MacDill AFB

[Timbo]

OK......I am off to Florida later this month.  My first time that far south.  My wife is attending to business at the Lockheed Martin plant in Pinellas.  Anyone here meet at MacDill AFB??  Can you tell me what the base has to offer, I am thinking about just getting us a room in housing there.  Anyone from that area of Florida and would like to offer some suggestions on what fun things to do or places to eat at??  I will be there for about 9 days.  Most of the time will be with out the "Wifey" and I need things to do.  The last 3 days will be ours and we are in need of suggestions.

I love to eat!  I love diners and local dives.  I would choose those over a chain restaurant any day!

Your help is appreciated!  Thanks!! 

[Pumbaa]

Timbo, let me know when you go to Lockheed in Owego NY....

[JoeTomasone]

The 89th MacDill AFB Cadet Squadron meets on Tuesday at 1900 (or 1930, I forget) in a building right next to the Tower.   I don't know about billeting on the base to be honest since I don't require it!

The Lockheed Martin plant is about 5 minutes from my house.   Wave hi!

As for things to do:


1.  Clearwater Beach has a nightly sunset celebration with street performers, crafts vendors, etc.   The marina across the street has dolphin watching cruises and a good restaurant (Crabby Bills).   

2.  A good dive restaurant is Mama's on Dale Mabry not far from the Raymond James Stadium (but on the other side of the street and a little South). 

3.  For lunch, go to Andy's (472 Douglas Rd E, Oldsmar) - not far from Lockheed.  Great cheap food.  Get there early as they get packed quickly at noon and tend to run out of some food by 12:45 or so.

4.  There's always Busch Gardens....

What kinds of things do you and the wife enjoy??

[JAFO78]

If you can check out Golden Corral. They have a great breakfast buffet. Build your own omelet, steak, etc. My wife and I go when we can and don't eat lunch. $8. Drinks included. Lunch, Dinner is good, but drinks extra.  I live in the Kissimmee area, don't know much around Tampa. Have not made it west yet. Sometimes you can find good mom n pop places down by the beach.

Enjoy your time in Florida. Bring sun tan lotion, as you can still get some burning. Nothing funny err than seeing tourists beat red from too much sun, even in Jan.

[CAPPAO]

I live in Tampa and here are my favorites:

Columbia Restaurant, 2117 East 7th Ave., Tampa 33605
A Florida tradition since 1905, earned the "Distinguished Restaurants of North America (DiRoNA) Award of Excellence" and a Golden Spoon award as "One of the Top 25 Restaurants in Florida." Florida's oldest and the world's largest Spanish restaurant. Today, 4th & 5th generation family members work hard to preserve the family's legacy that their great-grandfather Casimiro Hernandez Sr. created over 100 years ago when he opened the Columbia as a corner café frequented by local cigar workers. In addition to award-winning Spanish/Cuban cuisine, Columbia Restaurant in Ybor City features flamenco dance performances, two times a night, every night except Sunday. The Café offers live jazz Thursday through Saturday. Serving Lunch & Dinner daily. Open 365 days of the year.
www.columbiarestaurant.com/ybor.asp

Cracker Country, 4800 Highway 301 North, Tampa 33610
Re-live Florida's rural past of the 1890s in a rural Florida living history museum. From the rustic cypress log corn crib to the grand old two-story Carlton house, Cracker Country features 13 original buildings dating from 1870-1912. These buildings were moved to their present location from throughout the state, then restored and furnished with antiques of the period. Cracker Country is located on the Florida State Fairgrounds in Tampa and is presented by the Florida State Fair Authority. Open to visitors every Wednesday, Thursday and Friday from 1:30 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. Admission is $2 per person. Free parking.
www.crackercountry.org

