Stand on the Tampa Riverwalk where it passes the Tampa Convention Center and the water opens out on both sides: the Hillsborough River behind you, Tampa Bay ahead, and a continuous path linking downtown's museums to the Channel District. That stretch is the simplest way to understand how Tampa is put together.
The city suits travellers who want a walkable downtown core, a serious aquarium and history museum, and a separate historic district to explore in the evening. Families with children will find the north Tampa attractions worth a full day of their own.
1. Tampa Riverwalk
A 2.4-mile walkway that connects the Tampa Heights district with the heart of Downtown and continues to the Florida Aquarium in the Channel District. It is free, and it is the spine of any visit: parks, hotels, bars and restaurants sit along the route, including the popular Curtis Hixon park, the Tampa Performing Arts Center and the Amalie Arena.
Use it as your transport between sights rather than a single destination. Walking it in one direction and stopping at the Tampa Bay History Center or the Tampa Museum of Art along the way covers several entries on this list without any extra planning.
2. Florida Aquarium
At 701 Channelside Drive in the Channel District, just east of downtown. The exhibits follow a drop of rain from a swamp through Florida's aquifer, into its rivers and out to the Gulf of Mexico and the Atlantic Ocean. There is a restaurant, gift shop, children's play area, touch tank, interactive dive experiences and eco-tours of Tampa Bay.
The outdoor water play area is included with admission, so on hotter days bring swim attire and towels for children; bathrooms are adjacent for changing. Parking at the main lot carries a fee, and on busier days only members may use it, with others directed to nearby garages. Buying tickets online is cheaper than at the door.
3. Tampa Bay History Center
At 801 Water Street, right on the Riverwalk. Three floors of permanent and temporary exhibition space cover 12,000 years of Florida history, with a special focus on Tampa Bay and the Gulf Coast. The building also holds a museum store, classrooms, the Witt Research Center, a map gallery, an event hall and the Columbia Cafe, a branch of Ybor City's Columbia Restaurant.
Pair it with the Riverwalk and the Tampa Museum of Art, which are close by. The Columbia Cafe inside makes it a convenient lunch stop rather than a separate trip.
4. Tampa Museum of Art
At 120 W. Gasparilla Plaza, downtown on the Hillsborough River. Opening hours run Monday to Thursday 11AM to 7PM, Friday 11AM to 8PM, and Saturday and Sunday 11AM to 5PM. Adult admission is $20, with reduced rates for seniors, Florida educators, military plus one guest, and students, and free entry for children aged 6 and under.
It sits on the Riverwalk, so combine it with a walk along the water or with the Tampa Bay History Center. The Friday evening opening is the latest slot of the week if you want to fit it in after a day elsewhere.
5. Ybor City
The historic multi-ethnic district northeast of downtown and north of the Channel District, reflecting the city's Cuban and Spanish heritage. It is the area to head for in the evening, and the Columbia Restaurant here has a branch inside the Tampa Bay History Center downtown.
Treat Ybor City as its own half-day or evening rather than something to squeeze between downtown sights. It is separate from the Riverwalk cluster, so plan the trip across town deliberately.
6. University of Tampa
Built at the turn of the 20th century as the Tampa Bay Hotel by railroad magnate H.B. Plant, the building now serves as the administration building and classrooms for the University of Tampa. It has been restored to most of its prior glory, and the ballroom is a showpiece with its domed ceiling under brilliant silver minarets.
There is a small but interesting museum in the building that recreates a large portion of Tampa's early history and shows how the hotel appeared when it first opened. Combine it with a downtown day, since it sits on the edge of the centre.
7. Tampa Theatre
At 711 Franklin Street, opened in 1926 in downtown. This historic movie palace shows a wide range of independent, foreign and documentary films daily, and it has been listed in the National Register of Historic Places since 1978. It is Tampa's only non-profit theatre, with operating costs largely covered by its membership programme, corporate sponsors and ticket sales.
Architecturally striking inside and out, so it is worth seeing even around a film. Check what is screening before you build an evening around it.
8. Bayshore Boulevard
A waterfront road on Hillsborough Bay in South Tampa, an easy walk across the Platt Street bridge from the Riverwalk or the Convention Center. Its sidewalk runs 4.5 miles and is 10 feet wide, widely used for recreation and exercise, with a 3-mile bike lane, a linear park and the Bayshore Greenway Trail providing views of urban Tampa and the water. It is free.
Benches, a water fountain, bicycle parking, a city marina and workout stations line the route, and many large and historic homes face the road. Go on foot or by bike from the downtown side rather than driving to it.
9. Channel District
The district has many shops and restaurants and is one of the beginnings of the Tampa Riverwalk. Formerly home to a shopping centre named Channelside Bay Plaza, the area was completely remodelled and reopened in late 2018 as Sparkman Wharf, with takeaway eateries, a beer garden and a lively lawn beside the waterfront. It also serves as a major cruise hub, with five lines embarking or stopping in Tampa, and the Florida Aquarium is here.
