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Get smarter, faster on what matters in Tampa Bay with Kathryn Varn and Yacob Reyes.

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Axios Tampa Bay Deep Dive

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A guide to fun things to do in Tampa Bay this weekend.

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It's the most disgusting time of the year.

State of sizzle: Temperatures are in the 90s but it's humid enough to feel like 200. The mosquitos are jacked up on all the rain. Even the water at the beach is hot.

Why it matters: You can stay cool and have adventures in Tampa Bay. You've just gotta think inside the air-conditioned box.

We've tested out many of the activities in this guide, and we'll keep adding more. So bookmark this guide for whenever you need a little inspiration.

🐠 Swim with the fish at Florida Aquarium with SeaTrek, one of the coolest things Selene has ever done.

🥷 Become an American Ninja Warrior at Jungle Gym in Pinellas Park.

🐥 Find secrets in the art at FloridaRAMA. Formerly Fairgrounds St. Pete, this super Instagrammable experience in St. Pete's warehouse district is filled with colorful, interactive exhibits like Bait Ball and "Lucky Duck Hunt."

👾 Get your game on at Elev8 and Laser Ops Xtreme Fun Center in Tampa, or Unlimited Video Games in St. Pete.

🕵️‍♀️ Use your brain to escape a room: Escapology and Game Over are Yacob-approved.

🪽 Become a flying squirrel at iFly in Tampa. Selene tried this twice in Maryland and loved it.

🏎️ Race GoKarts at K1 speed in Tampa or Tampa Bay Grand Prix in Clearwater. Elev8 also has a small indoor go-karting track.

🤸 Jump for joy at a trampoline park: Altitude or Urban Air in Tampa, Sky Zone in Largo, Catapult in Tarpon Springs or Defy in Bradenton.

⛸️ Pretend it's winter with ice skating at Advent Health Center Ice in Wesley Chapel, TGH Iceplex in Tampa, at one of three Tampa Bay Ice rinks in Clearwater and Oldsmar, or at Ellenton Ice Complex.

🛼 Prefer skates with wheels? Try Astro Skate in Pinellas Park, Tarpon Springs, Bradenton or Brandon, or Skate World of Tampa.

🏌️‍♀️ Tee off with indoor golf simulators at The Par Pub in Largo, or 1Up  or The Birdie Club in Tampa, or NXGen in Bradenton and Sarasota.

🏹 Take a shot at using a bow and arrow with Adventures Archery in Tampa and Lakeland. Laser Opps also has archery tag.

🧗‍♀️ Party like a rock (climbing) star at Central Rock Gym in Tampa, Vertical Ventures in St. Pete or Project 24 in Sarasota.

A guide to air-conditioned adventures in Tampa Bay

We've tested out many of the activities in this guide, and we'll keep adding more.

Illustration of the sun with a thermostat dial on it. 

It&#x27;s the most disgusting time of the year.State of sizzle: Temperatures are in the 90s but it&#x27;s humid enough to feel like 200. The <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="mosquitos" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/local/tampa-bay/2024/07/11/mosquito-season-sucks-dengue-tampa-bay-hillsborough" data-vars-content-id="21b8b47c-bd7f-4d9f-95ff-2d49b9c85033" data-vars-headline="A guide to air-conditioned adventures in Tampa Bay" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/local/tampa-bay/2024/07/11/mosquito-season-sucks-dengue-tampa-bay-hillsborough" target="_self">mosquitos</a> are jacked up on all the rain. Even the water at the beach is hot.

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Tampa Bay's most seasoned chefs are battling each other to fight food insecurity.

Driving the news: Two competitors have already been knocked out of Feeding Tampa Bay's Epic Chef competition. One will take the cake in a "Chopped"-style showdown on Monday. 

Catch up quick: Chef Guillermo Quezada from Rooster and the Till beat Stovall House chef JLW Chau on July 22. 

Chef Moesha Collymore from Predalina defeated chef Ehinar Cruz from The Tides Seafood Market earlier this week.

How it works: Collymore and Quezada will each receive a mystery box of ingredients not commonly prepared together and must create a unique, aesthetically pleasing, and delicious, dish in 30 minutes.

Mystery ingredients so far have included popcorn kernels, baby octopus, bone marrow and pickle juice.

🤑 The prize: $5,000 for the chef judged highest on flavor, creativity, and use of mystery ingredients.

How to watch: The Epicurean Hotel in Tampa hosts the finale 6-9pm on Monday. Tickets are $400 for a pair and include a four-course meal with wine pairings.

