Tampa Bay's popularity with British travellers is booming – and it's really not hard to see why! With its major theme parks and exciting nightlife, engaging museums and glorious golf, tranquil canoe excursions, wall-to-wall sunshine and some of the Gulf coast's best shopping and dining, Tampa Bay offers activities and attractions for just about every budget and style.

Non-stop flights from Gatwick with British Airways make Tampa extremely accessible, too. Its central west Florida location puts it within easy reach of Orlando's attractions, powder-white beaches and all of the region's other key highlights. As a result, Tampa is the perfect fit for a Florida fly-drive, and a few days' stay should provide ample opportunity to sample the best that the area has to offer.

Spend time discovering this attraction-rich city, where Busch Gardens is a major highlight. This awesome adventure park will be claiming a world first in 2014 when the launch of its all-new drop ride, Falcon's Fury, puts it firmly in the global spotlight. For fun at a different pace, go fishing on the bay, enjoy an art exhibition or feel the pulse of Ybor City, Tampa's historic and vibrant Latin Quarter. Indulge in decadent dining, soak up the sun, or feed a giraffe and come face-to-face with an endangered manatee. With all the wonders of a Florida holiday found right here in Tampa Bay, you're guaranteed an incredible experience in this overlooked Gulf Coast gem.

Top 10 Must Do’s

1. Hit the bay with The Florida Aquarium's Dolphin Quest. Around 500 Atlantic bottlenose dolphins live wild in the waters of Tampa Bay, and this is your opportunity to spot them up close!

2. Enjoy a night out in Ybor City, whose eclectic mix of cafés, restaurants, bars and clubs has earned it a reputation as “the nightlife capital of Florida’s Gulf Coast”..

3. Hold tight for Busch Gardens’ infamous white-knuckle rides. Experience unbridled speed on Cheetah Hunt, or brave a vertical plunge on SheiKra, America's only 'dive' roller-coaster - if you dare!

4. Meet some of Florida's most amazing indigenous animals - including panthers, black bears and the adorable Florida manatee - at the award-winning Tampa’s Lowry Park Zoo.

5. Catch a game at one of the area's world-class sporting facilities. Choose from baseball, ice hockey and American football, then get ready to raise the roof!

6. At the Museum of Science and Industry (MOSI) kids can face hurricane-force winds, ride a high-wire bicycle and meet hundreds of free-flying butterflies. Perfect for a rainy day!.

7. Get back to nature on a Canoe Escape adventure to spot otters, alligators and freshwater turtles living wild and free in a Florida wilderness.

8. Hand-feed a giraffe at Tampa’s Lowry Park Zoo or on Busch Gardens' Serengeti Safari. Animal encounters don't come closer than this!

9. Get a taste of Ybor City's Latin heritage at the more than 100-year-old Columbia restaurant, where delicious Spanish dishes come with a side order of Flamenco dancing.

10. Shop till you drop at International Plaza, a high-end mall featuring such desirable brands as Diesel, Hollister and Abercrombie & Fitch. It’s very close to Tampa International Airport – so you won’t have far to carry those extra bags!