Tampa, Florida, is a popular tourist destination. Visitors flock to this city, located on a bay off the Gulf of Mexico, to cheer on its sports teams, explore its museums, and enjoy the gorgeous beaches nearby. You could spend days touring spots like the Florida Aquarium and ZooTampa and have a blast at Busch Gardens amusement park. Come evening, retire in one of the luxury rentals and hotels in Tampa. However, if you’re looking for ways to mix up your usual vacation activities, Tampa also has lots of truly unique attractions. Whether you’ve exhausted yourself of the area’s major attractions or are just looking to have an unconventional vacation, here are some ideas for the best non-touristy things to do in Tampa.
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1. Visit the Hindu Temple of Florida
You don’t have to travel to Southeast Asia to visit a magnificent Hindu temple. Whether you are looking to worship, learn more about Hinduism, or see a breathtaking place, head to the Hindu Temple of Florida in Tampa. The Hindu Temple of Florida was first founded in 1983 by a group who wished to practice Sanatana dharma in their new home. Over the next few decades, the temple expanded in size, services offered, and the building itself. The temple is a magnificent structure with an intricately sculpted tower reaching up to the sky. Tours are free, so add this interesting spot to your Tampa itinerary.
Hindu Temple of Florida
Address: 5509 Lynn Road, Tampa, FL 33624
Website: Hindu Temple of Florida
Opening hours: 9:30am - 9pm (daily)
Price: Free
2. Take part in the Gasparilla Pirate Festival
If you’re in Tampa at the end of January, be sure to make a stop at the Gasparilla Pirate Festival! This annual tradition was inspired by Jose Gaspar, a pirate in the late 18th and early 19th centuries. The event starts with hundreds of pirates invading Tampa aboard a pirate ship. A huge parade follows, which is the third largest in the US and attended by hundreds of thousands of onlookers. Most folks dress in pirate garb as they attend the rest of the day’s events, including music, games, food, and more!
Gasparilla Pirate Festival
Address: Locations throughout downtown Tampa
Website: Gasparilla Pirate Festival
Opening hours: Occurs the last Saturday in January
Price: Free
3. Buy a sponge or loofah at Tarpon Springs
Editor's Note: There's no photo available at the time of writing
Buying a loofah might seem like a strange addition to your Tampa itinerary, but Tampa is located just a short drive away from the sponge capital of the world, Tarpon Springs. The sponge industry has been the heart of Tarpon Springs since the 1800s, when Greek immigrants began harvesting the natural sponges underwater. Today, this charming city still boasts Greek influences and lots of sponge products in a quaint area with narrow streets and canals. You can buy a sponge, once a skeleton of a small sea creature, or a loofah, the dried part of a loofah plant, at many spots along the historic Sponge Docks.
Tarpon Sponge Company
Website: Tarpon Sponge Company
Opening hours: Mon - Thurs: 10am - 6pm; Fri - Sun: 10am - 9pm
Price: Varies
Tip from Trip101 local expert
The best sponge shops are located along Dodecanese Blvd., which has a lively Greek atmosphere and delicious restaurants. The area normally has a relaxed atmosphere but can be extremely busy during university spring break (March and April) when students create a vibrant party scene. A must-do activity is going on sponge diving tours from one of the local companies. These tours include a 40-minute boat cruise with local sponge divers who tell you about the history and experience!
Visited this place?
4. Check out the two-headed gator of Seminole Heights
Strolling around the streets of the Seminole Heights neighborhood in Tampa, you might notice a lot of two-headed alligator drawings and sculptures popping up. The legend of the two-headed gator comes from old Florida folklore. In 2014, a man claimed to have seen a real one, and a questionable picture was printed in the Tampa Bay Times. The neighborhood has embraced this mythical creature, so while you’re in town take your picture with a six-foot statue version at Southern Brewing and Winemaking or see the alleged taxidermy original at Ella’s Americana Folk Art Cafe.
