Deep in the heart of Ybor City, you’re greeted by red brick roads, beautiful historic buildings, trolleys, and free roaming chickens. It’s here where you’ll also find the only traditional cigar factory left in the United States, J.C. Newman Cigar Co.

It was founded in the late 1800s during a time when the cigar industry transformed the city of Tampa. The influx of workers and their families not only increased the population, but brought with it a growth in infrastructure and development. I met up with Drew Newman, the fourth-generation owner that is still making cigars the same as they did in the late 1800s.

You can take a free trolley from Ybor City to downtown Tampa in about 15 minutes. All along the revitalized Riverwalk, you can feel the sense of energy and culture that is modern day Tampa. A culture that began thousands of years ago with the Native Floridian tribes, like the Tocobaga.

Ulele, named after a famous Tocobagan princess, is doing its part to continue that culture and storytelling through the food it serves. I sat down with Andrea Gonzmart and tried a few of the many dishes they serve that incorporate indigenous ingredients used generations ago. Andrea herself is a fifth-generation restaurateur, and her great, great, grandfather Casimiro Hernandez, Sr founded Tampa’s iconic Columbia Restaurant in 1905.

What better way to take a break from the hustle and bustle of the city than to get in the water and explore! The Mobbly Bayou Preserve is a 396-acre preserve that encompasses a diverse ecosystem of plants and animals native to Florida. The Mobbly Bayou is an estuary at the north end of Upper Tampa Bay. It’s here where I met up with Tatiana Cox-Lopez, co-founder of Tampa Bay Kayak Anglers, who took me out on the bayou to explore and try our hand at angling. Truth be told, I have never been able to catch a fish on camera… until today!

Tampa is full of iconic landmarks that celebrate its rich history, and the Tampa Theatre is one of those iconic landmarks. Now a protected historic landmark, the Tampa Theatre was built in 1926 during a window of time when the movie industry had an influx of money and invested that money in over the top movie theaters.

Theaters like this were built for the common man and woman to experience opulence and beauty. And boy, are these theatres amazing! The Tampa Theatre was built to create the illusion that you were in a Mediterranean courtyard at night – complete with night sky!

The renovation in and around Tampa continues to help blend the old with the new. The Oxford Exchange is a historic building in Tampa that has been renovated and reimagined as a beautiful mixed-use space that houses restaurants, shops, and more! One of these spaces, the Candle Pour, is a unique shop in which you can create your own custom candles.

Founder Misty Akers helped guide me through the process as we discussed the powerful memories scents can evoke. While I waited for my candle to dry, I sipped on a delicious glass of bubbly at the Champagne Bar.

Real Floridians know to see all the state has to see, you have to get outdoors and explore – and the Hillsborough River State Park is the perfect spot. There are picturesque trails, Class II rapids, and beautiful vistas with wildlife like herons and even alligators! You can see the Hillsborough River as it flows through Tampa and out into the Bay.

Lauren Gay, also known as the Outdoorsy Diva and one of my favorite travel bloggers, showed me around this beautiful state park. We discussed how important it is to empower people, especially women, to step out of their comfort zone and embrace nature.

Out of the wilderness, nestled along the banks of the Palm River, the Wat Mongkolratanaram of Florida has operated since 1981 as a Buddhist Temple, serving Tampa’s Thai and Buddhist community and thousands of visitors each week. After a few years, an idea started to grow among the members to showcase their food in a market every Sunday.

The idea has grown over the years and the Sunday Thai Market is now a massive weekly event with vendors showcasing all sorts of Thai dishes. It showcases the diversity of Tampa and what a foodie city it truly is. Joy Maney showed me around the market and helped me pick MANY dishes to try – one more delicious than the next!

One of the most charming things about Ybor City are the free-roaming chickens. Yes, you read that right. Free. Roaming. Chickens. They are a beloved part of the city, which is designated as a bird sanctuary, so the chickens are fully protected by law. The Ybor Misfits Microsanctuary helps hurt, sick, illegally abandoned chickens throughout the city.

Once a month, you can sign up for Chicken Yoga at the Hotel Haya and meet these adorable creatures yourself. Dylan Breese created the Ybor Misfits Microsanctuary and he showed me how to hold the chickens properly and the benefits they can bring to a yoga class. And, I have two words for you – chicken diapers.

Bern’s Steak House is a true culinary experience and an icon in the Tampa area. While they are known for their cut-to-order, dry-aged steaks, this trip I made reservations for their dessert room, a separate dining experience requiring its own reservations. Lauren Gay joined me again and we got to try all the amazing desserts the Harry Waugh Dessert Room had to offer. A unique dining experience and one not to be missed… if you can get a reservation!