Tag: Tampa

ETF #25 – Towers, Trails, Alligators and Tampa Population Growth

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We’ve got a lot of ground to cover today! We’re gonna expand on last month’s talk about observation towers in the Tampa area, and answer the question, “were they wrong about their stated heights”. We’re gonna share some absolutely incredible facts about alligators. We’re gonna have a conversation about population growth in the Tampa area with “everyone moving here”. Then, we are going to review three, popular biking and hiking trails: The Upper Tampa Bay Trail, The Ream Wilson Trail, and the Oldsmar Trail.

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ETF #24 – The Florida Conservation and Technology Center

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Many people may have heard of the Manatee Viewing Center, but today we are going to talk about The Florida Conservation and Technology Center, a new co-op between Tampa Electric, The Florida Aquarium, The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, and the University of Florida, which includes the Manatee Viewing Center.  They are doing a lot of awesome things there.  It’s fun! It’s educational. They’ve got some great hiking trails.  They’ve got an awesome observation tower… and it’s all free!  Also included… No winter in Tampa; Where’s the beef; Everyone needs a woman like this; Tampa Bay’s best observation towers; Parking HERE would be nice, and Am I trespassing again?

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ETF #22 – St. Petersburg

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Today we are bringing Luke Rorech on the show to talk about St. Petersburg.  Luke is a realtor who was born and raised in the Tampa Bay area, and whose office is located in St. Petersburg. We’re gonna talk about what makes it such a special place to live, and the best neighborhoods to buy in.  We’re gonna talk about some of the best places to stay on vacation, as well as some attractions you can’t miss.  We are even gonna talk about some of the best, little-known dives. Whether you are a vacationer, a local, or someone considering buying here, this episode will have something for you to love.

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ETF #17 – Tampa Talk: Busch Gardens, Disk Golf Update, Moving to Florida, Drum Circles, and more…

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Pam is joining me on the show today for a discussion about several things. We discuss our first trip to Busch Gardens, Tampa, an important disk golf update, her move to Florida, drum circles, and a lot of other really fun topics.

Also included: Crying while stalking Steven King, Don’t molest the alligators, Don’t tangle with a hyena, Roller coasters that make you feel old, Woodstock in Tampa, Crazy drivers driving up insurance, and much more.

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ETF #16 – Tampa Area Zoos, and Animal Sanctuaries

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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.

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ETF #15 – Tampa Disc Golf

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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.

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ETF #13 – Purchasing Real Estate in Tampa, Pt 2 – Sinkholes, Flooding, and Hurricanes

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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 will 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.

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ETF #12 – Super Bowl 55 Comes to Tampa Bay

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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.

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ETF #11 – Purchasing Real Estate in Tampa, Pt 1 – Where to Live

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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.

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ETF #9 – Tampa Fun Facts

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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.

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ETF #8 – Five “Must See” Parks Near Clearwater (Pinellas County)

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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.

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ETF #7 – California vs Florida

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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”?

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Episode #2 – Introduction to Florida and the Tampa Area

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In this episode, I tell the story of taking my daughter to Florida for the first time, to see if it was a place she might want to live. We walked on heavenly beaches in Clearwater, failed a Forest Gump quiz miserably in Daytona, drove through some neighborhoods that were awesome, and some that were not. We had a surprise meetup in Orlando, went on an alligator hunt in Myakka, flew through Pandora on a banshee, watched the perfect sunset in Venice, and found ourselves amidst a surprise drag show during an amazing lunch on Tampa Bay. Today I’m going to take you along for a recap of sorts, and share some stories while giving you some good information about the state and areas within it.

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