With glittering waters, vibrant neighborhoods, and a sunny climate, Tampa tempts visitors to stay and play. Beyond the family-friendly zoos and famous attractions like Busch Gardens, Tampa also delivers an eclectic art scene, historic sites, and indulgent food.
| Activity | Description |
|---|---|
| Busch Gardens | Theme park with African-themed rides, exhibits, and shows. |
| Salvador Dalà Museum | Museum dedicated to Salvador DalÒs works. |
| Beaches | Enjoy soft sand beaches like Clearwater Beach and Caladesi Island. |
| Ybor City | Historic district with bars, clubs, and cigar shops. |
| Manatee Viewing Center | Spot manatees at Tampa Electric’s viewing area. |
| Henry B. Plant Museum | Museum showcasing the history of the Tampa Bay Hotel. |
| Baseball Games | Watch Grapefruit League baseball in spring. |
| Hillsborough River | Kayak or paddleboard down the river. |
| Hyde Park Village | Shop and dine in a historic neighborhood. |
| Tampa Museum of Art | Art museum with a diverse collection. |
| Tampa Riverwalk | Scenic walkway along the Hillsborough River. |
Here are 12 of the top things to see and do when visiting Florida’s Gulf Coast gem.
Spend a Day at Busch Gardens
Name and Location: Busch Gardens Tampa Bay, located in Tampa, Florida.
History and Significance: Opened in 1959, it began as a bird garden and hospitality house for Anheuser-Busch and evolved into a 335-acre African-themed animal theme park.
What to Expect: Thrilling rides, animal encounters, live entertainment, and a variety of dining options. It’s known for its roller coasters and exotic animals.
Visitor Information: Open daily with ticketed entry. It’s recommended to check their website for hours, ticket prices, and special events.
As Tampa’s top theme park, Busch Gardens transports you to distant lands with exciting rides, exhibits and shows themed around Africa, Egypt and beyond. Meet gentle giraffes or touch slippery stingrays up close on the Serengeti Plain. Plunge down enormous water slides at Adventure Island. Then scream while riding Florida’s tallest launched roller coaster, Tigris, accelerating to 60 miles an hour in seconds. When you need a break, catch an acrobatic circus show or get your adrenaline pumping at an evening dance club after the sun sets. With entertainment options spanning all ages, Busch Gardens makes for an unforgettable day.
Tour the Salvador Dalà Museum
Name and Location: The Salvador Dalà Museum, located in St. Petersburg, near Tampa.
History and Significance: Opened in 1982, the museum houses the largest collection of DalÃ’s works outside Europe. The building’s design is as surreal as the artworks it contains.
What to Expect: A wide range of Dal۪̉s work, from early impressionist paintings to surrealistic creations. The museum also hosts special exhibits and events.
Visitor Information: Ticket purchase is required. Check the museum’s website for current exhibitions, hours of operation, and ticket prices.
Focused on the life and works of renowned surrealist artist Salvador DalÃ, this one-of-a-kind Tampa museum dazzles visitors. Wander through the sleek space admiring DalÃ’s immense, meticulously detailed paintings like the mesmerizing Hallucinogenic Toreador. Beyond the opulent galleries, enjoy interactive experiences like walking inside a giant Dalà painting. Don’t miss the virtual reality film bringing DalÃ’s art to life or bidding at Friday evening auction events. As the most comprehensive collection of DalÃ’s creations outside Europe, the stunning museum makes for Tampa’s top fine arts destination.
Relax on the Beaches
Name and Location: Tampa Bay area beaches, including Clearwater Beach, St. Pete Beach, and others.
History and Significance: These beaches are renowned for their beautiful white sand and have been popular tourist destinations for decades.
What to Expect: Sunbathing, swimming, water sports, and beautiful sunsets. The beaches offer a relaxing atmosphere with amenities like beachfront restaurants and shops.
Visitor Information: Most beaches are open to the public with free access, though parking may have a fee. Check local regulations for beach activities.
With barrier islands like Clearwater Beach and Caladesi Island forming Tampa Bay’s shoreline, visitors flock here to enjoy 35 miles of beautiful soft sand beaches kissing gently lapping waves. Spend languid days beachcombing for shells, building epic sandcastles, swimming calm waters or simply napping atop colorful towels. Watch small crabs scurry across the damp sand as gulls glide over aqua waters framed by feathery palms. Then grab seaside lunches of fresh catch fish tacos or juicy burgers in the island beach towns full of pastel cottages and touristy shops.
