10 Fun Facts About Tampa, Florida

Tampa, Florida is home to the Rays, the Buccaneers, and Busch Gardens.

But do you know these 10 fun facts about the Tampa Bay area?

1.  Tampa is the only city that gets invaded by pirates every year.

Every year in late January-early February, Tampa gets invaded by pirates on their yearly Gasparilla festival.  See the invasion, the parade, the street festival, the fireworks show, the night parade, or even run in one of the races!  For those who are athletic, there’s a 5k, 8k, 10k, 15k, half marathon and marathon.  You’ll catch me at the half marathon this year.

2.  The world’s first scheduled passenger flight flew from St. Petersburg to Tampa in 1914.

The flight lasted around 40 minutes, and only cost $5.

3.  During the prohibition, Tampa was one of the top illegal sellers of alcohol in the United States.

Future fans of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers were not happy about the new alcohol laws, and Tampa quickly became a part of the illegal alcohol sellers during the prohibition.

4.  Tampa is home to Florida’s largest port. 

Port Tampa Bay is Florida’s largest port, handling nearly 40 percent of all cargo moving in and out of the state of Florida. Four different cruise lines also use Port Tampa Bay as a homeport, with numerous cruises departing from Tampa’s channel side district.

5.  On average, Tampa Bay is only 12 feet deep.

After mentioning that Port Tampa Bay is Florida’s largest port, it is quite surprising!  Tampa Bay does, however, have a channel that is more than 40 feet deep, but much of it the bay is only a couple feet deep. Shallow water doesn’t eliminate fun though.  It’s a great place to hop on a kayak, sailboat, or stand up paddle board.

6.  Tampa Bay gets a lot of lightning.

The Bay area gets hit with the most lightning in the United States, and therefore their hockey team is conveniently named the Lightning.  It’s one of the better sports teams in the area, so why not check out a game while you’re visiting?

7.  The first Florida brewery is in Tampa.

Built in 1897, the Florida Brewing Company is Florida’s first brewery.  This brewery has a large selection of local Florida beers which are a must try if you are in the area.

8. Florida’s oldest restaurant is also located in Tampa.

Have you ever heard of the Columbia Restaurant?  It’s the oldest restaurant in Florida, and the largest Spanish restaurant around.  The Columbia has been in Tampa since 1905. There are other locations in cities such as St. Augustine. In Tampa the Columbia is located in the heart of Ybor City;  it’s a restaurant you really don’t want to miss when dinning in Tampa.

9.  Ybor City was once the cigar capital of the world.

In it’s peak in the 1920s, more than half a billion cigars were hand-rolled and sold in Ybor City, known as Tampa’s Latin Quarter for more than a century. This gave it the title of “Cigar Capital of the World.”  Ybor is now a National Landmark Historic district, and you can find cigar shops off 7th street that allow you to see what Ybor once was.

10.  Tampa Bay is Florida’s largest open water estuary.

In the Tampa Bay, you can find hundreds of different animals.  You can find numbers species of birds, fish and sharks, as well as manatees and dolphins swimming around the bay.  The marine life is particularly busy in the spring.

Learn more insights into Tampa, Florida with these resources: 

100 Things to Do in Tampa Bay Before You Die

The Trafficantes, Godfathers from Tampa, Florida: The Mafia, the CIA and the JFK Assassination

Moving to Tampa: The Un-Tourist Guide

This post was written by Lauren Youngerman, a student at the University of South Florida studying international business with a focus on Spanish and marketing.

She is a member of her school’s sailing team, and also works as a sailing coach at a nearby club.

Lauren is an adventure seeker who has had the opportunity to live abroad in both Brazil and Nicaragua, as well as to being a part of the U.S. Army.

Currently completing a social media internship for VentureTime Travel, Lauren seeks a career in marketing after graduation. Learn more about Lauren’s work experience via her LinkedIn profile.

Check out these other Florida-related posts:

• Eating Local at the Southport Raw Bar in Fort Lauderdale, Florida
• Visiting One of Guy Fieri’s Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives in Jacksonville, Florida
• 10 Family-friendly Activities for the Ft. Myers, Florida Area
• 14 Fun Facts about St. Augustine, Florida
• 4 Tips for a Perfect Spring Break in Destin, Florida

Follow us on Twitter or interact with us on Facebook.

Or, check out our boards on Pinterest and/or our photos on Instagram.