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An unfair characterization of Tampa, and a great help to the OP in helping him prove his point.
My DH and I often visit my sister-in-law and her husband in Tampa (they reside on Davis Islands); don't know where you hung out, but we find the neighborhoods of south Tampa to be lovely, and the restaurant scene to be more than adequate for a city of it's size. The people I've encountered were quite friendly. The beaches across the bay in St Pete/Clearwater are some of the nicest in Florida.
As far as Tampa being an ugly city, I find it hard to reconcile such a statement with the experience of driving up and down Bayshore Boulevard.
Yeah I agree Tampa isn't ugly IMO. Tampa looks alot nicer than people think. Sun shining, people roller blading, it can't be that bad. Here is Bayshore BLVD on Google Maps: Bayshore BLVD - Google Maps
And here are some houses in Hyde Park, they look really nice in IMO, No trailer trash here: Tampa hyde park - Google Maps
Bayshore Blvd, while quite nice is hardly representative of the entire city. When I say ugly, I guess it always baffled me how ugly the areas near Bush Gardens and the port (where many tourists depart on cruise ships) were. Yes, they built Channelside near the port, but GETTING to the port from the airport is an ugly trip. Same goes for getting to Bush Gardens. You'd think that you'd focus on beautifying the areas that visitors to your city are highly likely to see, leaving a good impression. Tampa never seemed to quite get this. Miami on the other hand is a Florida city that gets it (where as non-touristy areas are pretty rough in some parts).
Anyway, maybe I have a tainted viewpoint of Tampa, but I also believe that you truly have to live somewhere to get an accurate picture. I don't think I realized how rude the overall vibe of the city was until I lived there for a few months. Get outside of Davis Island, Bayshore Blvd, etc and Tampa is an ugly, redneck town in MANY parts. It shows in the mentality of the people more than anything. Drivers are EXTREMELY rude (worse than LA drivers in my experience) and Tampa people overall do not have a "helpful" mentality. Asking where something is at Home Depot will lead to the naming of an aisle 9/10 times in Tampa where as in Cleveland or Colorado Springs (the other cities I've lived in), they'll typically help you find the exact item, walking you up and down a couple of aisles if necessary. Yes, this is a generalization and merely an example (with exceptions), but it's indicative of the attitudes of a large percentage of the people in Tampa based on what I experienced - and the general attitude of a place is most definitely contagious to those who live there given enough time. Just my $.02.
A friend of mine moved to Tampa for her job; she simply did not like it and could not wait to move back to Dallas. From what little I know of Tampa, I'd say it's rated just about where it should be...sorry to any Tampa folks here!
A friend of mine moved to Tampa for her job; she simply did not like it and could not wait to move back to Dallas. From what little I know of Tampa, I'd say it's rated just about where it should be...sorry to any Tampa folks here!
I'd beg to differ. I know people that went to NYC and hated it. It doesn't mean that NYC is overrated. It depends on the person. And the way some people talk about Tampa, you'd think it's Baghdad or something. I'd say Tampa's negatives are overrated.
I think Baltimore is underrated; maybe I am biased but I love to head down for a quick overnight and find new things to explore all the time. As an aside be sure to get out of the inner harbor to see a little more of the city it may surprise you, grit and all
Not to mention out national anthem is based on a battle in Baltimore; that in and of itself is really something special.
I'd beg to differ. I know people that went to NYC and hated it. It doesn't mean that NYC is overrated. It depends on the person.
True; I shouldn't have said anything on this thread, actually, since I really don't know much about Tampa...that city simply doesn't take a lot of mindshare with me, I don't think about it much, in good way or bad way...except that the only thing I've heard about it (from that friend) is that she didn't like it at all and was glad to be able to move back.
I have lived in both cities, and I have to give this to Baltimore. I did not mind my time living in Tampa, but it is not a city I could ever settle down in. First off, the downtown leaves a lot to be desired. It is mainly business buildings with not many attractions. Secondly, there are still quite a few residents who are stuck in the "old south" mentality. I almost got the crap beat out of me by a group of rednecks because I had an earring....and this was at a relaxed 4th of July cookout I was invited too! Additionally, I could not believe the overwhelming amount of confederate flags that seem to blanket the suburbs of the city. This is a personal preference and isn't knocking Tampa, but I really need all 4 seasons. In Tampa it's summer all year round, which is fine for some people, but not me. I like Baltimore because of it's location (Bos-Wash corridor), its culture and nightlife, and the crabs. In general, I think am happier and feel more at home in the northeast/mid-atlantic than the south.
I do know which city i prefer, but as far as how underrated, i'm just not sure.
We all know what Baltimore is known as, but Tampa really isn't mentioned in the media very much.
no it isn't, besides in the NFL and MLB. Tampa is a great city. Personally I don't see what's so bad about seeing the confederate flag on a truck. I'm friends with a kid who has one on his truck and he's a nice person with friends of all races, he is not poor or "trashy" at all and he does good in school. The flag doesn't stand for what it used to stand for now a days. The younger crowd uses it to represent who they are, mostly out door people who like to go mudding, fishing, play sports, go boating, go to the beach, etc. They aren't into going to museums and watching broadway shows. Yes there are trashy people of all races in the trashy parts of Tampa, every city has dumpy areas. But Tampa also has a lot of nice areas like every other city. Two major league sports teams, world class beaches, great dinning and entertainment, a world class theme park, a huge port, a great university, and many great neighborhoods and suburbs.
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