Take a vacation, but make it an adventure! You’re in for a treat when you bring your family to Tampa Bay. You’ll find riches beyond your wildest dreams at Busch Gardens® Tampa Bay, whether you’re speeding through the air on a heart-pounding roller coaster or strolling down the magnificent Tampa Riverwalk.
Take the guesswork out of getting tickets to some of Tampa’s top attractions by purchasing a CityPASS. Come join us for some of Florida’s best open-air adventures.
Busch Gardens
Sprawled in 335 acre, Busch Garden is an African-themed amusement park. It features thrilling rides, live entertainment and shows, a selection of wildlife in their natural habitat settings, and all-day dining options. Animal exhibits in Busch Gardens include a Cheetah Run, Bird Gardens, Edge of Africa, and Jumbo Junction.
It’s part zoo, part amusement park, and its ziplines, bumper cars, bird gardens, water slides, and elephant enclosures can keep you occupied for full weekends.
Do you enjoy traditional rides and games? Cobra’s Curse, Falcon’s Fury, and the Gwazi Gliders are all great ways to get your adrenaline pumping. Do you enjoy being able to get up close and personal with animals? Climb to the Orangutan Outpost’s treetop viewing decks or walk the Tiger Trail.
Other activities are available at Busch Gardens Tampa. Food booths, gift stores, movie theaters, play parks, and concert stages are all available. For Halloween, there are haunted houses, and for Christmas, there are light shows.
You’ll never run out of interesting things to see and do no matter when you visit or who you’re traveling with! Another fantastic feature of Busch Gardens Tampa is that it is directly across the street from Adventure Island, one of Tampa’s largest water parks.
Simply punch your ticket and head to the opposite side of the road if you’re not content with all of Busch Gardens Tampa’s wacky activities. Your exciting trip doesn’t have to come to an end!
Tampa Museum of Art
If you wish to do something new during your vacations in Tampa, check the website of Tampa Museum of Art for their schedules. The art museum presents a multitude of educations events and workshops for kids and adults throughout the year. Besides the permanent collection on visual art are anytime worth a visit.
It’s one of the most beautiful vistas in Florida before you ever walk in the doors, with stone floors, translucent ceilings, and fiber optic lights. Things, on the other hand, only get better once you’re inside.
Exhibits and art galleries are available, as well as lecture halls and display rooms. The Tampa Museum of Painting has it all, from a complex collection of Roman sculptures to a messy art station where the youngsters may play with watercolors.
Another interesting feature of the museum is that it offers a number of different special events. In fact, checking the Tampa Museum of Art’s calendar before visiting is one of our suggested travel hacks; you never know what wonderful things may be added next!
Lowry Park Zoo
Lowry Park is home to around 1300 species and is known for having one of the world’s most magnificent tropical zoo settings. The Zoo brings animals and tourists together to form unforgettable, natural bonds. Known for sheltering over 20,000 animals in their natural habitats, Lowry Park is world-known zoo and a premier attraction for families in Tampa.
Touching a gigantic tortoise, feeding a giraffe, coming nose-to-nose with an Indian rhino, hand-to-fin with slippery stingrays, and more bring guests closer to animals than ever before. Water play areas, thrill coasters, and educational programs are also available for families to enjoy. Do you have a soft spot for manatees?
The Tampa Zoo is the only spot in the city where visitors may watch Florida manatees all year. The Zoo’s veterinarian and animal-care personnel treat sick, injured, and orphaned manatees at the David A. Straz Jr. Manatee Hospital, then release them back into the wild following recuperation.
You can experience some close up encounters with a few animals. Kids especially love feeding giraffes. Asian Gardens, Safari Africa Florida Manatee and Aquatic Center, Florida Wildlife Station and Wallaroo Station Children’s Zoo are among the highlights of Lowry Park Zoo.
Big Cat Rescue
A nonprofit organization, Big Cat Rescue is dedicated to rescue and rehabilitate abused and orphaned big cats. Remember to take a tour as it’s no zoo where you can wander around freely. Tours for kids are available on certain days that you can check with the sanctuary. Among the hundreds of big cats, you can spot Snow Leopards, Geoffroy Cats, Jungle Cats, Clouded Leopards, and Tigers.
Several of the felines at the Big Cat Rescue have been abused or neglected by circuses, hunters, animal testers, and exotic pet owners, and are now being rehabilitated.
The rescue’s purpose is to assist the unfortunate creatures while also informing the public about their condition. Visitors to the Big Cat Rescue can take guided tours of the animal habitats and watch webcams of the animals’ homes, nests, and recovery rooms.
You can even volunteer to care for the kitties personally if you’re staying in Tampa for more than a weekend. Big Cats Rescue is one of those places where spending money makes you feel good.
It’s a wonderful cause, and it’s a fun way to spend some time in Florida, so stop over and say hello to Andi the Bobcat and Manny the Jaguar.
Florida Aquarium
The Florida Aquarium is much more than a few fish tanks, with over 20,000 creatures distributed across 250,000 square feet. It’s Tampa’s largest aquatic collection, and it’s unquestionably one of the best spots to see in the city.
To begin, you’ll have the opportunity to see anything from underwater domes to artificial wetlands maintained in a glass atrium. If you’re a fan of Tampa’s rich fauna, the Florida Aquarium’s exhibits will make your eyes pop.
