What to do in West Central Florida
From Tarpon Springs south to Sarasota, the west central part of the Sunshine State has plenty to offer.
Events to take note of:
Winter
Florida State Fair- Held during February in Tampa.
Florida Strawberry Festival- Strawberries, rides, and national country music acts.
Gasparilla Extravaganza and Pirate Festival- Aargh, lots for the family to do during these two events.
Outback Bowl- Grab a seat on New Year's Day for some SEC and Big Ten football action.
Tampa Bay Black Heritage Festival- 10 day event featuring speakers, music, food, and lots more.
Spring
Bay Area Renaissance Festival- Two months of themed weekends consisting of art, entertainment, music, and more.
Honda Grand Prix- Check out Indy drivers racing through St. Pete.
MLB Spring Training- See the Phillies in Clearwater, The Yankees in Tampa,the Blue Jays in Dunedin or the Devil Rays in St. Pete.
Summer
Fall
Guavaween- Halloween in Ybor City. Enough said.
Things to Do:
Adventure Island- Tampa's Water Park.
Bird's Underwater- Underwater manatee tours, kayaking, can canoeing in Crystal River.
Canoe Escape- Canoe or Kayak the Hillsborough River.
Captain Memo's Original Pirate Cruise- Eat dinner on a pirate ship! Avast Ye Lubbers!
Centro Ybor Shopping Center- Shopping in the heart of Ybor City.
Clearwater Marine Aquarium- Dolphins, sea turtles, sharks, and more.
Crystal Lodge Dive Center- Snorkel with the manatees, airboat rides, and more.
Dinosaur World- Located just off of I4 in Plant City. Check out over 150 life size dinosaurs.
Fort Desoto Park- Voted America's Top Beach in 2008. Great camping and fishing.
Ghost Tour of St. Petersburg- Cruise the haunted streets of downtown St. Pete.
Hyde Park Village- Nice and quiet. Great place to relax while browsing.
International Plaza & Bay Street- Over 200 stores and 15 restaurants next to Tampa International Airport.
John's Pass Village & Boardwalk- Over 130 shops, located in Madeira Beach.
Lowry Park Zoo- Brevard Zoo members get 1/2 off admission.
Museum of Science & Industry- Visit the largest science center in the U.S.
Native Sun Tours- Airboat, Pontoon boat, and scalloping trips. Located in Crystal River.
Nobleton Outpost- Canoe, kayak, or fish on the Withlacoochee River.
River Safari's & Gulf Charters- Boat rentals along with the usual airboat and pontoon boat tours. Located in Homosassa.
Salvador Dali Museum- You've seen the artwork now check out the museum.
Sea Screamer- Get wild while riding a 73' speedboat.
Shell Key Shuttle- visit Shell Key for great birding and shelling.
Skydive City- Are you ready?
Sunken Gardens- Botanical and water gardens.
Sunshine Skyway Fishing Piers- You can catch monster fish here! Black Sea Bass, Cobia, Flounder, Grouper, Jacks, King Mackerel, Redfish, Sharks, Snapper (Several different species), Snook, Spanish Mackerel, Tarpon, and more are caught here. They also hold fishing tournaments every weekend.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers- Go Buc's!
Tampa Bay Devil Rays- Enjoy MLB action on your vacation.
Tampa Bay Lightning- Watch the former Stanley Cup winners in action!
Tampa Bay Storm- Get your Arena Football fix.
The Florida Aquarium- Brevard Zoo members get 1/2 off admission.
The Pier- Shopping, dining, and entertainment in St. Pete. Yes you can fish there too.
The Pier Aquarium- 15 aquariums on display.
The Pioneer Florida Museum & Village- 10 historic buildings.
University Mall- 170 stores. In the vicinity of USF and Busch Gardens.
University of South Florida Botanical Gardens- A relaxing time close to Busch Gardens.
Weeki Wachee Springs- Mermaids, river cruises, and water slides.
Westfield Countryside- Over 170 stores and an indoor ice skating rink.
WestShore Plaza- Near downtown Tampa.
Now a little something for Mom and Dad to do while in West Central Florida:
Florida Orange Groves Winery- Try their tropical, citrus, and berry wines.
Keel & Curley Winery- Try their blueberry wine. Located in Plant City.
More links for You:
Florida State Parks- Check out these State Parks; Alafia River State Park, Anclote Key State Park, Crystal River Archaeological State Park, Hillsborough River State Park, Homosassa Springs State Park, Little Manatee State Park, and Skyway Fishing Pier State Park.
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