Residents of the Tampa Bay area enjoy both a laid-back beach lifestyle and the amenities of a large metropolitan area, including professional sports teams, interesting museums and an array of entertainment and dining options.

The Tampa Bay metro area is a sprawling and diverse region that encompasses three cities – Tampa, St. Petersburg and Clearwater – each with a distinct personality.

Living in the Tampa Bay area is like being on vacation all year. Located north of the bay, Tampa has a hip social scene and a thriving Hispanic community, and is notable for Ybor City, once known as "the Cigar Capital of the World." On the opposite side of the bay, the beaches of St. Petersburg offer water sports and activities like parasailing and dolphin-watching cruises, while the city itself has become a major arts destination, home of the renowned Salvador Dali Museum. Clearwater is popular with the spring break crowd and in recent years, the city's notoriety as the headquarters of Scientology has been eclipsed by its marine movie star, Winter, of the 2011 film "Dolphin Tale."