50 State Challenge - FLORIDA

In an older post I talked about a bar I went to in Tampa that had the greatest Happy Hour ever. Today I am going to talk about the best holiday ever in Tampa. In late January or early February, the city of Tampa gathers on Bayshore Blvd and watches as Pirates invade their city. To the people of Tampa, Gasparilla is just one big party where people are dressed as pirates and throw beads from floats. More info about the history of Gasparilla can be found here

Gasparilla 2013 already happened but that doesn't mean you shouldn't start planning Gasparilla 2014 now. According to the Gasparilla website next years is January 25th.  I suggest that my readers attend a Gasparilla at least once before you guys kick the bucket. So, from a seasoned pro of all things Gasparilla I'll give you rookies some pointers.

TIPS ON A SUCCESSFUL GASPARILLA

• Gasparilla is on a Saturday so don't go out drinking the night before
• Hit up a liquor store a week early. 
• The early bird catches the worm or whatever that stupid saying is. Basically wake you ass up at 730-8ish in the morning and start drinking.

My roommate and I at 7am doing jello shots! 

• Have fun with this and dress up! Also wear comfortable shoes because you will be walking a lot. 

• Make sure you have some form of ID on you so that someone can help your drunk ass get home. 
• Buy yourself a camelback and fill it with booze! You will need you hands free to catch beads 

• Leave early for the parade. I guarantee you will stop randomly at peoples houses and drink with them. 
• You don't have to show your boobies to get beads, but the men on the floats highly encourage it. 
• Cops are cool on Gasparilla. They let you drink on the street but if you are passed out, throwing up or peeing in public you may get thrown in the drunk tank.

• Do not drive! To many drunks on the road 
• HAVE A GREAT FUCKING TIME!!

Beers, Football & A Good Time

Tampa is one of those big cities in Florida where you either hate it or love it. I lived there for 4 years and I am one of those people that hated the city. I'll get into why I hated Tampa at another time but lets just say it is no Boston, Massachusetts. The one silver lining for Tampa is a bar located in the Soho district that goes by the name MacDintons.

When I went to the University of Tampa (2005-2009) my go to bar was MacDintons. I even lived a blocked over from it my senior year. This bar is just a fun and cheap place to go to. During the day it is very chill and laid back but at night you are competing with the hottest of the hot in Tampa. 

Every night they have different special (you can view them all here) and my personal favorites were Happy Hour on Fridays and on Sundays when you could bring your dog to the bar. It use to be every Sunday you could bring your dog but I think they have changed it to only a couple times a month. But  enough about dogs getting shit tanked at the bar, lets dive to Happy Hour. 

A busy night at MacDintons

Now I know most people have been to a Happy Hour before but I guarantee you never went to a Happy Hour like the one on Friday nights at MacDintons. Check out "Crazy Happy Hour" as described on the MacDintons website:

Every Friday night from 6pm-8pm

$10 Open Bar includes

ALL Draft Beers, Heineken Light bottles, House Wines & Well Liquors, inc Jack Daniels, Finlandia Vodka's & Southern Comfort cocktails. 

50c wings from 4pm until midnight.

From 8-Close

$3 Southern Comfort, Soco Cherry or Soco Lime Shots
$4 Heineken Light Bottles

$5 Bacardi

$7 Grey Goose

Wristbands are on sale at the door from 6pm.

MacDinton's is a 21 and over venue, for Guys & Girls.

You must have a valid picture ID to enter. 

25 and under requires 2 forms of ID.

It's safe to assume I got very and some might dare say extremely intoxicated during Happy Hour. It starts at 6 and the line to get in can be very long. I would always get there 10-15 minutes before 6 to try and be at the front of the line. Happy Hour can get very crowed but Macdintons has several bars located inside and outside so it never feels like you can't get a drink. 

My roommate (right) and I (left) at the start of Happy Hour

Trust me when I say that if you are ever in Tampa, you have to check out MacDintons on South Howard in the Soho district. And for all the amateurs out there take a little advice from a seasoned vet and pace yourself. You don't want to be one of those fools that are passing out an hour into it! Even if the Happy Hour is not your thing, their food is amazing (try the Philly Cheese Steak for only $8.50). MacDintons is also home to fanatic football (Soccer for Americans) fans. At the heart, this is truly a football bar because they play every European game that is available to watch on TV. Stop by for a drink and let me know if you like my old stomping grounds.

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