Plus, the country's most endangered bird.
 
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Today’s Forecast

90º | 20% chance of precipitation
Sunrise 7:16 a.m. | Sunset 7:31 p.m.
Tides | Old Tampa Bay | High: 2:44 p.m. | Low: 8:29 a.m. + 9:36 p.m. | Clearwater Beach | High: 11:40 a.m. | Low: 6:15 p.m.
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🌺 Take the time to smell the flowers

Smell the flowers at these Tampa Bay area botanical gardens
Purple flowers — called Queen's Wreath Vine — are close to the camera. Their petals hang down in front of tropical green leaves.
Check out Queen’s Wreath Vine at the Florida Botanical Gardens. | Photo by @flbotanicalgardens
We’re manifesting a cool fall breeze. With the weather kind of cooling down, it’s time to head back into the great outdoors and enjoy one of the Tampa Bay area’s greatest attributes: its nature.

Florida Botanical Gardens, Largo

Stroll through 100+ acres of native flora, scenic formal gardens, waterways, and wildlife habitats. Pets are welcome but must be on a leash, and the gardens host events for the whole family including story time and sensory-friendly experiences.

Entry is free and there are two places to park: 12520 Ulmerton Rd. and 12211 Walsingham Rd.

USF Botanical Gardens, Tampa

Within the school’s vast Tampa campus lies 16 acres dedicated to the natural world. With a focus on Floridian horticulture, these gardens also contain a range of plants from across the globe, plus a butterfly garden, greenhouses, and a shop. So bring your purse.

A group of flamingos at Sunken Gardens. They are standing around in a patch of grass while surrounded by greenery. Tropical flora sits behind them.

Sunken Gardens boasts 100+ years of history.

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Photo by @marybethgasman

Sunken Gardens, St. Petersburg

You’ve probably seen the sign driving down 4th Street. “St. Pete’s oldest living museum” houses 50,000+ tropical plants, and a famous flock of flamingos. The gardens have rich history tracing back to 1902, at which time George Turner Sr. bought the land. A few decades later, he began to sell tickets at 15 cents a pop.

The City of St. Pete bought the gardens in 1999 for $3.8 million.

Eureka Springs Park, Tampa

This Hillsborough County-run park boasts Florida’s largest publicly owned collection of ferns across 31 acres. Highlights include the rose garden, an orchid room, labyrinthine walkways through the forest, and vast tropical trees. Leashed pups are welcome.

Butterfly Tampa, South Tampa

Described as “Tampa’s first bug zoo, nature center, and native butterfly botanical garden,” this oasis is one for those seeking creature comforts. Literally. There’s hands-on activities for visitors of all ages, and a butterfly release every Saturday + Sunday at 2 p.m. (weather permitting).

Let us know if we missed your favorite green paradise.
Asked

What’s your favorite native Floridian tree?
A. Palm tree
B. Banyan tree
C. Mangroves
D. Fig tree
E. Anything with Spanish moss
Let's grow
 
Events
Tuesday, Sept. 17
  • Teachers’ Night Out | Tuesday, Sept. 17 | 4-8 p.m. | The James Museum | Free | Educators can enjoy free entry, refreshments, and a docent-led tour.
  • The Library Book Club: “Anita de Monte Laughs Last” | Tuesday, Sept. 17 | 6-7:30 p.m. | The Library, St. Petersburg | $40 | Join the book club to discuss Xochitl Gonzalez’s latest book, with wine and light bites included.
  • Akon | Tuesday, Sept. 17 | 8 p.m. | Seminole Hard Rock | $100+ | Smack that credit card down for tickets to what’s sure to be a lively show filled with the pop and R&B superstar’s greatest hits.
Wednesday, Sept. 18
  • St. Pete Paint and Sip: Fall Arrangement | Wednesday, Sept. 18 | 6-9 p.m. | 3 Daughters Brewing, St. Petersburg | $39 | Paint and sip to unleash your creative side in a relaxing environment, suitable for all skill levels.
  • “The Critic” | Wednesday, Sept. 18 + Thursday, Sept. 19 | 7:30 p.m. | Tampa Theatre | $10+ | Catch a showing of the new Sir Ian McKellen flick in which he plays a fierce theater critic.
Thursday, Sept. 19
  • Surreal Nights at the Dalí | Thursday, Sept. 19 | 5-8 p.m. | The Dalí Museum, St. Petersburg | $15 | This monthly events brings a DJ to the Burg’s iconic museum, where tunes + Dalí’s visionary artwork intertwine.
  • Tampa Booze and Boos Tour | Thursday, Sept. 19-Sunday, Sept. 22 | Times vary | Tampa Bay Brewing Company, Tampa | $30 | Head to three to four haunted bars to down some liquid courage to aid you in learning about the historic neighborhood’s spooky past.
Events calendar here
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Party like it’s 1924 with this once-in-a-century celebration
two rotating photos depicting an old black and white photo of the terrace hotel and their 100 year anniversary emblem
Don’t miss this month-long showcase of events that journeys back to the bygone era of the 1920s. | Photos provided by Naples Hotel Group
The Terrace Hotel is celebrating 100 years with events throughout October — and it’ll be the bee’s knees.

