Discover Tampa and the Gulf Coast

Discover Tampa and the Gulf Coast

The Gulf Coast is perhaps Florida’s worst-kept secret. It’s an area of natural beauty and ‘Old Florida’ charm that entices visitors time and time again. Book a holiday in Tampa to find out why. It’s not theme park central like Orlando, or party central like Miami. Instead, Tampa and the gorgeous surrounding area represents Old Florida, and visitors flock to its sunny shores seeking exactly that.

A holiday in Tampa will show you a reinvigorated city with a new waterfront district, the Riverwalk, flocked by a growing number of restaurants. Many visitors love the city's historic centre, traditionally its Spanish quarter, where you can sit and sip your café con leche on a sunny street.

The Gulf Coast lets its natural allure speak for itself: coquina seashells blushing pastel, massive sunsets stopping traffic, and sandy beaches stretching seaward. The beaches should be your top priority. There are so many, you’ll have trouble choosing which to visit – so hop between the coast, barrier islands and keys to see as many as you can. The warm waters of the Gulf of Mexico entice paddling toes; and the shores are safe, sandy and shallow.

People have been coming to this gorgeous area of coastline and sunshine for decades, including Thomas Edison. You can visit his fantastic Winter Estate in Fort Myers and see some his many inventions. (He patented more than 1,000 during his life.) In fact, the Gulf Coast area has a surprising wealth of culture, if you know where to look. Explore the historic Ybor City in Tampa centre and museums that showcase the work of Salvador Dali and David Chihuly.

If your idea of a great holiday involves sunshine (and lots of it), plus natural parks and unspoilt Everglades, then book flights to Tampa and take it from there.