Whenever I say I live in Tampa, Florida, I always hear this question.

"Where is Tampa? Is it near Miami?"

At first, when I thought of Florida, I only thought of Miami and Orlando.

But after living here, I found that Tampa is a much larger city than I expected.

Tampa is located on the west side of Florida, along Tampa Bay, which connects to the Gulf of Mexico.

The city of Tampa itself has a population of about 400,000, but when you include the metropolitan area with St. Petersburg and Clearwater, it exceeds 3 million.

So, living here doesn't feel like being in a small town at all.

One of the good things for Koreans is that the city life and vacation atmosphere are nicely blended.

On weekdays, you can live a normal life, going to work and sending kids to school, and on weekends, you can head to Clearwater Beach or St. Pete to enjoy the ocean.

It's like being able to experience the vacation lifestyle of Florida that many Koreans imagine to some extent.

One place that cannot be overlooked when talking about Tampa's history is Ybor City.

In the 1880s, Cuban businessman Vicente Martínez Ybor established a cigar factory, attracting Cuban, Spanish, and Italian immigrants. At one time, Tampa grew to be the center of the cigar industry in the United States.

Now, if you visit Ybor City, you can see the old brick buildings still standing. During the day, tourists wander around, and at night, people flock to the restaurants, bars, and clubs.

It's easy to understand if you think of it as a historic district in Korea that has been revitalized with food alleys and nightlife.

One of my favorite places in Tampa is Bayshore Boulevard.

There's a long walkway next to the water where many people walk or jog in the mornings and evenings.

The Tampa Riverwalk in Downtown is also nice. It has parks, restaurants, and museums, making it a great place to take family or friends when they visit from Korea.

The downtown atmosphere has changed a lot compared to the past.

After the development of Water Street Tampa, new condos, hotels, and restaurants have given it a more sophisticated city vibe.

Of course, it's not as flashy as Miami's Brickell, but for those who remember old Tampa, it's surprising to see how much it has changed.

If you have kids, you can't miss Busch Gardens.

It's like a combination of a zoo and an amusement park, and kids who love roller coasters can spend the whole day there. There's also the Florida Aquarium and ZooTampa, so families with young children have plenty of weekend options.

For sports fans, it's not a boring city either.

There are the NFL Buccaneers and NHL Lightning, and the metropolitan area also has the MLB Rays. Especially when the Lightning won the Stanley Cup in 2020 and 2021, and the Buccaneers won the Super Bowl held in Tampa, the whole city was in a festive mood.

The hardest thing for Koreans to adapt to is definitely the summer.

It's hot, but also humid. You start sweating just being outside for a little while. However, from November to spring, the weather is really nice.

While people in Korea are bundled up in winter coats, here you can often be out in short sleeves or light jackets.

However, you shouldn't believe too much in the saying, "Tampa is rarely hit by hurricanes." After experiencing hurricanes Helen and Milton in 2024, the locals have changed their perspective. If you buy a house, you must check for flood risks and homeowners insurance rates.

Tampa is not as glamorous as Miami, nor is it a city filled with tourists like Orlando.

In fact, I think that makes it a decent place for Koreans to settle down.

You can live like a typical American in a big city during the week, and then head to the beach on weekends, enjoying warm weather in the winter.

Even those who initially asked, "Where is Tampa?" will change their minds after living here for a few years.

This is not just a Florida to visit; it's a Florida where you can actually live and settle down with your family.