Miami, Orlando, Daytona, Florida never disappoints for fun! We know Orlando for Disney and Miami and Daytona for their beaches. But what is Tampa’s claim to fame?
When you visit Tampa, you can enjoy many activities ranging from boardwalk fun to nightlife. There are Bayshore Boulevard, Tampa Bay, and Hyde Park, to name a few. Let’s not forget the University of Tampa. What about when you bring the kids along? What are things to do in Tampa with kids?
Glad you asked! Tampa is not just a travel destination for adults. There are more than a few attractions in Tampa for kids. You can opt for traditional activities like parks, museums, and beaches. Or, you can venture out and try something new: helicopter rides, ghost tours, and speedboat adventures are all a part of daily life in Tampa.
Explore all the things to do in Tampa with kids!
Moving to Tampa
Tampa is a natural Eden and considered the sixth best place to live in Florida. Situated along the Gulf Coast of Florida, Tampa is home to an array of tropical charm. The best of both worlds, Tampa offers beach and metropolitan city vibes.
The city boasts many attractions. Some of the best things to do in Tampa if you have children are to visit amusement and water parks, aquariums, zoos, beaches, parks, and museums.
Of course, there are many adult-friendly activities as well. Tampa offers several distinct districts where luxury stores and boutiques, restaurants, and nightlife are the places to be.
If you’re interested in making the move to Tampa, there are some last-minute moving tips you should consider. Your first priority should be selling your house. If you’re already living in Florida, we buy houses in Florida for a fair price.
Consider selling to a cash buyer if you want to make a quick move. Why sell your house for cash? The process is fast, easy, and doesn’t require any additional real estate fees. Better yet, you can sell your house to cash home buyers in Clermont or surrounding areas in any condition at any time.
What Makes Tampa a Great Place to Live?
Residents rate the city highly, citing safety, opportunity, and education as top reasons to live in the area. Diversity also plays a significant role in the success of Tampa as a city. Tampa has large White, African American, and Hispanic populations. There are also populations of Asians, non-white Hispanics, and other minority groups within the community.
When you make Tampa your home, the question becomes, where will you live? Tampa represents the ultimate city of options! Choose city neighborhoods or the suburbs. Seminole Heights and Hyde Park are popular city neighborhoods. Carrollwood and Riverview are small suburb communities. There are a variety of neighborhoods that can fit any need.
What about schools for the kiddos? Everything is a teachable moment in Tampa! As mentioned, Tampa holds many top-tier elementary, middle, and high schools. There are also several grade-A Head Start, early learning, and pre-K programs for toddlers and younger children. Outside of school, you can educate your kids the moment you step outside your door.
Nature and wildlife are plentiful in Tampa. You can even opt for a more liberal experience such as nature walks and the Manatee Viewing Center. Or, you can take the more supervised route, zoos, and aquariums. There is always something to do, learn, or see in Tampa, Florida.
Best Things to Do in Tampa
There is so much to do and see. What are the best things to do in Tampa?
1. Hyde Park & Hyde Park Village
Hyde Park is a premier destination for visitors and residents of Tampa alike. As an upscale neighborhood of Tampa, it is known for its luxury shopping, dining, bars, and nightlife. You can also enjoy art studios, pottery, greenhouse exhibits, and more.
2. International Plaza and Bay Street
Near the Tampa International Airport, the International Plaza and Bay Street feature affluent luxury brands like Louis Vuitton, Gucci, Coach, MCM, and Michael Kors. A traditional mall, the International Plaza, offers dining and smaller events besides shopping.
3. Ybor City
At Ybor City, residents and visitors can enjoy boutique and vintage-style shops. The Ybor City neighborhood spans 7th Avenue and 15th Street. In Ybor City, you can experience Florida’s Latin and Hispanic roots.
4. Tampa Speed Boat Adventures
What are the fun things to do in Tampa Bay? Tampa speed boat adventures offer participants a narrated tour of Tampa Bay and the surrounding areas via speedboat.
