardest trivia questions that I could find, so I actually don't think anyone will figure this one out! Today's winner will recieve a 4 - pack of tickets with front of the line fear passes, and tickets to fright feast!

Being the nice guy that I am though, I am going to tell you where to find all of these answers. See the trivia question below and answer the three questions by visiting the Howl-O-Scream website. If you haven't been there yet, its a cool little interactive website (after you view the YouTube video) with tons of facts about the Howl-O-Scream exhibits and some interesting facts about Ms. Vayne and her crew. Navigate around the site to find the questions.

Here are the rules, as we are going to switch up the format this time... If you have ever played trivia with us on Facebook then this format will be somewhat familiar to you are used to. 

I mentioned above where you can find the answers, and once you have found them, come back to this blog and leave your answers in the comments section, along with your first and last name. From there, we will take the first five with the correct answers and those names will be entered into a drawing where we will pull the name of the lucky winner. 

Okay guys here go the questions:

1. As the youngest of Ms Vayne's crew of bloodsuckers, the adorable Anya hails what region of South Florida?
2. Name one of two of the prized possessions that Ms. Vayne holds dear.
3. This Don Juan like character, and the only male member of Ms. Vayne's crew has origins that go back to 16th Century Spain where he first met Ms Vayne at the coronation of what Spanish King?

Alright gang and that is pretty much it! As always I'll be announcing the lucky winner at 5 p.m. today with an additional blog post so be on the lookout for that!

Until, stayed tuned for more updates on things to do in Tampa Bay and keep checking back for more updates on all of these great Tampa Bay area events!

Okay gang, so I spoke about this last week, and have a bit of good news and a bit of bad news. Which would you like first? Well if it were me then I would want the bad news first, so that is how I am going to proceed.

• Bad News - We will only have one prize to giveaway this week for Howl-O-Scream. remember in my recent post I said otherwise. Long story short, I am a moron and got my own details confused. Don't hate me though as I promise to make amends.
• Good News - The prize that I do have to give away is a darn good one!

If you were not aware, Ms. Vayne will be leaving us this week as one of our favorite Tampa Bay area events,  Howl-O-Scream will come to an end. If you haven't been just yet, then Jerm has a chance for you to win big during the final week.

And even if you don't win, then be sure to get out there and experience Ms. Vayne and her crew for one final time this go round!

Now of all of the giveaway we have done, this is quite possibly going to be one of the best prizes.
This time if you are indeed the lucky winner, you will get a 4 - pack of tickets with front of the line access, fear passes, and tickets to fright feast.

Now all you have to do is pay attention tomorrow between 10 a.m. and noon tomorrow for me to post another blog with the details on how to win. Yes I know that is a window and not an actual time, but I wouldn't be any fun if I didn't keep you guys guessing! Makes it a bit more interesting don't you think... okay maybe not!

That's it for now, stay tuned in for tomorrow as we announce the game details! Keep checkign back for more giveaways and things to do in Tampa Bay!

Whatup Gang! Jerm here and I am super excited to see the lists keep growing with people who want to see the FIFA World Cup ™ 2018/2022 Bid come to Tampa! We do however still have a long way to go, so we need you all to show us your support by going to www.VisitTampaBay.com/WorldCup or www.GoUSABid.com/TampaBay!

So if you are a local and want to show your support, you can do so, or if you are researching your vacation and/or conventions in Tampa Bay then feel free to sign the petition on our site without even having to leave. Wow I really love technology, so remind me to thank the person who invented the widget!

Tell your friends, family, significant other, pets, and anyone else who will listen to sign up! An estimated 36 billion people worldwide watch the FIFA World Cup™, making it the most-viewed sporting event in the world so there is the opportunity for there to be allot of eyes on Tampa Bay in 2018/2022!

With the global economic impact, the FIFA World Cup™ bring a ton of new jobs and provide hundreds of millions of dollars in economic development to Tampa Bay.  World Cup sponsorship is estimated to be over 16 billion dollars, with much of that going directly into local economies that host the event. I don't know about you but that sounds like a winner to me!

So what are you waiting for! Stop reading me rant and rave and go sign up!

Stay tuned for more updates on our FIFA World Cup™ Bid and other things to do in Tampa Bay!

Jerm here again folks! How is everyone doing on this gorgeous day! Hope you all are enjoying the nice cool Tampa Bay weather!

Well its all the buzz these days, and everyone is talking about Twitter! And why, not as its an awesome way to communicate and let people know whats going on in your life, or just the world in general.

If you haven't hear, we here at VisitTampaBay have our own Twitter account and think you should become a fan! Not just for the sake of doing it either, we do some pretty cool stuff on there so you gotta give us a look!

