What to do.

So here you are in West Central Florida and the Mouse in the center part of the state is not your thing. I get you. Hopefully I can give you and your family some suggestions of ways to enjoy the area, most of which wont break the bank. Look, all of the Beaches on the Suncoast are equisite and will likely provide you with enough sun to send you home looking like a fully cooked Maine lobster. But if you have other things in mind than acting like a beached whale dying on the sand feel free to keep reading. Oh yeah if you don't like getting wet, bring and umbrella or at least keep one in the car because the afternoon showers though breif in duration are frequent and you can almost set your clock to them in the afternoon to evening hours in the summer time. We have two sayings here in Tampa when it comes to weather.

1. "You can't shovel sunshine." (For people like me who spent much of their life in the Midwest.)

2. "If you don't like the weather in Florida,.......... wait 15 minutes.

On The Cheap

Sports

If your trying to save a few dollars the following places are good for people of all ages and many of which are free to little cost.

Tampa Electric (Teco) has a manatee viewing center in Apollo Beach. The Big Bend Power Plant creates heat in the water which atracts hundreds of manatees to the canal. Admission and parking is free. Located at 6990 Dickman Rd, Apollo Beach FL 33572 its a great place to go on a nature walk or just watch the beaufull manatees bask in the warm water. This would be a great time in the winter to head over to Goodson Farms (Usually open from December to April) and grab a piece of that strwaberry shortcake I told you about in the food section.

In downtown Tampa across the river from the University of Tampa is Curtis Hixon Park, located at 600 N Ashley Dr, Tampa FL 33602. Located along the River Walk you can enjoy the fun and let the kids play in the splash park or take a nice stroll by the water. There is no charge.

North along the riverwalk from Curtis Hixon Park is the Water Works Park and the Queenies Dog park. Both are free.

Golf

Topgolf is a great way to practice your game in a new way. 10690 Palm River Rd. Tampa FL 33619. Just down the road from the highly reccomended sushi at Crazy Cafe from the food portion of this website is Topgolf. With a handful of scoring formats. Top golf combines a two story driving range with games that encourage accuracy as well as distance. Top golf also has a full bar and food menu. Prices before noon are lower than peak hours. 25 bucks an hour to hit golf balls isn't all that bad when you share the cost/fun with a group of people.

Cove Cay in Clearwater FL is my favorite golf course in the area, 2612 Cove Cay Dr, Clearwater FL 33760, when you combine price with fun. You can find more pristine golf courses in Florida but here I am trying to give you the best bang for your buck.

Drooksville Country Club is a great golf course though its a bout an hour North of Tampa. A portion of the course goes through an old lime quary. Those holes on the back nine add some unique challengest to Florida golf that you dont get from a traditional links style course. The address is 23446 Links Dr, Brooksville, FL 34601. If your willing to brave the heat, you can get very reasonable afternoon rates in the summer time.

Does your wife and Daughter want to go to the Beach to lay out and tan but you and your son would rather swing the sticks? Treasure Bay Golf & Tennis club has an economical 9 hole walking course on the intercoastal water way in Treasure Island where you can spend a couple hours squeezing in half a round of golf for 10 bucks. Its not going to be the nicest golf course in the world, but I'd rather hit Golf Balls through the worst golf course in the world than lay on a beach and let the sun pulverize every inch of my body.

It should come as no surprise that with the warm sunny weather we enjoy in Florida on a constant basis that sports are huge here in Tampa. We are proud Buccaneer, Lighting, Rays and Rowdies fans. Almost every part of the Bay area has a minor league baseball team where in the spring you can even catch an MLB preseason game. But don't forget about the local colleges. With a family you may have a few hours to kill and not want to shell out the cash for a major league sporting event.

USF-GO BULLS! Feel free to check out whats going on at the University of South Florida located in North Tampa where you can take in a college athletic event and have fun with the whole family. Often you can get tickets to events for 10 dollars or less.

University of Tampa - I have already touched on the history of Tampa and the historical significance of the Tampa Bay Hotel which now sits on the campus of UT. Close by is the highly recommended Yeoman's Cask & Lion pub and eatery. UT has recently invested serious money to update their campus and sports facilities. Whether you want to take in a baseball game or enjoy a soccer game feel free to check it out and see if you can get a game and witness a spartan victory.

Raymond James Stadium is home of The Tampa Bay Buccaneers. If you decide to take in a game here and happen to be sitting next to the pirate ship, be prepared when the Buccs score, the cannons will go off.

Is hockey more your style? You got two options. You can experience one of the most energetic atmospheres in sports and head on over to Amalie Arena downtown in the Channelside District and be the thunder for the Tampa Bay Lightning.

Center Ice in Wesley Chappel is a brand new state of the art facility with multiple rinks and event space. From curling, ice hockey and sports performance training to birthday parties and corporate events, Center ice has you covered.

St. Petersburg FL is home to the Tampa Bay Rays. Swing on down to Tropicana Field (The Trop) where the American League Rays are sure to put on a show and tickets are vary reasonable compared to other baseball venues.

Just down the street from the Trop in St. Pete you will find Al Lang Stadium, home of the Tampa Bay Rowdies. This United Soccer League Team is a great place to enjoy professional soccer. Courigans pub sits accross the street, you wont be disapointed.

Just Plain Fun

One of my favorite things to do when I travel is to take a Segway Tour. In Tampa, St. Petersburg and Clearwater Beach you can learn to ride a segway and a guide will take you along the area and explain some of the rich history the area has to offer. Don't be scared, it's really easy to learn and fun to do. A quick Google search for segway tours in tampa/clearwater beach/ st petersburg will result in places to rent segways. Its a blast!

Arts and Entertainment

Just accross the parking lot from Al Lang Stadium in St. Petersburg are the Mahaffey Theater and the Salvador Dali museum. Both are excellent places to enjoy a sow and take in some of the most beautiful artwork in the world.