Admittedly, I've only been to Tampa once, for a 3-day convention where I managed to get out and play 3 rounds along with 3 nights of grub & booze near my hotel. The rest of this info comes from Tampa profiles in T&L Golf, Golf Digest, Maxim, and a couple other minor sources.

Orientation and Weather:

Florida's comprehensive network of high-speed interstate highways notwithstanding, driving around the Sunshine State has never seemed easy. But Tampa's location on asymmetrical Tampa Bay, along with the half-dozen bridges that traverse it, manages to relieve the confusion wrought by the state's predominantly flat and featureless terrain. An early-morning or late-afternoon drive across the Sunshine Skyway Bridge, which connects St. Petersburg and the Sarasota area, is de rigueur for any first-time visitor.

Speaking of interstates, I-75 and I-275 both travel north–south, the former allowing you to bypass downtown Tampa. The two-year-old Veterans Expressway has greatly expedited travel to points north of the city, including the airport, Busch Gardens and several of the region's top courses. Road construction is prevalent on a lot of the routes and access roads around Tampa Bay, including Interstates 4, 75 and 275, and state roads 19 and 98. Early tee times are a must to avoid the high-volume traffic. Apart from an inner-city bus system with twenty-eight routes, an "in-town" trolley system connects many of the downtown neighborhoods, including Ybor City and Channelside. Tampa has a palpable sense of neighborhoods and local lore.

Situated just seven miles from downtown, Tampa International Airport is frequently cited in passenger surveys as one of the nation's most user-friendly. Two terminals have been added in the past three years, to accommodate the expanded flight schedules of Southwest Airlines and a newcomer, Independence Air. Across the bay is St. Petersburg–Clearwater International Airport and to the south is Sarasota–Bradenton International Airport, both of them favorites among Canadians. Tampa's official web site (www.visittampabay.com) provides some good basic information; or call 800-448-2672.

Average temperature year-round is 72 degrees, with a consistent breeze off Gulf Coast waters keeping things cooler than the rest of Central Florida. Average highs only reach the low-80's from June-Sept, April May and October see highs in the 70's, and Nov-Mar averages highs in the 60's.

Where To Play:

The Tampa/Clearwater/St. Pete/Sarasota region sports a ton of golf courses, maybe even too many per capita, and a huge proportion were built during the golf boom of the '90's or later. In 1513, Ponce de Leon set sail just south of Tampa in search of the Fountain of Youth. Pulsating Tampa is the embodiment of that regenerative spirit. Conversely, with few exceptions, its golf is deeply rooted, traditional fare. And there's nothing wrong with that.

Course Collecting

Westin Innisbrook Golf Resort Copperhead Course

36750 U.S. Highway 19 North, Palm Harbor; 877-752-1480, : T&L Golf says… Mention Tampa to most golf afficianados, and their minds jump to Westin Innisbrook's Copperhead Course ($80-$200, resort guests only; for more info, see Copperhead Course @ Westin Innisbrook), host to the PGA Tour's Chrysler Championship, with a feel more Carolina than Florida. The resort is an 1,100-acre retreat with 72 quality holes. Innisbrook's sister Island course, hemmed in by cypress swamps, moss-draped oaks, and citrus groves, strategic bunkering, and risk/reward options; it's just as hilly as the Copperhead, and a hair shorter. The Highlands North and South aren't quite as daunting, but deliver an aesthetically pleasing round with water as a main feature on the North.

Golf Digest likes the Island Course, Palm Harbor, 727-942-2000, $110-$210. Target golf at its best, the Island course provides the player with three distinct designs over six-hole stretches. The first six holes are reminiscent of South Carolina lowcountry, the next six look like the sand hills of North Carolina complete with elevation changes, and the incoming six are a traditional Midwestern style. Accuracy is tested most over the initial stretch of holes where water hazards and jungle await errant shots. The 565-yard seventh—a double dogleg—is the No. 1-handicap hole, with water in play off the tee and on the second shot.

And since Copperhead is only accessible to resort guests, you may have to buck up for the Westin Innisbrook (www.westin-innisbrook.com). Rooms: $149–$195. Suites: $179–$425. Arguably the best-known Tampa golf resort, this 900-acre property has a bit of everything, including what it calls the "Loch Ness Monster Pool." A continuously running shuttle system moves guests around to the resort's various attractions.

An easy hour north on the Suncoast Parkway brings you to World Woods GC ($40-$120, Brooksville, 352-796-5500). T&L Golf says… Tom Fazio's famed Pine Valley tribute, the Pine Barrens course, gets all the rankings; but his sister Rolling Oaks course emulates Augusta and is the staff favorite. However, conditions on both can be iffy. Skip World Woods' muni-like grill and grub at Mallie Kyla’s Café (Brooksville, 352-796-7174, www.malliekylas.com, $). Go with the Southern specialties at this casual restaurant in a historic downtown house. Or Bayport Inn (Weeki Wachee 352-596-1088. $$). Popular outdoor dining spot with seafood fresh from the Gulf of Mexico. Make it an overnight sidetrip out of Tamp and crash at the Park Inn or the Chassahowitzka Hotel (a small fishing lodge perfect for groups of eight to sixteen).

