Is Tampa South Or Central Florida? Gulf Coast or East Coast?

Tampa Bay is in Central Florida and on the Gulf Coast or West Coast of Florida. Some would describe it as West Central Florida but most simply say Central Florida or the West Coast of Florida. The Tampa Bay area is huge and contains many of the 13 counties that make up Central Florida.

Central Florida

The Tampa Bay Area Hillsborough County & Pinellas County

The Tampa Bay Metro Area is the 17th largest metropolitan area in the United States. Over 3,000,000 residents call Tampa Bay home. There are more residents in Tampa Bay than in the Orlando area although the Orlando area is larger by square miles. Central and South Florida would be the same without Tampa Bay and neither would the United States.

Downtown Tampa The Heart Of Hillsborough County & Tampa Bay

Downtown Tampa is my favorite downtown area in all of Florida. I will however give a tip of my hat to the downtown Orlando area because of Lake Eola Park. Unfortunately for downtown Orlando Tampa FL has a boardwalk or as we like to call it the Riverwalk. It runs along the Hillsborough River and Garrison Channel. Along it you can see the cruise ships, Pirate Water Taxi, the Bay Rocket and all kinds of other attractions. Not to mention the finest of the arts and museums in Florida.

Other Beaches In Central Florida

• Daytona Beach

• Cocoa Beach

• Theme Parks in the Orlando Area

Two Cities Clearwater Florida and St Petersburg Florida

The finest beaches in Central Florida are Clearwater Beach and St Pete Beach or St Petersburg Beach as some call it. These beaches are superior to any in Southeast Florida or for that matter any in South Florida. Most people who visit here will never return to Fort Lauderdale or Miami Beach. Southern Florida has terrible traffic and higher crime as well. You're going to be pleasantly surprised with all of the barrier island coastal areas in the counties which make up the Tampa Bay area.