| Tampa is a city on the western coast of the state of Florida. With a population of 350,000 it is the fifty-fifth largest United States city. The metro area has 2.7 million residents. Although the Tampa area was settled since the 1500s, the city of Tampa was not officially established until 1855. Located within Hillsborough County, Florida, Tampa is at an elevation of about fifty feet. It is within the Eastern Standard Time Zone and the Tampa area code is 813. Tourism has been an important industry in the Tampa area since the late 1800s. Tampa weather is warm with winter month low temperature averages of around 52 degrees and summer highs around 90. Higher education institutions in the area include Argosy University, University of South Florida, University of Tampa, Everest University, Stetson University College of Law, Saint Leo University, Fortis College, and Webster University. Favorite Tampa shopping areas include the SoHo District, International Plaza, and WestShore Plaza. Tampa festivals and events include the Gasparilla Pirate Festival and the Gasparilla International Film Festival. Tampa entertainment includes The Tampa Theater, the Jobsite Theater, The Florida Orchestra, and Stageworks Theater. Tampa things to do and area attractions include the Museum of Science and Industry, the Tampa Bay History Center, SS American Victory, the Tampa Museum of Art, and Henry B. Plant Museum as well as Busch Gardens Tampa Bay and the Florida Aquarium. Area newspapers include The St. Petersburg Times and The Tampa Tribune. Local sports teams include NFL footballs' Tampa Bay Buccaneers, baseball's Tampa Bay Rays, and hocke's Tampa Bay Lightning. The University of South Florida Bulls are a member of the Big East Conference. The Spartans of the University Of Tampa are in the Sunshine State Conference. Median family income is $45,000. Local main highways include Interstate I-275 and I-4. The Tampa International Airport serves the area. HART, the Hillsborough Area Regional Transit Authority, offers public transportation to the area. |
