Whether you are visiting for the first time or a returning guest, Tampa Bay is sure to offer you a unique experience that includes great food and dining, world class beaches, pro sports and a diverse culture and history.
Sports enthusiasts can easily attend games for several professional teams including the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Tampa Bay Rays and Tampa Bay Lightning.
Those interested in the arts should note the Bay area is home to many quality art museums, including the Salvador Dalí Museum in St. Petersburg and numerous performing arts centers such as Ruth Eckerd Hall in Clearwater and the Straz Center for the Performing Arts in Tampa.
If you time it right, you might also find Tampa Bay celebrating one of its many cultural events such as the annual Gasparilla Pirate Fest in January or Guavaween held in October in Ybor City.
And of course, we cannot forget to mention our beaches featuring warm, blue gulf waters and a vibrant coastal night life, all of which brings people from all over the world to visit Tampa Bay every year.
We recommend you take your time and explore our great city during your visit to the Bay area!
Sand and sun is probably why you are visiting Florida in the first place. Here are the best beaches to visit.
- Siesta Key - It's a rare occurrence when Siesta Key isn't in the running for top U.S. beach. Located in Sarasota, a little drive away from Tampa, it has beautiful white sand and clean beaches.
- Clearwater Beach - An extremely popular beach, especially among the Spring Break crowd. Its popularity can cause it to get crowded but don't worry, they recently installed a ferry to make the trip easier.
- Pass-a-Grille - Located in St.Pete Beach this quaint, quiet beach is also consistently ranked as the best of Florida. Visit the Merry Pier or go kayaking.
A varied city with varied attractions. For the days that are too hot for the beach, here are some other options.
- MOSI - There's something for everyone at the education museum based on teaching the public more about science, industry and technology. Permanent exhibits include the butterfly garden, zip line and ropes course, flight simulator and an IMAX dome theater.
- The Dali Museum - See artwork from Salvador Dali's entire career (1904 to 1989) with key works including 96 oil paintings, original drawings, sculptures photos and much more.
- Tampa History Museum - Located on the Tampa Riverwalk, this museum has everything you need to know about Tampa with about cigar factories, sports legends, railroad tycoons, cattle drives, and Florida's first native inhabitants. It also has a small café version of The Columbia restaurant if you can't make it to the one in Ybor.
- Busch Gardens - Some of the fastest, tallest roller coasters in the south east along with animals that can only be seen on an African safari. Newly added Falcon's Fury is the tallest freestanding drop tower in North America.
- Tampa Theater - It's been ranked as one of the most beautiful theaters in the world and when you step inside you will see why. The 1920s Baroque/Mediterranean style and live organ performance before every movie will take you back in time.
- Tampa Riverwalk -- A site 40 years in the making. It's a 1.8 -mile path from the Straz center to Channelside with restaurants, bars and waterfront views along the way. With a Riverwalk cup people can stroll along the path with a drink in hand.
- Ruth Eckerd Hall -- The place for performing arts in St. Pete. Some of the entertainment this year includes: Ringo Starr, Guys & Dolls, Bill Maher, Last Comic Standing Live Tour and much more.
One of the first things you may notice or have heard about Tampa is Gasparilla. Pirates and their plundering date back to the beginning of the city and have given the Bay Area a defining event.
Jose Gaspar was a Buccaneer who terrorized the waters of West Florida in the 18th and 19th century. He referred to himself as Gasparilla and accounts from his diary boast the capture of 36 ships during his years pirating.
So, to honor the terror he brought to the area, Tampa dedicated a parade in his name and it has has spawned into a number of fun events through the Tampa area.
- Gasparilla Parade - Beads, buccaneers and lots of beer. But don't worry, there parades for the kids too! And even one for the Knight owls.
- Gasparilla Music Festival - Held at Curtis Hixon Park, this event is new but is getting bigger every year. Previous acts include The Flaming Lips and Modest Mouse.