Explore Ybor City
Name and Location: Ybor City, a historic neighborhood northeast of downtown Tampa.
History and Significance: Founded in the 1880s by cigar manufacturers, it was populated by thousands of immigrants, mainly from Cuba, Spain, and Italy, and is known for its unique cultural heritage.
What to Expect: Vibrant nightlife, unique architecture, cultural festivals, and excellent dining options, especially Cuban and Spanish cuisines.
Visitor Information: The area is best explored on foot or by streetcar. Guided tours are available to learn about the history and culture of Ybor City.
Transport back to Tampa’s glory days around the turn of the 20th century by visiting historic Ybor City district. Cobblestone streets lined by old brick buildings capture the ambience when wealthy cigar factory owners built an industrial empire that put Tampa on the map. Today lively bars, nightclubs and restaurantsoccupy these well-preserved spaces. Savor Cuban sandwiches while watching hand rollers craft cigars with expertise honed over generations. Catch comedy shows at Improv clubs or go bar-hopping across this energetic neighborhood shining bright as Tampa hipsters’ favorite haunt.
See Manatees at Tampa Electric Manatee Viewing Center
Name and Location: Located in Apollo Beach, near Tampa.
History and Significance: The center opened to protect manatees that gather in the warm discharge waters of the Tampa Electric power plant.
What to Expect: Viewing platforms to see manatees, an educational center, butterfly gardens, and a tidal walk. It’s a great place for wildlife enthusiasts.
Visitor Information: Open during manatee season (November through April) with free admission. Check their website for hours and manatee viewing information.
For a distinctly Florida experience, watch enormous manatees gravitate through the warm waters of Tampa Electric’s Manatee Viewing Center discharge canal. During winter months, hundreds of these gentle sea creatures weighing over 1,000 pounds each congregate here when Gulf of Mexico temps get too cold. Spots outside above and below water allow visitors to spy congregation habits as manatees hunker close together. Interpretive displays detail conservation efforts ensuring survival for these curious creatures that delight both kids and adults alike with their almost human-like faces and playful water ballet moves.
Tour Henry B. Plant Museum
Name and Location: Located on the University of Tampa campus.
History and Significance: Originally the Tampa Bay Hotel, built in 1891 by railroad magnate Henry B. Plant, the museum now showcases the opulent lifestyle of the hotel’s Gilded Age guests.
What to Expect: Historic rooms furnished with period pieces, art, and artifacts from the late 19th century. The museum offers a glimpse into Tampa’s early development.
Visitor Information: Ticketed entry. The museum is open year-round, but hours vary. Check their website for current hours and tour information.
History buffs appreciate this splendid museum set inside the restored Tampa Bay Hotel towering above Tampa’s skyline. Railroad tycoon Henry Plant invested $3 million into constructing this opulent Moorish palace in 1891, drawing elite guests like Babe Ruth, Teddy Roosevelt and Tom Edison with its palm gardens, ornate furniture, bronze statues and Tiffany glass dome. Costumed guides usher visitors through the museum’s permanent exhibits displaying artifacts of the hotel’s glamourous heyday while describing characteristics behind many architectural elements copied from the Alhambra Palace in Spain. The site also hosts rotating fine art shows.
Catch a Baseball Game
Name and Location: Tampa Bay Rays games are held at Tropicana Field in St. Petersburg.
History and Significance: Baseball is a significant part of Tampa’s sports culture. Tropicana Field has been the home of the Rays since their inception in 1998.
What to Expect: A classic American baseball experience with games, food, and entertainment. The atmosphere is family-friendly and energetic.
Visitor Information: Seasonal activity, with tickets available online or at the stadium. Check the Tampa Bay Rays’ schedule for game times and dates.
Baseball fans flock to Tampa for Grapefruit League action every March as winter teams migrate here for preseason training and exhibition games. Both the New York Yankees and the Philadelphia Phillies have dedicated stadiums in Tampa for spring training matchups featuring Major League Baseball superstars. George M. Steinbrenner Field and BayCare Ballpark deliver fun family atmospheres to cheer future hall of famers rounding the bases or chasing fly balls under bright blue skies before regular seasons commence up north. Nothing screams quintessential Florida more than hot dogs, cold beer and baseball!