At any point I could be on there giving you tips on the beaches, tweeting live from awesome events, or even giving away free stuff, like tickets for Tampa Florida attractions! So be sure to log on to www.VisitTampaBay.com/Twitter and give us a gander!

I will probably be doing some cool giveaways this week, so stay tuned for that and more updates from your Tampa Bay team of interactive Jerms!

Hello all, Jerm here with an update for you! If you are not a fan of Visit Tampa Bay on Facebook yet, then man are you missing out!

Not only do we give you the low down on what all is going on here in Tampa Bay during the week and on the weekends, but you are also missing us giveaway some cool stuff, like St Pete Times Forum tickets! 

Last week we gave away some awesome tickets to the Walking with Dinosaurs event here at the St. Pete Times Forum!

Since I have the low down on future giveaways, I can confirm that I may have some Howl-O-Scream tickets to give away this week, but you have to be Facebook Fan to win, so I suggest you hurry up and become one!

All you have to do is visit our website at www.VisitTampaBay.com/Facebook, and check out our Facebook Fan box to see what we have been talking about lately! When your ready, click on the "Become a Fan" link and verify it when you sign in to your Facebook account.

That's all for now, but be sure to stay tuned for more updates on things to do in Tampa Bay related interactive stuff!

Alright gang, I guess the title will once again speak for itself as most of my posts have lately. Tonight, your #21 ranked USF Bulls will take on the #8 ranked Cincinnati Bearcats tonight at Raymond James Stadium.

Folks I don't really have to tell you how big of a game this is so come out to the stadium tonight and show your support for what is quite possibly the biggest game in the history of the program! Ray J is approaching 58,000 rabid fans for tonight's game so you gotta make sure its so loud that Tony Pike (Cincy quarterback) can't even hear himself think!

Rumor has it, well its not quite a rumor, that the stadium will be going green tonight! No I don't mean environmental green, but rather USF green! The Bulls are 5-0 against their last 5 top 25 ranked opponents to include victories over West Virginia, Kansas, and Auburn to name a few.

Coach Leavitt and the gang are gonna be looking to make it 6-0 tonight in front of a record sellout student section!

If you can't make it out to the game, be sure to gather at your local watering whole and root the Bulls on!

As far as Tampa Bay area events go, guys it won't get much better than this tonight in the bay area. You can also bet that once the Bulls upset the Kitty Cats, that the Tampa Bay nightlife scene will be bumpin, so you got plenty of reasons to be at the game and then hitting up the celebrations after wards!

That's all for now, but root for the Bulls and and be sure to check back for more updates on things to do in Tampa Bay!

So by now you guys should know that I have a love of Apple products in general, but am a huge fan of the IPhone, AKA the greatest invention since the air conditioner! In that love of the IPhone, also comes a love of great apps. I actually have about 3 1/2 pages worth of apps on my 3GS as we speak and am always on the lookout for another good one!

Well the wait was over this Monday when my friends over at Cost 2 Drive, launched their new IPhone App RoadTweets! Now I know you may be thinking... what the heck is a Road Tweet? The act of Road Tweeting is RoadTweeting is using Twitter to send trip updates (tweets) to followers while traveling.

It's a smartphone application that makes it super easy to capture and share travel experiences from the road. So next time you take that  long road trip and want to keep your friends and family updated on your progress, feel free to RoadTweet your tail off! So when you are making that long drive down the east coast to come to see all of our great Tampa Florida attractions, like the Florida Aquarium, you can document your trip every step of the way!

Now while, this is an app that is used for taking long road trips, myself as well as the gang over at Cost 2 Drive would like to remind that you should not be Tweeting and driving.  I have had the chance to test the app out over the course of the last few days and its functional as well as having a pretty easy to use interface, which are two things that I look for in each app that I download!

This one should come in handy come November when I am planning to take a long Road Trip to DC to visit friends! I am sure everyone waiting on me will want to know my progress as I trek along the interstates and highways.

Well Jerm is signing out now, but be sure to stay up to date all the great things to do in Tampa Bay and with my travel related IPhone app reviews here in the coming weeks and months!

Hello all my favorite Little blog reading dinosaur lovers! Jerm here with day 2 of the Walking with Dinosaurs trivia giveaways.

Yesterday we had a strong response on Twitter for these tickets and I expect today to be no different! Now for those of you who were not paying attention yesterday, let me tell you what you are playing for!

The famous Walking with Dinosaurs Tour will be here October 14-18 at the St. Pete Times Forum here in downtown Tampa. I have two 4 packs of tickets to give away for today and tomorrow. We gave away 4 tickets to a lucky winner yesterday and will be doing the same thing to day for you, our favorite Facebook fans!

Remember, with these giveaways, you HAVE to be a fan of the Visit Tampa Bay Facebook page (www.Facebook.com/visittampabay).  Then, once we post the trivia question, you have to be one of the first 10 to respond via the comments section where we asked the question on Facebook with the correct answer for a chance to win. Alright guys, here goes nothing!