You can also livestream the competition for free on MOR-TV, where it will later be posted.

Feeding Tampa Bay's Epic Chef competition

Tampa Bay chefs compete to end hunger

One chef will take the cake in a "Chopped"-style showdown on Monday.

one chef reaches over another as they cook among produce

Chef Guillermo Quezada reaches over chef JLW Chau during round one of the Epic Chef competition. Photo: Courtesy of Feeding Tampa Bay

Tampa Bay&#x27;s most seasoned chefs are battling each other to fight food insecurity.Driving the news: Two competitors have already been knocked out of <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="Feeding Tampa Bay&#x27;s Epic Chef competition" data-vars-click-url="https://feedingtampabay.org/how-you-can-help/fundraising-events/epic-chef#" data-vars-content-id="4d9af8fb-6692-44d9-8cf8-f95fcfa78d7c" data-vars-headline="Tampa Bay chefs compete to end hunger" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://feedingtampabay.org/how-you-can-help/fundraising-events/epic-chef#" target="_blank">Feeding Tampa Bay&#x27;s Epic Chef competition</a>. One will take the cake in a &quot;Chopped&quot;-style showdown on Monday.

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Axios What's Next

Florida has some of the nation's most expensive car insurance.

Why it matters: Fast-rising insurance rates are contributing to a nationwide transportation affordability crisis, especially in many parts of the country where people have few alternatives to car ownership.

Driving the news: The nationwide average annual cost of full-coverage car insurance hit $2,329 in June, per Insurify, a digital insurance agent that helps users collect quotes from multiple insurers.

Zoom in: Florida's average annual cost from June 2022-2024 was $3,201, making it the 6th most expensive state in the nation.

How it works: Insurify's monthly figures are two-year rolling medians to account for "extreme market volatilities" in recent years, the company says.

And they're based on rates for drivers between ages 20-70 with clean driving records and at least average credit scores.

The big picture: Several factors play into the difference in rates between states, including road conditions, accident rates and whether a state requires no-fault coverage (meaning plans must cover medical expenses regardless of who's at fault in an accident).

Quotes also take individual factors into account like a driver's age, gender and driving record.

Florida has the country's 6th highest car insurance rates

Fast-rising insurance rates are contributing to a nationwide transportation affordability crisis.

Line chart showing Florida's car insurance rate at $3,201, well above the national rate of $2,329

Florida has some of the nation&#x27;s most expensive car insurance.Why it matters: Fast-rising insurance rates are contributing to a nationwide <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="transportation affordability crisis" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/2024/04/13/car-prices-insurance-repairs" data-vars-content-id="6a5a8516-747e-4cd6-9467-fed87f794091" data-vars-headline="Florida has the country&#x27;s 6th highest car insurance rates" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/2024/04/13/car-prices-insurance-repairs" target="_self">transportation affordability crisis</a>, especially in many parts of the country where people have few alternatives to car ownership.

Transit

Money

Waterfront living was the dream for Jeff Fuller's generation. To battle nightmare flooding, the Redington Beach retiree is arming his neighbors with caulking guns and vinyl shields.

Threat level: We escaped Debby this weekend, but the rest of hurricane season is ahead.

If you end up stuck in line for sandbags as a storm approaches, Fuller said you're already too late to prepare.

Flashback: After Hurricane Eta flooded his house in 2020, he vowed to never let it happen again.

But floodproofing quotes from commercial builders ranged from $5,000 to $40,000, so he started building barriers himself.

Soon after, he met Bob Kyle, who also had an interest in floodproofing and was impressed with how Fuller kept water out of his garage without using sandbags.

The two started a website and began giving seminars and home walkthroughs.

What he's saying: "There's nothing better than seeing the light go on in somebody's head about how they can waterproof their home," said Fuller, 64.

"I've taught more older women how to use a caulk gun than I can count."

His bottom line: "You can do this. You don't have to just sit there and take it. You don't have to resign yourself to the fact that you'll flood."

The price tag: Free, no matter how many walkthroughs or seminars he has scheduled, Fuller said.

1. Caulk it up: Fuller keeps at least 15 tubes of clear seal and peel caulk in his house at all times, which he uses to seal up his garage door, dryer vent, outdoor outlets and anywhere else water can get in.

He recommends an electric or battery-powered caulking gun to get the job done quickly.

2. Sewage stopper: A backwater check valve can stop a crappy situation if sewage backs up in high-water conditions.

If you install it yourself, which Fuller recommends to save on sky-high plummer fees, it'll cost you around $43.