Lowry Park Zoo, 1101 West Sligh Ave., Tampa 33604-5958
More than 2,000 animals plus rides, water play areas, shows and restaurants. In 2007, the zoo made several notable additions to better serve the record numbers of visitors:  a collection of five new exhibits known as the "Ituri Forest" within Safari Africa; a colony of African penguins in a new year-round outdoor habitat called Penguin Beach; and a newly remodeled Asian Gardens exhibit area.
open daily 9:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.
parking free; $17.95 to $28.95 based on regular or senior price, zoo or combo...
Take I-275 to the Sligh Avenue exit (which is exit 48, just south of Busch Blvd.).
www.lowryparkzoo.com/

Mel's Hot Dogs, 4136 E. Busch Blvd. Tampa, FL 33612
Since 1973 Mel's Hot Dogs has been a Tampa landmark famous for it's Chicago style natural casing weiners and fun atmosphere. Founder Mel Lohn, a traveling musician from Chicago, landed in Tampa in the late Sixties and several years later opened Mel's Red Hot Ranch later to become the legendary hot dog stand we know today. Mel's Hot Dogs occupies the last remaining structure from the WWII army air base Henderson Air Field. Originally the facility had a seating capacity for just 25 but over the years has expanded to seat 100. Patrons have traveled from all parts to experience the tasty hot dogs which are served on steamed poppy seed buns with over a thousand different combinations of toppings.
www.melshotdogs.com

Florida Aquarium, 701 Channelside Drive, Tampa 33602
One of the top aquariums in the world, with more than 20,000 aquatic plants and animals from Florida and around the world.
Daily Hours: 9:30 AM to 5 PM
www.flaquarium.org/

Green Iguana, 1708 E. 7th St, Tampa 33605
Tropical decor. Live music seven nights a week. Pizza, burgers, wraps, soups and salads.
http://www.greeniguana.com

Hard Rock Casino, 5223 North Orient Road, Tampa 33610
A newly expanded 150,000-square-foot casino is open 24/7/365. Over 3,200 gaming machines, including I Dream of Jeannie, 12 X Pay, Flip Flop Deluxe, Price is Right Plinko, Wheel of Fortune, Little Green Men, Texas Tea plus classics like Double Diamond, Red, White & Blue, Double Wild Cherry and Five Times Pay. 50 tables of Live Action Poker, with everything from Seven-Card Stud to Texas Hold'em to Omaha.
www.hardrockhotelcasinotampa.com/

Yuengling Brewery, 11111 North 30th St., Tampa
Hours and Tours:
Monday thru Friday 10 a.m. - 4 p.m.
Two tours: 10 a.m. and 1 p.m.
Closed shoes only. NO sandals, flip-flops, or any other shoes with openings (front, back, & sides).
www.yuengling.com/tour.htm

Lastly, although they don't meet at MacDill, one of the nearest senior CAP squadrons meets on Wednesdays at 1900 hours at the Albert Whitted Airport in St. Petersburg. The directions are to 455 8th Ave SE (south perimeter road of airport). Enter parking lot at gate 5 and follow signs to CAP building.

Have fun!

[JohnKachenmeister]

MacDill has a pretty decent beach on the base.  It is secluded and private for the most part, and dolphins come very close to shore.  There is a burger/dog/soda/beer shack on the beach as well.  Don't feed the seagulls.  Ever.  Its like giving a government bailout to one failing business.  Then hundreds will flock around you aggressively begging.  True, they fly in with their own wings and not on Gulfstreams, but you get the idea.

[Cecil DP]

The MacDill Inn was very limited when I was stationed there. Make your reservations early if you expect to stay over. If you get the main building the rooms are great. The outlying buildings are barracks converted to motel rooms-very spartan.  They also have 2 great 18 hole golf courses

BTW if you fly in, rent a car. The base won't allow a taxi to enter.

[BuckeyeDEJ]

If you're going to be at the LM plant on this side of the bay, you should know that there are units much closer to Oldsmar than MacDill, which is on the other side of the bay.

Since you're going to be on this side of the bay, PM me and let me know where you're going to be hanging out -- you might want to consider my unit as well, since it's closer.