Exploring Tampa FL For The First Time

Welcome back first-timers. We're out in Tampa, Florida for an action-packed weekend

We're staying at the Curran Hotel by Marriott. It's right on the bay. It's got restaurants

pools, everything you could want. But we're not just here for the hotel. We're actually

coming out to take a look at the Red Bull Flute Tog, which hasn't happened in over a decade

and that's going on right here in downtown Tampa. But that's not the only thing we're doing. We're

also going to a Buccaneers game. We're going to go to a pregame tailgate VIP style, check out the

stadium, and see what other kind of cool things, places, and food Tampa has to offer. And we're

doing it all for the first time. So the parking situation is a little bit complicated here

First off, you have to know that for self-park, it's $25 a day

For valet, it's $33 a day. When you first arrive, there's a ramp that'll take you right to the entrance of the hotel

but that's for valet. They will let you unload your bags there, but then you're going to have to drive just

across the street to park in the parking garage. You're going to enter your phone number, park, come back, check in, get a QR code that'll

let you in and out of the parking structure after that. It sounds frustrating and complicated, but once you figure it out, it's a breeze

The lobby is super inviting. They also offer you champagne and wine when you check in

If you want to check in early and your room's not ready, there's plenty of places to sit and hang out

Or if you just want to come and people watch, you can sit almost anywhere. There's also a self-playing piano and a bar

Also in the lobby, they have a fancy curated sundry store. They've got books, toys, ice cream, sunscreen, various drinks and snacks, hats, really any

kind of fancy stuff you could want. Just off the lobby is a whole nother big seating area. It's a

little bit quieter, fluffier, more comfortable couches, and a lot of artwork. They even have a

picture of the guy from Breaking Bad. Just kidding, it's artist, photographer, Chuck Close

They have a number of meeting rooms and ballrooms. They actually have a wedding going on this weekend

There is a little bit of light hurricane damage from the hurricanes that came through just a couple weeks ago. But other than that, the hotel looks good. They have a fairly shallow pool

It goes from about 3 feet up to 5 feet. It's an L-shape, which is really neat

It's handicapped accessible. They also have plenty of seating and towels available

It's right on the bay. It overlooks the water, and right now, we're catching a great sunset. Right up at the pool, you have access down to the water and the beach

On the first floor, you have a really fancy restaurant called Julian, as well as the Lobby Bar, which looks really well-stocked

Also in the Lobby, they have a coffee shop called Buddy Brew & More. Perfect way to start your morning

And it's where the Canadians hang out. Ottawa, Canada! Go Sens, go

We're at the second restaurant. It's on the 10th floor, and it's called Casa Camilla. This restaurant is Mexican-themed, and there's inside seating and outside seating

There's a beautiful view overlooking the bay looking right at the sunset

This is the place you want to be right here on the top of this hotel

The bar has a huge tequila selection, but it's also a full bar, and they are open until 1 a.m. on Friday and Saturday

If Mexican food, sunsets, and drinks are not your thing, there's another place you can go

And it's on the ninth floor. It's the fitness center. So we're going to go take you there and take a look

This gym is larger than a lot of the gyms we see in different hotels. But there's a lot of cardio equipment

There's the treadmills. There's the ellipticals. But they also have some free weight dumbbells

And then some bench machine. And then some selectorized weight type workout equipment

There's also some areas around here where you can stretch. You can do some calisthenics. Get your body in tip-top shape before you get over to the flutog or the football game

This gym has everything you need. towels, free bottles of water, and free headphones

Made it to our room, we're staying in room 909. Let me show you around. First up, we have your beverage station

You've got your ice bucket, some glasses, a Keurig, and then a mini fridge

We got the King room, but we are upgraded to the extended King, which has a little bit more

square footage and a larger shower. You've got your bed, a couple of nightstands

some really interesting lighting, some free waters, a nice lounging area, big window looking out into the water

nice little desk to do your work or edit some videos. And you've got a nice big dresser with lots of storage

and TV for watching the first timers. And in the dresser, they also have a huge safe

You also got nice low mirror and a big closet. It's got robe, steamer, iron, ironing board

the things that you can need. Moving on to the bathroom you've got a huge shower you could fit