Fat Guy's World Woods Review, 2001:

The pro shop ignored us for 10 minutes upon our flight-delayed and admittedly late arrival while they were in a B.S. session, then they ripped us off by charging full rate even though we teed off after twilight had started. Then the rangers jerked us around a little. 2 guys we got paired with paid $50 per man less on the twilight rate, and the pro shop was deserted when we came off at dusk. No response to a complaint letter I wrote.

Played the front 9 of Pine Barrens. Great rugged layout, plenty of pine trees and waste areas, good conditions. Alot like the new breed of target waste area courses in Jersey. Some great risk/reward scenarios, tough approaches over deep flashed-up bunkers. Worth the drive from Tampa, and almost worth the dough. Although for similar style courses, in my opinion Tobacco Road in Sanford, NC is more original, Scotland Run in Williamstown, NJ is more fun, and Sand Barrens in Swainton, NJ is tougher. World Woods must have a better P.R. agent to get into the Top 10. Still worth a look, a very fun track, but beware the service risk. Fat Guy Rating: 8.75

Also played the front 9 of Royal Oaks, a more traditional type course but also a great layout in good condition, forces you to hit shots and it helps to be long off the tee. #8 is a great 148 yard downhill par 3 with swirling winds over a stream and rocks to a shallow, sloped green, one of the prettiest and toughest par 3's I've played. Royal Oaks is one of those courses you'd play 4-6 strokes better the second time around, as there are some blind/Mickey Mouse tee shots and landing areas on a few of the par 4's. T&L Golf ranked Royal Oaks as the #6 most underrated sister course in the U.S., saying her brother's Pine Valley-like facade may steal the thunder, but the Tom Fazio-routed Rolling Oaks fits more seamlessly into the terrain, making for a vastly enjoyable romp through nature. Fat Guy Rating: 8.25

Fat Guy's TPC Tampa Bay Review  A fun track, typical of what you'd expect of a TPC course in Florida. Lots of water, challenging but fair bunkering, some long par 3's, great conditions.  Greens rolled true.  My opinion was probably helped by the fact that we played immediately after a rainstorm and the course was nearly empty.  #15 is a tough long narrow par 4 with water right.  Overall, tough but fair.  #15-#18 stretch has been called "the toughest finishing holes on The Senior Tour."  You can survive with the B game, or score well with the A.  Fat Guy Rating:  8.

For uber-upscale per T&L, play Ritz-Carlton's Members GC (Sarasota). Tom Fazio has said this course had the largest landscaping budget of any he's done in Florida—and that's saying a lot. The site is extravagant: more than 300 acres framed by the Braden River, its estuary and protected wetlands. Formerly a flat piece of farmland, the layout uses fill from sixteen excavated lakes to create mounding of up to thirty-five feet. The course also benefits from the planting of nearly 500 palm trees and scores of oaks, which lend a sense of maturity. The caddies in white coveralls don't hurt either.

Golf Magazine's Travelin' Joe says there are some Tampa area alternatives that deliver on value and playability, like Saddlebrook Resort ($100-$145; 813-973-1111, saddlebrookresort.com) and Lake Jovita Golf & Country Club ($79-$119; 352-588-9200, lakejovita.com). If you can secure your tee time at Saddlebrook 24 hours in advance, you'll pay just $100 bucks. Lake Jovita's South course sports 200 feet of elevation change, a rarity for Florida. Play after noon for slightly cheaper fees.

Fat Guy's Great Value:  Westchase GC  By far, the best golfing value I've ever stumbled across. For a $22 weekday twilight rate, I got 15 holes of tough golf on a well-manicured target swampland course, GPS at no extra charge (invaluable with numerous bunkers and blind swamp areas), a gorgeous brand new clubhouse, cute beer cart grrls, a water driving range with floating balls, and 12 holes with nobody in front of me. Even at the $64 weekend rate, it's a much better value than most of the courses I see regularly in Philly. Nearly on same level as TPC Tampa Bay without the $150 greens fees. Routed through a development of $500K homes. Lots of water, O.B., "Don't Hunt" swamp hazards (due to snakes and gators, but we didn't see any), and long cart bridges through the wet stuff. Bring plenty of ammo, I lost 10 here. Found this one via recommendation from the hotel valet. Highly recommended, great value. Fat Guy Rating: 8.75

T&L Golf also likes: Also in Brooksville, Dunes GC ($40-$45, 325-596-7888,  www.dunesgolfclub.com) is a great value Arthur Hills design. Hills was handed a former WWII Air Force target range, and found the property pockmarked with sandy craters, many of which evolved into bunkers on the course. Routed through a housing development, but a tamer approximation of the sandy wasteland at World Woods' Pine Barrens, for half the price. Golf Digest says The Dunes flows naturally across pine-covered sand dunes, with only teaspoons of earth moved to form knobs and bunkers. The greens emerge subtly from the landscape, several backdropped by hillside sand scars and blowouts, some of them bomb craters (the site was a World War II practice range for pilots). Instead of traditional rough, there's pine straw scattered over a sandy base, as you'd find in North Carolina, and it didn't take long for me to conclude that The Dunes is Florida's version of Pinehurst No. 2., although the tees are badly in need of leveling, the carts seemed ancient, and there is that clubhouse. 