Jump back to the roaring 20s with these themed events:
Bonus: The hotel will be decked out to fit the occasion.
 
News Notes
Coming Soon
  • New York City’s revered H&H Bagels is introducing a Tampa location. The brand just opened its first Florida store in Boca Raton, and plans to add a TBAY spot in 2025. You may recognize the Upper East Side eatery from “Seinfeld” and “Sex and the City.” (Tampa Bay Business Journal)
Plan Ahead
  • Country superstar Thomas Rhett will perform at the MidFlorida Credit Union Amphitheatre in September 2025. The show is one of 30 planned stops on Rhett’s “Better in Boots Tour.” Pre-sale tickets go on sale on Thursday, Sept. 19.
Development
  • The Residences at 400 Central has topped out in downtown St. Pete. The 515-ft high rise is the Gulf Coast’s tallest residential building, and the tallest building in Pinellas County. Want to move in? Condos start at $1 million. (Tampa Bay Times)
Community
  • The City of Tampa is asking for help naming its new street paving machine. It’s the second of its kind in the city, and is already working to smooth out those pesky potholes you keep complaining about. Speaking of potholes, there are several ways to report them in Tampa Bay.
Civic
  • Does this water taste funny to you? The Tampa Water Department began routine water quality maintenance yesterday, and says you may notice a different taste in the tap water for the next few weeks or so. A water filter can help reduce the effects. (WFLA)
Quoted
  • “I’m not in Florida too much, it’s too hot,” said renowned conservationist Jane Goodall in an exclusive interview with the Tampa Bay Times. Goodall is arguably best known for her work with chimpanzees in Tanzania, and spoke at a Tropicana Field youth summit this past weekend. (Tampa Bay Times)
Environment
  • And here’s one Goodall will like. A ways up I-4, the 1000th Florida grasshopper sparrow was released into the wild. Considered the most endangered bird in North America, conservationists started releasing the species in 2019 to try and save it from extinction. (Tampa Bay Times)
Show
  • Legendary comics Steve Martin and Martin Short are returning to TBAY early next year. Their show, “The Dukes of Funnytown,” takes place at Ruth Eckerd Hall on Friday, Jan. 10. Tickets go on sale this Friday, Sept. 20.
Ranked
  • No. 9. That’s where Armature Works’ Empamamas was ranked by Yelp Elites, but not for its empanadas. Yelpers ranked the best spots for a cheeseburger in the country, and the Cuban restaurant’s “Cheeseburger in Paradise” won the accolade.
Sports
  • Relive the Bucs’ glorious win in Detroit. Get game coverage, analysis, insights, interviews, and more from local experts of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers with Locked On’s daily podcasts.
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    Open

    🦇 Hey batter batter

    Sky Puppy Brewing debuts in Ybor City
    A black and white photo of the bar at Sky Puppy Brewing. The beer taps have bats on them and sit on a brick wall with moody lightning and shadows throughout. Three bar stools sit empty by a light bar countertop and a bat statue on the bar.
    The grand opening was on Friday, Sept. 13. | Photo by Kelsey Fuse
    Ybor City is no stranger to funky small businesses. And another has hit the scene.

    Sky Puppy Brewing just opened at 1313 E. 8th Ave., but the interior design may be more befitting of Gotham. There are bats on the wall, bats on the beer taps, and other Bruce Wayne-adjacent features throughout the bar, inspired by the artist’s time living in Thailand.

    The building has a storied history, built in 1888 to serve as Tampa Fire Station No. 2. It’s the Cigar City’s oldest remaining original firehouse, where several features remain today, including a repurposed brick wall for the taps.

    The spot boasts more than a dozen home-brewed beers, with IPAs, pilsners, lagers, stouts, and sours all up for grabs. There’s also a selection of natural wines to choose from.
    The Buy

    The Buy 9.17.24 (Affiliate)
    A soft knit sweater that’s available in six different colors. Bonus: No dry cleaning necessary — it’s machine washable in a handy laundry bag.
    More worth The Buy
    Answered

    Last week, we asked for your opinions on Tampa Bay’s most iconic landmark

    The University of Tampa at night. It is nighttime and the moon sits between the building's iconic silver towers, with lush greenery in the foreground.

    Do you recognize the winner?

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    Photo by Ken Hunt

    And the University of Tampa’s minaret-laden campus got the most votes with 45%. But it was a close race. Right behind UTampa was the Sunshine Skyway Bridge with 41% of votes.

    Centro Ybor was in third with 8% of votes, and The Dalí Museum got 6%.
    The vote is still open
     
    The Wrap
     
    Patrick Sidwell.jpeg

    Today’s edition by:
    Patrick
    From the editor
    The TBAYtoday Instagram account is obviously the best follow in Tampa Bay, but the Buccaneers’ social media team is strong contender for the silver medal.

    They had Baker Mayfield laughing after Sunday’s win.
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