Tampa

Tampa is one of the largest cities in the state and as such it hosts many of the state’s top private country clubs. You can be sure you will find a club that meets your specific tastes, needs, and personality in the greater Tampa Bay area.

The Tampa Club

• Established in 1981 as a private, not for profit business and social club, The Tampa Club fancies itself as a replacement for your office where you can continue your workday effortlessly, but also a place where one can come to relax and renew. The founders of the club wanted a place that could fill the need for an exclusive, private business luncheon club in the Tampa area. The club now offers members a full array of business and social networking opportunities and use of its private dining rooms, banquet halls, and meeting spaces.

Tampa Palms Golf and Country Club

• The Tampa Palms Golf and Country Club prides itself on its relaxed atmosphere and family amenities. This private club has everything you would come to expect from a top quality property such as an 18-hole Arthur Hills designed golf course, expert tennis facility with 11 Har-Tru courts, heated junior Olympic pool, dining opportunities, afterschool program, and kids zone playroom.

Avila Golf and Country Club

• Avila Golf and Country Club is another family friendly club offering a whole host of amenities. Avila enjoys an 18-hole Jack Nicklaus Signature Course with state of the art golf practice facilities, 6 Har-Tru tennis courts, fitness center, pool pavilion, multiple distinct dining venues, massage and spa services, junior Olympic swimming pool, wade pool, playground and game room.

Palma Ceia Golf and Country Club

• One of the heavyweights in the Tampa private club landscape is Palma Ceia. Founded in 1916 it remains one of Tampa’s premier golf and country clubs. It lays claim to being Tampa’s oldest private golf club and proudly carries on the rich tradition that comes with that honor. Members at Palma Ceia enjoy use of the property’s golf course, fitness center, Olympic sized swimming pool, clay tennis courts, as well as, multiple food and beverage offerings. A year round social calendar ensures there is always something to do at this exclusive club.

Tampa Yacht and Country Club

• Not into golf? Try a different type of club scene at the Tampa Yacht and Country Club. This property has been ranked as one of the nations top 30 yacht clubs and has been awarded a Platinum Club of America designation. Its marina features 31 covered slips, 50 open slips, fuel dock, and recently underwent a $6 million renovation. With a passion for the water the club also hosts sailing lessons and fishing tournaments. For those with a passion for riding, the Tampa Yacht and Country Club has equestrian facilities with professional instructors and barn staff. Riders of all ages and skill levels can access the lighted, competition sized show jumping ring.

Tampa is quickly becoming a foodies paradise and one can sample cuisine from all of the world in this city on the bay. Thrillist, an online publication that focuses on the very best food, drink and fun recently listed Tampa in their 15 American Cities That Secretly Have Great Food Scenes. And who can blame them with Cuban food that rivals Miami’s, a wave of adventurous new restaurants in the Seminole Heights neighborhood, and out of town award winning chefs opening restaurants in the city like Anne Kearney’s Armature Works.

Being the large metropolitan city that it is, Tampa lacks nothing when it comes to shopping. Fantastic indoor and outdoor malls feature all the best stores you have come to expect. Eclectic art galleries featuring local and world renowned artists. Jewelry stores from handmade to high end can be found here along with many unique boutiques offering both trendy and classic styles.

Hyde Park Village is six city blocks of local shops, indie brands, and the very top names in fashion from around the world.

International Plaza and Bay Street  is where you can find over 200 stores of high end shopping like Neiman Marcus, Nordstrom, Tiffany & Co, Louis Vitton, and Gucci.

The Tabanero Cigars Factory is a place where patrons experience the re-birth of handmade cigars crafted by Cuban artisans.

Anchored by Saks Fifth Avenue Off 5th and home to over 110 shops the Tampa Premium Outlets features retaillers like Calvin Klein, Coach, J. Crew, Michael Kors, Polo Ralf Lauren, and Tommy Hilfiger.

WestShore Plaza is an indoor mall with anchors like Macy’s, JCPenny, and Dicks Sporting Goods as well as over 100 national and specialty retailers.

The Tampa Riverwalk is 2.5 miles of walkable, rideable, or boatable fun. Perhaps the best way to enjoy Tampa Bay and its lively Riverwalk is by renting a boat with many user friendly varieties available for first time captains. The Riverwalk has everything from museums, dining, performing arts, water taxis, a WWII ship, shopping, art tours, playgrounds and public parks.

As a Tampa resident you have access to two professional sports teams in the Tampa Bay Lightning (Hockey) and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers (Football).

