The Tampa Theatre and other Tampa, FL Things to Do Tips

You know how every metropolis has their own little version of that little independently owned artsy movie theatre? Well, Tampa is home to their king.
I'm always amazed when I talk to people from Tampa who have never been to the Tampa Theatre. It's such a fun way to be a part of cinema. The Tampa Theatre was built in 1926 in a style that some people might call "gaudy", but I'm going to go with "ornate." From the taxidermy peacocks that roost near the stage to the "night sky" ceiling (the electric stars really do twinkle), the Tampa Theatre is worth seeing alone. It's got a certain aesthetic that is very, very comforting while at the same time begin a little confronting. In other words, it's beautiful, albeit a lot to take in at once.
The movies shown at the Tampa Theatre are usually independent, so you can feel doubly good about your movie going experience because a) your dollar is going partially to a small, local business that is also a historic landmark and b) your supporting independent art. All by sitting on your bum for an hour and a half in the dark!
There are also a lot of little fun quirks about the theatre. It's got a balcony, which always makes me feel very Jimmy-Stewart-Donna-Reid-era, and someone plays organ on stage before the movie starts. Also, every October, a usually very good production of the Rocky Horror Picture Show is put on by theatre employees.

Leave a Comment

Phone: (813) 274-8982
Address: 711 Franklin Street, Tampa (duh), Florida, 33602
Directions: It's downtown, right behind the very ugly, sterile TECO building. You'll see the blinding, possibly epilepsy-inducing lights of the newly-restored marquee from down the block.
Website: http://www.tampatheatre.org/
Other Contact: gargoyles@tampatheatre.org

So, you are in your rental car and you forgot your CD wallet. With all these unfamiliar and frightening frequencies to choose from, what ever will you do?
Well, dry your eyes, because the best community radio station is in Tampa - - WMNF 88.5 FM. 88.5 plays all kinds of music – representing the local community – and has several informative, but not oppressively stuffy news shows. Plus, it is a totally listener-supported station, so you can escape the clutches of Viacom and Clear Channel for a few minutes.
If you aren't going to Tampa, you should still check them out online.

Leave a Comment

Phone: 813-239-9663
Website: http://WWW.WMNF.ORG/

The University of Tampa is where my grandfather went to college. (It's also where my grandfather used to take my mom to walk around when she was a little girl and wouldn't sit still in church because she hated scratchy petticoats. I know, that an odd aside, but I love that story for some reason.)
Anyway, within the University of Tampa is housed the Henry B. Plant Museum and both the Plant Museum and some buildings of the University of Tampa are inside of the former Plant Hotel.
The museum is worth a spin through - my "cousin" (use the term loosely - I'm part Italian and on that side of the family, everyone's your freaking "cousin") got married in the ballroom when I was little and I was incredibly impressed by it. It's old-school Tampa at its most cordial and refined state. The grounds are also pretty interesting - there's some yucky old cannons and iron-worked statues I've always liked.

Leave a Comment

Website: http://www.plantmuseum.com/

The Tampa Museum is a really interesting place that not enough people visit. This is kind of a good thing on a purely selfish level because there are never any pesky crowds, but it’s also fairly sad.
There are two main galleries to the Tampa Museum where they usually have two separate shows displayed. There's also a small, auxiliary gallery that they open occasionally for things like high school art shows (Don't scoff this - Florida has a very alive, though somewhat repressed art culture that really comes to a head in its youth.), and their permanent collection of ancient Greek art and artifacts. There's also a glass-enclosed sundeck that looks out onto the river where they keep a collection of glasswork.
It's a really well-designed museum that showcases all of its pieces in just the right situation. . . I've never been to a show there that was badly done. Also, it's not so big that your toddler will start getting restless . . . just the right-sized museum for children. The exhibitions usually have a children's guide, too, to involve little ones in the process of viewing art more.
Also, there's a fairly interesting tree garden on the museum grounds that's good for picnics and whatnot before or after going in the museum.

Hours
Tuesday - Saturday, 10 a.m. - 5 p.m.
Third Thursday of each month 10 a.m. - 8 p.m.
Sunday, 11 - 5 p.m.
Closed Monday
Guilders Museum Store open above hours, PLUS Monday
10 a.m. - 5 p.m.
Admission
$7 adults,
$6 seniors (62+); Military with ID
$3 students with ID and children over 6

Free for children under 6.
Museum Members always free.
Saturday, 10 a.m. - noon. Third Thursday, 5 - 8 p.m. admission is free.