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’?

Okay, I guess you guys should get to guessing. Remember there are four of these tickets on the line!

Until then, keep checking back for updates on this and other Tampa Bay area events, and other great things to do in Tampa Bay!

Here is a bit of surprise trivia for you guys! Leave it to Jerm to always be keeping you on your toes! As far as Tampa Bay area events go, it won't get much better than this!

In case you did or didn't know the famous Walking with Dinosaurs Tour will be here October 14-18 at the St. Pete Times Forum here in downtown Tampa. I have two 4 packs of tickets to give away for today and tomorrow. Today's version will be held on Twitter, and tomorrow's will be a Facebook contest!

Now of course you know that I gotta make you work a little bit in order to get these tickets, so there are a few trivia questions  I need you to answer first. Ya know, just to make sure you are worthy...lol just joking, all of my readers are worthy and I love you guys very much!

Here are the rules again, just in case you forgot...1 - You have to be following us on Twitter.com (www.VisitTampaBay.com/Twitter); 2- Answer two questions about Dinosaurs You have to re-tweet the original tweet in order to be eligible to win (a lot of people forget this one, so make sure you re-tweet separately); and 4 - You have to answer the question(s) on Twitter and be the first to do so.

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?

Okay, hope I didn't stump you too badly. Remember there are 4 tickets on the line today so if you wanna win, then you better get to answering!

Okay guys that all I got for today, be sure to check back tomorrow and pay attention to Facebook! If you are not a fan than I suggest you become one, as only our fans can aswer and win!

Stay tuned for giveaways and updates on fun things to do in Tampa Bay!

Jerm is back today with your second chance to win two tickets to  Ocktoberfest Brews by the Bay 2009! this Saturday at The Florida Aquarium! I thought I stumped you guys yesterday with my question, but someone answered it within like 5 minutes of me posting, so that means I guess I have to make it a bit harder.

Now as I was saying yesterday, there will be plenty of food from local vendors, live entertainment, great exhibits, and 35 unique craft beers from all over the world. So I can guarantee you that you will have a good time at this one folks!

Now in order for you to win, just follow these quick and simple rules below. Now, keep in mind that if you don't win today,  that's no excuse for you to miss this great Tampa Bay area events like this, so hurry up and get your tickets!

Here are the rules again, just in case you forgot...1 - You have to be following us on Twitter.com (www.VisitTampaBay.com/Twitter); 2- Answer two questions about The Florida Aquarium  3 - You have to re-tweet the original tweet in order to be eligible to win (a lot of people forget this one, so make sure you re-tweet separately); and 4 - You have to answer the question(s) on Twitter and be the first to do so.

Okay here goes:

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?

Okay so if that one doesn't stump you then I don't know what will. Remember if you have won within the last 30 days then you are not eligible to win this go round, but are welcome to guess the answer.

Happy guessing and stay tuned for more fun trivia giveaways from Jerm!

As promised, Jerm is here with some stuff to giveaway to some lucky individual! Whats the prize you may be asking? Well I hope you like beer, food and wine, because what your playing for involves plenty of both!

That's right! Your playing for two tickets to  Ocktoberfest Brews by the Bay 2009! this Saturday at The Florida Aquarium! I can just about guarantee you that this is going to be a great event as we all know those guys over at the Florida Aquarium know how to party!

That is evidenced by the fact that there will be plenty of food from local vendors, live entertainment, great exhibits, and 35 unique craft beers from all over the world.

So I bet by now you are wondering, how do I win? Well its pretty simple, just follow these quick and simple rules below. Now, keep in mind that if you don't win today, that I will be doing another one of these tomorrow so you have another chance. Even if you don't win, that's no excuse for you to miss this great Tampa Bay area events like this, so hurry up and get your tickets!

Here are the rules again, just in case you forgot...1 - You have to be following us on Twitter.com (www.VisitTampaBay.com/Twitter); 2- Answer two questions about The Florida Aquarium  3 - You have to re-tweet the original tweet in order to be eligible to win (a lot of people forget this one, so make sure you re-tweet separately); and 4 - You have to answer the question(s) on Twitter and be the first to do so.

Okay here are your question's today:

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?
   

Okay I think I stumped you guys today so I will give you a hint and tell you that both answers can be found on the Florida Aquarium website.

p.s. if you have won in the past 30 days, you can still take a stab at the answer, but are not able to win this go round.

Hello all Jerm here with an unexpected yet awesome trivia giveaway opportunity for you guys! Our friends over at the Florida Aquarium are having a super cool event this weekend as they host the World Famous Weeki Wachee Mermaids.

