Tampa is the place where your grandparents go during the winter, isn't it? Where shuffleboard and square-dancing are considered nightlife. Want a real winter vacation? Try south Beach (if you're single) or The Keys (if you you're a fan of Hemingway and/or alligators).

Tampa is a surprisingly diverse city. It likes to celebrate that fact. It boasts arguably the best of Florida's theme parks: Busch Gardens. Sure, there are still the puke inducing rides and outrageous prices, but also a touch of class. The park has a large zoo, many decent (if not unforgettable) restaurants, and even some nightlife.

Ybor City, located in the Old Spanish neighborhood that has been designated as a National Historic District. The Cuban and Italian influences of the neighborhood's past are fused with the fun-loving present. There are even old-style streetcars that run between downtown Tampa and Ybor. Ybor's nightclubs and bars are not quite as brash as Miami's, but still make it known that Florida's west coast can be hip and happening too.

Guavaween is the Halloween event held duding the end of October and beginning of November. The Ybor City website boasts family friendly daytime events and more adult oriented nighttime happenings:

Guavaween Family FunFest presented by the Tampa Tribune attracts families and people of all ages - estimated daytime attendance is 20,000 Guavaween Night of Costumed Revelry attracts a diverse crowd, on average falling within the 21-54-age bracket - estimated nighttime attendance is 80,000

Tampa has all the other trappings of a major metropolitan area including a renowned aquarium and a well-known art museum. Western Florida's biggest port has long been the center of Tampa's economy and also given it the feeling of a true world city.