Living in the Tampa Bay area
Central West Florida encompasses the area surrounding Tampa Bay, including Tampa itself and stretching down to St. Petersburg, Bradenton, and Sarasota. This coastal region is what people imagine when dreaming about Florida, a place where year-round sunshine beckons and every day is a beach day. Many have been lured to Tampa Bay by its weather, including baseball’s annual migration to spring training and The Ringling Brothers Circus’s long-time winter home in Sarasota. There’s a wide range of places to live, whether it’s year-round or only for a snowbird’s sojourn. The area includes barrier islands with picturesque beaches, busy urban downtowns, artsy neighborhoods of cafes and bungalows, and inland master-planned gated communities that are among the fastest growing in the nation. There’s no shortage of fun in Tampa Bay, with pro sports teams in residence, well-regarded museums, delicious restaurants, and a ton of outdoor activities on land and sea.