The world famous mermaids of Weeki Wachee Springs State Park in Florida, known for their grace and beauty for the past 63 years, will be performing at The Florida Aquarium in Tampa, FL for 6 shows, September 25th - 27th , 2009. This event will mark the first performance by the Weeki Wachee Mermaids in the state of Florida outside their domain of Weeki Wachee Springs State Park.

And guess who has tickets to giveaway? Yup that's right Jerm does!

Here are the rules again, just in case you forgot...1 - You have to be following us on Twitter.com (www.VisitTampaBay.com/Twitter); 2- Answer the question about these Weeki Wachee Mermaids  3 - You have to re-tweet the original tweet in order to be eligible to win (a lot of people forget this one, so make sure you re-tweet separately); and 4 - You have to answer the question(s) on Twitter and be the first to do so. Pretty simple huh!

Okay here goes guys...

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?

Okay there you have it! Get to answering! I have a 4-pack of tickets for this and its a one shot deal this time, so no chance to win for tomorrow! If you have won something from us within the last 30 days, you are going to have to sit this trivia out though...sorry, but I have to do that every now and then.

As always stay tuned in for Jerm's updates on things to do in Tampa Bay from me and the gang over here.

Hell all, Jerm here with a cool update on some progress one of our partners has made at their property. Normally I would leave this post to my departing friend Megan Marra, but since it has an interactive swing to it, I figure what the hay!

Guests at the Sheraton Suites Tampa Airport Westshore have a new spot to help them stay connected while traveling.  The just-opened “Link@Sheraton” will act as the hotel’s communications lounge, offering an open-style, bar-side, social networking hub for guest use. 

Located in the lobby and atrium areas of the eight-story, all-suites hotel, the Link has been added as part of the multi-million dollar renovation that is refreshing all parts of the property.  Davidson Hotel Company, who holds ownership in the hotel through a joint venture partnership, is overseeing the renovation and also manages the hotel.

While business centers come standard in most hotels, the Link aims to combine the functionality of computer work stations with the ambiance and social scene people associate with places like Starbucks or Panera. 

Guests at the Sheraton can use the open area to relax, work, socialize with others, connect electronically, or simply get out of their suites.  The Link offers free wireless connection to guests, multiple computer stations, and daily newspapers, all among over-sized chairs and collective worktables.  It opens into the eight-story tropical atrium, the largest in the Westshore District, which contains some of the most unique indoor landscaping around. I took a tour not too long ago guys and believe me when I say this place is super nice!

Stay tuned for more interactive and Tampa Bay hotel updates as they come!

Happy Monday all! Okay guys Jerm here as promised with your chance to checkout Fashion Week Tampa Bay 2009 here in Tampa Bay with two tickets from yours truly!

This is the last set of tickets I ahve to give away this week so you better oput those trivia hats on so you can be in the place this Friday at Fashion Week Tampa Bay 2009!

Here are the rules again, just in case you forgot...1 - You have to be following us on Twitter.com (www.VisitTampaBay.com/Twitter); 2- Answer the question about Fashion Week Tampa Bay 2009  3 - You have to re-tweet the original tweet in order to be eligible to win (a lot of people forget this one, so make sure you re-tweet separately); and 4 - You have to answer the question(s) on Twitter and be the first to do so. Pretty simple huh!

Here we go!

1. Name two of the four student designers from last year's show...

Hint, you can find these answers on the 08 Fashion Week Tampa Bay website...

Thats all for now and happy trivia hunting guys! Stay tuned for more things to do in Tampa Bay!

Okay guys Jerm here as promised with your chance to checkout Fashion Week Tampa Bay 2009 here in Tampa Bay with two tickets from yours truly!

As far as Tampa Bay area events go, this one epitomizes the fashion here scene in the Bay area with an annual event that celebrates the style that is Tampa Bay’s very own.

Here are the rules again, just in case you forgot...1 - You have to be following us on Twitter.com (www.VisitTampaBay.com/Twitter); 2- Answer the question about Fashion Week Tampa Bay 2009  3 - You have to re-tweet the original tweet in order to be eligible to win (a lot of people forget this one, so make sure you re-tweet separately); and 4 - You have to answer the question(s) on Twitter and be the first to do so. Pretty simple huh!

Okay guys here goes with today's trivia, and remember if you don't win today, you have a chance to do so tomorrow as I will have two more tickets to giveaway!

1. Name the two students whose work is being showcased in this years Fashion Week Tampa Bay 2009 event?
2. What local schools do these two students represent?

Okay there you go guys, and I am in a good mood so I will even give you a hint on where to find the answers to the trivia... visit the Fashion Week Tampa Bay 2009 website to find the answers!

Okay guys get to answering, as I will have the answers for your around 530 today! Check back for more trivia tomorrow and updates on things to do in Tampa Bay!