Ella's Americana Folk Art Cafe
Address: 5119 N. Nebraska Ave Tampa, Fl 33603
Website: Ella’s Americana Folk Art Cafe
Opening hours: Tue - Wed: 5pm - 11pm; Thur - Sat: 11am - 12am; Sun: 11am - 8pm (Closed Mon)
Price: Varies
5. Head to Tampa Theatre
If you’re looking for relaxing things to do in Tampa, watching a movie is a great option. Why head to a regular movie theater when you can go to the unique Tampa Theatre instead? This historic theater dates to the 1920s and has an elegant interior. The ceiling lights up like a night sky and the walls are designed to look like a Mediterranean courtyard. The Tampa Theatre shows movies, including first run and classic films, concerts, and other events.
Tampa Theatre
Address: 711 N Franklin St. Tampa, FL 33602
Website: Tampa Theatre
Opening hours: Showtimes vary
Price: Movie tickets are 11 USD
6. Explore Ulele Fairyland Figures
Happy Hump(ty) Day. Make yours eggs-tra special at Ulele. (Photo: @momma_hubs. Fairyland character restoration by The Hulfish Project.)
Posted by Ulele on Wednesday, 30 January 2019
Kids and adults alike will enjoy visiting the Ulele Fairyland Figures. These fiberglass figures of fairy tale characters like Humpty Dumpty, the Three Little Pigs, and more once called the Lowry Park Zoo in Tampa home. When the zoo sold the figures, they sat deteriorating in a storage unit for decades. The city auctioned them off and they were bought by the owner of restaurant Ulele, one of the top casual restaurants in Tampa. Today, they stand proudly restored outside of the restaurant and are free to visit!
Ulele Fairyland Figures
Address: 1810 North Highland Avenue, Tampa, FL 33602
Website: Ulele Fairyland Figures
Opening hours: All day
Price: Free
7. Go kayaking
Tampa is a big city, but it is located in an area that is rich in marine wildlife. What better way to explore the area’s natural beauty than by boat? A great option is this Viator Clear Kayak Guided Tour. For a few hours, you can paddle around Shell Key preserve and Fort Desoto park in the nearby city of St. Petersburg. The tour will take you through protected waters and mangrove tunnels and you might spot a manatee, dolphin, or manta ray in the water, and pelicans, egrets, herons, and more up in the air and trees.
Tip from Trip101 local expert
Kayaking is one of the best outdoor activities in the Tampa area if you want to spend time on the water without the crowds. There are so many places to go kayaking in the area, but I recommend going to Honeymoon Island or taking the ferry to Caladesi Island, both of which are west of Tampa along its Caribbean coast. These two islands are beautiful natural areas where you can kayak to your heart's content through mangroves and along beautiful beaches. You might even get to see owls while you are out on Honeymoon Island which is always an amazing experience.
Visited this place?
Book Tours : Small-Group Clear Kayak Tour in Shell Key
8. Sightsee dolphins
Dolphins are one of Florida’s natural treasures. These playful creatures can often be spotted off the shorelines near Tampa if you know where to look. For the best experience, hop on a dolphin sightseeing cruise like this one offered by Viator. It is a 1.5-hour tour around Tampa Bay led by an expert captain. The boat drivers will know just where the dolphins like to feed and play, and can get the boat close enough so you can see them without disturbing them!
Book Tours : 1.5-hour Dolphin Sightseeing Cruise from Tampa
9. Enjoy a zipline tour at night
Ziplining is becoming an increasingly popular activity, but have you ever done one at night? On this Moonlight Zip Tour offered by Viator, enjoy the city lights of Tampa as you zoom by on 3,000 feet (914 meters) of cables! You’ll get to zipline on several different cables, providing different vantage points and speeds. Ziplining at night is a unique and thrilling experience for all ages, and a great way to plan an evening activity that’s not just dinner and a movie.
Book Tours : Moonlight Zip Line Tour
10. Take a helicopter tour
If you thought seeing the skyline of Tampa sounds fun from a zipline, wait until you see it from above in a helicopter! Your guided tour over Tampa will point out all of the city’s major sights, like the Florida Aquarium and University of Tampa. You’ll also head over to Davis Island to peer at the stunning mansions on the waterfront. See if you can spot dolphins or bottle nose whales while hovering over the Port of Tampa and Hillsborough Bay. This helicopter tour is an unforgettable experience, and it is affordable too, making it a great pick for trips with kids or romantic getaways.