Due east of Brooksville is Sherman Hills Golf Club. This 18 is a low-budget microcosm of the entire 36 holes offered at World Woods on the other side of town. Sherman's front nine was artfully carved from pastureland, accented by long waste areas of native sand and huge landscaped mounds that screen out I-75 along the sixth and seventh holes. The back nine plays through several oak groves, with an umbrella-shape oak in the 11th fairway and several more specimens framing the 17th green. Sherman Hills finishes with a flourish, a 594-yard hole that plays over a man-made hill, then down to a peninsula green surrounded by a pond. If there's a certain Fazio flair to some of the holes at Sherman Hills, it's because its designer, Ted McAnlis, once built courses for George and Tom Fazio, after McAnlis quit his job as a rocket engineer for NASA. Sad to say, McAnlis is no longer designing courses. He's in federal prison, convicted on multiple counts of income-tax evasion, the waste of a good deal of talent.

Another worth-it hike from Tampa is the 90-minute trek to Jim Fazio's El Diablo G&CC ($30-$55, Citrus Springs, 888-886-1309, www.eldiablogolf.com). Gently sculpted fairways framed by burly oaks, loblolly pines, beautifully landscaped staggered tees, and steep-faced bunkers. Woven through lovely and isolated hardwood forests, it resembles the Garden of Eden more than any underworld, but watch out for the pot bunker on the par-3 15th, Florida's version of Pine Valley's "Devil's Asshole".

Formerly PGA National (from 1945 to 1962), semiprivate Dunedin Country Club ($50–$59, 727-733-7836) is a worthy old Donald Ross design. Silverthorn Country Club ($40–$65, 352-799-2600) was built in 1994 by Florida legend Joe Lee, combining tight fairways and open expanses subject to inland winds. Waterlefe Golf & River Club ($35–$80, 941-744-9771) in Bradenton has twice served as a U.S. Open qualifying site, despite being just five years old.

Other Great Tampa Tracks You've Never Heard Of:  Longboat Key C&R Harbourside Course ($85-$140, Sarasota, 888-237-5545, www.longboatkeyclub.com, William Byrd) has five 9s end-to-end on a bayside spit. Harbourside is the more memorable routing, after a 2004 Ron Garl makeover. Peninsula greens and lovely stands of fig, pine, and palm trees abound. In Dade City you'll find Lake Jovita G&CC (352-588-9200, $85-$115), a Kurt Sandness/Tom Lehman design which is one of the hilliest courses in the state. The par-5 11th drops a dizzying 100-feet from tee to green. The dramatic terrain may not feel like FL, but the splendid day golfing most definitely will. Saddlebrook Resort, Palmer ($105-$130, Wesley Chapel, Palmer & Seay, 800-729-8383, www.saddlebrook.com) is challenging for resort golf, with Arnie's trademark wide fairways and elevated greens demanding precise approaches. Fox Hollow Golf Club ($60–$90, 727-376-6333) is part of a family of courses designed by Robert Trent Jones Sr. and Roger Rulewich that includes Crumpin-Fox and Fox Hopyard in New England. Golf Digest digs Bardmoor Golf & Tennis Club, Largo, 727-392-1234, $54-$96. Because of its playability and affordability, Bardmoor is a favorite of locals and tourists. The parkland layout has fairly generous fairways and hazards that come into play only for the severely accuracy-challenged, so pace of play is not compromised. The 529-yard eighth hole is an example of several risk-reward holes. Long hitters can carry a water hazard that crosses the fairway about 260 yards out, but they must still negotiate a water hazard to the right of the green and out-of-bounds to the left. If tradition is your thing, Hall of Famers Pat Bradley, Nancy Lopez, JoAnne Carner, Beth Daniel, Tom Kite and Curtis Strange were all winners of the JCPenney Classic played there 13 times in the 1970s and '80s.

Where To Booze & Grub, Tampa:
Maxim's Guide To Tampa:  Start with a pilgrimmage to the original Hooters (2800 Gulf-To-Bay Boulevard, Clearwater, www.originalhooters.com).  Then it's off to local dive sportbar Walter's Press Box (222 S. Dale Mabry, www.pressboxsports.com), with low ceilings, no windows, and wood paneling plastered with Tampa sports memorobilia. Continue down the slide at The Hub (719 N. Franklin, Tampa), Tampa's greatest dive bar, with cheap doubles and an eclectic mixed crowd.  Then it's off to ride the mechanical bull at gigantic honky-tonk Dallas Bull (3322 US Hwy 301, N. Tampa, www.dallasbull.com).  2 floors, 7 bars, 99 toilets, and line dancing with some of Tampa's sexiest cowgirls.  Then go get some grub at The Crab Shack (11400 Gandy Blvd, St. Petersburg, www.thecrabshack.com).  Seafood stops don't get any kitschier than this Old Florida treasure located next to the Redneck Riviera (aka Gandy Blvd Beach, frequented by bikers with their thong-clad mammas and pit bulls romping in the sand).  Chow down on The Crab Shack's steamed blue crabs, fresh oysters, and gator bites.  If you're more of a meat n' potatoes guy, you won't do any better than Bern's Steakhouse (1208 S. Howard Ave, Tampa, www.bernssteakhouse.com).  Experience the bordello-like ambience at this venerable meat mecca.  If you're low on cash, belly up to Berns' bar and order the off-menu steak sandwich with onion rings for a measly 11 bucks.  Late night, head for 2001 Odyssey (2309 N Dale Mabry Hwy, www.2001nude.com) for a spaceship-themed all-nekkid Gentlemen's club.  Pick the right dancer to beam you up to the rooftop flying saucer VIP room, and it could be something to tell your grandkids about. Or go for Tampa's best Gentemen's club (and ranked as #4 in North America by reader reviews on the Ultimate Strip Club List, www.tuscl.com), Mons Venus (2040 N Dale Mabry Hwy, www.monsvenus.com), $20 cover for top-shelf all-nekkid talent and full contact $30 couch dances.

