By CHRIS CAMPO
With the economy still being in a state of renewal, students, young people and citizens everywhere have to watch how they spend.
Even though money is tight, students and working citizens still want their vacations from the stresses of everyday life.
Even outside of Tampa, Florida has much to offer the person that wants to hop in the car and take a journey with friends or family.
The key to having a successful trip these days is having the maximum amount of fun without breaking the bank.
The sunshine state is a vast region of great food, attractions, sights and people.
There is a way of getting a taste of all these wonderful pleasures while leaving a few pennies in your pocket.
Traveling inexpensively can be done in different ways.
Before thinking about where to go and what to do in Florida, consider a form of transportation.
Getting around can get pricey with the high cost of gas along with the other operating costs of vehicles.
A lot of students live without cars when living in the dorms in Florida schools.
To accommodate these students, the University of Tampa now offers the convenience of Hertz rent-a-car directly on campus.
Traveling within Tampa city limits has gotten considerably easier without the use of a car.
Public transportation is growing rapidly throughout the city and students can get to just about anywhere around the bay area.
The TECO Line is Tampa’s best source for in-city transport.
The streetcars run on tracks similar to the famous trolleys of San Francisco.
Tampa’s streetcar line runs from the convention center all the way into Ybor city.
This route is a traveler’s dream being that it passes attractions like Channelside restaurants, the St. Pete Times Forum and the Florida Aquarium.
The city is currently extending the track line even deeper into downtown, so that more citizens can benefit from this great form of transportation.
The other branch of the TECO line is the purple line bus that runs from Harbour Island all the way to I-275.
The best part of these streetcars is that both cost under $2.00 to ride.
Bobby Winsler, UT senior, likes to take advantage of the cheap fares the TECO line offers.
“My friends and I have used the street cars to get down to a Lightning game or to eat at Channelside and it’s always been easy and inexpensive,” said Winsler.
For the brave and adventurous, there are several ways to explore away from campus.
Duncan Creedon, concierge and head bellman at the Marriot Waterside Hotel, is an expert at showing travelers how to have fun around the area.
“If young people are looking to have a great and inexpensive vacation, I would direct them to places like our great Gulf of Mexico beaches only about a half hour away or a they could check out a place like the Florida Aquarium, which is cheap.
And it might be a nice change for the college crowd,” said Creedon.
While many students and young people seem to get into a routine of what they do with their free time on weekends, it sometimes gets hard to think outside of the normal leisure activities.
Theresa Whittredge, junior, agrees with the trend of consistency.
“I feel like my group of friends does the same things with our breaks from school,” Wittredge said.
“We live in Florida for a majority of the year. So, I think we should get out and see more of the state and do different things.”
The weather is why most are drawn to Florida.
Two people that have an immense amount of experience traveling all over Florida are Bill and Diana Gleasner, the authors of a complete guide to everything Florida named Florida: Off the Beaten Path.
“If young people are looking to travel around Florida, I would advise them to get out of their routines and take advantage of the state park system,” said Bill.
“Florida has the largest amount of camping areas in the country.
“Why not take advantage of the tropical-like climate and see incredible wildlife conservancies like Cedar Key or Ding Darling?”
These parks and conservancies offer incredible sights of Florida native wildlife and can be a great adventure for a group of friends or family that wants to take advantage of being outdoors.
Diana has also had a lifetime of world travel and knows how to advise young people to a wonderful, yet inexpensive trip in Florida.
“My best advise is to head to the panhandle if your thinking of taking a trip,” Diana said.
“The panhandle has a lot of great deals on lodging, there is a great aviation museum in Pensacola that is free and, like Bill said, tent-camp anytime you can.”
Their advice is simple: be open and creative when thinking up the ultimate, but cheap Florida road trip.
“There are so many parks, gardens, beaches, everglade safaris, to get out and see if you’re down here.
“Especially if you are a student or just visiting,” said Gleasner.
“It is a more rewarding vacation than if you were to go to your usual bars or nightclubs. Get out and see the world.”