West Coast of Florida

West Coast of Florida

Pristine Beaches. Big City to Small Town Living. Amenity Rich. The West Coast of Florida is home to a subtropical landscape made up of the most prestigious and beautiful beaches in the entire world, including Clearwater, St. Petersburg, Sarasota, Sanibel & Captiva Islands and the Lee Island Coast. If you are seeking a multi-dimensional destination rich in culture and history, with dynamic sports teams, and events, along with mesmerizing sunsets, the West Coast of Florida is your ideal scene. The Tampa Bay Convention Center is perfect for the adventurous spirit that loves sports games!

Professional Sports Teams:

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Tampa Bay Rays

Tampa Bay Lightning

Tampa Bay Rowdies

Spring Training Teams:

Baltimore Orioles in SRQ, New York Yankees in Tampa, Philadelphia Phillies in Clearwater, Pittsburgh Pirates in Bradenton.

Beaches The West Coast of Florida is a versatile landscape of crystal coastlines including the serene Siesta Key Beach, secluded South Lido Beach, Sanibel Island’s natural shell beaches, laid-back Bradenton Beach, historic Treasure Island Beach, recreational Clearwater Beach, sightseeing St. Pete Beach, and luxurious beaches of Naples are linked by the Tamiami Trail (Route 41) for the seasoned traveler.

Universities

            Home to over 20 Colleges and Universities, including University of Tampa, University of South Florida in Tampa, Eckerd College in St. Petersburg, New College in Sarasota, and Ringling College of Art & Design in Sarasota.

#1 Area for job growth: The Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater region added 42,800 new      private-sector jobs in March 2016 compared to the same period a year ago. The result was a decrease in the area’s unemployment rate to 4.3 percent, according to the State of Florida’s Office of Economic Development.

Overall, the number of jobs in Florida was 8,248,800 in March, up 234,300 compared to a year ago. The state’s seasonally adjusted unemployment rate was 4.9 percent in March 2016, down from 5.6 percent a year ago. That compares with the U.S. unemployment rate, which stood at 5.0 percent in March.

The unemployment rate for Hillsborough and Pinellas counties each stood at 4.2 percent while the unemployment rates for Pasco, Polk and Sarasota were 5.0 percent, 5.2 percent and 4.3 percent, respectively. The rates for Hernando and Manatee counties were 5.8 percent and 4.3 percent, respectively.

Amenity Rich (Golf Courses, Shopping, Museums)

            The nearby Gulf of Mexico provides a haven for fisherman, boaters and beachgoers, but that is not all that the West Coast is known for! The Tampa Bay area has 100-plus Golf Courses; Channelside Bay Plaza, Davidoff of Geneva and International Plaza & Bay Street. Sarasota, Florida is home to the arts and culture, including the world-renown John Ringling Art Museum, Asolo Repertory Theatre, University Town Center, Van Wezel and Mote Marine Aquarium. Bradenton, is rich in history hosting the South Florida Museum, Manatee Village Historical Park and De Soto National Memorial. St. Petersburg is never ending fun with attractions including St. Petersburg Pier, Salvador Dali Museum, Morean Arts Center, Boyd Hill Nature Preserve and Mazzaro Italian Market.

Airlines/Airports

If access to convenient, international and domestic flights is important to you; the West Coast of Florida is a modern marvel of civil engineering. There are twice as many airports compared to the East Coast of Florida making travel a simple series of swipes on your smartphone or mobile device. Tampa International Airport (TPA) is located only 6 miles from Downtown Tampa Bay creating a beneficial and comfortable option for international or domestic flights. The airport has 19 different airlines including Alaska Airlines, Air Canada, American Airlines, British Airways, Cayman Airways, Delta Air Lines, Frontier, Jet Blue, Silver Airways, Southwest Airlines, United and World Atlantic. Special Charters make international flights a breeze to visit Cuba.

St Pete-Clearwater International (PIE) is located only 9 miles north of downtown St. Petersburg seven miles southeast of Clearwater and seventeen miles southwest of Tampa designed for you to discover a fanciful way to fly.