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👋 Hey, Razorback fans! It's Ben Montgomery from Axios Tampa Bay.

We wanted to welcome y'all to the City of Champions for the Outback Bowl on New Year's Day.

Use this list as a launching point. Here's what we locals like about living in paradise:

🥘 Try the quail at Song Huong on Waters Avenue.

🇨🇺 Grab a Cuban sandwich at Alessi Bakery, West Tampa Sandwich Shop or La Segunda.

🐓 Try the Nashville hot fried chicken at King of the Coop.

🥃 Beware of the strong pours at The Hub and the bewitching cocktails at Hotel Bar.

🦞 A real Old Florida offering: Donna the Buffalo is playing a New Year's Eve show at one of our favorite places, Skipper's Smokehouse.

Here's an itinerary to take in Tampa's Riverwalk.

👀 If you have wheels, take a trip down to the manatee viewing center in Apollo Beach — there's nothing like it in Arkansas.

⛴ Hop on the Cross Bay Ferry for a lovely ride to downtown St. Petersburg, where you can:

🎧 We have some great local radio stations, but the most local feeling is 88.5 WMNF.

💉 And several readers asked: Please get vaccinated before you come.

🍔 Also: Could one of y'all bring me a Whatta-Burger from Feltner's?

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Axios NW Arkansas is an Axios company.