Tampa GCers- I need your help!

[kddani]

So myself and 3 of my friends will be in Tampa the day before our cruise leaves. Cruise leaves on the 6th, so we'll be there on the 5th (A Friday). We're going to get there probably about mid afternoon or so.

We're staying at the Econo Lodge Midtown (on S. Dale Mabry)... can anyone tell me about the area and what there is to do there? We obviously don't have time to treck to Busch Gardens or anything that cool, but if anyone can recommend a restaurant in the area or something to do that night, that would be awesome. The listing for the hotel said it was within walking distance of a lot. We're not going to have a rental car, because we're only there for the evening.

Thanks for any help! None of us have ever even been to Tampa before.