Tampa, the third largest city in Florida, is such a dynamic city with so many activities that it's hard to imagine it was once a sleepy little fishing town. The old cigar factories and beautiful cobblestone streets remain, but today it's home to the bay area's hottest nightlife. On sun-drenched days, visitors have a choice of bustling waterfront activities, world-class golf, renowned museums and aquariums, riveting sports at several family-oriented arenas and exhilarating theme parks. Just minutes from Tampa, St. Pete (as the locals call it) is an island connected to the mainland by two bridges and a causeway, and though it's several miles long, it's only four city blocks wide -- so you're always near the beach. Clearwater, a sprawling extension of St. Petersburg, has some of the best beaches on the Sun Coast.