Ybor City

100 years ago it was where they rolled cigars and it had a rich culture of diverse immigrant clubs. Their huge club buildings built like banks are still here. In 1990 this place was more or less abandoned and I don't know if it was racism or reality but full of warnings about crime. In high school I can remember walking down here and there was a gay bar, I think another bar, and just darkness. Now on the slowest night of the week it's a festival of lights with 100 bars and fancy restaurants. So it's nice to have but it's not exactly vibrant culture here so much as the bones of vibrant culture to make a bunch of bars and restaurants people will spend money on. It is a nice place to walk around during the day and evening. If you're young enough to really love the energy of bars and nightclubs this is one big mass of people meandering around between all that starting maybe as early as 9. The bunker is my favorite coffee shop, La Terrazza is probably the most authentic Italian restaurant I've been to outside of italy and they are very nice, La France is a really interesting offbeat clothes store that's actually been there since the 70s. Centro Ybor has a nice movie theater and a huge video game place. And if you just walk around there's something for everyone. It's very nice for what it is.

If you go north a bit you'll see interesting architecture - the houses are 100 years old and squished together. Paring in the parking garages is very cheap and reliable during the day and still better than most people waving signs around for you to park elsewhere.

I can't find any pictures that don't have people who might not want to be on the web in - I'll have to remember to get shots!