Paddle the Hillsborough River
Name and Location: The Hillsborough River, with access points in multiple locations around Tampa.
History and Significance: The river is an important natural resource for the Tampa area, providing a habitat for various wildlife and a recreational venue.
What to Expect: Kayaking or canoeing through scenic areas, with opportunities to see local wildlife, including birds and alligators.
Visitor Information: Rental services are available along the river. It’s advisable to check local weather and river conditions before planning a trip.
For family-friendly adventure, rent a kayak or stand-up paddleboard to discover Downtown Tampa from the vantage point of the Hillsborough River. Paddling along this tranquil river lets all ages appreciate views of gleaming skyscrapers from a distance as you drift under bridges alive with traffic. Often manatees swim just feet away while herons stand silently watching for fish. And numerous places to pull ashore for swimming or picnics make for leisurely half or full day outings under the Florida sunshine that appeal to novice through advanced paddlers.
Shop and Eat in Historic Hyde Park Village
Name and Location: Located in the Hyde Park neighborhood of Tampa.
History and Significance: Hyde Park Village offers a mix of high-end shopping, dining, and entertainment within a historic district of Tampa.
What to Expect: A variety of shops, boutiques, restaurants, and bars in a charming, walkable neighborhood. The area hosts regular events and markets.
Visitor Information: Open year-round with shops and restaurants having varying hours. It’s a great place for a leisurely day out or evening entertainment.
Elegant Hyde Park Village transports visitors back to the prosperity of the early 1900s through its cobblestone streets and restored historic homes now occupied by Tampa’s trendiest boutiques and restaurants. Sip cappuccinos at chic cafes before browsing high-end apparel stores and art galleries set inside Gilded Age estates. Don’t miss the epicurean market with stalls of French pastries, wines, charcuterie, olive oils and craft beer inviting picnics under stately banyan trees in this posh open-air shopping district reminding all of bygone eras.
Appreciate Art at Tampa Museum of Art
Name and Location: Located in downtown Tampa along the Riverwalk.
History and Significance: Founded in 1979, the museum is dedicated to providing the community with world-class art exhibitions and educational programs.
What to Expect: Collections of ancient, modern, and contemporary art, with a focus on Greek and Roman antiquities and contemporary and modern art.
Visitor Information: Ticketed entry, with special rates for students and seniors. Check the museum’s website for current exhibitions and operating hours.
Don’t overlook the impressive permanent collection inside Tampa Museum of Art spanning European painting from the Renaissance era through 19th century works to modern and contemporary pieces. Stand before monumental canvases like Monet’s dreamy Waterlilies while also admiring Warhol’s pop art or O’Keeffe flower creations floating under skylights. Beyond galleries, enjoy a meal at Sono Café set within an elegant courtyard. And frequently rotating visiting exhibitions like Jewels of the Imagination showcasing decorative arts keep displays excitingly fresh for returning patrons.
Catch Views from the Tampa Riverwalk
Name and Location: Stretching along the Hillsborough River in downtown Tampa.
History and Significance: The Riverwalk is a vibrant part of Tampa’s urban landscape, connecting various attractions, parks, and restaurants along the riverfront.
What to Expect: Scenic views of the river, access to museums and parks, and a variety of dining and entertainment options along the pathway.
Visitor Information: Accessible 24/7 and free to the public. It’s a great place for a leisurely walk, jog, or bike ride, with plenty of spots to relax and enjoy the view.
Hugging the western banks of the Hillsborough River, the Tampa Riverwalk delivers pedestrians and bicyclists fantastic views around Downtown. The paved 2.4 mile path connects waterside parks full of fountains, cultural landmarks like the Florida Museum of Science, Bayshore Boulevard and the Harbour Island neighborhood. Hop aboard water taxis or sightseeing boats to hear commentaries on passing scenes from historic Fort Brooke to modern skyscrapers and hotels as you appreciate this vibrant capital from refreshing new angles floating along downtown’s watery edges beside dazzling sunlight dancing on the rippling river.
From adrenaline adventures at scream-inducing theme parks to quiet strolls admiring world-class artwork, Tampa keeps visitors smiling with an array of entertaining attractions. Fantastic museums, sunny beaches, Cuban-inspired cuisine and of course, endless sunshine mean a lively mix of things to do in this coastal Florida destination.