Playboy also named Bern's Steakhouse one of the 10 Best Steakhouses in the country, calling it "easily the most over-the-top restaurant in the country.  Strarted in 1956 by Bern and Gert Laxter as a hole-in-the-wall eatery, it's now a 320-seat tribute to American beef.  Tiffany lamps, jukeboxes, TV monitors in the booths, a wine list thicker than the Tampa phone book, a fresh-fish tank, martinis with vermouth measured with an eyedropper, and even an organic farm are part of the mix. But it all starts with Bern's superlative beef- 6 different cuts exactly broiled to 8 degrees of doneness." 

During the peak production years of the late 1800s, Cuban and Italian immigrants hand-rolled seven million cigars a year in Ybor City (pronounced EE-bor). Since being designated a national historic district in 1991, the neighborhood, Tampa's liveliest for nightlife, has become more diversified, but you can still watch tabaqueros ply their craft. The festive atmosphere includes restored turn-of-the-century architecture, nightclubs, boutiques, coffeehouses and the district's own trademark beer, Ybor Gold. It is also a great place for a Cuban sandwich, made with Cuban bread, ham, pork, Genoa salami, cheese, mustard and pickle, then flattened and crisped. My friend Courtney says Ybor City is a crazy hotspot abuzz with bars and clubs. One website called Ybor the biggest adult entertainment spot in the country.

Downtown Tampa's SoHo district (named for a fashionable stretch of South Howard Ave) is appropriately adorned with pubs, chic restaurants, and coffee houses (translation: target-rich Yuppie haven), per Golf Magazine.

Fat Guy liked Bahama Breeze, 3045 N. Rocky Point Drive E, Tampa. Tropical theme restaurant/bar on the water, kinda touristy but lots of young eye candy. Landry's Seafood across the street has great surf & turf. Or check out Jack Willie's Tiki Bar (Oldsmar, www.jackwilliestikibar.com).

MBA Jungle mag likes the Chattaway Drive Inn. Originally a gas station in the 20's, then morphed into a burger joint.  Locals fuel up on burgers and onion rings outside, near pastel-colored bathtubs filled with flowers.

For more uppity spots, T&L Golf likes:

BEACH BISTRO (Gulf Coast/Mediterranean) 6600 Gulf Drive, Holmes Beach, Anna Maria Island; 941-778-6444. $$$$. You can live with entrée names like Food Heaven—Iowa lamb crowned with Maine lobster and Hudson Valley foie gras on brioche bread pudding—when the cuisine is this good.

COLUMBIA RESTAURANT (Spanish) 2117 East Seventh Avenue, Tampa; 813-248-4961. $$$. This is Florida's oldest restaurant, an Ybor City institution celebrating its centennial in 2005. The place is quite a scene, seating 1,700 people in fifteen rooms, with flamenco and classical dance performances six days a week.

CRAB & FIN (Raw Bar/Seafood) 420 St. Armands Circle, Sarasota; 941-388-3964. $$$ There are a dozen restaurants, many of them with outdoor seating, and numerous retail outlets surrounding the round park that is St. Armands Circle. Crab & Fin is notable for its extensive wine list, including pairings for its numerous raw-bar selections.

MARCHLAND'S BAR & GRILL (Continental) 501 Fifth Avenue NE, St. Petersburg; 727-894-1000. $$$$ The flagship restaurant of the Renaissance Vinoy, this high-ceilinged, sconce-lit room has the feel of a grand ballroom. The steak and fish selections, including a vanilla-dusted Chilean sea bass, are superb.

PELAGIA TRATTORIA (Mediterranean) 4200 Jim Walter Boulevard, Tampa; 813-313-3235. $$$. At the Renaissance Tampa Hotel, near the trendy, pedestrian-only Bay Street at International Plaza, this is "a place to see and be seen," as the menu, which includes pizza and lighter fare, points out.

THIRSTY MARLIN (Seafood) 1023 Florida Avenue, Palm Harbor; 727-784-3469. $$. Restaurants on the Gulf Coast, particularly north of Tampa Bay, generally have a more casual atmosphere than those downtown. This one is among the best. Try the blackened grouper or mahi mahi.

VERNONA (Contemporary American) 1111 Ritz-Carlton Drive, Sarasota; 941-309-2000. $$$$.As the premier restaurant of the Ritz-Carlton, Sarasota, Vernona not only offers fine dining, it elevates the state of the art, in this case through the use of local produce and organic ingredients.

TampaBay.com's 2009 list of Tampa's Top 20 Bars:

We'll spare you no suspense: Tbt* is naming the Hyde Park Cafe in Tampa its 2009 Ultimate Drinking Destination.

