Stopped in both cities (on the advice of folks here) and enjoyed them. Tampa highlights included the restored Tampa train station; the old Plant RR hotel now Plant Museum & Tampa College; boat ride with Tampa Water Taxi; the trolley; and Ybor City (including chickens). Lakeland highlights included walkabouts downtown and south of Morton Lake; Florida State University Frank Lloyd Wright tour; food (but not prices) at The Terrace; and the lakes (including swans). (All in all, it was a very birdie trip!)
Trains were all late, often very late, to, from, and within Florida. Only some of this was weather related.