3. Sliding door saver: A $100 PVC board could stop water from coming through your sliding doors and causing a much pricier mess.

Caulk around the edges of the PVC to keep it in place. Once the storm is over, peel off the caulk and keep the board to do it again as many times as you need.

"You can do this:" Pinellas retiree urges homeowners not to give up in the face of flooding

Illustration of a key hanging off of a life preserver.

Waterfront living was the dream for Jeff Fuller&#x27;s generation. To battle nightmare flooding, the Redington Beach retiree is arming his neighbors with caulking guns and vinyl shields.Threat level: We escaped Debby this weekend, but the rest of <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="hurricane season" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/2024/05/23/atlantic-hurricane-season-forecast-noaa" data-vars-content-id="835da8b6-517f-40d2-9dbe-3baea4985c62" data-vars-headline="&quot;You can do this:&quot; Pinellas retiree urges homeowners not to give up in the face of flooding" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/2024/05/23/atlantic-hurricane-season-forecast-noaa" target="_self">hurricane season</a> is ahead.

Climate

The Tampa Bay Rays can officially start building a new stadium and redeveloping the Historic Gas Plant district.

Why it matters: The agreement is now final between the team and its developer, Hines, with Pinellas County and St. Petersburg after county commissioners voted on Tuesday.

By the numbers: $312.5 million in tourist development tax dollars will go toward designing and building the new stadium.

The county will get some of that money back from the team in $1-million-per-year licensing fees for 25 years. That will start five years after the stadium is complete.

The entire project is estimated to cost $6.5 billion in private and public money, with $1.3 billion projected for the stadium.

Roll call: Board Chair Kathleen Peters, Vice Chair Brian Scott and commissioners Charlie Justice, René Flowers and Janet C. Long voted in favor of the project.

Commissioners Chris Latvala and Dave Eggers opposed.

What they're saying: "When it comes down to the accountability and risk management aspect of it, I don't like every aspect of this deal," Scott said. "... But there's a lot of things I do like about it."

He noted the agreement leaves the Rays responsible for cost overruns and sets a 2030 deadline for the completion of Phase 1 of the redevelopment. "There's opportunities here to hold [the] Rays [and] Hines accountable."

The other side: Latvala expressed concern that game attendance won't go up consistently enough to justify the county's investment and that the Rays could sell off their part of the development.

He said he would rather see tourism money go toward beach renourishment.

"When all is said and done, this will be a $1 billion publicly funded subsidy to a billionaire. I'm not willing to put my name on that."

Catch up quick: The St. Petersburg City Council approved the project earlier this month over the objections of critics who felt it fell short in delivering much-needed affordable housing.

Negotiations between the city, team and developer continued until days before that vote, leading to more community amenities and green energy commitments.

What's ahead: Construction on the project begins next year.

Data: City of St. Petersburg Committee of the Whole; Chart: Axios VisualsNew developments

Pinellas County approves Rays stadium agreement, Gas Plant redevelopment

$312.5 million in hotel tax dollars will go toward designing and building the new stadium.

An aerial view shows a general view of Tropicana Field and the surrounding city

Tropicana Field circa 2021. Photo: Julio Aguilar/Getty Images

The Tampa Bay Rays can officially start building a new stadium and redeveloping the Historic Gas Plant district.Why it matters: The agreement is now final between the team and its developer, Hines, with Pinellas County and <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="St. Petersburg" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/local/tampa-bay/2024/07/18/rays-stadium-approved-st-petersburg-city-council" data-vars-content-id="a44e6e09-d68b-465c-b767-cd0852ed7567" data-vars-headline="Pinellas County approves Rays stadium agreement, Gas Plant redevelopment" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/local/tampa-bay/2024/07/18/rays-stadium-approved-st-petersburg-city-council" target="_self">St. Petersburg</a> after county commissioners voted on Tuesday.

Sports

Development

Line chart showing average annual cost of full-coverage car insurance in Florida by month between January 2021 and June 2024. The average cost changed from $2331 in January 2021 to $3201 in June 2024.

Selene San Felice

Featured stories

"You can do this:" Pinellas retiree urges homeowners not to give up in the face of flooding

Tampa Bay chefs compete to end hunger

Florida has the country's 6th highest car insurance rates

Pinellas County approves Rays stadium agreement, Gas Plant redevelopment

A guide to air-conditioned adventures in Tampa Bay