Located in Tampa Bay near the Gulf of Mexico, Tampa is the county seat for Hillsborough County on the west coast of Florida. A popular outdoor city, the bay splits Tampa into two climate zones: a tropical climate to the south and a more seasonal area to the north.

Tampa is home to a varied and healthy economy, with retail, finance, insurance, shipping, defence, tourism, property and professional sports all playing a role. Since it is a major tourism draw, the city and surrounding areas operate hundreds of parks and beaches that cover tens of thousands of acres. There are also dozens of theatres, performing arts companies, museums, galleries, amusement parks and family entertainment venues.