When You Live in Florida…
Be Prepared to Entertain Out-of-Town Guests!
When we first moved to Florida over 30 years ago, my co-worker gave me the best advice: make sure that you have a guest room that is ready for visitors at a moment’s notice. Little did I know how true this would be! Luckily, Tampa residents have no shortage of activities and fun destinations at their disposal. In fact, your visitors may never run out of fun things to do and may want to extend their stay, but that’s a subject for another time. So, if you find yourself unexpectedly hosting guests this weekend, don’t panic! With just a little planning time, you and your guests will all enjoy an entertaining visit.
What or Where to Eat
Since you probably know a thing or two about your guests and what they like to eat, one quick trip to the grocery store should be enough to gather the basics. Plan to have a good assortment of breakfast and lunch options, allowing visitors to power-up in the morning before exploring Tampa Bay. Overnight guests are a great reason to set your programmable coffee maker–early risers can help themselves, while you sleep in. And have portable snack items on hand for those who need something to nosh on, in case sightseeing goes into overtime. Make a few dinner reservations so that your visitors (and you) can take advantage of the diverse Tampa restaurant scene.
Sleeping Arrangements
Make sure that you have clean, comfortable beds with a fresh set of sheets. Set out clean towels and new soaps along with an assortment of shampoos and toiletries, to give your place the five-star hotel touch. It’s also nice to empty a few dresser drawers so your visitors can unpack their suitcases. And don’t forget the extra hangers and closet space for larger items. You can also store some of the most frequently requested travel items like toothbrushes, hair dryers, irons and extra chargers.
Where to Go: Beach/Theme Parks/Arts Downtown
Since these are your friends, you probably already have an idea of what kinds of attractions they want to experience. Living in the Tampa Bay area, you better have a beach plan at your disposal!For example, Honeymoon Island, Pass-A-Grille or Clearwater Beach are great choices for a beautiful Florida beach experience. Finish with a meal at Frenchy’s or Island Way Grill and you can’t go wrong. Theme parks are all too familiar themes for incoming visitors and both Tampa and Orlando have plenty of attractions to see. It’s nice to have maps, web links and lots on planning info on hand so you can help your guests devise a plan of their own. Or maybe your visitors want to walk around downtown St. Pete and shop or pop into a museum. Whatever direction your sightseeing activities take you, a great resource for researching your options is Visit Tampa Bay.
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