Location: Tampa
Top Things to do in Tampa
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What to do and see in Tampa, Florida (FL): The Best Budget-friendly Things to do
Tampa is a laid-back city with a vibrant arts scene and plenty of opportunities for adventure. Busch Gardens offers thrills for families and risk-averse adrenaline junkies, as does the domed IMAX theater of the Museum of Science and Industry. Spend a day touring Tampa’s many art museums, then cheer on your favorite Tampa Bay team at a home game. Get up close and personal with the majestic lions, tigers, and leopards of the Big Cat Rescue animal sanctuary.
Restaurants in Tampa
1. Tampa Theatre
Overall Ratings
5.0 based on 706 reviews
1926 movie palace is on the National Register of Historic Places and still plays its Wurlitzer organ before shows.
Reviewed By richieactor - Sarasota, United States
A 1926 Movie Theater meticulously restored to its glory days of the silent film. Take the 2 + hour guided tour of this beautiful theater will acquaint you to the films of the past present and future. Watching and seeing an organist make the original Wurlitzer pipe organ come to life is worth the nominal tour fee - what a sound! The CEO of the non-profit historical theater is your guide, and knows all the history and more that willing to share it. If you miss the tour, buy a ticket to see an old silent film with live organ accompaniment. Certainly not like like watching a silent on TV. Thoroughly enjoyable.
2. Horse Power for Kids & Animal Sanctuary
Overall Ratings
5.0 based on 229 reviews
Animal sanctuary with exotic and livestock species. Farm animals ,exotics, pony rides ,train rides, hayrides, horseback riding all in a farm setting. We are open Thurs-Sunday, please note we are closed Mon-Wed.
Reviewed By oceanadventurerPADI - Tampa, United States
We were looking for a place to have our daughter's birthday party and stumbled on this hidden gem. We ended up having the best birthday party and the staff was amazing. We had over nearly 20 kids ranging from ages 4 to 12, and there was something for everyone. Kids ages 7-12 were able to ride horses in groups of 5. The staff had a guide riding in the front and a guide in the rear, but the kids were taught to control the well behaved (older) horses and went on a 25-30 minute trail ride on the grounds. When they returned, the next group of 5 kids went. The children younger than 7 are able to do pony rides, and all the animals appeared to be clean and well taken care of. When not riding the horses/ponies, there are animals of all types (bunnies, goats, pigs, ferrets, raccoons, etc.) and the kids were able to explore and move around freely. Everyone in attendance was amazed at how much fun everyone was having, and we were all relaxed allowing the kids play while the staff was stationed around to help with the animals. I can't be more happy with our experience at this interactive animal sanctuary. Thank you to everyone.
3. Sacred Heart Catholic Church
Overall Ratings
5.0 based on 152 reviews
Reviewed By B1714D - Belgrade, Serbia
The Sacred Heart is a beautiful Neo Gothic style church built in the very center, in the business district but close to the Riverwalk. The Church is built of stone blocks and the interior is great as well, with nice altar, stained glass and rose window.
4. Tampa Bay Rum Company, Home of Gaspar's Rum
Overall Ratings
5.0 based on 59 reviews
The Tampa Bay Rum Company is here to right a tragic wrong. The legendary pirate, Jose Gaspar, still lives in our hearts, but his rum was lost to time but what was lost is found and we are happy to now provide Tampa’s own Gaspar’s Rum. We provide Tours of our distillery and Tastings after. Come see the first Rum Distillery in Tampa Bay history!
Reviewed By mrdware1 - Naples, United States
Our tour group was small, about 8 people, so we got a lot of face time with the person leading the tour. We were able to ask lots of questions and learn about distilling rum. The best part of the tour was the rum! My wife and I were both surprised just how good it was. We ended up buying a bottle to take home! (We’ve tour other distilleries and enjoyed the visit but didn’t end up buying any spirits to take home.) I wouldn’t consider myself a “rum person” and you don’t have to be either to enjoy a visit.
5. Ybor City State Museum
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 161 reviews
The Tampa enclave's colorful history unfolds here.
Reviewed By pickytravelers40
I learned so much about the immigrants and melting pot that Ybor City was and is. It is so worth a stop, don't miss the 20 minute video, as it provides so much information. You can walk at your own pace, I was pressed for time, but spent an hour and left feeling like I read really good book. While walking the town, it was interesting to see how original Ybor buildings that were used for cigar making, commerce and social clubs in the past and how the same buildings are now being used for cigars, commerce and socialization in a new century. Loved the Roosters, don't feed them, but support 'em! Fun stop, well worth it.
6. Big Cat Rescue
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 2,223 reviews
Do you see yourself looking over the vast Serengeti plains, searching the horizon for a glimpse of a pride of Lions, or a Leopard lounging in the trees? Do you imagine yourself in India, riding an elephant through the high grass with your eyes peeled for the elusive Tiger? Have you ever thought how great it would be to hike through the rainforest, listening to the tropical birds, ever on the lookout for a Leopard or an Ocelot high in the canopy? Have you ever been to the zoo and wanted to be closer to the exotic cats; so close you could almost touch them? You don't have to spend tens of thousands of dollars to make these dreams come true. The world's largest accredited big cat rescue facility is right here in Tampa, Florida at Big Cat Rescue.
