Tampa · Florida, USA
Things to Do in Tampa: Tours, Tickets & Day Trips
The best things to do in Tampa, ranked by real traveller reviews: tour the city by street-legal golf cart, ride the coasters at Busch Gardens, walk the cigar-rolling streets of Ybor City, cruise the bay with dolphins, meet the manatees at Apollo Beach, stroll the Riverwalk and drive 40 minutes to Clearwater Beach. Compare tours, tickets and day trips side by side — most with free cancellation.
170 experiences Free cancellation Top-rated tours Instant booking
Sunset tours in Tampa
Departures that are under way when the sun sets in the coming weeks — start times checked against the local sunset.
Good for families in Tampa
Children can join from a young age and pay less than adults — taken from each operator’s price list.
Browse
Explore Tampa by interest
Whatever brings you to Tampa — world-class museums, the river, or a long lunch — start with the experiences travellers love most.
What to see
Top attractions in Tampa
The landmarks that define the city — and the tickets and tours that get you in, often skipping the line.
Busch Gardens
Coasters & safari.
10 toursView tours
Tampa Bay
Skyline cruises.
15 toursView tours
Airboat Rides
Wild Florida.
10 toursView tours
Ybor City
Cigar quarter.
10 toursView tours
Clearwater Beach
White sand.
10 toursView tours
Dolphins
Bay wildlife.
15 toursView tours
Riverwalk
Downtown.
15 toursView tours
Theme Park Rides
Coasters.
10 toursView tours
45 min awayClearwater Beach
White sand.
from $53View trips
20 min awayBusch Gardens
Coasters & safari.
from $36View trips
Region awayAirboat Ride
Wild Florida.
from $27View trips
Bay awayDolphin Cruise
Wild dolphins.
from $27View trips
City awayYbor City
Cigar quarter.
from $40View trips
City awayBay Cruise
Skyline sails.
from $27View trips
Practical guide
Know before you go
Short, straight answers to the questions every Tampa visitor asks before booking.
Winter (Dec–Mar)
Warm, dry and sunny — the best time to visit.
Spring (Apr–May)
Warm and pleasant, before the summer heat.
Summer (Jun–Sep)
Hot and humid with afternoon storms.
Autumn (Oct–Nov)
Warm and quieter, a good time to visit.
For the beach
Winter and spring for the Gulf beaches.
Best overall
December to April for warm, dry days.
One day
The riverwalk, Ybor City and a bay cruise.
Two days
Add Busch Gardens or an airboat ride.
Three days
Add Clearwater Beach and dolphin cruises.
For families
Busch Gardens, airboats and dolphins.
For the beach
A Clearwater Beach day trip.
For culture
Historic Ybor City.
On foot
The riverwalk and Ybor City are walkable.
Trolley
The historic trolley links downtown and Ybor.
By boat
Cruises and water taxis ply the bay.
By car
A car is handy for Busch Gardens and beaches.
Where to stay
Stay downtown or near the riverwalk.
US dollar
The US uses the dollar; cards widely accepted.
Busch Gardens
Buy tickets ahead and arrive early.
Bay cruises
Book sunset cruises in advance.
Airboat tours
Go early for the most wildlife.
Clearwater
Arrive early on weekends for parking.
Ybor City
Try a Cuban sandwich in the Latin quarter.
Sun protection
Bring sunscreen, a hat and water.
Busch Gardens
Tickets sell out on peak days — book ahead.
Bay cruises
Sunset cruises fill up — reserve early.
Dolphin cruises
Family cruises fill up — book ahead.
Airboat tours
Airboat rides fill up — reserve early.
Beach trips
Clearwater day trips fill up — book ahead.
Winter season
December to April is busiest — book well ahead.
Busch Gardens
Around $36–120 for a theme park ticket.
Bay cruise
About $27–50 for a Tampa Bay cruise.
Airboat ride
Roughly $27–60 for an airboat tour.
Ybor tour
Around $40–70 for a food or history tour.
Beach trip
About $53–90 for a Clearwater day trip.
How to save
Join group tours to save over private ones.
When to visit
Tampa through the seasons
What's best, how busy it gets, and one booking tip for each time of year.
Winter (Dec–Mar)
Dec–Mar
- Best for
- Beach & city.
- Crowds
- Booking tip
- Peak.