5. Davidoff of Geneva
Tampa has a long Latin history. Enjoy some of what it can teach you when you visit Davidoff of Geneva. Here, you can find the rarest of cigars and learn about the history it offers.
Did You Know This About Tampa
The area of Tampa has been around since the Spanish occupied Florida. The state of Florida entered the Union in 1845 and the official city of Tampa got its start a few years later in the late 19th century. However, the area never forgot its Latin roots. Did you know this about Tampa?
1. They found Tampa with the rise of the cigar industry. Like modern times, Florida has been a retreat for Caribbean, Central, and South American countries looking to build anew. The new inhabitants shared a little of their culture with us.
The sizeable Latin and Hispanic community, mainly Cubans, crafted and built the modern cigar industry from scratch in Tampa. 1886 was when the first cigar shop opened its doors, Sanchez y Haya cigar company, on 7th Avenue.
2. Have you ever heard of the Columbia Restaurant? It is the oldest restaurant in Tampa. Did you know this about Tampa? The Columbia Restaurant is famed for its Spanish bean soup. The recipe is over 100 years old, and they still use it today
3. Did you know Tampa had a signature sandwich? Well, it does. The Cuban sandwich originated in Tampa. It is made from ham, pork, salami, Swiss cheese, pickles, mustard, and Cuban bread. The special ingredient is the Genoa salami.
4. Do you know what this list has in common? They are each found in Ybor City. Along with its rich Latin history and zesty attractions, Ybor City has ghosts. That is right, Ybor City is a haunted place. It claims the most ghosts in Tampa.
What have we learned? Ybor City is the place to go for fun things to do in Tampa on Saturday night such as live music and dance classes.
Best Things to Do in Tampa if You Have Children
We have covered what adults and big kids can do in Tampa. But, what are things to do in Tampa with kids? Tampa offers amusement parks, wildlife, water parks, and much more. Here are a few of the best things to do in Tampa with family.
Busch Gardens
Orlando has Disney. Tampa has Busch Gardens.
Busch Gardens Tampa is an African-themed amusement park. Tour the vast regions of Africa. Start in Egypt or Morocco, Northern Africa, and end in the Congo or Serengeti Plain.
This theme park is packed with family fun. You and the kids can choose from many thrill rides like roller coasters, dine in several cafes and restaurants, and take in a show or two. Did we mention the safari? Take in a 65-acre guided tour. The kids can even see and touch famous African animals at the petting zoo.
Manatee Viewing Center
Each year manatees migrate from the Gulf to Tampa and the surrounding areas. Florida hosts several natural springs. The springs attract manatees for their warmth. Temperatures in the springs never exceed 72 degrees Farrenheit. Perfect for the manatees!
You can couple the warm natural springs with the warm water affected by the Tampa power plants and you create the ideal playground for manatees. Hundreds of manatees flock to Tampa as a part of the migration each year. Learn about marine biology while having the time of your life frolicking with the manatees. This is one of the best things to do in Tampa with kids.
ZooQuarium
ZooQuarium merges The Florida Aquarium and ZooTampa into one unbelievable experience that’s fun for the whole family.
The Florida Aquarium is full of aquatic wildlife the entire family can enjoy. You will see creatures large and small. Play with and touch the otters, sharks, and stingrays. See the scary alligators. Florida is famous for them. Become amazed by the ocean’s greatest gift, whales. There are even penguins and dolphins! Take a 75-minute dolphin cruise and experience these creatures up close.
The animals at ZooTampa are not far away. Touch and feel over 1.300 animals and Florida wildlife. ZooTampa has it all. There are gentle giants like elephants and African predators like lions. See the giant tortoises, giraffes, rhinos, and much more.
Did we mention manatees? At ZooQuarium, you do not have to wait for the Manatee migration pattern to bring them back to Tampa. See them year-round. The kids can see real-life veterinarians nurse manatees back to health and release them back into the wild.
Museum of Science and Industry (MOSI)
Tampa’s Museum of Science and Industry is the “scientific playground” for kids and adults.