Book Tours : Downtown and Tampa Bay Helicopter Tour
Other must-try activities in Tampa
While the following activities are quite popular, you can still try them if you have time after the non-touristy activities. Check them out for a great time in the city!
11. Explore the Museum of Science & Industry
Visiting Tampa without seeing this amazing museum would be a crime! The Museum of Science and Industry in Tampa is an exciting place for adults and kids alike. Here, you can experience the amazing experience of pedaling a bicycle on a one-inch cable, suspended above the ground, 30 feet (9.1 meters) in the air or sleeping on a bed of nails.
The Imagination Playground and Mission: Moonbase are the latest additions here and quite popular among visitors. The Imagination Playground gives kids the chance to engineer everything from robots to cities, using cubes, bricks and cogs. The museum forged a partnership with NASA, to create Mission: Moonbase, where visitors can experience what it would be like to travel to the moon and operate a lunar colony, where they live and work, in the year 2070. There are also outside activities here, like rope trails, which provide a lot of excitement for tourists.
Museum of Science & Industry
Address: 4801 E Fowler Ave, Tampa, FL 33617, USA
Website: Museum of Science & Industry
12. Take some selfies on the Tampa Riverwalk!
The Tampa Riverwalk is a 2.5-mile (4 km) pedestrian space on the Tampa riverfront. But this is not your regular waterfront! Instead, it is a beautifully transformed space, with the perfect selfie spots, including museums, restaurants, and parks. It is a must visit place in Tampa for anyone who wants to exercise, jog, do yoga, dog walk, cycle or just get away from the hustle and bustle of city life.
Tampa Riverwalk
Address: Tampa Riverwalk, Tampa, FL 33602, USA
Website: Tampa Riverwalk
13. See the scenic Sunshine Skyway Bridge
The Sunshine Skyway Bridge, also known as the Bob Graham Sunshine Skyway Bridge, is one of the most iconic things to see in Tampa. It spans Tampa Bay. The main span is built of cables and has a total length of 21,877 feet (6,668.1 meters) and connects St. Petersburg in Pinellas County, Terra Ceia in Manatee County and Hillsborough County, in Florida.
The bridge’s construction began in 1982 and was opened to traffic in 1987. It is constructed of steel and concrete and designed by Figg & Muller Engineering Group. The bridge has been named as one of the Top 10 Bridges in the World and is a popular site for filming movies and commercials.
Sunshine Skyway Bridge
Address: I-275, St. Petersburg, FL 33711, USA
Website: Sunshine Skyway Bridge
14. Visit Big Cat Rescue
Editor's Note: There's no photo available at the time of writing
Big Cat Rescue in Tampa Bay is one of the world’s largest sanctuaries in the world for abused and abandoned big cats. It was started in 1992 and now there are more than 80 lions, tigers, bobcats and cougars here, who have been rehabilitated after being abandoned, abused or orphaned. Big Cat Rescue also works at ending private possession and trade in exotic cats with the use of legislation and education.
Big Cat Rescue
Address: 12802 Easy St, Tampa, FL 33625, USA
Website: Big Cat Rescue
15. Watch the manatees at the Tampa Electric Manatee Viewing Center
Editor's Note: There's no photo available at the time of writing
The Tampa Electric Manatee Viewing Center is one of the best things to do for any visitor to Tampa Bay. It is an official manatee sanctuary and it offers visitors a chance to spot manatees in the cold, Gulf water. Here, you can get a view of adult and baby manatees, lolling about in the water, when the waters are cool.
It is open from November 1 until April 15 and its elevated viewing area is structured as a perch, upon which you can spot manatees and catch a breath of fresh air. If you have any questions about manatees, just ask the employees and volunteers, moving about in the area and they will be happy to answer you. There is also an Educational Center here, which teaches visitors about manatees and you can also climb up the 50-foot (15.2-meter) wildlife observation viewing tower, to get a scenic view of the ecosystem or have a picnic near the tower’s base.
Tampa Electric Manatee Viewing Center
Address: 6990 Dickman Rd, Apollo Beach, FL 33572, USA
16. Splash about at Adventure Island
For a break from the Florida heat, head over to Adventure Island. This waterpark is the perfect way to cool off and spend an entire day with your family or friends. This sprawling waterpark has plenty of thrilling and exciting rides like Colossal Curl, Caribbean Corkscrew, Vanish Point, and more. For those who just want to laze around in the water can try out the massive wave pool or take a leisurely float in a lazy river. Kids can enjoy splashing about in a dedicated children’s play area and riding kiddie rides.
