Located on 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, defense, tourism, real estate, and professional sports all playing a role. Because its 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 theaters and performing arts companies, museums and galleries, and amusement parks and family entertainment venues.