• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Login/ Register
  • Editorial Team
  • Get Involved

Exeposé Online

Making the headlines since 1987

Exeposé Online
  • Home
  • News
      • Local
      • COVID-19
      • University News
  • Comment
  • Features
      • National
      • Worldwide
      • Politics
      • Interviews
  • Science
      • News
      • Lite Science
      • Common Misconceptions
      • Environment
      • Health
      • Technology
  • Sport
  • Lifestyle
      • Fashion and Beauty
      • Features
      • Food
      • Wellbeing
      • Sustainability
  • Music
      • Interviews
      • Features
      • Live Reviews
      • Album Reviews
      • Single Reviews
  • Screen
      • Reviews
      • Features
      • Interviews
      • Festivals and Awards
  • Arts + Lit
      • Interviews
      • Features
      • Reviews
      • Creative Writing
  • Amplify
  • International
  • Multilingual
  • News
  • Comment
  • Features
  • Science
  • Tech
  • Sport
  • Lifestyle
  • Music
  • Screen
  • Arts + Lit
  • Amplify
  • International
  • Multilingual
Home / International

Searching for America: Tampa & St Petersburg

Searching for America: Tampa & St. Petersburg

May 10, 2022 – by Lucy Connors

As Lucy starts her guide to some of America’s southern cities, she first plunges into the sister cities of Tampa and St Petersberg. Full of things to occupy any inquisitive traveller, they’re different enough to offer something to everyone who visits.

If Tampa and St Pete are sister cities, they ended up with very different genes. Tampa is the real city: all skyscrapers and finances and bars; but St Pete has the spirit: murals and independent shops and art. That’s not to diminish Tampa; there’s a reason it’s one of the fastest-growing cities in the US. It’s an epicentre for sports, most notably American football being home to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers – especially now Tom Brady is returning from his foray into retirement. Game days fill the city with an electricity that brings it totally to life. I wish I’d been here for the Superbowl win and the crowds that flooded the streets. ‘Champa Bay‘ is also home to the ice hockey team, Tampa Bay Lightning, and the Rays, a baseball team formerly known as the Tampa Bay Devil Rays. And thanks to the weather home to, among others, the New York Yankees’ spring training grounds.

Tampa is also home to Gasparilla, the day-long pirate festival

Tampa is also home to Gasparilla, the day-long pirate festival where, as it sounds, the entire city gets dressed up, drinks on the street, and watches parades while frantically trying to catch beads that are launched out at you. It’s got the appeal of the nightlife, big city lights and an illuminated Riverwalk that makes a nice evening activity. There’s no doubt about it. Tampa is a fun city, it’s the life of the party, and the place for excitement, but it doesn’t have quite the same charm that I’ve found in St Pete.

St Pete Beach is the best spot for a sunset; clear skies, white sand, blue water

I have become a veritable connoisseur of the hidden gems downtown St Petersburg has to offer, often choosing to spend weekends wandering the streets that might not be lined with gold but are instead lined with pastel paints and crystals. Choose to spend your days slipping out of reality in the Dali Museum, or wandering the pier and browsing markets and fairs, but there is no question about spending the evening at the beach. St Pete Beach is the best spot for a sunset; clear skies, white sand, blue water, and you’re almost guaranteed a spectacular display of glowing orange and pink candyfloss skies. I have also had a very high success rate of sunset dolphin spotting.

St Pete really wears the Cuban influence that you find in Florida

St Pete really wears the Cuban influence that you find in Florida, adding hugely to the feeling that you aren’t in just another nondescript city, but somewhere unique. It may only be a bridge across the bay separating two cities, but the combination of the very different Tampa and St Petersburg gives you everything you could want from where you live.


Edited by Ryan Gerrett

Share this:

  • Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window)

Related

May 10, 2022 By Lucy Connors Filed Under: International, Overseas Correspondents Tagged With: usa, Tampa, st pete

Reader Interactions

Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published.

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Primary Sidebar

exeposeoverseascorrespondents

Exeter students abroad ✍️ and 📸 about their experiences in Exeposé student newspaper.
Foreign Correspondents Editor: @maddie.r.baker

Anna Romanovska illustrates how displaced internat Anna Romanovska illustrates how displaced international students bear the brunt of COVID-19. ✈️ https://exepose.com/2020/04/27/why-i-stayed/
Jenny May Medlicott, Foreign Correspondent, examin Jenny May Medlicott, Foreign Correspondent, examines the way in which European countries are cooperating through the Coronavirus pandemic. 🌏 https://exepose.com/2020/04/21/a-problem-shared-is-a-problem-halved/
Foreign Correspondent Ben Mirzoeff describes his e Foreign Correspondent Ben Mirzoeff describes his experience of being in France at the time of the crisis and how it has affected him. 🇫🇷 https://exepose.com/2020/04/17/coronavirus-roundtable-toulouse/
Henry Jordan, Foreign Correspondent in Florida, gi Henry Jordan, Foreign Correspondent in Florida, gives a heartfelt insight into his curtailed year-abroad experience.  https://exepose.com/2020/04/10/home-is-where-the-heart-is-a-year-abroad-in-florida-cut-short/
Sammy Cole, Foreign Correspondent in Paris, reflec Sammy Cole, Foreign Correspondent in Paris, reflects on her curtailed year abroad and her bittersweet return.  @sammyc0le  https://exepose.com/2020/04/09/home-is-where-the-heart-is-a-parisian-year-abroad-cut-short/
How coronavirus disrupted my #studyabroad and I gr How coronavirus disrupted my #studyabroad and I grew from it... ⁣
⁣
To find out more read Foreign Correspondent in #munich @ru.pa.li article via the link in the bio or https://exepose.com/international/
What is it like to meet Gilets Jaunes protesters d What is it like to meet Gilets Jaunes protesters during your first few days in #toulouse? 👊 ⁣
⁣
Foreign Correspondent in France, Ben Mirzoeff, accounts the protests via the link in the bio or https://exepose.com/2020/03/10/witnessing-gilets-jaunes-protests-in-toulouse/
On 8th March, it was #internationalwomensday👭⁣
⁣
To find out what Australian students think about the event read the article via the link in the bio or https://exepose.com/2020/03/09/international-womens-day-in-australia/ 🇦🇺
Why are students protesting to live in a century-o Why are students protesting to live in a century-old dormitory in #kyoto? ✊⁣
⁣
Foreign Correspondent Editor @maddie.r.baker explores the situation further via the link in the bio or https://exepose.com/2020/03/02/kyotos-universitys-yoshida-dormitory-students-living-in-protest/
Follow on Instagram
This error message is only visible to WordPress admins

Error: API requests are being delayed for this account. New posts will not be retrieved.

There may be an issue with the Instagram access token that you are using. Your server might also be unable to connect to Instagram at this time.

Contact Us: editors@exepose.com

Since 1987, Exeposé has given a voice to Exeter students. Over the years, the determination and political fervour exhibited by students through Exeposé have helped shape the University we study at today. We have received national recognition for our award-winning campaigns, investigations and surveys, and always strive to provide students with high-quality news, comment and features.

Disclaimer: The opinions expressed in articles and comments do not reflect the views of Exeposé Online or the University of Exeter Student's Guild.

        


© 2022
Website design: Harry Caton and Ellie Cook
Webdesign & development: Harry Caton