I don't know maybe six people in there you also have a sink with a nice big counter so you can

lay out all your products and then your toilet. We're in downtown Tampa this morning we are going

to the Red Bull Flutog event it's a exhilarating event where people launch flying contraptions off

and see how far they can go without any engines. This is the second largest event in Tampa

behind the Gasparilla Fest which is a giant pirate themed festival similar to Billy Bowlegs that we have in Destin They anticipate about 100 people are going to attend this event today So far it not too busy We found parking right away really reasonable at for the whole day

Let's go check it out. The event is taking place in the harbor right next to the convention center

There is a lot of hustle and bustle going on. And when they say 100,000 people, I'm thinking they're pretty close to that because there is a tremendous amount of cars

We got here slightly early, and like Terry mentioned, we were able to come in, get a spot to park pretty easily, but there is a little bit of a walk

We did hear that there's a shuttle that'll take you from the parking structure down to the convention center, but it's not too hot

Nice little breeze. I didn't think we wanted to wait for a shuttle, so we're just strolling the streets

If you're looking for a cool place to get a drink and some food before you head down to the food talk, you should check out Harpoon Harry's Crab House

It looks like a lively place. Multi-stories, multi-bars, lots of flavors, lots of drinks

Check out all these mini Red Bull cars. The world record for Flutog flight up to this point is 253 feet

and that was achieved by the Chicken Whisperers in 2013. So what we know is this is a team effort

They build their contraptions, they push it together, but only one individual actually gets to pilot it

And the first one went, he got about 17 foot, well short of the 253 foot maximum from the last time

This place is packed. I lost Terry somewhere in the mix. It's every man for themselves at this point

She's going to have to just learn how to survive. There are some elevated areas you can get to, like the stairs and steps

It kind of gets you a little bit above the crowd. They look like they're pretty densely packed

Some of them, there are certain clubs that maybe you paid access to. but just us coming out here it's a free event and we don't have access to any of the private parties

private clubs or anything like that we got here early but we probably should have got here even

earlier because at this point with my height and terry's height we're not seeing over the crowd

but they do have a large jumbotron in the center area where you can watch a very clear video of the

participants dancing and trying to fly their contraptions the other alternative to watching

it from the land is getting a boat either a private charter your own boat jet ski something

like that it looks like a wild party on the water i think next time we come back here if there's a

next time we've got to be on the water we came we saw we conquered but there are so many people

coming in still we got to get out of here we saw some really cool contraptions fly but i think

we're done for today every crack crevice and space in this entire area is packed with people

It's a fun and exciting event. It's lively and the energy is super high

However, if you don't have a place to sit, you're not at one of the VIP parties

or you're not on the water, it makes it very difficult to get a good view. They do a decent job playing the Jumbotron

but even at that, you're still so crammed in, but you get really close to the flying contraptions

and you can interact with some of the participants. So it's a cool event, but man

we might be getting too old for this. We've made it to the Violet Stone, which some people are touting as the best pizza

and the best cheesesteak in Florida. And it's right here outside of Tampa in St. Pete

There's no place to sit inside. It's kind of standing room only. And there's a line out the door

Ever since they were featured by Dave Portnoy, it's really blown up. They've had to move to another location

They are selling out pizza left and right. They're known for a thin, crispy crust

with some charring on the edges. And they do tout it as a well-done pizza

What Dave Portnoy really identified as their strong point is their cheesesteak

So we're going with one that they recommended It's just the cheesesteak, some sharp cheddar, and mushrooms and onions

And we're looking forward to that. But everything's made in-house. The bread, the dough, the sauce, everything

So we got two small 10-inch pizzas because Terry likes cheese. And I got something called the Hot Boy

And then we got the cheesesteak to share. Takes about 30 minutes. And even with this line, that's not that bad

Parking's a little bit tight, but there are some on the backside. Well, pro tip, while we're waiting for our pizza

right next door is another world-famous sandwich spot. It's called Simply Delicious, and they're putting out some serious Cuban sandwiches

They take only cash. So if you don't have cash, go somewhere else, get the cash, come back

You can smell the smells emanating from here. If it's half as good as it smells, it's going to be delicious

You can't go inside. You order from the door. They prepare it. You got a world-class Cuban sandwich