Spring (Apr–May)
Apr–May
- Best for
- Warm days.
- Crowds
- Booking tip
- Lovely.
Summer (Jun–Sep)
Jun–Sep
- Best for
- Theme parks.
- Crowds
- Booking tip
- Humid.
Autumn (Oct–Nov)
Oct–Nov
- Best for
- Quieter city.
- Crowds
- Booking tip
- Warm.
People also ask
Tampa travel FAQ
What are the top 10 things to do in Tampa?
Ranked by traveller reviews: 1) the street-legal golf-cart sightseeing tour, 2) Busch Gardens Tampa Bay, 3) the Ybor City historic walking tour, 4) the Tampa history or dolphin cruise on the bay, 5) the Florida Aquarium, 6) the floating tiki-boat bar on the Hillsborough River, 7) ZooTampa at Lowry Park, 8) the Tampa Riverwalk and Armature Works, 9) the manatees at Apollo Beach in winter and 10) a day trip to Clearwater Beach or St. Pete.
How many days do you need in Tampa?
Plan two to three days. Day one: the golf-cart or trolley tour, the Riverwalk, the Florida Aquarium and an evening in Ybor City. Day two: Busch Gardens (a full day) or ZooTampa plus the Museum of Science and Industry. Day three: a dolphin or history cruise, then Clearwater Beach or the Dalí Museum in St. Petersburg, both about 30–40 minutes away.
What to do in Tampa for free?
The Riverwalk from the Straz Center to the Aquarium, Bayshore Boulevard’s 4.5-mile waterfront sidewalk, the free TECO streetcar to Ybor City, the Ybor City Museum State Park gardens, Sparkman Wharf, Armature Works’ food hall, Curtis Hixon Park, the manatees at the Apollo Beach viewing centre in winter, Lettuce Lake Park, the Sunday market at Hyde Park Village and the Gulf beaches from Fort De Soto to Clearwater (parking fees apply).
What are the best day trips from Tampa?
Clearwater Beach and Pier 60 (40 minutes), St. Petersburg for the Dalí Museum and the Pier (30 minutes), Tarpon Springs’ Greek sponge docks (45 minutes), the manatees of Crystal River (90 minutes) and Weeki Wachee Springs (one hour), Fort De Soto’s beaches (45 minutes), Anna Maria Island (one hour), LEGOLAND Florida in Winter Haven (one hour) and Orlando’s theme parks (90 minutes).
What to do in Tampa at night?
Ybor City’s 7th Avenue for cigar bars, salsa clubs and the Columbia Restaurant’s flamenco show; the Riverwalk, Sparkman Wharf and Armature Works for waterfront drinks; a sunset tiki-boat or dolphin cruise; a Lightning game at Amalie Arena; the Straz Center for Broadway shows; a ghost tour or haunted pub crawl; and the Seminole Hard Rock casino. In late January the Gasparilla pirate invasion takes over the bay.
What is there to do in Tampa in winter?
Winter is peak season, with highs around 70°F and no humidity. The manatees gather at the Apollo Beach viewing centre from November to April, Busch Gardens runs Christmas Town, the Gasparilla Pirate Festival is in late January, the Florida State Fair in February and Yankees spring training in March. Every cruise, tour and theme park is open; book beach hotels early.
What are the best things to do in Tampa with kids?
Busch Gardens and its Serengeti animals, the Florida Aquarium, ZooTampa at Lowry Park, the Glazer Children’s Museum on the Riverwalk, the Museum of Science and Industry, the Clearwater Marine Aquarium, a dolphin cruise, Adventure Island water park in summer, the manatees at Apollo Beach, the Riverwalk’s water taxi and LEGOLAND an hour away.
When is the best time to visit Tampa?
November to April — warm, dry and sunny, with the manatee season, Gasparilla and spring training. March and April are the busiest and priciest weeks. Summer is hot and humid with daily afternoon storms, and hurricane season peaks in September, but hotel prices drop sharply.
Is Busch Gardens Tampa worth it?
Yes for thrill-seekers and families — it combines Florida’s best roller coasters (SheiKra, Iron Gwazi, Montu) with a 65-acre Serengeti Plain of giraffes, zebras and rhinos, and it is less crowded than the Orlando parks. Allow a full day; buy tickets online for the lowest price and go on a weekday.
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