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Tampa, Florida

You want Florida, you want it all, and you only want to unpack once. No problem. You want Tampa Bay. Here, a single day's itinerary might include breakfast at a waterside cafe, Busch Gardens, The Florida Aquarium, a streetcar ride to Channelside for shopping, and a Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Devil Rays, or Lightning game. For the most up to date fun in the sun travel and vacation information on Tampa Bay, Florida, the Tampa Bay, Florida CVB website is the source for information on lodging, restaurants, attractions and events. The website contains information on area weather, maps and other helpful travel aids for what ever you need for an exciting experience.

Busch Gardens Tampa Bay combines world-class thrill rides, Broadway-style live entertainment and one of North America’s largest zoos in an unforgettable African adventure for the whole family. Busch Gardens' newest coaster, SheiKra, is already a legend with thrill-seekers worldwide. It's 200 feet up, 90 degrees straight down, and like nothing else in the world.

Explore the great outdoors - indoors in cool, air-conditioned comfort at The Florida Aquarium. Encounter over 10,000 aquatic plants and animals, from huge sharks to playful river otters. Enjoy daily behind-the-scenes tours, dive shows, close-up penguin encounters and two touch-tanks for hands-on experiences. Check out our brand new 2.2 acre outdoor discovery zone for kids, Explore A Shore. Children can enjoy Florida sunshine and climb aboard a 24-foot pirate ship, slide down a waterslide and more.

Tampa, Florida

 
Tampa Florida

Tampa, Florida TIP

Visit the Tampa Bay, Florida CVB website at www.visittampabay.com and request your free full color Tampa Bay, FL travel planner now.

The International Dragon Boat Federation

 The International Dragon Boat Federation (IDBF) has selected Tampa Bay to host the 2011 IDBF World Dragon Boat Racing Championship. The event is scheduled to take place in August of 2011 on Seddon Channel in downtown Tampa.

This event, held once every two years, is scheduled to provide approximately 15,000 room nights for Tampa Bay. As many as 6,000 participants from up to 55 countries will participate in the event, for an estimated economic impact of $24.3 million.

Members of the Local Organizing Committee, which include representatives from Tampa Bay & Company, the Tampa Bay Dragon Boat Institute, and the United States Dragon Boat Federation, recently traveled to Penrith, Australia to present the United States' bid for the 2011 Championship.

Although the bid was put forth by the USA, Tampa Bay was selected as the USA bid city in 2006, and competed against countries such as China and Canada to host the Championship. Previous Championship sites include Australia (2007); Germany (2005); China (2003); Philadelphia, Pa. (2001); England (1999); and Hong Kong (1997).

Originating in Southern China more than 2,000 years ago, dragon boat racing started gathering interest in the western world in the 1970s. Today, dragon boat racing is one of the fastest growing athletic events in the World. Currently, the Tampa Bay International Dragon Boat Races are held on the Garrison Channel in downtown Tampa every April.

For more event information, log on to www.idbf.org or www.usdbf.com. Media contact is Travis Claytor, communications manager for Tampa Bay & Company, at 813-342-4052 or TClaytor@VisitTampaBay.com.