Come for the lawn and the food stalls, and use it as the eastern end of a Riverwalk walk. It is the natural place to finish a downtown afternoon.
10. Tampa Convention Center
At 333 S. Franklin St, on the southeast corner of Channelside Dr. and S. Franklin St. Events run over a wide variety of hours almost every day, with national, international, regional and local groups renting space. Some activities require an entrance fee, but many are open to the general public free or for a small fee.
The Riverwalk passes along the south and west sides of the building, and a parking garage for visitors sits just north of it. On the Tampa Bay side is a boat dock area where private boats may be docked for a fee, and several outlets inside sell food and drinks. On the east side of the property is the Sail Pavilion, which has some food but mainly sells alcoholic beverages.
11. Sacred Heart Catholic Church
At 509 North Florida Ave, a Roman Catholic church built in 1905. This large, predominantly Romanesque building is one of the oldest churches in the Tampa Bay region.
It is a short stop rather than a destination in itself, best fitted into a downtown walk between the Riverwalk and the Tampa Theatre.
12. Busch Gardens Tampa Bay
On McKinley Drive, more than just an amusement park and also a top-notch zoo. Rides range from a large merry-go-round to the rollercoaster Montu, and shows run daily, including ice skating, singing, magic and birds. Food outlets run from fast food such as popcorn and fries to sit-down meals.
Watch for special events, which happen often: Howl-O-Scream at Halloween keeps the park open all night, and there are overnight stays, New Year's events and ticket sales for Florida residents. It is an expensive day out, so check current prices and any offers before committing.
13. Zoo Tampa at Lowry Park
At 1101 West Sligh Avenue, open daily 9:30AM to 5PM. It features children's areas, restaurants, a manatee hospital and encounters with animals from around the world. Popular sections include the Florida Wildlife Center with alligators, bears and manatees, the Asian Gardens with komodo dragons, rhinoceroses and leopards, and Safari Africa with meerkats, elephants and a wide variety of African animals.
Make sure to tour the aviary and feed the lorikeets. There is a large water play area near the entry and another in the Australia area, so bring a towel and a change of clothes on hot days. Buying tickets online gives a discount per person.
14. Museum of Science and Industry (MOSI)
At 4801 E Fowler Ave, open daily 9AM to 6PM. A hands-on children's science museum with an IMAX dome and revolving exhibits, and a straightforward way to spend a day with a family.
It sits in the same part of north Tampa as the University of South Florida, so the two can be paired if you are already heading that way.
15. University of South Florida
At 4202 E. Fowler Ave, the main campus of the university. It is known for greenery, fountains and architecture, and was named the top architecture school in Florida by the Florida Board of Architecture and Interior Design in 2002. The South Florida Bulls play Division I football at Raymond James Stadium and basketball at the on-campus Yuengling Center, among other sports.
This is a campus visit rather than a sight with opening hours, so check whether an event is on before making the trip north.
If you only have one day
Morning: Start on the Tampa Riverwalk and walk it toward the Channel District, stopping at the Tampa Museum of Art on the Hillsborough River when it opens at 11AM. Continue to the Tampa Bay History Center on Water Street, where the Columbia Cafe makes a convenient lunch stop.
Afternoon: Spend the early afternoon at the Florida Aquarium at 701 Channelside Drive, just east of downtown. If the day is hot and you have children, bring swim attire and towels for the outdoor water play area. Finish the afternoon in the Channel District, walking the Sparkman Wharf lawn and beer garden beside the waterfront, then cross the Platt Street bridge to Bayshore Boulevard for a walk or bike ride along the water.
Evening: Head to Ybor City for the evening, the historic district northeast of downtown and north of the Channel District. If you would rather stay central, check what is screening at the Tampa Theatre on Franklin Street instead.
When is the best time of day to visit the Tampa Museum of Art?
It opens at 11AM daily. Monday to Thursday it closes at 7PM, Friday at 8PM, and Saturday and Sunday at 5PM, so Friday gives you the latest start if you want to visit after other sights.
Do I need to pay for parking at the Florida Aquarium?
There is a fee for parking at the main lot. On busier days and times only members are allowed to use it, and other visitors are directed to parking garages nearby.
Can I walk between the downtown sights?
Yes. The Tampa Riverwalk is a 2.4-mile walkway connecting Tampa Heights with downtown and the Florida Aquarium in the Channel District, passing the Tampa Convention Center, the Tampa Bay History Center and the Tampa Museum of Art. Bayshore Boulevard is an easy walk across the Platt Street bridge from the Riverwalk or the Convention Center.
What should I bring to the zoo or the aquarium on a hot day?
Both have water play areas for children. At the Florida Aquarium the outdoor water play area is included with admission, and at Zoo Tampa at Lowry Park there is a large water play area near the entry and another in the Australia area. Bring a towel and a change of clothes.
Pick the downtown cluster for your first day and the north Tampa attractions for your second, and you can start planning around the Riverwalk as your route between them.