In 14 years, the Hyde Park Cafe has transformed the South Tampa nightlife scene, turning what was once a gay strip club into the ultimate place to see and be seen in Hillsborough County. Derek Jeter and Michael Jordan have partied there. Ex-American Idol finalist Jessica Sierra was arrested there. And the club's Tuesday night parties are the stuff of legend, yielding more Wednesday-morning hangovers than anyone would care to count.

With Hyde Park Cafe's success, owner Tommy Ortiz has been able to create more popular SoHo ventures, including Cheap and the Kennedy. Lush and exotic, with plenty of nooks for chilling, the HPC is perfect for celebrating your 21st (or 30th, or 40th...) or simply talking up a well-dressed member of the opposite sex.

And hey, check this out: Hyde Park Cafe's Rafael Martinez was voted Tampa Bay's Ultimate Bartender 2009. We swear, we didn't plan it that way. Just goes to show what can happen when a great bar meets a great bartender.

2. ULTIMATE SCENE: Czar
1402 E Seventh Ave., Ybor City. (813) 247-6838, www.myspace.com/czarvodkabar.
Lookit: When you talk about Czar, the word “hipster” is going to get tossed around a lot. There’s just no way to avoid it. Sideways haircuts, thrift-store sundresses, skiny jeans and ginormous sunglasses (yes, even at midnight) — all of these are de rigueur at Czar. On the other hand, the vodka drinks are out of this world. The decor — unapologetic Soviet iconography, chandeliers, sofas, giant video screens and throwbacky white vinyl booths — is part Banksy, part bordello, even a tiny bit South Beach. They’ve hosted tremendous indie rock acts, including Ladytron, Les Savy Fav, Matt & Kim and the Hold Steady, who closed an epic 2008 gig by inviting fans up onstage for a 10-minute rendition of Killer Parties (which is set in Ybor City). And the DJs? Well, if you’re not turned on by A-list DJs like Girl Talk, Diplo, Switch and A-Trak, we just don’t know what to tell you. Czar's crazy-popular Pulp the Party electro night (featuring recently moved from Friday to Wednesday; in its place the club launched Filthy Richard, another dance party that seems to be doing just fine. “It’s really hip, a little left of the center and definitely not for the mall-nightclub crowd,” general manager Sandy Hein said in February. “The more creative types of Tampa hang here.” Czar is a bar that by all rights should be located in Hollywood, or at least Brooklyn — not Ybor City. And yet there it sits on Seventh. Enjoy it while you’re still young enough to pull off a keffiyeh.

3. ULTIMATE BREWPUB: Dunedin Brewery
937 Douglas Ave., Dunedin; (727) 736-0606, www.dunedinbrewery.com.
The Scottish regalia is fitting, since the stone-walled Dunedin Brewery looks a bit like a highlander’s castle. Equally breathtaking are the ginormous brewing vats inside, which are known for producing phenomenal, award winning beers like the Redhed Red Ale, as well as a swimming selection of seasonal brews (watch out for the Old Mean Stout). An excellent live music setup is a huge plus — a recent Ramones tribute show with several local bands was a sellout — and dogs are welcome at Suds on Sunday, a dog-washing service that includes a pint with each purchase. Our only knock on the place: It’s beer and wine only, no liquor. If we could just order a slug of Glenlivet with our Pipers Pale Ale ... we might be talking about Dunedin Brewery as our new No. 1.


4. ULTIMATE MEGABAR: The Dallas Bull
3322 U.S. 301 N, Tampa. (813) 987-2855, www.dallasbull.com.
A living, breathing, bucking machine on the skirts of East Tampa, the Bull is Florida’s answer to Billy Bob’s in Fort Worth: A veritable honky-tonk heaven, a place where the only thing sexier than a belle in boots is the intro to Copperhead Road. The numbers speak for themselves: 31,000 square feet (making it Tampa Bay’s largest nightclub), 9 bars, 20,000 patrons a month, $95,000 worth of liquor on hand at any given time. And then there’s this one: $9.95. That’s the cost of a concert ticket to see Joe Nichols, Darius Rucker, Luke Bryan or Jamey Johnson, all of whom have played the Bull in the past year. John Rich and Brooks and Dunn occasionally come by, and have been known to hop up on the stage for surprise sets. The club is clean, secure and friendly — co-owner Lewis Surratt Sr. roams the pool area most nights, hobnobbing with customers — and Thursday college nights can draw upwards of 3,000 people. You’ll still get your cowpokes in Dingoes and shooter shirts, sure, but most of the crowd is college-aged and comfortable. Lest you think the Bull ain’t nothin’ but a country bar, know that there’s an Ybor-esque Top 40 floor on the second level that attracts a fairly diverse crowd. Of course, when all the ladies are line-dancing in skintight Wranglers and tank tops, who cares what music they’re playing?

5-7. ULTIMATE IRISH BAR
The Dubliner and MacDinton’s are a sloshed crawl away from each other in SoHo. Four Green Fields is a mere mile away on Platt. All three are killer Irish bars. But which one is the best? We couldn’t come to an agreement — maybe it was all that Guinness we were guzzling — so we’ll let you decide. In the comments, let us know which of the three you think is the best. We'll publish your favorite in next Friday's tbt*.

