The Ultimate Guide to Tampa, Florida

Tampa is a great place to live--I can tell you, because I am a lifelong resident of this fair city near Florida's west coast. Tampa, boasting sunshine, a good economy, and numerous things to do and see, is located on the mouth of the Hillsborough River, which feeds into Tampa Bay. Perhaps the first thing new residents find out when moving to Tampa is that there is no such city as "Tampa Bay." Though the term "Tampa Bay" over the years (and many out-of-towners refer to the city itself as "Tampa Bay," in fact the term truly applies not to any city per se but, rather, to the actual body of water forming the bay itself. However, the "Tampa Bay area" is a common and geographically correct term that includes regional counties such as Pasco, Hernando, and Citrus counties to the north, Polk county to the east, Manatee and Sarasota counties to the south and Pinellas county (where many of the area's famous, white beaches are located) to the west. Tampa is located about midway between the northernmost and southernmost reaches of Florida, and is roughly 90 miles west-southwest of Orlando.

Tampa's History