Reviewed By elizabethmP7310XL
Excellent organization who prioritizes the well-being of the cats and educating visitors on the cruelty of owning these wild animals as pets. The tour is an excellent opportunity to observe these beautiful creatures up close and learn about how to help preserve these species. Don't go to "cub petting" tourist traps! You can tell that everyone who works and volunteers with this organization genuinely loves these animals and are interested in providing the best possible life for them.
7. Henry B. Plant Museum
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 803 reviews
Once the Tampa Bay Hotel, this museum focuses on the hotel's role in the Spanish-American War.
Reviewed By G4887FSalrxejk - Orlando, United States
It’s interesting to see what people do with more money than they know what to do with. Henry B. Plant built this oddly out of place hotel and filled it with eclectic furniture and decorations from around the world. The cost was about $2,500,000 to build and $500,000 to furnish. The building is now a national historic landmark and well worth the visit. There is a 10-minute film that explains Henry B. Plant’s life and what was going on in that time period that helps explain what you will see in the museum. Guests are given handheld gadgets for a self-guided audio tour for you to hear more or less about the items at your own pace. Despite the large building being a quarter of a mile long, the museum is in a tiny space. Nonetheless, this museum has an impressive amount of antiquities on display. We spent more than an hour wandering through the rooms. Items on display are bunched up in a room easy to be seen but overwhelming with the volume of items in each room. The audio tells you anything you would need to know about the items; no reading is necessary. I’ve seen enough vintage furniture in my life, I was excited to see other interesting things in the museum like old books, Colonel Theodore Roosevelt room, a binder full of handwritten letters home from a soldier, train tickets, the writing room, the first elevator ever installed in Florida, etc. The architecture is also truly magnificent. You really get a sense of life in that day. There are only a handful of free parallel parking spaces in front of the museum otherwise Thomas Parking Garage is a free parking garage 5-minute walk away. The building is shared with the Tampa University so it's a little confusing to find the museum part. The museum is closed on Monday’s. If taking pictures of the building outside, try taking a panoramic photo on your cell, it turns out really neat. We really enjoyed this museum and will be back during December for the annual Victorian Christmas Stroll in which they play music, decorate the museum with trees, lights, antique toys, and fancy ornaments for a look at Christmas past.
8. Hyde Park
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 182 reviews
A historic part of town filled with interesting homes from the early 20th century.
Reviewed By lj3efird - Topeka, United States
Many shops and eating places have either remodeled or built new structures for neighborhood shopping and eating. High priced homes south and east toward the historic Bayshore Blvd. and Davis Island are worth a walk through to view up close, especially the houses on Newport.
9. ZooTampa at Lowry Park
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 3,931 reviews
See our full modified operations plan here: https://zootampa.org/visitor-info/new-beginning-zootampa-reopens/ ZooTampa at Lowry Park is home to more than 1300 animals and famous for having one of the most beautiful, tropical zoological settings in the world. The Zoo brings together animals and visitors to create unforgettable, natural connections. Guests get closer to wildlife than ever before by touching a giant tortoise, feeding a giraffe, getting nose-to-horn with an Indian rhino, hand-to-fin with slippery stingrays and more! Families can also splash in water play areas, feel thrills on rides and take in educational shows. Love manatees? The Zoo is the only place in Tampa where guests can see Florida manatees year round. At the David A. Straz Jr. Manatee Hospital, the Zoo’s veterinary and animal-care staff treat sick, injured and orphaned manatees, and return them to the wild after rehabilitation.
Reviewed By tompM626YY
Nestled in the lush vegetation of Lowry Park in Tampa, FL is a most wonderful zoo experience for the family. The Tampa Zoo is a world class facility filled with engaging and unique exhibits of animals from around the world. The park is clean, well maintained and staffed by some of the most friendly and well trained people you will encounter anywhere. The African Exhibit tram in particular is well worth the ride. Our tour guide Betsy provided an entertaining and fact-filled narrative while we enjoyed an up-close encounter with rhinos, giraffes, antelopes, elephants and monkeys. The zoo provides many opportunities for special animal encounters and hosts a variety of programs for children including zoo camps, sleepovers, zoo school and arts & crafts. The zoo's kids zone is well designed with kid-friendly exhibits and play areas to keep the little ones entertained. And the zoo's on-site animal hospital keeps the residents healthy while working to promote the zoo's breeding programs and sustainability initiatives. An all around great day with the family at a first-class attraction. Enjoy.
10. Bayshore Boulevard
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 965 reviews
Home of the world's longest sidewalk.
Reviewed By wimi7985 - Tampa, United States
If you want a beautiful view of the Bay, an uninterrupted sidewalk to run/walk on, and great landscaping with large upscale houses as your backdrop, definitely check out Bayshore. The scenery and no traffic on the pedestrian path makes your workout, much more pleasant!
