Since good news travels at a pace far slower than its counterpart, the word is only just spreading around the state and around the country—Tampa Bay is a hot place to be right now. Tales of industrial wasteland, uncontrollable ghettos, and a paucity of investment opportunity are stories of the past. Tampa, present day, is the perfect blend of Orlando attractions and Miami nightlife, a city of progress and originality, without claims to being a major U.S. cosmopolitan center. The general vibe is reminiscent of the Midwest, with sentiments of community and commitment to hospitality. The lower cost of living compared to other parts of Florida has attracted a young professional crowd and a blossoming gay community. The streets of downtown are fresh with paint, lined with contemporary urban living spaces, and completely refurbished historical buildings from the late 1800s.

Tampa’s first gayborhood took root in Hyde Park, a former “up and coming” neighborhood-cum-Wisteria Lane, all thanks to the LGBT community. While the gay population has now moved on to other parts of town such as Ybor City and Downtown, the heart of Hyde Park remains rich with our presence and influence.  

Heavy LGBT investment and elaborate coordination have facilitated the success of South Tampa’s most recent revitalization attempt to Ybor City—the GaYbor District. The historic cigar-manufacturing district has embraced the concept of a one-stop “Gaybor” shop—continuous blocks of gay interest stores, nightclubs, bars, restaurants, and coffee shops, similar to Halstead (Boystown) in Chicago and Canal Street in Manchester, England. Within a five-minute walk, the possibility of entering separate worlds of cuisine, dance, trance, line dancing, leather, hip-hop, and drag exudes a sense of gay unification and embraces the subcultures that define our community. The beauty, character, and rich past of the historic Ybor District instill an element of class and distinction into the landscape. The original bricks, paintings, and style send you back in time to Tampa’s 19th century glory and wealth. Contemporary interiors line classic buildings once home to casinos, cigar factories, and prohibition movements. This inspiration has fostered a young, vibrant arts scene most visible through the impressive art and collectible galleries, rotating art shows, and displays of live artists.

Both domestically and internationally, Tampa’s achievements go largely unrecognized to this day. The museums, nightclubs, and restaurants are largely filled with locals.   However, Tampa is a major city on the move that has retained a small-town feel while embracing both history and modernity in the same breath. It’s well worth a visit, a perfect getaway for a short or long weekend. 

 Daytime Activities off the Beaten Path

Big Cat Rescue - The largest big cat rescue in the United States, Big Cat Rescue serves as a sanctuary for abused and confiscated felines. Open to the public only on organized tours, a dozen tour options allow various opportunities for interacting with the 150 beautiful and majestic carnivores. 12802 Easy Street, (813) 920-4130, bigcatrescue.org 

Smoke Cigars in Ybor City- Ybor City was once known as the Cigar Capital of the World, producing 700 million cigars a year. Revel in the glory days with a nice fat cigar at King Corona Cigars and a café con leche. 1523 E. 7th Avenue, (813) 241-9109, kingcoronocigars.com 

Florida Aquarium Nature Tours- Rated one of the top aquariums in the U.S., the Florida Aquarium offers eco-tours to view the 400 resident wild dolphins of Tampa Bay, manatees, and bird sanctuaries as well as a “Dive with the Sharks” experience where you brave the shark tank in a wetsuit. 701 Channelside Drive, Tampa, (813) 273-4000, flaquarium.org        

Weekend Party Guide

Pop N Wave Thursdays at the Castle - A long-standing Goth club housed in a castle-style tower, The Castle hosts Goth-goes-camp Thursday nights with all the videos you can handle from the dawn of music television to present. Though not an official gay night, Thursdays have a staunch LGBT following. 2004 N. 16th Street, castle-ybor.com 

G. Bar - Hands down the hottest spot in Tampa with packed Fridays for women and the largest congregation and concentration of Florida studs on Saturday nights. 1401 E. 7th Avenue, yborclubs.com 

The Honey Pot - The multimillion-dollar palatial venue houses three stories of nightlife decadence embellished with cutting-edge audio and visual technology. Steam Fridays for men and Tease Saturdays for women fill the expansive dance floor, the plush couches, and the elaborate upstairs lounge areas. 1507 E. 7th Avenue, yborclubs.com 

Where to stay?

Hampton Inn Ybor City - Just a stone’s throw away from all the action and a special deeply discounted rate for its GLBT customers (look under Lodging, on gaybor.com), the Hampton Inn Ybor City is the best option for your trip to Tampa. The hotel itself is a global model for Hampton Inns worldwide noted for its superior customer service and irrefutable LGBT friendliness. 1301 East 7th Avenue, (813) 247-6700, hamptoninn.com