By Juliana Seaman
TAMPA, Fla. — The University of Tampa’s College of Arts and Letters was not only the reason that brought a northerner like me to Tampa. It was the life that’s offered here. From the minute you wake up to the minute you go to sleep, there is always something to do in the area.
10 a.m. – Tan Time
The beautiful part about tanning in Tampa is that the sun shines everywhere. You can tan in the comfort of your backyard without having the hassle of finding parking somewhere else. If you live on campus, perhaps you can tan on the beach chairs by the pool or on the dock across from the riverwalk. If you are looking for a fun time, going to the beach is always an option.
Beaches are a great option to turn a couple-hour trip into an all-day trip. Around 45 minutes outside of Tampa lies Treasure Island. With their very own beach bar named Caddy’s and fun beach games, Treasure Island is a hotspot for college students to hang out at. As for closer beaches, St. Petersburg and Clearwater are always a safe alternative.
2 p.m. – Lunch Time
After a nice tanning session, a refreshing lunch is always a must. Soaking up the sun can be a little draining, and with an eventful evening awaiting, lunch should be more on the chill side. At this point, you would want to visit a local burger joint for a quick bite to eat. If you are looking for something even quicker, there is also nothing a Pub-Sub could not fix.
6 p.m. – Dinner Time
In my opinion, Tampa has the perfect selection of vibes within the area. If you’re looking to get dressed up, you can go to Hyde Park Village. In this area, restaurants such as Forbici, Meat Market, and Timpano all have delightful bites that will leave you wanting seconds. This beautiful area can take up almost your whole night with the amount of amenities along the sidewalks.
Maybe dinner just is not enough. Tampa’s International and Bay Street Mall is definitely a must-visit. This mall includes over 200 specialty stores and over 25 dining options both inside and outside. Located inside are common mall restaurants like Chick-fil-A, Chipotle, California Pizza Kitchen, and more. The outside restaurants are on the fancier side. Still, in the same vicinity of the mall lies The Cheesecake Factory, Rocco’s Tacos, Doc B’s, and Bar Louie.
9 p.m. – Nightlife
If you’ve made it this far into your lively day, why not end your night off with a few drinks with friends at the bar? Just like dinner, you get a wide range of vibes for your night out. As said by Nicki Minaj, “The Night Is Still Young.”
For a night when you feel like getting all dolled up, downtown Tampa has a very attractive nightlife. Bars such as Hotel Bar, Boulon, American Social, or even a speakeasy like Morgan’s Cove are all safe options to wind down in downtown.
A highly populated area for college student nightlife would definitely be South Howard (SoHo). SoHo is a strip of bars all across the street from one another, allowing you to stay or leave whenever you please. Having no dress code makes SoHo a great spot for a simple yet exciting night. In the same plaza is a New York New York Pizza open until 3:00 a.m., where most night owls go after the bar for a quick bite before heading home.
The Next Day
You survived a pretty packed day, but the fun does not end there. Whether you are looking for a quick breakfast or a fun brunch with friends, Tampa also offers many breakfast places. A very popular area to recover from the night before would be on the other end of SoHo for brunch. The restaurants located in this area include Ava, 717 South, Green Lemon, Water + Flour, Daily Eats, and many more delicious options.
Recap
The City of Tampa caters to all interests and personalities. With many places to go and many activities to participate in, there is never a dull moment in this part of the Sunshine State. Your weekend may be over, but you can say you had the best weekend yet. And next week, you can do it all over again.
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Casa Cami is located in Tampa, Florida. Thumbnail photo courtesy of Juliana Seaman.