Four Green Fields
205 W Platt St, Tampa; (813) 254-4444, www.fourgreenfields.com.
The oldest Irish pub of South Tampa’s big three and the most prestigious in all of Tampa Bay, perhaps all of Florida, Four Green Fields proudly advertises itself as “America’s only authentic thatched roof pub.” There are also two wooden decks and a bar in the rear outside area. It’s got no TVs, though for monster soccer matches, exceptions are occasionally made. Irish greats such as Tommy Makem, The Prodigals, The Corrs, and Sinead O’Connor have all played Four Green Fields, which has traditional Irish musicians perform every weekend. Perhaps the most Irish thing about Four Green Fields? Sinn Fein President Gerry Adams has frequented Four Green Fields, and almost every staff member is from Ireland.

MacDinton’s Irish Pub
405 South Howard Ave,
Tampa; (813) 251-8999, www.macdintons.com.
MacDinton’s opened in 2002, same year as its chief competitor, The Dubliner. Unlike The Dubliner, MacDinton’s has a liquor license, which it uses to make an assortment of mind-blowing “bombs” that are very popular with drinker sin their early 20s. An expansive booze emporium, MacDinton’s has a large patio and tiki bar plus five more full bars inside. There also dining tables, stage and dance floor. They serve plenty of authentic Irish grub, and show soccer and rugby matches from around the world. Plenty of Irish soccer fanatics show up on game days.

The Dubliner
2307 W Azeele St, Tampa; (813) 258-2257, www.thedublineririshpub.com.
Laid-back and charming, the Dubliner has been a SoHo favorite since 2002. It’s on Azeele, just off South Howard, around the corner from its sworn enemy, MacDinton’s. The Dubliner brims with charm, and serves 14 beers on tap, but it has one serious drawback: no liquor license. (A Dubliner that opened not long ago in Citrus Park does serve liquor.) A converted house decorated with beautiful Emerald Isle bric-a-brac, The Dubliner has a handsome deck and a total of four full bars including a tiki.

8. ULTIMATE PARTY: Jackson’s Bistro
601 S Harbour Island Blvd., Tampa; (813) 277-0112, www.jacksonsbistro.com.
On any night of the week, Jackson’s is a fine place to sip something top-shelf, immerse yourself in swank and possibly spot an athlete. The waterfront venue also has possibly the best vantage point of anywhere for the annual Gasparilla Pirate Invasion. And when celebs come to town, they’re sure to drop by. Paris Hilton, Pete Wentz, Ashlee Simpson, Benji Madden and various Playmates have been spotted there. But on Friday nights, Tampa’s sexiest bistro transforms into something more: a pulsating nightclub. Fantasy Fridays offer something for everyone: top 40 music on the patio; ’70s, ’80s and ’90s tunes in the lounge; and house music in the restaurant. Then there are the professional dancers, stilt walkers, flame throwers and magician. And yet, it doesn’t come off like a carny family reunion. The vibe is sleek, sexy — and packed. Mike Piper, president of Pied Piper Productions, which organizes the weekly bash, puts the Friday crowd at 1,600 to 1,800, depending on the weather. Jackson’s is especially popular for celebrating birthdays and bachelor parties, with many folks opting for bottle service at a table or cabana.“We give the people the ability to have a party within a party,” Piper says. At holiday time, Jackson’s pulls out even more stops. Check out Jackson's Third of July fireworks display, and don’t miss the annual Hell-O-ween party on the last Friday in October. At least 2,000 guys and ghouls flock to Jackson’s for the annual $2,000 costume contest.

9. ULTIMATE DESTINATION: Floyd's
Seminole Hard Rock Hotel and Casino, 5223 N Orient Road, Tampa. (866) 502-7529, www.seminolehardrocktampa.com.
A few drinks or so at Floyd’s and you’ll think you’re in Las Vegas. Maybe that’s because you’re drinking on Nevada time. When the Pinellas bars close at 2 a.m., drinkers head east to Hillsboough. Then, at 3 a.m., they head to Floyd’s, which, due to the sovereign-nation status of the Seminole Tribe, doesn’t have to stop serving alcohol until 6 a.m. Because Floyd’s is so glitzy, high-rolling and decadent, it would be easy for haters to knock it. But you’ll hear none of that from us. Floyd’s dishes out a genuinely wild party; it’s exactly the sort of place you want to end up when you’re nowhere near ready to call it a night. Celebrities often stay at the Hard Rock (during the Super Bowl, Paris Hilton, Ashton Kutcher and Demi Moore and the entire Kardashian family stayed there), so you might spot someone famous. And DJs Santana, Kidd Leow and guest artists like DJ AM, Dirty Vegas and even will.i.am always keep the dance floor moving. Go, and you’ll have a good time. Bet on it.

10. ULTIMATE SPRING BREAK HOTSPOT: Shephard’s
601-619 S Gulfview Blvd., Clearwater Beach; (727) 442-5107, www.shephards.com.
What first opened in 1976 as the Lagoon has morphed from a rather pedestrian lodge to a full-fledged waterfront resort of the highest order. The entertainment complex known as Shephard’s now features a hotel, restaurant, lounge, two killer tiki bars, private beach and a double-level nightclub called The Wave. During Sping Break season in mid-March, it might be the busiest club in Tampa Bay. The bikini contests alone are worth a trip; T-backs and tiny tops are allowed on the private beach where drinking is allowed. The bar brings in performers like Tone Loc, Darude and Blake Lewis for its busiest weekends (Spring Break, Memorial Day, Labor Day), but all year round a steady stream of beachgoers flock to the bar for lazy tunes, Rum Runners and margaritas.

