Things to Do in Tampa's Channel District
Tampa Florida's Channel District is the Perfect Summer Destination
May 7, 2009
Located just east of downtown Tampa, between historic Ybor City and Garrison Channel, Tampa's Channel District has plenty to offer the summer vacationer. Families with children will love the Florida Aquarium, and history buffs will enjoy the Tampa Bay History Center and a tour of the American Victory Museum. After a day spent sightseeing, enjoy the nightlife at Channelside Entertainment Complex.
The Florida Aquarium is One of the Top Aquariums in the World
The acclaimed Florida Aquarium features more than 20,000 aquatic plants and animals from Florida and all over the world. Designed to illustrate the journey of a drop of water from a Florida fresh-water spring to the Gulf of Mexico, the exhibits include a wetlands display inside an enormous glass atrium, a simulated beach with stingrays and nesting turtles, and a stunning coral reef in a 500,000 gallon tank.
For the children, there are touch tanks, the Penguin Promenade and the interactive new Shark Dive Adventure show. The Aquarium's Explore a Shore is a two-acre outdoor water adventure where kids can splash and play in the summer sun, while their parents watch from the shade of the Caribbean Cantina bar and grill.
Experience History Aboard the SS American Victory Memorial & Museum Ship
Pierside to the Florida Aquarium is the SS American Victory Memorial & Museum Ship, a world-class, functioning 1940s-era maritime icon. It saw service in World War II and the Korean and Vietnam Wars, and it has been lovingly restored as a museum dedicated to honoring the memories of the men and women who have served in the American Merchant Fleet since 1775.
Tampa Bay History Center is a Journey through 12,000 Years of Florida History
The beautiful new Tampa Bay History Center is a jewel on Florida's west coast. Here, one can step back in time to meet the first inhabitants of the region, and learn about the Spanish conquistadors who tried to vanquish them. Experience the moving story of the Second Seminole War as told from the viewpoint of War Chief Coacoochee. Learn why Tampa is called Cigar City, and "shop" in a 1920s-era cigar store.
Historic Columbia Cafe at the Tampa Bay History Center
The award-winning Columbia Restaurant has been a Tampa institution since 1905, when the current owners' great-grandfather immigrated to Tampa's Ybor City and opened a small cafe to serve the cigar factory workers there. The Columbia Cafe located inside the Tampa Bay History Center serves a taste of the same fine Spanish cuisine that has made the original restaurant a beloved Tampa tradition.
The bar inside the Columbia Cafe is a replica of the Columbia Restaurant bar in Ybor City. Lunch and dinner are served daily, and visitors will be tempted to sample traditional Spanish tapas or the famous "1905 Salad." After a trip back in time in the History Center, relax on the Columbia Cafe's outdoor terrace with a pitcher of Sangre de Toro while watching members of the Tampa Dragon Boat Club paddle down Garrison Channel.
Shop, Dine, See an IMAX Film, or Enjoy the Nightlife at Channelside
The Channelside Entertainment Complex is the place to find quirky boutiques, a gourmet chocolatier, a premier wine shop, a cigar bar, a breezy courtyard and a view of ships arriving and departing from the Port of Tampa. Here, one can dine indoors or outdoors at one of the many restaurants, and then catch a movie or go bowling. Patio bars and nightclubs offering live entertainment can round out a perfect summer day in Tampa's Channel District.
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