Tampa-bound GOP conventioneers will venture into a land of the Ringling Bros. Circus, Salvador Dali, and the world’s longest sidewalk. In other words, leave the blue blazers at home.
In 1868, many Cubans fleeing the violence of the Ten Years’ War ended up in Tampa. They set up cigar-rolling shops in the Ybor City neighborhood, which today is a strip of shops, clubs, bars, and restaurants. Your best bet for cigars is Rodriguez & Menendez Cigar Factory and Store. For Cuban food, hit the Columbia Restaurant, which opened in 1905.
2 All the Jolly Roger stuff isn’t Pirates of the Caribbean memorabilia from Orlando.
The city’s football team wasn’t named the Buccaneers by accident. Local lore pretends that pirate José Gaspar once stormed Tampa, demanding that the mayor give him the key. This “storming” is reenacted every January at the Gasparilla Pirate Fest, which began in 1904. Public-drinking restrictions are lifted for the day, and thousands line up along Bayshore Boulevard to watch pirate floats and to catch beads flung into the crowds. Tampa residents show their pirate pride all year, hence all the Jolly Roger flags around town.
3 That’s one long sidewalk.
Bayshore Boulevard is the world’s longest continuous sidewalk. Be careful if you want to take a walk or run along the 4½-mile stretch. There’s little shade, so in the heat and humidity it’s better to run or stroll on the other side of the road in the shade of palm trees. You’ll also be better positioned to gawk at Bayshore’s mansions.
4 No, that’s not a mosque—it’s a university.
In 1891, railroad man Henry B. Plant built the Tampa Bay
Hotel, a grand resort along the Hillsborough River. Plant loved Moorish
architecture, so he crowned the hotel with six minarets. Guests included Teddy Roosevelt, Clara Barton, Stephen Crane, and Sarah Bernhardt. The hotel closed in 1932 and became home
to the University of Tampa in 1933. Admission to the university portion is
free. You can also take a guided tour of the Henry B. Plant
Museum.
5 Mad Men yourself.
Tampa is a town of
transplants, lots of whom brought their winter clothes with them. Many
items from those wonderful wardrobes end up in Tampa’s eclectic vintage
and consignment shops. Your best bets are La France in Ybor City and
Sherry’s YesterDaze Vintage Clothing & Antiques.
6 Take it off!
One tourist attraction most
guides leave out: strip clubs. Tampa has more than 20 within the city
limits. The two most popular, 2001 Odyssey and Mons Venus, are near each
other on Dale Mabry Highway.
7 Aged to perfection.
Photograph courtesy of Bern’s Steak House.
The place to see and be
seen is Bern’s Steak House, which opened in 1956. It’s a classic, as are
many of the 7,000 wines in its cellar, with bottles dating to 1827. If
you’re not up for the full Bern’s experience or just want something sweet,
stop into the Dessert Room, separate from the restaurant, for the
chocolate/peanut-butter truffle.
8 Want weird? Take a drive.
You have two
options. First is the Dalí Museum in St. Petersburg—a half hour away—which
was born of A. Reynolds and Eleanor Morse’s private collection of Salvador Dalí.The
collection includes 96 oil paintings, more than 100 watercolors and
drawings, and 1,300 graphic works, photographs, and sculptures. Second is
the Ringling Museum in Sarasota, an hour from Tampa and once the location
of the Ringling Bros. Circus’s winter grounds; don’t miss the 56-room,
bayfront Ca’ d’Zan mansion. Seeing both cities is a daylong
trip.
Curious about what the Democrats are doing in Charlotte? Check out our guide to Charlotte.
Jen A. Miller is a travel writer, University of Tampa alumna,
and frequent Gasparilla Pirate Festival attendee.
This article appears in the August 2012 issue of The Washingtonian.
Welcome to Pirate Country: A Guide to Tampa
Tampa-bound GOP conventioneers will venture into a land of the Ringling Bros. Circus, Salvador Dali, and the world’s longest sidewalk. In other words, leave the blue blazers at home.
1 Miami isn’t the only Cuban haven in the US.
In 1868, many Cubans fleeing the violence of the Ten Years’ War ended up in Tampa. They set up cigar-rolling shops in the Ybor City neighborhood, which today is a strip of shops, clubs, bars, and restaurants. Your best bet for cigars is Rodriguez & Menendez Cigar Factory and Store. For Cuban food, hit the Columbia Restaurant, which opened in 1905.