The Gasparilla Pirate Festival, named after the famed pirate Jose Gasparilla who sailed around Tampa’s waters from the late 1700’s to early 1800’s, is a two month long “season” now taking place mid-January to mid-March. The main event is held the last Saturday of January and is known as the Gasparilla Parade. It is the 3rd largest parade in the United States and features over 750 pirates “invading” downtown Tampa from their impressive pirate ship.

Curtis Hixon Waterfront Park is the crown jewel of Tampa’s public parks. There you can find outdoor yoga classes, a splash pad, playgrounds, dog runs, and special events such as concerts and festivals.

Ybor City is a historic neighborhood in Tampa that was founded by Cuban cigar manufacturers. Once its factories rolled out hundreds of millions of cigars as the “Cigar Capital of the World”, now it is mainly a nightclub and entertainment district with a growing population of offices and residences. But its streets and buildings still transport you back to the time period of the late 1800’s. Vibrant nightlight, a look at history, Cuban food, coffee, and cigars make Ybor City a popular spot for residents and visitors alike.

At the Florida Aquarium you can get up close and personal with many of the the Tampa Bay’s native marine species. Here you can connect with the sea and explore Florida’s aquatic animals and ecosystems. They even have a program where you can swim or dive with some of the animals in the exhibits.

For beach lovers considering residing in Tampa, one thing to be aware of is the closest beach lies in Clearwater some 23 miles to the east.

The Tampa Bay is an extremely large body of water that lends itself to various boating and water sports activities. Along the Tampa Riverwalk boaters can dock and dine at the many restaurants on the waterfront promenade. There is a surprising amount of natural shoreline left around the bay which is great for nature watching and there are more than a few islands to beach the boat on and explore.

Like with any coastal Florida community, fishing is a big part of how the locals spend their time. The Tampa Bay provides easy access to many inshore species of fish such as redfish, spotted sea trout, flounder, snook, tarpon, and many others. Offshore in the gulf waters, bottom dwellers such as grouper and snapper are a popular and plentiful target. Often times long runs are required to get to these fish as the deep water off this part of the coast can be many miles off the coast. For pelagic’s many anglers will travel at least 100 miles offshore. One thing to note for those who may be docking a boat in Tampa is the approximate 30 mile long run needed just to get out of the bay and into Gulf of Mexico waters.

Tampa schools are controlled by the Hillsborough Country Public Schools Dristict. It is the 3rd largest in the state of Florida and the 8th largest in the United States. Hillsborough County Public Schools District has 214,386 students in grades PK, K-12 with a student-teacher ratio of 12 to 1. According to state test scores, 54% of students are at least proficient in math and 52% in reading. Niche.com gives the school district a B rating and has it as the 19th best school district in the state. Notable private schools include Academy of the Holy Names (Christian), Carrollwood Day School, Jesuit High School (Roman Catholic), St. John’s Episcopal Parrish Day School (Episcopal), Tampa Catholic High School (Roman Catholic), and Tampa Preparatory School. It is also home to University of South Florida, University of Tampa, and Hillsborough Community College.

One thing is certain, Tampa has no shortage of golf courses. With 20 golf courses inside the city limits and another 50 courses within a 20 mile drive, your only issue will be deciding which courses to try and gain access to.

At TPC Tampa Bay you can play where the pros play. This 18-hole, par 71 course was created to test the top golfers in the world. It is a Championship style course designed by Bobby Weed alongside Chi Chi Rodriguez as a player consultant.

Old Memorial Golf Club was the idea of the founding partners of Outback Steakhouse whose headquarters are located in Tampa. They tapped Steve Smyers to design their course which plays in a links-like style. Bloomingdale Golfers Club has been voted Tampa Bay’s number 1 golf course 10 years in a row. Golf Digest has described this Club as having the best collection of par 5’s on one golf course as they have ever seen.

With CHAMPION Dwarf Bermudagrass greens, the putting greens of choice for many PGA Tour Venues, Bloomingdale Golfers Club prides itself on its consistently excellent course conditions.

The best golf one can find in the Tampa area is not actually in the beautiful waterfront city itself. For that you will have to drive outside the city limits to nearby towns. All worth the drive, be sure to check out the Copperhead course at Innisbrook Resort, the 36-hole Lake Jovita Golf and Country Club in Dade City, Saddlebrook Resort in Wesley Chapel, and two Top-100 courses created by Tom Fazio at World Woods Golf Club in Brooksville.

For novices and experts alike looking for something fun and different, try the Tampa Topgolf facility with over 100 climate controlled hitting bays and food and drink service.