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Central
West Florida
Many visitors to Florida choose Orlando as their base
and consider the trip to Tampa and the entertainment park
at Busch Gardens to be a side trip.
Experienced travellers know the central west
region of Florida has all the highlights
necessary to be considered an excellent vacation destination in its own right.
It's
just a 1 hour drive from Orlando to Tampa.
The region offers an array of
beautiful beaches on the inviting Gulf Of Mexico, a wide choice of
accommodation, some great cuisine and numerous
vacation attractions for all ages. |
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This is an area that
boasts some of the finest beach destinations in the whole of the USA. Fort
Desoto Park to the south of St. Pete Beach at the mouth of Tampa
Bay, and Caladesi Island State Park to the north of Clearwater Beach are
rated among America's top beaches.
But
the area is not just about beaches, sun and sand. There are several wonderful nature reserves, state parks and excellent art galleries.
Some of Florida's early history is to be found here, and made available
to current generations via displays, tours and museums.
Tampa
is generally thought of as the main city of the area with a
population exceeding 300,000. The city is the commercial
center of Florida's west coast, an expanding seaport and
center of banking and high-tech manufacturing. |
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 Tampa is one of the ports used by the many Florida
cruise ships that operate holiday cruises to the Caribbean. The thrill-a-minute
roller coasters at Busch Gardens are a major draw card yet more
and more visitors are appreciating the science museum, world-class
aquarium and the rejuvenated historic center at Ybor City, still
producing in excess of 500,000 fine cigars from the best Cuban tobacco.
A short drive across
the waters of Tampa Bay lies Pinellas Peninsula, one of Florida's most
densely packed urban areas.
St. Petersburg,
Clearwater
and Tarpon Springs are all located on the peninsula which is
flanked on the west by a line of barrier islands where St. Pete Beach,
Clearwater Beach, and other Gulf-side communities enjoy 28 miles
(45 km) of white sand, surf and sunshine.
 This is one of the most
popular tourist destinations in the region with over 1 million visitors
a year arriving to enjoy the sun and sand... and
golf of course.. this is Florida after all! Many of the beach locations
are protected from development by parks and nature preserves. St.
Pete Beach has been attracting visitors for over 100
years.
South from Tampa
and St. Petersburg lies the town of Sarasota and another
chain of barrier islands that stretches 42 miles along the
coastline. Considered one of Florida's cultural centers, and one
of the more affluent addresses in the area, Sarasota is the
gateway to playgrounds of the rich and famous at St. Armands and
Longboat Keys, and to the more affordable Lido and Siesta Keys to the
south.
Regional Highlights
- Tampa vacations
- Clearwater vacations
-
Sarasota vacations
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North West :
North Central :
North East :
Central East :
Central :
Central West :
South East :
South West :
Florida Keys
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