We got the small. This thing is not small. It is very large

And for $11, you get a massive sandwich. So I'm going to unwrap this thing, take a quick bite, and make the bread

here all the toppings are fresh it's packed she recommended going with the with it all version

that comes with tomatoes and lettuce a lot of people don't do that for a cuban but i like my

veggies as i'm working through this sandwich i'm hitting layer after layer of new exciting flavors

the pulled pork it has a smoke to it but it's a really nice seasoning it's subtle but also

succulent at the same time the bread is amazing and then the ham that you're using it's salty

but not crazy salty and adds a nice little punch to offset the creaminess from the mayonnaise and

then the vegetables just add a little extra and there's a cheese on i'm not sure what it is but

it it a very light white creamy cheese and i here for it i always thought i didn like cubans i was completely wrong i think I love Cubans We got Lucky We got one of the tables out front And now I gonna give it a taste

Here's what's a salient. Hot. Hot. That is good

The sauce is sweet and tangy. The cheese has a good pull to it

Really creamy. The crust is crispy, but not too crispy. Very thin

I like it. So they have the traditional pizza, but they also have this mammer jammer Sicilian pizza

It's square. It's massive. It's thick. It's covered in stuff. It's too much for us today

This thing is the hot boy or spicy boy. Look at that

Charred edges. They're not messing around. When they say it's well done, it's well done

but all the toppings on there smells great sticky and gooey look at that undercarriage not too overdone

wow is he okay The hot boy is definitely hot

Man, that hot honey is bringing seven levels of heat right there

I'm sweating. I'm going to get the hiccups. If you don't like hot, don't get this

I'm going to have to wipe my mouth off on the Philly cheesesteak. Oh, God

That is so spicy. The heat has started to settle. and the ricotta cheese on top really cooled it off

Flavor-wise, this pizza is next level. And that char, even though it looks super burnt

it has a great, richer texture and flavor to it. So I do like this

All right. Got to try this cheesesteak from the Violet Stone. Bread's homemade

We got it the way they suggested it with the mushrooms, onions, and cheese

It's supposed to be so stupid. Oh, my God. I'm sure they do

This is really good. It's creamy, vegetables are still frenchy, and that cheese is just mixed in

I'm new to the cheesesteak game, but I'm not new to the eating game. This looks delicious

and when I've seen cheesesteaks before, they lather on cheese or put slices on top

This one, it is completely infused in the meat, and they're using ribeye, so you know you're getting some good quality

I have no idea how two small mom-and-pop-run restaurants in an obscure shopping center in St. Pete is putting out this level of food

And consistently, because the lines around here are showing people are coming back

You gotta come down here, leave Tampa, come to St. Pete's, check out the Violent Stone, and definitely get over to Simply Delicious for their Cuban

We're just outside of downtown Tampa, where we're at the Orpheum, which is a live music venue

Now, what's really cool about tonight is we're here for the Broadway Rave

It's a traveling show that goes around the country where they're celebrating show tunes and Broadway classics, but in an upbeat dance party environment

So you're supposed to get dressed up like your favorite Broadway show, but we didn't know about it until today

So we're coming as we are, but we're going to get in there. We're going to dance the night away, and I hope we get to hear some of my favorite music tunes

Tickets for this event were presale at $17, and after that it went up to $20

I might not be as big a fan of Broadway and show tunes as David is, but I'm here to support him

The Orvium is an open area, dive bar themed venue. So they have a lot of rock and metal events that go on here

They have live shows, but they also have things like this. The Broadway rave, there's monster rustling

They have all kinds of things, but they have a huge bar in the middle and there is a lot of energy and personality here

I said that is only about halfway over, and it is absolutely pandemonium

If you're like us, you like to use a voice that you don't know, before you show up, you should probably watch Hamilton, Wreck-It, On Thea

I have no idea what any of these songs are. And it doesn't matter, because when you're in the club, you're all fam

I had to just step out for a second. It is loud, it's rambunctious, it's high energy

I'm dancing, I'm singing, I'm working up a lather. So far, this show has been amazing