2 All the Jolly Roger stuff isn’t Pirates of the Caribbean memorabilia from Orlando.
The city’s football team wasn’t named the Buccaneers by accident. Local lore pretends that pirate José Gaspar once stormed Tampa, demanding that the mayor give him the key. This “storming” is reenacted every January at the Gasparilla Pirate Fest, which began in 1904. Public-drinking restrictions are lifted for the day, and thousands line up along Bayshore Boulevard to watch pirate floats and to catch beads flung into the crowds. Tampa residents show their pirate pride all year, hence all the Jolly Roger flags around town.
3 That’s one long sidewalk.
Bayshore Boulevard is the world’s longest continuous sidewalk. Be careful if you want to take a walk or run along the 4½-mile stretch. There’s little shade, so in the heat and humidity it’s better to run or stroll on the other side of the road in the shade of palm trees. You’ll also be better positioned to gawk at Bayshore’s mansions.
4 No, that’s not a mosque—it’s a university.
In 1891, railroad man Henry B. Plant built the Tampa Bay
Hotel, a grand resort along the Hillsborough River. Plant loved Moorish
architecture, so he crowned the hotel with six minarets. Guests included
Teddy Roosevelt, Clara Barton, Stephen Crane, and
Sarah Bernhardt. The hotel closed in 1932 and became home
to the University of Tampa in 1933. Admission to the university portion is
free. You can also take a guided tour of the Henry B. Plant
Museum.
5 Mad Men yourself.
Tampa is a town of
transplants, lots of whom brought their winter clothes with them. Many
items from those wonderful wardrobes end up in Tampa’s eclectic vintage
and consignment shops. Your best bets are La France in Ybor City and
Sherry’s YesterDaze Vintage Clothing & Antiques.
6 Take it off!
One tourist attraction most
guides leave out: strip clubs. Tampa has more than 20 within the city
limits. The two most popular, 2001 Odyssey and Mons Venus, are near each
other on Dale Mabry Highway.
7 Aged to perfection.
Photograph courtesy of Bern’s Steak House.
The place to see and be
seen is Bern’s Steak House, which opened in 1956. It’s a classic, as are
many of the 7,000 wines in its cellar, with bottles dating to 1827. If
you’re not up for the full Bern’s experience or just want something sweet,
stop into the Dessert Room, separate from the restaurant, for the
chocolate/peanut-butter truffle.
8 Want weird? Take a drive.
You have two
options. First is the Dalí Museum in St. Petersburg—a half hour away—which
was born of A. Reynolds and Eleanor Morse’s
private collection of Salvador Dalí.The
collection includes 96 oil paintings, more than 100 watercolors and
drawings, and 1,300 graphic works, photographs, and sculptures. Second is
the Ringling Museum in Sarasota, an hour from Tampa and once the location
of the Ringling Bros. Circus’s winter grounds; don’t miss the 56-room,
bayfront Ca’ d’Zan mansion. Seeing both cities is a daylong
trip.
Curious about what the Democrats are doing in Charlotte? Check out our guide to Charlotte.
Jen A. Miller is a travel writer, University of Tampa alumna,
and frequent Gasparilla Pirate Festival attendee.
This article appears in the August 2012 issue of The Washingtonian.
Most Popular in News & Politics
Every Bus Line in DC Is Changing This Weekend. Here’s What to Know.
Yet Another Anti-Trump Statue Has Shown Up on the National Mall
8 Takeaways From Usha Vance’s Interview With Meghan McCain
Bans on Underage Vaping, Swastika Graffiti, Synthetic Dyes: New Virginia Laws Go Into Effect in July
Another Mysterious Anti-Trump Statue Has Appeared on the National Mall
Washingtonian Magazine
July Issue: The "Best Of" Issue
View IssueSubscribe
Follow Us on Social
Follow Us on Social
Related
How Would a New DC Stadium Compare to the Last One?
The Culture of Lacrosse Is More Complex Than People Think
“Mean Mugging” at Ward 8 Candidate Forum Leads to Arrest
Did Television Begin in Dupont Circle?
More from News & Politics
The “World’s Largest Outdoor Museum” Is Coming to DC. Here’s a Preview.
A Cult Classic of Cannabis Brands Is Making Its DC Debut
The Commanders Wine and Dine DC Council Members; GOP Senator Suggests Tax Language Was “Airdropped” Into Spending Bill; and Trump Wants DOGE to Investigate Musk
100 Reasons to Love DC Right Now
How DC’s Attorney General Got So Good at Double Dutch
DC Council Ponders New Way to Expel Trayon White, the GOP’s Budget Bill Advances, and We Found You Some Tacos With Ethiopian Flair
For DNC Chair Ken Martin, the Big Beautiful Bill Is Personal
Every Bus Line in DC Is Changing This Weekend. Here’s What to Know.