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Tampa is a great place to be anytime, but October was chosen for the following reasons:
- The peak of hurricane season has passed
- The summer heat is moderating
- The Gulf of Mexico's waters are still warm enough to enjoy
- The next peak of tourist influx is getting underway.
The DoubleTree Tampa Airport - Westshore (a Hilton Hotel) has graciously extended our special rates for three days before and three days after our convention. It's a great opportunity to visit not only Disney attractions and Universal Studios in Orlando, but Lowry Park Zoo, Busch Gardens, any number of great museums and other attractions in the city of Tampa, as well as neighboring Gulf beaches. The DoubleTree will not only will pick you up at the Tampa International Airport, but will furnish transportation within three miles of the hotel. Trust me, you cannot see all there is to see within the three miles in just three days. Stay awhile. Call 1-800-222-8723 or click HERE for reservations (be sure to use Group Code FFS); do it now!
Speaking of Tampa International Airport, you will find this a very friendly-to-travelers facility. In our opinion, it's one of the easiest, fastest, and most organized airports we have experienced for transiting through security, is very clean, and concessions are handy.
We have arranged for two different tours on Friday to show off our beautiful city.
TAMPA HIGHLIGHTS. Tampa is a city rich in history, abundant with architecture and bountiful ethnic charm. The day will begin driving down BAYSHORE BOULEVARD which is known as the world's longest continuous sidewalk, 4.5 miles without a break. Along the way with the bay on one side, you will see some of Tampa's most elegant and historic homes as well as the José Gaspar Pirate Ship, which is used every year during the Gasparilla Pirate Fest to invade the city while displaying their treasures of beads and doubloons in a colorful parade.
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Next stop is H.B. PLANT MUSEUM, built in 1891 by the railroad magnate Henry B. Plant, first as the posh and glamorous Tampa Bay Hotel. Designed in the Moorish Revival style by architect John A. Wood, the 500 - room hotel was the first large, fully electrified building in Tampa. This grand hotel included ballrooms, a grand salon, writing rooms, solarium, billiard room, hair salon, gentlemen's bar, grand dining rooms, various sitting rooms and a casino with a heated indoor swimming pool and large auditorium. In 1977 it became a National Historic Landmark, a Federal honor reserved for buildings having significance in the nation's history and architecture. The University of Tampa now occupies what was once this grand hotel, but a wing has been set aside as a museum to display artifacts and historic furnishings from the hotel.
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Final visit will be in YBOR CITY, where the guests will discover the colorful diversity of this National Landmark neighborhood with its Italian, Spanish and Cuban heritage, many of whom traditions have not changed even after over 100 years in this country. Experience the architecture in wrought iron balconies, vibrant Spanish tile, classical facades, and historic cigar factories before an interesting tour of the Ybor City State Museum with their charming "Shotgun" style cottages. A myriad of restaurants are available to tempt your taste buds - from the venerable and Famous Columbia Restaurant to Greek cuisine and the burger joints!!!
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Routing may be changed to accommodate special events, meal times or traffic conditions. Includes: Deluxe Round Trip Transportation, Uniformed Tour Guide, Narrative City Tour, Admission and Docent Tours of the Henry Plant Museum and Ybor City State Museum, Bottled Waters, liability insurance, all applicable taxes, driver gratuities. Price: $39.00 Estimated Time: 9:30AM-1:30PM
WATER & WHEEL with LUNCH CRUISE. You will embark on a short narrative tour of Tampa by motor coach and boat. Guests will have the opportunity to view all the sights that Tampa Bay has to offer, such as Bayshore Boulevard, known as the world's longest continuous sidewalk, University of Tampa and Ybor City learning about the diverse cultures that settled here over 100 years ago. We will do a photo stop at University of Tampa - the old Tampa Bay Hotel - National Historic site. After exploring the city of Tampa by coach, we'll board a 131 -foot Yacht. Yacht StarShip II features a spacious dining salon located on the first deck, with seating for up to 150 guests and full galley to prepare Yacht StarShip's AAA three-diamond rated menu. The second deck is cozy with sofa lounge seating, a dance floor, plasma screen TVs and a beautiful oak bar. Third deck is an open air promenade deck for guests to enjoy the stunning views of Tampa Bay's skyline. Aboard StarShip II, guests will enjoy a three-course meal including a salad, choice of entrée and a dessert, which is prepared by StarShip's Executive Chef and galley staff. During the Lunch cruise, a historical narration of the Tampa Bay's rich sea-port history is provided by the Captain.
Includes: Deluxe Round Trip Transportation, Uniformed Tour Guide, Narrative City Tour, 2 Hour Harbor Cruise on Yacht Starship, 3-Course Lunch, Iced Tea and Coffee, Narrated Tour of the Harbor, liability insurance, all applicable taxes, server and driver gratuities. Price: $79.00. Estimated Time: 10:15AM-2:15PM
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Dan de la Torre has designed this brand new logo for this year's convention that will appear on our 66th Anniversary Commemorative polo shirts and all upcoming correspondence relative to this convention. For the first time ever, we will be offering our shirts in four colors: Maui Blue (aqua), Hibiscus (coral), light pink, and lime. They are priced as in 2013: $33.00 per shirt. Check the Registration Form for sizing information.
Ready to register on-line? Click HERE!
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