When in the Tampa area, be sure to check out the Tampa Bay Visitor Information Center, 3601 E. Busch Blvd. (tel. 813/985-3601; www.hometown.aol.com/tpabayinfoctr), opposite Busch Gardens, which operates guided bus tours of Tampa, Ybor City, and environs. Tampa native Jim Boggs will guide you through the city on 4-hour tours, which are given from 10am to 3pm daily, with a stop for lunch at the Columbia Restaurant in Ybor City. The tour costs $45 for adults and $40 for children 12 and under. The full-day tours (10am-5pm) of both Tampa and St. Petersburg give a good overview of the two cities and the beaches; this tour costs $75 for adults and $65 for children. Reservations are required at least 24 hours in advance; passengers are picked up at major hotels and various other points in the Tampa/St. Petersburg area. The company also books bus tours to Orlando, Sarasota, Bradenton, and other regional destinations (call for schedules, prices, and reservations).