There are tenacious fish, vibrant coral, snapping sharks, strange penguins, and much more. In the 4D theater, you may watch short educational films about deep marine monsters that will rock your seat and slap you with genuine wind currents.
There’s an outdoor water playground where you and the kids may cool down if you feel like splashing about. The wild dolphin excursion, however, is one of the most amazing things to do at the Florida Aquarium.
You may board their catamaran and go dolphin viewing in Tampa’s waterways. The sight of their silver bodies glinting in the sunlight as they bob and swirl over the waves will be with you forever!
If you’re seeking for entertaining things to do in Tampa, a trip to the Florida Aquarium should be on your list.
Ybor City
Ybor City isn’t a city at all. It’s a vast Tampa neighborhood with a thriving local culture and a rich, colorful past. However, once you’ve attended a block party, you can feel as if you’ve moved outside of the Tampa area.
Ybor City, formerly known as the “cigar capital of the world,” is still home to the ruins of the old cigar mills that helped put it on the map. However, they’ve been converted into the kind of oddball attractions that make Florida such a great vacation spot.
Around every corner, you’ll discover shops, boutiques, nightclubs, microbreweries, and food trucks. Ybor City is also known for its vibrant Latino community.
You can get the best of Latin America right in the center of Tampa, whether you want to taste unusual foods or dance the night away at a salsa club. If you’re visiting Florida, stop by Ybor City.
It has such a distinct mood than Tampa that you’ll feel like you’re on a second vacation while you’re on the first. You’ll also get to enjoy some delicious arroz con pollo as a bonus!
Hillsborough River State Park
Hillsborough River State Park has been dubbed “one of Florida’s last wild locations.” It’s densely forested, with swamps, vines, bayous, and mangroves, and alligators can be seen slinking through the marshes.
It will provide plenty of photo opportunities for nature lovers and animal watchers. It’ll also present cool things to do in Tampa for a weekend break.
You might love paddling down the streams or bicycling through the woodland trails if you prefer building up a sweat. If you prefer more relaxed activities, the interpretive center can teach you about the Native American tribes who once lived in and around Florida.
Denver, Charleston, Newport, and Tallahassee are just a few of the lovely places in the United States. Florida isn’t the only state with natural treasures.
However, if you want to see some of Tampa’s most beautiful sights, go to Hillsborough River State Park. It will be a visual feast as well as a soothing balm for your soul.
International Plaza and Bay Street
The International Plaza and Bay Street, with over a million square feet of retail space, is one of the best things to do in Tampa when your money is burning a hole in your pocket.
You may fill your shopping bags with a wide selection of clothes, shoes, snacks, toys, souvenirs, and travel necessities because it is home to literally hundreds of stores and eateries.
The International Plaza and Bay Street’s proximity to the Tampa International Airport is the next best thing. It’s close enough, so you can get what you need for your flight whether you’re just getting started or just concluding your journey to Florida.
Last but not least, the International Plaza and Bay Street is a completely enclosed shopping mall, so severe weather will never stop you from shopping until you drop. You may cruise the hallways of this Tampa shopping mall rain or shine, day or night, and indulge in some top quality retail therapy.
The International Plaza and Bay Street may not be the largest mall in Florida, but it is the largest in Tampa, and it can accommodate both luxury and necessities.
Clearwater Beach
One of the best things about Florida is that there is always a beach to be found. There are water parks and sand pits that are created to look like the coastlines of coastal cities even in landlocked areas like Gainesville, so a list of things to do in Gainesville can still contain splashy fun.
Because Tampa is located on the Gulf of Mexico, it has natural beaches. Others are quiet retreats where you can snuggle with a lover or watch the sunset over the water. Some are busy spots where you can always find bonfires and volleyball games; others are peaceful retreats where you can cuddle with a lover or watch the sunset over the lake.
However, if you’re willing to go a bit south of Tampa, Clearwater Beach is undoubtedly the best beach. It’s about 25 miles west of Tampa Bay and has pretty much everything you could desire from a beach.
Swimming, surfing, jet skiing, parasailing, and paddleboarding are all options for adrenaline junkies. There are stores, cafes, restaurants, boardwalks, and a variety of street performers and musicians for culture buffs.
Weekends are especially lively, but there are enjoyable activities to be had at any time. Clearwater Beach will provide you with the type of beach experience you fantasize about when you’re stuck in your cubicle and missing Florida. It’s a tropical paradise just a short drive from Tampa, with white sands, blue seas, and pink cocktails.
Tampa Bay History Center
The Tampa Bay History Center is here to prove that Tampa is more than its glitzy casinos and fancy restaurants. It features almost 10,000 years of history for Tampa and the surrounding areas of Florida.
Begin by looking at the artifacts, relics, and preserved documents from early European expeditions to the Americas. Continue your studies by listening to retellings of the New World’s Spanish conquerors’ myths and stories.
Finish your journey with educational videos on Florida’s current society. Many people have shaped Tampa today, from evil pirates to benign residents. Learn who they are, what they’ve accomplished, and how they might impact tomorrow at the Tampa Bay History Center.
Things to do in Florida don’t have to be spectacular all of the time. The Tampa Bay History Center is an excellent example of how they can be low-key while yet being entertaining.
