Exploring Tampa Florida... and Beyond

Today we are going to take a detailed look at several of the area’s zoos and animal sanctuaries.  We are going to review ZooTampa, the Suncoast Primate Sanctuary, and the Seaside Seabird Sanctuary.  I’m going to talk about why I was not able to check out either Busch Gardens, or Big Cat Rescue.  I’m also going to share a near deadly experience with a water moccasin and a super fun experience mini-golfing with gators.  

Disc golf is  an awesome way to get out of the house and spend a fun day in the sun, either with friends or zenning out by yourself, and it’s practically free to play.  When I first moved here, I couldn’t help but notice that the Tampa area has A LOT of disc golf courses, so I set out a goal to play them all.  Some were really good, and some were really bad.  Today I will share that journey with you. We will discuss the worst three courses in the area, the top four, and some other ones which you should just have on your radar.

There are six locations for Disney parks around the world: Anaheim, Orlando (Not technically, but generally speaking… We cover that today.), Paris, Tokyo, Hong Kong, and Shanghai. Today, I am super excited to bring on Carol, a lifelong friend who has visited every Disneyland Park, and also every Disney theme park around the world.  We have an awesome conversation, not just about the parks and their differences, but about the locations the parks are in as well.  We also do a little Disney trivia, and just have an overall, really good time.

(The above image shows a massive sinkhole which continues to form after being filled in, alongside a major road in Pasco County last month.)

In this second part of our series on purchasing real estate in Tampa, we tackle the depressing but very serious subjects of sinkholes, floods and hurricanes. We jump into how sinkholes are formed, why the area around Tampa has such a problem with them, and where some of the best and worst areas are located. We will then talk about insurance issues regarding sinkhole coverage, flood coverage, and “wind damage” coverage.

The below links are to items discussed in the show:

Sinkhole Report: The Favorability of Florida’s Geology to Sinkhole Formation

FEMA Flood Map Information

Official Site of the National Flood Insurance Program

First Street Foundation Flood Factor Methodology

My Other Podcast on Global Warming

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are playing the Kansas City Chiefs in Super Bowl 55, and the big game is happening right here in Tampa. In this episode we are going to discuss the run up to the Super Bowl, the incredible fan experiences downtown, and all the pre-game excitement that has been buzzing around town this week.  The bulk of the fan activities take place along the Tampa Riverwalk, so we are going to discuss that area as well. Even if you don’t care about football and hate sports, it’s an amazing place that everyone visiting here should check out, so there’s something for everyone in today’s show.

For anyone looking to purchase near Tampa or move into the area, this honest, non-selling conversation is a must listen. John and I bring two separate viewpoints to the table, one of a newcomer and one of a seasoned Tampa area vet, and we spend the show discussing the pros and cons of living in a multitude of different areas covering seven counties around the Tampa Bay area.

Counties covered at least in part are Hernando, Pasco, Pinellas, Manatee, Sarasota, Hernando, and Polk.

Some of the concepts taken into consideration:

Near the beaches or near the city center?
Which beach areas are best?
Best neighborhoods for commuting or central access?
Most expensive and most affordable areas?
What each area has to offer, and what they lack?

Today we will talk with previous “Kauai Podcast” guests Connie and Gerson, about their move from Indiana to the Sarasota area, and why they ended up here over Hawaii. We will then spend the bulk of the show discussing several of their favorite places around Sarasota.

Also included: Best, little-known beaches in Sarasota, the WHITEST beach, or just the WIDEST, the Sarasota 20, searching for magical places, stalking celebrities, and amazing beachfront restaurants.

Today we are going to have some fun discussing several facts related to the Tampa area. We’ll also discuss some “facts” that aren’t true, and a few others that I wish weren’t. Don’t miss it! This show very possibly could be the best podcast episode in the world!

Included in the show: Team names that fit, Possibly the worst team name ever, Pirates as in “aaarrrgh”, Why I drove 40 minutes to look at a sidewalk, Famous people and not-so-famous movies, Is this bad review even real, and…. Where we stand in the nation.

The title says five, but we are going to cover A LOT of parks today.  Today we are going to review a whole slew of parks in Pinellas County, and while we do that I will highlight five as “must see” parks for visitors new to the area. 

Also included:  Drive to a tropical island, Is this elevator going down, Gators everywhere, If this is the honeymoon, I want an annulment, Beware of flying golf balls, Beware of flying disks, Turtles all around, and Magical places.

This episode will wrap up our initial series of “Moving to Florida” episodes.  Today I will briefly discuss my move to Florida, and how California tried to kill me to keep me there… like some kind of psycho, jilted lover.  Then I will get into my initial impressions of Florida compared with California.  Also included:  Does anybody know how to drive?  More license plates than people.  How talking about water flow can be insulting.  Too hot is too hot, anywhere.  Living in a vacation destination.  And, what the world is a “fifth third”?