The Florida Aquarium
Ybor City
Salvador Dali Museum
The Yacht StarShip II
- Downtown Tampa’s wet-and-wild waterfront attraction offers adventures both educational and spine-tingling—dive with a shark, anyone? Group events range from sit-down dinners to strolling receptions that highlight the aquarium’s many fascinating exhibits. Before or after, groups also can explore the adjacent Channelside dining and entertainment complex. www.flaquarium.org.
Ybor City
- Tampa’s Latin Quarter is a National Historic Landmark District of wrought-iron balconies, brick streets and vintage street lamps, which glow above a lively scene of nightclubs and coffeehouses every evening. Groups can gather at vintage social clubs or find private dining space at Columbia Restaurant, recognized as Florida’s oldest restaurant and called the world’s largest Spanish restaurant, with 15 dining rooms and seating for 1,700 people, who enjoy acclaimed Spanish/Cuban cuisine and thrilling flamenco shows. www.ybor.org; www.columbiarestaurant.com.
Salvador Dali Museum
- It might seem surreal, but the Dali Museum started life as the private collection of a young Ohio couple, who donated their multimillion-dollar collection to St. Petersburg in 1982. The museum celebrated its 25th anniversary earlier this year, and plans to expand to a larger waterfront facility in 2010. In the meantime, the museum is open after-hours for group events. www.salvadordalimuseum.org.
The Yacht StarShip II
- This three-diamond-rated restaurant floats! The first dining yacht in its class in Clearwater, the Yacht StarShip II features a spacious dining salon with seating for 150, plus a second-deck cocktail lounge and bar and an open third deck. www.yachtstarship.com.