A day out in Tampa

Written by Pete.

While we are waiting for our RV to be fully serviced and inspected, and after some pointers and tips on the best area to visit from the extremely friendly concierge lady, Raquel Black, we decided to head off into 'downtown' Tampa for a few hours.

Can i just point out that Raquel Black works for Lazydays, on their concierge desk, and is a very helpful young lady indeed! Raquel is a mind of information on all local amenities and facilities, also car hire, discount theme park tickets, hotels, Just about anything really...... She is also a keen 'fisherwoman' and goes fishing quite regularly, well, for a woman anyway!

Raquel Black, (aka Halfpint!) the Concierge lady!

Raquel and Mark (Her Husband) Fishing.

'Captain Mark' is available for private charters and fishing trips for the best 'catch'

Apparantly, he kisses all the fish! Hmmmmm......Nice!

Raquel told us where to park the car, and also where to catch the 'trolley bus' (bit like a tram!) so after breakfast and walking the dog, off we set, out onto Interstate 4 or 'I4' as they call them and into a bit of rush hour traffic, following the signs for 'Downtown Tampa' and Ybor (Pronounced ee-boar!) City District. It took us around 25 minutes to get to our junction on I4, and we promptly parked our car in an unusually empty car park outside the 'trolley bus station'. It was around 09.30 and i somehow expected it to be busy and after a careful study of the timetable figured out why, the tram didnt start untill 11am! Well, it was a nice morning, and i needed to see if my new sandals were ok to walk in!

I studied our Tampa Tourist map, supplied by the ever helpful Raquel, and decided we were only 4 blocks from 'Centro Ybor' and as we approached the main centre/square it felt a little Cuban/Spanish but still retaining the 'all American Feel'

The spectacular buildings on 7th Avenue

The other side of 7th Avenue.

This has to be one of the prettiest streets we've seen, but saying that we haven't really started touring yet. Most of the shops and buildings were closed including a very fascinating Tattoo and Piercing shop, we peered through the windowand we were amazed at all the colurful images displayed around the walls, for a split second, i thought of having a tattoo done and looked at Sue, and by the look on her face, i think she had read my mind, i quickly dismissed the idea! Please note the 'laid back' opening hours. cool!

Me, outside the Tattoo shop, Tattoo or piercing? Hmmmmm.........

When is a good time then?........

After a stroll up and down 7th Avenue, we found ourselves in the main square, and lots of shops and bars, it was also approaching 11am and most places were now beginning to open. We also paid a visit to the Tourist Info Centre for Ybor City, this was quite a large place and also busy, but a very helpful lady behind the counter gave me a map of the trolley bus stops and also, a must, is to take in 'Channelside' another district of 'Downtown Tampa' and also which stop to get off at for the best shops and buildings. We signed her guest book, bid her farewell, and headed towards the trolley stop across the road, direction Channelside!

The Square, in 'Centro Ybor'!

Sue, standing outside the Tampa Bay Brewing Co'.

Looks like the 'Moosekiller' could live up to its name!!!

The trolley service that runs every 25 mins or so, turned up and we hopped aboard for the 10 min trip further towards Downtown Tampa and Channelside, the trolley was open on the sides and we were glad of the cool breeze passing through, it was a little cool when we left Lazydays this morning, but it was warming up by about 11.45 to around the mid 80's, which felt really nice.

Channelside is a district of Tampa where the cruise ships dock and let the passengers off for a bit of sightseeing, and you could tell that most of the shops and bars catered for this. The Channelside shopping plaza, again was mostly shut due to the fact that we were there a tad early,(everything opened around 3pm!) and no cruise ships were docked. We managed to have a pleasant walk round the 2 tier outside mall, with bars, theatres, shops etc and finally found an 'eaterie' called Jofferies' and, by this time, 12.15, some brunch was in order, and 2 'breakfast cubans'( sausage,egg,bacon and cheese in a cuban baguette) did the trick. Sue even managed to get a cup of English tea!

View from the top tier of the mall, with Tampa skyscrapers behind.

Me, outside the Channelside Bowling and American Pool Lounge.

Just waiting my turn...................

Two bar entrances on the top tier of the Mall.

The 'Trolley Bus' with Downtown Tampa skyscrapers in the distance.

Interior of the trolley bus. Note the lights and ornate woodwork on the ceiling.

This trolley bus was an enclosed design

Our trolley conductor 'Stevie Wonder' The way he drove he just could have been!

Next to the Channelside Mall was the Florida Aquarium, complete with thousands of school kids and hoardes of teachers , and masses of organised day trips. It was quite busy so we decided to give this one a miss, but we did get a shot of the giant Stingray!

Sue and Myself outside The Florida Aquarium.

It was now approaching 1.30pm and decided it was time to head back to Lazydays and return to Amber, who was sleeping in our airconditioned Motorhome, and take her for her afternoon walk.

We hopped back on one of the returning trolleys' for the 25 min or so trip back to the Trolley Station where our car was parked. We grabbed a few photos as, and when, we stopped.

Pic from trolley window, A patriotic gas station?

View towards Downtown Tampa!

All in all, an excellent day out, and a change from trawling 100's of RV'S on the Lazydays complex. we will be making a return trip to Ybor City again, but this time in the Evening for a drink and a meal, I will be taking photos!!!