Tampa Underbelly v. Clearwater Beach
What do I like better – Clearwater Beach in/near Tampa or the Ybor City? Most people I hear visit Tampa on a Business trip. I was on the other hand lucky enough to be living close enough for a trip every long weekend 🙂 Yeah Yeah !
Anyway, I love both – the beach as well as Ybor City. So, here is how I would suggest you plan your trip. First of all, goes without saying, try and ensure you have a Friday/Saturday in your trip. Secondly, your trip would need to be atleast 1.5 days long.
First Stop: The night (friday hopefully) you get to Tampa, head out straight to Ybor City for an evening you will not forget. Before leaving, call (813) 248-4961 and make a reservation for dinner at Columbia Restaurant Ybor City, where you will have the unique privilege of watching Flaminco dancers perform. One thing you needn’t worry about is premium seating – everybody has the perfect location. There are always the front seats though :). On second thoughts, that may be too close. Anyway, make sure you have a reservation. Columbia Restaurant has two shows ever night, so if you are for the second show, you will have to wait outside the hotel with the bevy of other diners while the doors are closed.
Second Stop: Go straight to 7th Avenue in Ybor City. TAKE A TAXI. You will not only Not find parking easily, you will also not be in any state to drive by the time you are through the evening. Basically, tell the taxi guy to drop you anywhere along 7th Ave. Check this resource out – was helpful on my trip. Alright, drink your way though the bars that line each side of the street, one at a time. You will be offered so many free drinks deals that you will be completely hammered by the time you are half way through. Fridays/Saturdays the place is crowded and everybody is drunk. The entire ambience is great – Ybor City retains its Latin roots, is officially The Latin Quarters of Tampa City and 7th Street Bars/Clubs offer the charms of transporting you to a different world altogether. The street itself is also diferent – “brick streets, globe street lamps, wrought iron balconies to buildings.”
I have to say this for Tampa, Ybor city. It is the only one city of the other cities “with traditionally dead downtown” that I have seen in US, where on a regular weekend, I saw people “grooving to music” 🙂 on second, third floor balconies. I believe I saw what is unofficially the “underbelly” of Tampa. You will probably stager back to your room early morning. Get some sleep :). Don’t sleep though the next day though!
Third Stop: Whatever time you wake up on Saturday morning, you need to make the 30 minute drive to Clearwater Beach. The loooong bridge connecting Tampa mainland to St. Petersburg is a beautiful drive. There is a restaurant right on the beach – I forget its name – but that where you can order “Gator fries” on the beach. I kid you not – it is actually fried Aligator chunks. The beach itself is spectacular – the Clearwater area forms a bay – a very beautiful bay. Very nice sand, and lively music on the beach. Also, ofcourse, there is also water sports – this beach is where I parasailed for the first time – 1000 ft. There are different rates for different heights. The boat captain playfully dunked us in the water on landing – an opportunity for others on the boat to enjoy a nervous laugh, as they all were next in line :).
Fourth Stop: Could be taking a sunset dinner boat cruise. That is how I would end the day. Tampa/Clearwater is one of the few places in US where I would consider taking a sunset dinner cruise (the other being NY-Statue of Liberty Cruise.) Simply because clearwater area is so beautiful.
Tags: Beach, Beaches, Florida, Night Life, North America, Tampa, USA
Rupa