Enjoy:
- A Look Inside: Discover the human body and learn about nutrition, fitness, medicine, and technology and how they each fit together inside you. Peak into your brain for a game of Mindball or Operation. Walk around in drunk driving goggles and see firsthand how alcohol affects the body.
- ConnectUs: Get a first look at the very best new technology has to offer our world.
- Dinovations Lab: Dinosaurs. Learn about paleontology and the prehistoric era in the Dinovation Lab. Join the paleontology crime lab and tackle challenges and more about Jurassic life. Plus, see the Diplodocus in person!
- Mission: Moonbase: Live the life of an astronaut. Grow your own food. Build your own lunar colony, and walk the Moon’s surface like Neil Armstrong.
- Ideazone: Have you ever built a robot? You can in the Ideazone. There is a new theme each month. Each theme is designed to get your mind pumping, inventing, and tinkering the day away.
- I Wonder…: Learn the foundations of physics, optics, geology, and math. The kids can lie on a bed of nails and test magnets moving a giant pendulum.
- The Saunders Planetarium: Look up at the stars and star into the Milky Way.
- Sky Trail Ropes Course: Battle the elements and tackle a 36-foot structure.
- Virtual Reality Simulator: Walk-in space. Run with dinosaurs. Experience all that science has to offer in the virtual reality world.
No matter what you choose, you and the kids will love all there is to do and see in Tampa.
Local Parks in Tampa
If you would rather take the kids on a more scenic route. You and the family can enjoy the local parks in Tampa.
1. Cotanchobee Park: Discover the waterfront at Cotanchobee Park. The park is 4.5 acres and rests on the Tampa Riverwalk. There is a playground, pier, Heroes Plaza, and a memorial for the Seminole Indian Wars.
2. Curtis Hixon Waterfront Park: Right on Tampa’s waterfront, the Curtis Hixon Waterfront Park is perfect for pets and children. Enjoy a splash zone, the dog park, or one of the many events hosted at the park each year.
3. Perry Harvey Park: Perry Harvey, Sr. Park is a beacon of culture and history in Tampa. Enjoy sightseeing down Leaders Row or History Walk. Take in the Gateway Sculptures or see an interactive fountain, street performances, or summer festival. Visitors to the park can also enjoy a game of basketball or skating.
4. WaterWorks Park: The Water Works Park is home to Ulele Springs. Take in the natural scenes or have a picnic lunch. While your lunching, the children can play on the playground and splash around in the water.
5. Julian B. Lane Riverfront Park: Enjoy the 25-acres adjacent to the University of Tampa at the Julian B. Lane Riverfront Park. The park features the Tampa River Center, a small water park, sports courts, a boathouse and ramps, and a large dog park. If you’re feeling adventurous, visit Tampa Bay by canoeing or kayaking from one of the rental locations at Riverfront Park.
Play Centers in Tampa
- iFly Tampa: Indoor skydiving
- Tampa Bay Grand Prix: Go-kart racing
- Little Explorers Palm Harbor: Indoor playground
- Urban Air Trampoline and Adventure Park: Indoor trampolines with open jump, and parties.
- Bounce House: Inflatable playground
Attractions in Tampa
- Ybor City
- Busch Gardens
- ZooTampa
- The Florida Aquarium
- Hyde Park
There is No End to the Things to do in Tampa with Kids
There is much to see and do in Tampa with kids. Wander the famous Tampa neighborhoods or visit the famous attractions like the aquarium and the zoo.
Depending on the mood you are in, you can immerse yourself in nature, enjoying the natural parks and springs, or you can stuff your face in Ybor City, taking in all that Latin cuisine that’s on offer in Tampa.
Enjoy beautiful Clearwater Beach, just a stone’s throw away, explore the state parks, spend the day in the lazy river and on the waterslides at Adventure Island, or enjoy the nightlife of downtown Tampa.
If you’re looking for companies that buy houses so Tampa can be your next home, Problem Property Pals can help you sell your house fast so you can start enjoying the beautiful adventures that Tampa has to offer.
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