Tampa is located on the west coast of Florida in Hillsborough County. According to the US Census Bureau in 2004, the city limits of Tampa had a population of 321,772. Tampa is the third largest city in the state of Florida behind Jacksonville and Miami. The four-county area that Tampa is a part of including St Petersburg and Clearwater metropolitan areas comprise of approximately 2.6 million residents.
The Sunshine Skyway Bridge is Tampa's most famous landmark. It is Florida's largest bridge and is the world's longest cable strayed bridge. Ybor City is a National Historic Landmark District near downtown. It hosts many nightclubs, bars, restaurants, and is a hotspot on the weekends.
Tampa has a subtropical climate like most of Florida. Tampa averages between 65 and 95 degrees year round. In the summer, the daytime temperature lingers around 90 degrees with high humidity and nighttime temperatures only drop down to 75 degrees.
Tampa has several mass transit means of getting around. Two of the most used ones include Hartline (Hillsborough Area Regional Transit Authority, HART) which provides the bus transportation along with other services such as door to door para transit. Another popular transit service is TECO (TECO Line Streetcar System) which offers 10 station stops along its 2.4-mile route. Five stops are located in Tampa's Channel District, four are in historic Ybor City and one is downtown.
Auto insurance in Tampa is a very competitive market with many car insurance companies therefore comparative shopping could save you a lot.
Tampa has a strong economy with a large influx of cash partly due to the wealthy retirement communities but also because of the many corporations with regional offices in banking and telecommunications. Tampa also has many call center facilities in the area. Tampa's thriving economy is marked by its biggest real estate boom since the 1920's.
Tampa has a talented work force and a rich job market. Professionals such lawyers, doctors, advertising executives and others take advantage of the international flavor of the Tampa market place.
Many of the Tampa area hotels are on the water and offer vacationers entertainment such as boat cruises, sailing, fishing charters and more.
Tampa has a booming real estate market that includes Tampa Condos, Apartments, and single family homes in the many Tampa area neighborhoods.
There are many colleges and universities in the Tampa area including the University of South Florida, Hillsborough Community College, The University of Tampa, The International Academy of Design and Technology, and the Florida Metropolitan University.
When visiting Tampa for a vacation or business there are many attractions. Tourists visiting Tampa can choose from luxury resorts, shows, local sports such as the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Tampa Bay Devil Rays, and the Tampa Bay Lighting.
| Cape Coral | Clearwater | Coral Springs | Fort Lauderdale |
| Gainesville | Hieleah | Hollywood | Jacksonville |
| Miami | Miami Gardens | Miramar | North Miami |
| Orlando | Pembroke Pines | Plantation | Pampano Beach |
| Port St. Lucie | St. Petersburg | Sunrise | Tallahassee |
| Tampa | West Palm Beach | Stuart | Palm City |
| Jensen Beach | Port St Lucie |
