There's Always Family-Oriented Fun in Tampa Bay

Newcomers to Tampa Bay are always surprised at how many fun things there are to do with their families ight here in Tampa and Tampa Bay. There's no need to drive to Orlando to have a fun-filled day with the family. Here are just two of the many family-oriented attractions in Tampa.

Busch Gardens

Here you can experience up-close encounters with amazing animals. At the "Edge of Africa" exhibit area, you can take a walking safari and encounter exotic African animals in natural habitats including hippos, lions, hyenas, lemurs, meerkats, crocodiles and vultures.

At Jungala, a 4-acre lush Congo jungle setting, you and the kids will be face-to-face with Bengal tigers and orangutans. Then you can test your strength in a game of tug-of-war with a tiger or explore the jungle in a 3-story play area of mazes, ropes and crawl tubes.

After an enjoyable lunch, settle into a spacious open-air vehicle for a Serengeti Safari across a 65-acre African plain where you'll see hundreds of fascinating animals and get up-close to some. You can even feed some of them by hand. You’ll meet zebras, giraffes and ostriches and learn about other exotic animal species.

If your family is into thrills, Busch Gardens has more roller coaster and other rides than you can take in one visit. so plan on coming back many times to one of Florida's most enjoyable and at the same time, educational attractions.

While the park is open 365 days a year, hours vary by season. Opening and closing times are available on-line.

The Florida Aquarium

One of the top aquariums in the world, the Florida Aquarium offers a truly unigue family experience. Your tour will follow the path a single drop of water flowing from a spring in the heart of Florida, experiencing everything that drop of water passes as it finds its way to the ocean. More than 20,000 aquatic plants, birds, animals, fish and alligators are exhibited in open tanks and spaces where you are less than a foot or two away from them in an air-conditioned space.

Guests 6 years old and older can "Swim with the Fishes," or the whole family can enjoy a "Dolphin Cruise" and view some of the 500 wild dolphins that call Tampa Bay home.

Kids can also "Explore a Shore" at a 2-acre outdoor water adventure zone where water canons, geysers and a climbing pirate ship await them. They'll cool off while parents relax under the shade of the Cantina bar and grill.

The Aquarium is open daily from 9:30 AM to 5:00 PM and closed only on Thanksgiving Day and Christmas. It is located in downtown Tampa at 701 Channelside Drive. Call for more information at 813-273-4000.

In addition, Tampa hosts a constant flow of family-fun events ranging from the annual Gasparilla pirate invasion and holiday boat parades to things like the annual Chalk Walk Festival when over 40 chalk artists create art right on the streets of Hyde Park.

No matter what your interests, Tampa and Tampa Bay have activities and events to keep your family occupied every weekend of the year.

If Tmpa sounds like your kind of town, request my Tampa Florida Information package or E-Mail Me. For more immediate attention, call me at (813) 263-6806. I would be delighted to answer your questions.