They're playing all kinds of hits I've never heard, and some that I have. but what's the best part of it is the stage performers of the DJs up there they're keeping

the energy up they're picking great songs they're taking requests the folks in the crowd man this is

their jam through and through they're singing the songs they're getting the mic they're singing

they're getting up on stage if you've never been to a Broadway rave you're missing out you don't

even need to know Broadway to come and enjoy this because it so much fun From the hotel it was only about a four and a half mile drive but it took us all of 45 minutes There was plenty of traffic but there

seems to be plenty of parking. We pre-purchased our parking passes. We got the HCC VIP pass and I

think it was $60 plus taxes and fees but you're right next to the stadium. Now they do have parking

in lot D, C, A, and B, but those are going to be reserved for people that work there

and it seems like season ticket holders. We're as close as we can get to it without being super

special or unusual. So we're here at the game. We're about an hour late to the start of the

VIP tailgate party. So we're going to head over there. It's supposed to have unlimited food and

drinks for three hours. Starts from 10 and it ends just before kickoff at one o'clock. Now we're

showing up at about 11 so we're behind the times so we have to pick up the pace get over there

eat all we can eat and possibly drink all we can handle before this game starts what do you say

terry we gotta go the vip area is going off they got a dj that's getting buck wild they got two

dedicated open bars with seltzers beer wine cocktails bloody mary's pretty much anything

you could want. They also have two fully stocked lines of food options, hot food. There's brats

hamburgers, but then they got this roast pork, baked chicken, a bunch of different salad options

and then they have a carving station with top sirloin. It's completely unlimited up until the

game starts. It was over $100 per ticket. I think it was about $125. They do sell out. So if you're

coming out to a Buccaneers game, make sure you buy that early. Same with the parking pass. We

bought the parking pass at the same time. Had we not done that, we would have been parking pretty

far away. The music's loud, so we're probably not gonna be able to talk as much. We're trying this

new mic situation, so we hope it sounds okay. And we're on a phone because you can't bring a camera

here. That tailgate VIP experience was worth every single dollar we paid for that. The food was pretty

good, but the brat that they had, that was the best brat. They really brought the brat in this

instance. Oh, it's already been brought. And then all of the accrutements, the salads, the toppings

totally worth it and then open bar probably drank not enough to get my money's worth but we were able

to meet some really cool people d and robert huge shout out they're out in la super nice we chatted

we enjoyed we shared a moment but now we are wandering around this massive stadium to find

our way in because your tickets will designate what gate you go through we are on the opposite

side of where we need to enter we're gonna get there and then we'll show you around while the

line is long it is moving quickly they are very strict on the bag size color makeup terry's little

fanny pack almost got turned away because it was black but we were able to get in if you come out

here just be aware that they are extremely strict on all things bag related so there is the option

to go up an escalator but there is a hell of a line if you're feeling agile there is a ramp

slightly sloped but I think for most people wouldn't be too big of an issue and you may not

know this about the Tampa Bay Buccaneers Stadium they have a giant pirate ship for all your

pirate related needs this place is a madhouse there's plenty of places to find concessions

refreshments and even there's team stores but boy oh boy is everyone excited you can see the face of

determination. You can see the concern and the fear in their eyes. Both teams are vying for a

playoff spot and neither one is at full strength. There's injuries, there's coaching questions

but what they have in common is a sheer drive and determination to cheer on their team

What I've observed so far, it seems like there's way more 49ers fans here than Buccaneers. It's

very odd. I think I might be in the wrong stadium. We have traversed nearly the entire stadium

And we are nearly getting to our seats. Just be aware that where your tickets say to enter

it looks like it will be on the complete opposite side of the stadium

But that's okay. This way you get to see all the fun and excitement. I'm not going to be giving a play-by-play because that's not what we're here for

But I'm telling you, Baker Mayfield's taking the field, and he's going to lead the fighting Baker Mayfields to a victory

We got this. That game had everything you could hope for except for a sweet, sweet victory

We came so close. But our long weekend here in Tampa Bay isn't quite over yet, but it's over for you guys

We had so much fun. We've tried a lot of good food. We saw a lot of cool things, and we participated in all kinds of really awesome activities

Tampa has so much to offer. You've got to check it out. I know we're going to be back at least once or twice a week if we can

because this town is one of our new favorite towns. If you like this video, check out this video right here, where we go to another awesome

town where we try things for the first time. Thanks again for following along in this episode and joining us next time when we try something

else new for the first time. Don't forget to like, comment, and subscribe. First timers

High five