- Gasparilla Film Festival - First launched in 2006 GIFF has grown into an annual celebration of movies and helping grow the film industry of Tampa Bay and Florida. Previous guests include Colin Farrell, Chazz Palminteri and Sean Astin.
- Gasparilla Distance Classic - Instead of drinking beer and catching beads you can run a half marathon! Winners get prize money and there's a celebration afterwards at the Tampa Bay Times Forum.
Tampa has exquisite and exotic restaurants that are nationally ranked and locally loved. Here are the places you can't miss.
- Bern's Steakhouse - If you ask anyone in the Tampa area where to go for the best steak and amazing service they will all point you to Bern's. It's more than an award winning eatery, it's also an experience with wine cellar and kitchen tours and an internationally famous dessert room.
- The Columbia - Over 100 years old, this restaurant has as much delicious food as it does history. The oldest Spanish eatery in the United States it's also one of the largest, occupying a full block in Ybor City. Beautiful tile and conquistador ornamentation make you feel like you've stepped back in time. Oh, and the food is great too. Don't miss the Cuban sandwich, sangria, 1905 Salad and flan.
- Ulele -- Pronounced you-lay-lee, this restaurant celebrates the vibrant fusion of ingredients from Florida waters and land once home to many Native Americans, including the young princess Ulele. Right on the Riverwalk it also has its own brewery that utilizes fresh fruit and locally sourced honey.
- Datz - A food lovers dream. It's a craft beer oasis, bourbon lover's paradise, culinary education center and specialty food market all rolled into one. Get there early on weekend mornings!
Tampa Bay offers year-round competition with numerous sports teams:
- National Football League - Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- Major League Baseball - Tampa Bay Rays
- National Hockey League - Tampa Bay Lightning
- North American Soccer League - Tampa Bay Rowdies
- Arena Football League - Tampa Bay Storm
We also play host to numerous sporting events, such as the Firestone Grand Prix in St. Petersburg, and two college football bowl games: The Outback Bowl played at Raymond James Stadium, and the Bitcoin St. Petersburg Bowl at Tropicana Field.
Several Major League baseball teams call Tampa Bay their home... at least for Spring Training! In the month of March you can find the Toronto Blue Jays in Dunedin, the Philadelphia Phillies in Clearwater, the New York Yankees in Tampa, the Detroit Tigers in Lakeland, the Pittsburgh Pirates in Bradenton, and the Baltimore Orioles in Sarasota.
In some years Tampa Bay has also played host to the Super Bowl NCAA championship basketball games.
Some things just don't fit into a category, but they are still worth mentioning. The Tampa area is filled with little gems that you shouldn't miss.
- Candy Kitchen - Located on Madeira Beach, this is the home of nostalgic candy, homemade ice cream and a line out the door on Summer nights. Find candy and toys from your childhood and get a brownie Sunday that will put you in a sugar coma.
- Banana Records - Rolling Stone picked this place as one of the top 30 record stores in the United States and it's no joke. They have a vinyl warehouse and a retail store with over 3 million Lps and 45s. The owners of the store are almost always on hand and will help you find what you are looking for.
- Tampa Trolley -- Tampa's first electric streetcar lines built in 1892 quickly became an essential part of everyday life as workers took the streetcar downtown and to the cigar factories of west Tampa. Today, electric streetcars are back in Tampa, supporting continued growth in Downtown, Channelside and Ybor City. Take a trip back in time!
- St. Petersburg Shuffleboard Club - This club has been open since 1924 and it's still hopping. With over 100 courts, clubhouse, ballroom and bleachers - it's fun for everyone. Free for non-members on Friday and Saturday evenings.
If you're flying in to Tampa Bay, know that we're a major transportation hub in the Southeast, and we have three international airports, as well as many smaller local airports, if you happen to pilot your own plane.
Our International Airports:
And some of our general aviation airports:
- Albert Whitted Airport (SPG) in downtown St. Pete
- Peter O. Knight Airport (TPF) near downtown Tampa
- Lakeland Linder Regional Airport (LAL) in Polk County