Leave a Comment

Phone: 813-274-8130
Address: 600 N. Ashley Drive Tampa, Florida, 33602
Directions: From I-275, Exit #44, (Downtown West/Ashley - formerly Exit 25) proceed south on Ashley and follow signs to Museum parking
Website: http://www.tampagov.net/dept_museum/Visitors/index.asp
Other Contact: Fax: 813-274-8732

Al Lopez Park is a neat place. My favourite part of the park is the Cancer Survivor Plaza. A friend of mine from college passed away this past year from cancer, and its nice to see a reminder that's not everyone's fate. When I am stressed, I like to go there to meditate because I really feel that its just a place that's filled with a hopeful, positive energy. It's not just because I'm some kind of hippie, either. I rarely talk about the "energy" of a place, but its pretty undeniable here.
Also, Al Lopez park is a neat place to take your family. There's two ponds: one for fishing and one for at which to look, and a nature trail (don't be expecting Bambi or anything, though . . . the park is too surrounded by city). There's also a dog park and several reservable shelters (check the website) for rent.
All in all, it's a nice place to be.

Leave a Comment

Phone: 813-274-8615
Address: 4810 North Himes, Tampa, Florida, 33614
Directions: Al Lopez Park is on Himes, North of Columbus and South of Hillsborough.
Website: http://www.tampagov.net/dept_Parks
Other Contact: Open 5am to 10pm, M-F

Lowry Park Zoo is an awesome zoo. There's a really neat Florida exhibit where you can go see some of Florida's remaining wildlife in quasi-nature settings (as natural as a zoo is going to get) like Rosiette Spoonbills, Black Bears, Flamingos, Floirda Panthers, Manatees, and, of course, Alligators. I have a plastic flamingo "collectable" that my sister bought me from here.
There's also several other places to explore - my favourite exhibit is the lemurs. I don't know why, but I freaking LOVE lemurs. They also have some tapirs in their Asia exhibit that are pretty awesome.
Recently, Lowry Park just added on an Africa exhibit (where you can feed giraffes, it's cool) and an Austrailia exhibit. Both are kind of lack-luster and poorly designed, but they're still kind of in the works, so we'll see . . .
Even without those exhibits, it's the best zoo I've been to and well worth a visit.

Leave a Comment

Directions: Lowry Park Zoo is on the corner of Sligh Ave. and North Blvd about 1 mile west of I-275
Website: http://www.lowryparkzoo.com

My grandfather (who I never got to meet, but I hear was totally awesome) went to the University of Tampa. The most distinct thing about the University is its minarets . . . . those onion-looking things that look like that where plucked right out of Red Square that are on top of the oldest part of the university. You can see them when driving about downtown, but I'd stop in for a closer look. The university also houses the Henry B. Plant Museum.

Leave a Comment

Website: http://www.utampa.edu/

The Florida Aquarium has grown on me over time, but initially I was unimpressed. I guess that if you aren't from Florida and you haven't seen all this stuff eight million times, it's pretty cool. It just seems like, being in Florida - a state surrounded by and punctuated with water - we would have the most kick-ass aquarium ever. We don't, but it's not a bad place to spend the afternoon.
Some parts that always made me like it, though, are the touch tanks. There's one for coral and anemones and one for sting rays. I dunno why, but I love to touch those things.
**Teachers make sure to bring your I.D. because teachers get in for free. They do not advertise this at all.

Leave a Comment

Directions: Downtown on Channelside Drive right next to the cruise ship terminals. The Ybor/downtown trolley stops at the entrance.
Website: http://www.flaquarium.net/

So, when I was little I got totally lost in Lettuce Lake Park. I was so freaked out that I never wanted to go there again - ever. However, now that I am grown up (in size only), I'm not only done with being terrified of this place . . . I've actually grown to like it.
Lettuce Lake has a really good boardwalk for strolling about, and an observation tower that gives a great view of some of the non-screwed up parts of the Hillsborough River.
Also, there's an Audubon Rescue Center that's open to the public on weekends.

Leave a Comment

Address: 6920 E Fletcher Ave, Tampa, FL

If you are from a big city like Chicago or New York, you probably will think that MOSI is nothing special compared to your own museum back home. However, it is the coolest exploration center / museum that I've seen in the Southeast, so that's got to stand for something.
The thing that people who are visiting Florida seem to most enjoy doing is sitting in the Hurricane room - a room that you strap into and feel hurricane-force winds. Only someone not from Florida could enjoy this. Us residents still have splinter sores from all the plywood we had to put up last season.
Anyway, besides that there's some neat hands-on stuff for the kids and an IMAX theatre.

Leave a Comment

Address: 4801 E. Fowler Avenue - Tampa, Florida 33617
Directions: Right across the street from the University of South Florida - look for the Recylasaurus (a big, red dinosaur filled with trash).
Website: http://www.mosi.org/