Help Me Explore Tampa! (Orlando, Clearwater: spring break, 2015, amusement park)

[MAniacTHW]

What's going on guys? So, my video series is gearing up for March/Spring Break and it's time I ask for some help out there. What are some of your favorite things to do in Tampa?

Rules:
-Has to be available in March/April
-Has to have a Tampa address (there's enough "Tampa" videos out there focused on everything but)
-I would like to keep it something that is unique to Tampa.
-The more obscure, the better!

Let me know what you enjoy doing, where it's at, and even a name if you'd like a shoutout!

Thank you guys and I look forward to seeing, hearing, and exploring your favorite things.

[theurbanfiles]

Originally Posted by MAniacTHW

What's going on guys? So, my video series is gearing up for March/Spring Break and it's time I ask for some help out there. What are some of your favorite things to do in Tampa?

Rules:
-Has to be available in March/April
-Has to have a Tampa address (there's enough "Tampa" videos out there focused on everything but)
-I would like to keep it something that is unique to Tampa.
-The more obscure, the better!

Let me know what you enjoy doing, where it's at, and even a name if you'd like a shoutout!

Thank you guys and I look forward to seeing, hearing, and exploring your favorite things.

Favorite things about Tampa... Does it have to be like a specific event? Tampa city limits huh?

Well I could obviously know the city better than I do now, but here are a few I know of.

-Columbia Restaurant. Friday night Flamenco shows. Probably the best way I know of to feel like you've left the United States for the Carribean/Latin America, without actually acquiring a passport

-Critical Mass. There's a bike ride the last Friday Night of every month in forward thinking, large, active minded cities around the world, in which, literally, a "critical mass" of people, ride bikes for about 8-10 miles around the city streets/neighborhoods as a way of connecting people to the community and promoting healthy and active lifestyles. (Meets at Curtis Hixon Park at like 7:30 PM on that day). Here's an example of how that movement started in Detroit, and is a small effort in helping revitalize that city.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ybIxBZlopUY CorkTown is now one of the trendiest neighborhoods you will find, and it was helped along by this movement.

-PechaKucha/NerdNite. Not sure if something like this is happening in Tampa Bay at the moment. There is one in Orlando, which as you can see gets quite crowded https://www.bing.com/images/search?q...electedIndex=1, also two similar movements in Cleveland, PechaKucha, and one where professors come and lecture at the bar, while people eat/drink, relax, but also enjoy learning something new. I'd imagine a city as big as Tampa Bay has something like this, but it doesn't seem to have a weekly alternative magazine to keep people as informed on events like this.

-I enjoy running along Bayshore Boulevard a lot. I'm hoping at some point they'll add more greenery alongside this stretch, it is beautiful right now but has the potential to be like the Lakefront Park in Chicago.

-Picnic in Plant Park/watching the sunset there. I could sit in this spot all night, with beautiful views on each end, it is just a very impressive place to be.

-Tampa Theatre: This place is a gem, and particularly unique within the state of Florida. It probably rivals Fox Theatre in Atlanta as the best (only?) piece of Beaux Arts architecture in the Sun Belt. Widely considered one of the top 10 most beautiful movie theaters in the world. I haven't looked at their upcoming events schedule, but often they will do classic movies on weekends and some independent movie they think is good and people should see, during the week. They have a great concession stand too, but probably my favorite part is the fact that they have a guy playing the Wurlitzer Organ at every performance before the show, and the sound in the place is awesome. Easy way to get transported back to the 1920's, and wish that people still cared this much about aesthetics. Also a couple great uniquely Tampa restaurants (Bavaro's Pizza, and less so, but Taco Bus, on the same street)

-Bern's: Never been, but it's on my list. It's considered one of the top 10 not just steakhouses, but restaurants in America by some sources, and I'm sure it would be impressive to view. See if you could get a camera into the desert/wine cellar.

-Tampa Bay Lightning: There are NHL teams elsewhere, but many probably wouldn't have that as their first thought when it came to Tampa... And they are actually quite good this year!

-Ybor City Historic Tours/Famers Market: Saturday mornings in Ybor City, I believe the walk is at about 10, and the farmers market also during those hours. Also Ybor State Museum might be worthwhile

-Plant Museum: Probably another interesting way to see how the state of Florida, particularly this side, came to be developed

-Busch Gardens: Not super under the radar, still I think it flies under the radar because it is something of a blend between a theme and amusement park (and zoo), so some who don't know the area that well might not know about it.

-Yuengling Brewery: People probably just assume this is in Pennsylvania, and so curious tourists that got bored at Busch Gardens might be down to head there.

I know that isn't too specific in the way of events, but I hope that gives you a start!

[MAniacTHW]

Definitely a great start! Thanks for the heads up. I haven't covered BG yet as I don't feel I'm big enough. Maybe once I have a year's worth of episodes or so...

[theurbanfiles]

Okay, that's understandable. Have you YouTubed before? I'd like to check them out! I'm not an expert by any means, but I think the important thing is keeping it simple. Narration isn't even necessarily necessary. Here's one that I really enjoyed the videography on, though you wouldn't necessarily need a GoPro to get great shots around town! Good luck, I'm sure it will turn out fantastic.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n5QEdBl_WqQ

[theurbanfiles]

Bump on this! I want to see what people's favorite "Tampa Specific" events are.

[HWTechGuy]

Well, in the March timeframe - you can't overlook Spring Training. You have the Yankees actually in Tampa, and various other teams in surrounding areas.

[MAniacTHW]

Originally Posted by HWTechGuy

Well, in the March timeframe - you can't overlook Spring Training. You have the Yankees actually in Tampa, and various other teams in surrounding areas.

I don't know if my heart can handle promoting the Yankees!

[HWTechGuy]

Originally Posted by MAniacTHW

I don't know if my heart can handle promoting the Yankees!

I can relate.

[TampaKaren]

The Gasparilla Music Festival is in March. There's the Bay Area Renaissance Festival...some like that sort of thing. I would have suggested the MacDill Air Fest but I heard it's been cancelled for 2015. I'm also a big fan of the Sugar Sand Festival but it's in Clearwater.

Just thought about the Riverwalk Downtown. That would be good if you filmed during a special event. When it's extended to the Tampa Heights Riverfront, it should attract a lot more outdoorsy types.

[theurbanfiles]

Originally Posted by TampaKaren

The Gasparilla Music Festival is in March. There's the Bay Area Renaissance Festival...some like that sort of thing. I would have suggested the MacDill Air Fest but I heard it's been cancelled for 2015. I'm also a big fan of the Sugar Sand Festival but it's in Clearwater.

Just thought about the Riverwalk Downtown. That would be good if you filmed during a special event. When it's extended to the Tampa Heights Riverfront, it should attract a lot more outdoorsy types.

Huh, that's great it's being extended! That's the kind of local news I look for!

If were really dreaming big, here's what it would look like with a pedestrian bridge across the Hillsborough River, and clearing in certain spots, to allow for uninterrupted running/biking/rollerblading from Lowry Park Zoo to Ballast Point Park.

milermeter.com

I know we probably won't see anything like this in any immediate future, but Tampa Heights is a start! Columbus did something like that too!