Gold Star Mortgage Financial Group

Catch a rising star or indie movie at the Tampa Theatre. Experience a theater built in the heyday of majestic movie palaces. Theater goers love sitting under the deep-blue dome ceiling with a starry nighttime sky to watch the best independent, foreign and documentary films featuring emerging and established performers.

Where's the beef? It's at the Florida State Fair, held annually at the Florida State Fairgrounds in Tampa. You'll be attending the official state fair where the Sunshine State shows off its agricultural might. For 11 days, there's a corral full of indoor and outdoor exhibits, rides, craft shows, musical acts and wild foods like chocolate-covered bacon to taste. You won't want to miss this experience.

Rent a canoe from Canoe Escape, located minutes from downtown Tampa. Take the whole family on a paddling adventure on the Hillsborough River that surrounds a 16,000 acre wildlife preserve. Pack a lunch and bring your camera to capture pictures of the alligators, snakes, turtles and birds you'll see on your adventure.

Visit the Tampa Firefighters Museum in downtown Tampa. Built in 1911, the building has been fully restored to its original glory days. Learn about the culture of the city's finest firemen and their commitment to the safety of the city they serve. Today, the museum serves as a local historical landmark, event center and exhibition hall.