Tampa, Florida, USA

The word "Tampa" may mean "sticks of fire" in the language of the Calusa, a Native American tribe that once lived south of today’s Tampa Bay. This might be a reference to the many lightning strikes that the area receives during the summer months. Other historians claim the name means "the place to gather sticks".

Though there are plenty of land based activities in the city of Tampa for travelers to enjoy - from the nearby beaches to the Florida Aquarium to Busch Gardens, plenty of visitors to the city never leave the shore. But its prime position on the Florida coast has allowed Tampa to grow into one of the most popular cruise ports in the entire country. So much so that many travelers to the city have come for this reason and this reason alone. And whether you are going on an ever-popular Caribbean cruise or across the Gulf of Mexico to destinations in Central America, Tampa cruises seem to leave around the clock. Though you will not find many of the casino cruises that depart from other Floridian ports, quite a few of the most luxurious cruise lines now call the city home.

Tampa's booming economy is responsible for such rapid growth in private jet travel to and from the area. Tampa is home to the corporate headquarters of a number of top national companies like: Outback Steakhouse, TECO Energy, Walter Industries and WellCare Health Plans to name a few. The Tampa Bay area is home to one of the hottest teams in Major League Baseball, the Tampa Bay Rays. The Rays play ball at Tropicana Field in St. Petersburg, which is on the south side of the Tampa Bay Tampa is also home to the 2002 Super-Bowl Champs the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. The Tampa Bay Bucs stadium, known as Raymond James Stadium, is the location where Super-Bowl XLIII will be played.