11. ULTIMATE SPORTS BAR: Ferg’s
1320 Central Ave., St. Petersburg. (727) 822-4562, www.fergsonline.com.
Say what you will about the Rayhawk hysteria that accompanied the Rays’ run to the World Series last fall, but it did prove one thing: Ferg’s is the best sports bar in Tampa Bay. Situated just a deep fly ball from the Trop, this bar was saluting the Rays long before the rest of us. Owner Mark Ferguson bought the joint in 1991, back when the Trop was the Florida Suncoast Dome and the building that would become Ferg’s was just an abandoned Sunoco. He built a sports bar more or less on faith that a baseball team would someday show up. When the Devil Rays finally debuted in 1998, Ferguson was up at 7 a.m., serving breakfast on Opening Day. Over time, Ferg’s has expanded, developed character, built a camaraderie with regulars and turned into the go-to watering hole before and after every Rays game. It’s now a gathering spot for fans of all sports, and they even host cornhole tournaments and other games, but the baseball ties run deep. When the Rays clinched a playoff spot in September, the bartenders at Ferg’s created a drink called Rays Victory Punch, consisting of vodka and blue Gatorade. Yeah, we know ... but at the time, even that tasted sweet.

12. ULTIMATE TAMPA JOINT: Gaspar’s Grotto
1805 E Seventh Ave., Ybor City; (813) 248-5900, www.gasparsgrotto.com.
Anyplace with “Gaspar” in its name must be a beloved place in Tampa. This one is no exception. Owners Eric and Shere Schiller are super-active in the community, often hosting fundraisers and other benefits at the longtime Ybor bar. Krewes love it, thanks to the pirate theme. But even if you’re not into puffy shirts and beads, you’ll still dig Gaspar’s fun events (Beer Olympics) sporty, eclectic decor and embrace of the animal kingdom — regular Yappy Hours, fishtanks behind the bar, a resident bar cat named Tanker Ray. Schiller once said that if the calico feline dies, he’ll have him stuffed and mounted in the bar. At Gaspar’s, where Tampa’s history is celebrated in every direction, that would feel just about right.

13. ULTIMATE CORNER BAR: The Hub
719 N Franklin St., Tampa. (813) 229-1553, www.hubbartampa.com.
A Tampa icon, this downtown dive bar has a bad reputation for serving the strongest, most affordable cocktails in the city limits — maybe the entire state! And then there’s the wildly eclectic crowd. Jobless vagrants, UT students, after-work professionals, well-dressed Tampa Theater concertgoers, skinny scenesters, off-the-clock servers and everything in between can be found inside the dark, dank, fabulously dirty setting, sipping from fat glasses of whiskey or chugging cans of cheap beer. In recent months, The Hub has also started hosting live, original music. Which makes sense, since it seems not a night goes by without at least a dozen local rockers coming through the door.

14. ULTIMATE LIVE MUSIC BAR: Skipper’s Smokehouse
910 Skipper Road, Tampa, (813) 971-0666, www.skipperssmokehouse.com.
Is it a stretch to call Skipper’s a “drinking destination?” Not if you’ve ever sat beneath the Skipperdome listening to the Black Keys, or Sharon Jones and the Dap Kings, or Ralph Stanley, or Alejandro Escovedo, or the Red Elvises, or Damon Fowler, or ... look, we could obviously carry this on all day. Skipper’s is one of the 5 to 10 things Tampa music fans love most about living here, a ramshacle roots-blues-hippie barbecue joint whose giant, sandy, picnic-tabled open-air arena incorporates a giant live oak tree. Raining? Head inside and grab a seat at the cozy Oyster Bar, where the walls are covered in band stickers and the conversation is free-flowing and friendly. Old Florida at its finest, it’s like our own little corner of Austin’s fabled Sixth Street.

15. ULTIMATE DIVE: Dave’s Aqua Lounge
10820 Gandy Blvd. St. Petersburg; (727) 576-1091, www.davesongandy.com.
It’s like a clone of the stevedores’ bar in Season 2 of The Wire. Dirty little blues lounge, popular with the casual Pinellas boaters and fishermen, working-class and unfussy all the way. There’s live music at Dave’s six nights a week, including live blues every Wednesday, and usually on weekends. And it’s got the coolest backdrop of any stage in town — hundreds of gleaming silver CDs affixed to the wall. Not the most eye-popping menu in the world, but hell, it’s got Knob Creek, Ms. Pac Man and Howlin’ Wolf on the jukebox — what else does a man really need?

16. ULTIMATE MARTINI BAR: The Chic-a-Boom Room
319 Main St., Dunedin, (727) 736-5284, www.kellyschicaboom.com.
This fun, beloved Dunedin party joint sits at the center of the complex known as Kelly’s For Just About Anything, which is a pretty accurate description. The Chic-a-Boom Room is eclectic drinking at its best, with a menu of two dozen colorful “Martoonis,” from the Barry White (Stoli Razberi, Godiva white chocolate liqueur, chambord, $8) to the Ginger Rogers (Yazi Ginger vodka, Stoli Vanil, Sour Apple Schnapps, $8). After a couple of these, we’re liable to wander next door to Blur (another Kelly’s bar), where weekly Drag Queen Bingo nights are the norm.

