CWNews
Indy Star Discovers Ybor City
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August 10, 2008 Sanctuary by the sea TAMPA, Fla. -- Lions, tigers and panthers roam the 45 acres of lush, tropical terrain at the Big Cat Rescue, saved and protected from circus trainers and ignorant pet-owners. A pair of penguins waddles unguardedly through an excited swarm of school kids at the Florida Aquarium, while close by, a half-dozen more adventurous adult divers go eye-to-snout with live sharks. Tabaqueros roll cigars in the storefront windows of historic Ybor City. And a sign above the registration desk at the hip Hard Rock Hotel & Casino declares "You Can Check Out Anytime You Like But You Can Never Leave." Welcome to Tampa Bay, where man meets nature on a daily basis and history survives in a blast of growth. The Tampa Bay area, which includes St. Petersburg and Clearwater, has grown nearly 35 percent since 1990 to roughly 4 million residents, according to U.S. census figures. Nearly 17 million tourists visited the area last year, according to the Tampa Visitors and Convention Bureau. Weather has something to do with it. There are more sunny days here each year than in Hawaii. And, of course, there are miles of dazzling beaches, including Fort De Soto, named this year's best U.S. beach by online travel site TripAdvisor. Here's a sample of what the Tampa Bay area has to offer, whether you're looking for family fun or the perfect mojito. » Ybor City Where: Northeast of downtown Tampa, south of I-4 near the 20th Street exit. Why it's special: Latin tradition meets 21st-century chic in Ybor (pronounced "EE-borh") City. In one of only three National Historic Landmark districts in Florida, stores like Urban Outfitters and Victoria's Secret share neighborhood real estate with a handful of cigar stores and Cuban-roast coffee shops. Brick streets cut through Mediterranean-style buildings with wrought-iron balconies. Tampa's "Latin Corner" has roots in the late 1880s, when cigar manufacturers led by Vicente Martinez Ybor set up shop in an area that became mainly populated by Cuban, Spanish and Italian immigrants. Ybor City was the "Cigar Capital of the World" until the Great Depression turned the area into a near ghost town. An influx of artists looking for inexpensive studio quarters ignited a comeback, and by the early 1990s, many of the long-empty brick buildings on Seventh Avenue were converted into bars, restaurants and shops. The entertainment district now has more than 60 bars, nightclubs and restaurants, the latter specializing in Spanish and Cuban cuisine. But you can still buy locally made hand-rolled cigars. One of the city's renovated cigar factories is now home to Ybor Square, a mall filled with dining and retail establishments. Traveler's tip: Don't miss the Columbia Restaurant, with its Cuban dishes, ornate Spanish tile, mahogany bar and nightly flamenco show. Founded in 1905, it is the oldest restaurant in Florida. |
