PLANNING A TRIP
• Getting there: Continental and Southwest offer nonstop flights from Houston to Tampa.
• Where to stay: Extended Stay Deluxe Tampa, 1805 N. Westshore Blvd., is a centrally located, recently renovated basic hotel with fully equipped kitchens, ample work space and free bagels and fresh fruit every morning. For more details, call 813-637-8990; access www.extendedstayhotels.com.
• A hotel splurge: If you can splurge, head to the historic Don CeSar Beach Resort, 3400 Gulf Blvd. in St. Pete Beach. Open since 1928, this classic pink resort offers every type of full-service pampering you can imagine. Rooms start around $250 a night. For more information, call 727-360-1881; access www.doncesar.com.
• Think cheap drinks: Many bars offer excellent drink specials. For cheap beer, look to the Tiny Tap Tavern, 2105 W. Morrison Ave. For the strongest drinks in town, head to
WHAT IT COST
A breakdown of my weekend expenses:
• Flight: $207.50 on Southwest Airlines, booked three weeks in advance.
• Hotel: $92.99 for my half of two nights at Extended Stay Deluxe Tampa.
• Rental car: None — my friend had a car.
• Food: $90 (dinner and a beer at Tampa Bay Brewing Co., $19; breakfast at Panera, $5; dinner and drinks at Queen of Sheba Ethiopian restaurant, $30; breakfast at Sunshine Bagel Co., $5; lunch at Lemon Grass Thai Kitchen, $15; plus $16 worth of snacks.)
• Attractions: $14.25 (trolley tour of Ybor and Channelside, $4; movie at Centro Ybor, $9; beach parking, $1.25. The beach, International Plaza and Bay Street Mall, Don CeSar tour and house party were all free.)
TIPS FROM THE LOCALS
• About Tampa’s music scene: “Ybor City is the place to be for live music in Tampa. The Crowbar, New World Brewery and the Orpheum have great original music (local, regional and national) most nights of the week. If you want something more familiar, you can throw a rock and hit a place that will have a cover band playing”

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