17. ULTIMATE PUNK BAR: The Emerald
550 Central Ave., St. Petersburg; (727) 898-6054, www.myspace.com/emeraldbar.
It’s probably the coolest place to go on a Wednesday night in St. Pete, thanks to Filth, a party with a good range of older and newer music that turns the place into basically a hipsters’ lounge. The rest of the week, it’s a top-notch destination for affordable rum-n-Cokes, vodka tonics and a whole mess (and we do mean mess) of punk bands. This is where you’re likely to fund unapologetic punks like Car Bomb Driver, the Pink Lincolns, Doll Parts or the Semis spitting fire on the tiny bandbox of a stage. When the music isn’t live, the Emerald is still crusty but friendly, low-class but high-minded (see the cool art on the walls) and a must-stop for any local wannabe rocker.

18. ULTIMATE ONE-STOP SHOPPING: Push Ultra Lounge
128 Third St. S, St. Petersburg; (727) 871-7874, www.myspace.com/pushultralounge.
First, take one of downtown St. Petersburg’s most picturesque buildings, the gloriously reinvented McNulty Station. Add the district’s hottest restaurant, the delectable Red Mesa Cantina. Open a nightclub, Push, that feels posh and utterly cool, but not intimidating, and has a lovely open-air rooftop bar. Throw in a more casual bar downstairs, the Mexican-wrestling-themed (!) Lucha Bar. Give it some owners looking to provide creative entertainment options (concerts by Julian Marley and the Airborne Toxic Event, rooftop movies like Breakfast at Tiffany’s and The Birds). And top it all off with the club’s “Recession Sundays,” featuring half-price admission for everyone. Put it all together, and you’re guaranteed to find a date-night combo that works for you.

19. ULTIMATE GAY BAR: G.Bar
1401 E Seventh Ave., Ybor City; (813) 247-1016, www.thisweekintampabay.com.
For the past couple of years, G.Bar has been an enormously welcome, and enormously entertaining, presence in Ybor City. The fun-loving club has been a major player in building up the GaYbor scene, which now boasts a slew of gay and gay-friendly nightclubs. Out of all of them, though, G.Bar is the one with a line out the door each weekend, thanks to celebrity guests — Lady Gaga played here before Just Dance and Poker Face got huge — and strip parties and dance nights for both sexes. It’s a fun place to get loose, even if you’re straight.

20. ULTIMATE BEACH BAR: The Undertow
3850 Gulf Blvd., St Pete Beach; (727) 368-9000, www.undertowbeachbar.com.
On weekends, its seems all of Tampa descends on this St. Pete Beach favorite. With two buildings, a patio in the sand and a strange running-water moat inset in the long oval-shaped bar, it’s a delightful place to grab a run drink and some wings. Some nights there’s live reggae, some nights it’s canned. Parking is a real pain (don’t even think about parking in the lot) but it’s worth it when you get there. Beach volleyball and a respectable beer list (more than 150 bottles) add to the attraction. (*They also gave a nod to Caddy's On The Beach, Treasure Island Sunset Beach)

Further Diversions:  The Tampa/Clearwater area is Spring Training heaven:  Yankees (Tampa), Phillies (Clearwater), and the hometown Devil Rays train in Dunedin. Near Tampa and Spring Training, Golf Magazine's Travellin' Joe likes the value at Bardmoor Golf Club in Largo (727-392-1234, www.bardmoorgolf.com; $65-$90), 15 minutes south of Bright House Field, where the Phillies play their Grapefruit League ball.

Tampa's farrago of neighborhoods and natural assets—starting with its three-dozen beaches—makes winnowing the choices of nongolf activities a lot more difficult than identifying them. As you would expect in the prosperous, upscale metropolis, there are plenty of shopping options. Channelside offers a waterfront atmosphere, restaurants, an IMAX theatre and shops unique to Tampa, while International Plaza counts such national chains as Tiffany & Co. and Neiman Marcus among its 200 retail outlets. Old Hyde Park Village is set in one of the city's oldest and most architecturally distinguished neighborhoods. University Mall and are known for their vast array of department stores, specialty shops and eateries.

With more than 10,000 aquatic plants and animals, the Florida Aquarium is among the most thoughtfully put together in the country, not to mention the most participatory: Hands-on experiences include a sea urchin touching tank, catamaran tours of the bay in search of dolphin and other sea life, and a chance to don a wet suit to swim with fish and even dive with sharks. Naturally, those inclined to dive with sharks will want to follow up with a ride on SheiKra, the new roller coaster at Busch Gardens. The tallest roller coaster in Florida—technically a "dive coaster," a North American first, with its ninety-degree 200-foot drop—it is also the first to feature an Immelman loop, which combines a roll with the standard roller-coaster loop.

A sense of Tampa Bay's barrier islands comes in entertaining form on a Royal Conquest Pirate Cruise departing from Madeira Beach and sailing past Treasure Island and Boca Ciega Bay and into the Gulf of Mexico.

The region's lush, semitropical climate merges with some fascinating urban history at Sunken Gardens, a century-old botanical garden in St. Petersburg with cascading waterfalls and exotic birds.