Things to do in Tampa

A trip to Florida isn’t complete without a trip to Tampa and while we’ve all know about the city we don’t necessarily know what things to do in Tampa. Don’t worry I’ve got you covered! Tampa is home to some amazing food, unique shopping areas, and of course water! So what are the best things to do in Tampa? I got you covered!

Top things to do in Tampa

First stop was Hyde Park Village and of course coffee! Buddy Coffee roasts single origin coffee that tastes amazing! When you walk in you see many locals working on their laptops so you know it’s good!

Hyde Park Village is a mixture of national retail and local shops. Plus they have the Tampa Bay Mural! Some fun shops to browse through included cute boutiques, beauty shops, and a pottery painting place.

I have to say my favorite place was Fig and Julep. It’s basically a gourmet food store with an olive oil and vinegar tasting section. Almost anything there is available for tasting. Blood orange olive oil and lavender honey were on the top of my list. Plus it’s fun to browse all the cool food products and pretend I can be a chef (not a skill I possess).  Any foodie will LOVE this little shop.

After trips to Tarpon Springs, Orlando, and Weeki Wachee I was starting to feel some traveler’s fatigue.  After doing a Google search on the best places to get your nails done, I found Crave Spa. This cute place was close to Hyde Park and was the perfect place to relax. One of the best parts were all of the gorgeous nail designs. I went with something simple for the time, but they have some seriously talented nail artists who create some stellar designs. Plus on the weekends the have mimosas.

Eating in Tampa

Dough is a desert parlor and I’m still drooling over it. You can get charcoal infused vanilla ice-cream in a donut cone (my recommendation!) or one of their other tasty choices like a creme brulee donut or strawberry champagne cupcake. Honestly, there are just too many decisions that look so good. Bring 10 people so you can try one of everything. As if you haven’t eaten enough already, make sure to wash it down with a latte. Maybe butterbeer, peanut butter chocolate, nutella, or BACON (if you’ve tried the bacon please let me know- I was too scared, but how awesome!)

Things to do at the Tampa Riverwalk

With belly’s full we went to the Tampa Riverwalk. This place is bustling with people, pop-up activities, and plenty of culture. There is the Tampa Museum of Art, Museum of Photographic Art, the Aqu

arium and other things to do.  The Tampa aquarium is a great treat! We got to pet sting rays, see sharks and birds, and my favorite part- get close to otters! They were on the other side of the glass, but it was fun to see them swim back and forth and their such playful animals!

The best way to see the river? By bike boat!  Basically, you bike on the water! I’ve never heard of this before, but I have to say this is one of the more unique things to do in Tampa. We stayed to watch the sunset and bring out our inner child and play in the fountains! Although Tampa Bay Water Bike Company is temporarily closed, I can say this one is our favorite.

All in all, Tampa is so big it can be overwhelming trying to find things to do.  With only one day we managed to cram a lot in and have a great time. If you have an extra day to spare make sure to check out Tarpon Springs, a Floridian-Greek city, or St. Petersburg, a fun destination for art lovers!

Where To Stay in Florida

• Seminole Hard Rock – Where we stayed
• Grand Hyatt Tampa Bay – Popular pick
• The Godfrey Hotel & Cabanas Tampa – Budget friendly

What are your favorite things to do in Tampa?

Things to do in Tampa does include gifted items. As a blogger I strive to give the most accurate information featuring the best destinations and so all opinions are my own.

Last Updated 2 days ago by Jessica Serna | Published: January 9, 2018