Smooth Traveler:
More than a mouse, Tampa, Florida (Part Two)
By Renée S. Gordon
During the 16th-century the first documented Europeans to reach Florida’s bay area were met by Native American tribes that had populated the region for thousands of years. The name itself, “Tampa,” has been traced to the Calusa Tribe’s word meaning “sticks of fire.” The word may be derived from the fact that this was a place where wood was gathered or that there were numerous lightning strikes in the area. Tampa continues to have more lightning strikes than any other place on the continent and the bolts are nearly twice as powerful as the average.
www.visitFlorida.com

Less than 200 years later nearly all of the indigenous people had been wiped out by warfare and disease and the land was inhabited by relocated Seminole Indians and fugitive blacks. Americans arrived in the area in 1824 and shortly thereafter the government dispatched the US Army to build a fortification for their protection. A fort was constructed on the banks of the Hillsborough River and named in honor of its first commander. Nothing of Fort Brooke, Tampa’s first permanent American settlement, remains except a pair of cannons located on the campus of the University of Tampa.

One picture is worth a thousand words and in 2003 Lynn Ash was commissioned by Tampa’s Public Art Program to design an artwork that would reflect its history and singularity. The resulting 4’ x 8’ mural, “Story of Tampa,” is on view in the lobby of the Tampa Municipal Office Building. The painting provides an overview of the people, places and items associated with the city.

The $31 million Tampa Bay History Center is another delightful way to take a crash course on Tampa history. The 4-story, 60,000-sq. ft. facility presents both permanent and traveling exhibits that present more than 12,000 years of history. Tours begin in the Lykes Atrium where fourteen, mobile, iconic figures are suspended from the ceiling, are neon-lit and at night can be seen for several blocks.

Tours should begin with the 15-minute film, “Winds of Change,” about Florida’s first people. Additional highlights of the self-guided tour include a multi-sensory theater, “Cigar City”, the story of the cigar industry, and “Cowmen and Cracker,” the story of the first cattle in America. The J. Thomas and Lavinia Touchton Collection of Florida Cartography is on special exhibit. The collection consists of nearly 3,000 maps, charts and prints spanning nearly 500 years. The oldest item dates from 1513 and the smallest is a 3” pocket globe.

Most of the exhibits are interactive and the museum relates Tampa tales that represent its diversity and ethnic composition. Visitors should not miss shopping in the museum store and having a treat in a replica of the famous Columbia Café. 801 Old Water Street.
www.tampabayhistorycenter.org

MOSI, the Museum of Science and Industry at 4801 E. Fowler Avenue, is the Southeast’s largest science center. The museum is made up of “Kids in Charge,” the children’s science center, Saunders Planetarium and the IMAX Dome Theater Experience. The IMAX Theater has an 82-ft. hemispherical screen inside an 85-ft. dome. Within the museum galleries there are 450 interactive exhibits. A real favorite is “Disasterville,” an explanation of natural disasters and a real showstopper is time spent inside a booth to experience the power of the 74-mph winds of a gulf coast hurricane. You’ll never forget it. www.MOSI.org

The “Best Mid-sized Zoo in the US” is the 56-acre Lowry Park Zoo at 1101 W. Sligh Avenue. Though it focuses on indigenous animals there are more than 1,500 animals on display in eight sections. www.lowryparkzoo.com

The 14-year old Florida Aquarium continues to draw record crowds. It offers several creative programs that allow guests to get up close and personal and there is a regular schedule of lectures and learning experiences. The rocking chairs located throughout the facility are a particularly nice touch. 701 Channelside Drive. www.flaquarium.org

Ybor City has been Tampa’s Hispanic cultural hub since Vicente Martinez Ybor established a cigar factory there in 1886. The district is bounded by 22nd Street, Nebraska Avenue, East Broadway and Columbus Drive. The history of early Ybor City is preserved and presented in the Ybor City Museum State Park complex that consists of the Ybor City Museum, the Casita and a 19th-century Mediterranean Garden. www.ybormuseum.org

The museum is situated inside the 1896 Ferlita Bakery building. It features permanent and changing exhibits. A shop on site sells items that represent the city’s culture and heritage.

The relocated Casita, one of seven, was originally home to cigar factory workers in the 1890s. All of the Florida pine houses are typical, three-room, “shotgun” structures with wooden shingles. Houses were rented by workers or could be purchased and paid for with salary deductions. 1818 East 9th Avenue. www.floridastateparks.org

All travelers to Ybor City must stroll down La Setima, 7th Avenue, and visit the internationally famous Columbia Restaurant, rated the most “Outstanding Spanish Restaurant in North America.” In 1905 Casimiro Hernandez, Sr. opened a small café to serve the cigar workers. The original restaurant is now a city block, has 15 dining rooms, seats 1,700 and continues to be family owned. The traditional Spanish cuisine is outstanding, the decor is amazing and Flamenco shows are presented nightly. No visitor to Tampa should miss spending an evening at the Columbia. www.columbiarestaurant.com

In 2008 Busch Gardens Africa in Tampa Bay premiered Jungala, a 4-acre Congo area. There are three animal habitats with Bengal Tigers amid rock formations, the Kulu Canopy and primate treetop viewing platforms. The park combines 16 thematic rides, live shows, 6 restaurants, attractions, 7 animal habitats, shops and more than 2,000 animals to create an African adventure for the entire family. Highlights of the park are an amazing replica of King Tut’s Tomb and a Broadway-style show, “KaTonga: Musical Tales From the Jungle.” The park is open daily.

The Quorum Hotel, 700 North Westshore Blvd., provides, great, centrally located accommodations for your Tampa trek. It has 272 guestrooms and a selection of unique amenities including a therapeutic spa, limited courtesy transportation, business center, book and tape library and complimentary seated massages Monday to Saturday and believe me, you can really use a massage after a day exploring Tampa.
www.quorumtampa.com

There are direct flights from Philadelphia to Tampa and even as you read many flights are on sale. Tampa proves there is much more than a mouse to discover in Florida. www.visittampabay.com

I wish you smooth and adventurous travels!