Book Tours : Tampa: Adventure Island® Park Admission
17. Watch the kids have fun at Glazer Children's Museum
A great place for your kids to learn while having fun is Glazer Children’s Museum. Conveniently located in downtown Tampa, this museum is part of a waterfront complex and offers a range of interactive exhibits and displays suitable for children of all ages. The exhibits range in their themes from art and history to engineering and wildlife and much more. The museum regularly conducts programs and workshops too.
Glazer Children's Museum
Address: 110 W Gasparilla Plaza, Tampa, FL 33602, United States
Website: Glazer Children’s Museum
Opening hours: Tue - Fri: 10am - 5pm; Sat: 10am - 6pm; Sun: 1pm - 6pm (closed on Mon)
Price: 12.50 USD onwards
18. Admire the photos at The Florida Museum of Photographic Arts
Another downtown Tampa gem, The Florida Museum of Photographic Arts is a must-visit spot for all art and photography lovers. Housed in a beautiful building, this museum is dedicated to displaying brilliant photographs taken by well-known national and international photographers. The museum has permanent and rotating exhibitions encompassing themes like nature, human behavior, social causes, travel, arts, portraits, landscapes, and more. The museum also conducts classes and events throughout the year.
The Florida Museum of Photographic Arts
Address: 400 North Ashley Drive Cube 200, Tampa, FL 33602, United States
Website: The Florida Museum of Photographic Arts
Opening hours: Mon: 12pm - 5pm; Wed: 12pm - 5pm (closed on Tue, Thu, Fri, Sat & Sun)
Price: 10 USD
19. Experience flying at iFLY Tampa Indoor Skydiving
If skydiving has always been on your bucket list but you’ve been too afraid to try it out, then indoor skydiving might interest you. At iFLY Tampa Indoor Skydiving, you can experience skydiving and flying with the aid of a vertical wind tunnel. After receiving detailed instructions and donning your flying suit, you will be guided into experiencing a minute-long freefall in the wind tunnel. This is surely one experience that you will never forget!
20. Take your kids to ZooTampa at Lowry Park
Spend a day seeing and interacting with animals at ZooTampa at Lowry Park. Your kids will love watching diverse wildlife species housed here, like tigers, rhinos, koalas, panthers, manatees, apes, birds, and more. The zoo provides natural habitat for animals from across the continents and aids in their conservation. There are kid-friendly rides, splash pads and other attractions here that are sure to delight the little ones in your family.
Book Tours : ZooTampa at Lowry Park Admission Ticket
21. Go on a roller-coaster ride at Busch Gardens
Riding a roller coaster at Busch Gardens in one of the most fun things to do in Tampa. It is a family adventure park, featuring animal encounters, live entertainment and the world’s best thrill rides. It has a fabulous roller coaster, making it Florida’s leader in thrill rides and it also has the best entertainment, for all ages. Busch Gardens also has animal habitats, with more than 12,000 animals and it is counted among the largest zoos in the US.
Busch Gardens Tampa
Address: 10165 N McKinley Dr, Tampa, FL 33612, USA
Website: Busch Gardens Tampa
Book Tours : Busch Gardens Tampa Bay Admission Ticket
22. Wild Florida Wildlife Park tour
If you’re looking for cool things to do in Tampa, go on this Wild Florida Wildlife Park tour, which gives you a chance to explore the Florida Everglades ecosystem, by foot or airboat. Wild Florida Wildlife Park is situated in Kenansville, which is close to Tampa. You will need to buy the tickets for entry into the park, which roughly costs 18 USD for adults and 15 USD for children, and is included in the cost of the airboat tour (25–60 USD).
You can walk through the wildlife park, where there are exotic animals from all over the world, like Africa, Australia and South America and you will obviously also see species native to Florida, like alligators, white-tailed deer and tropical birds.
Wild Florida Wildlife Park tour
Address: 3301 Lake Cypress Road, Kenansville, Florida 34739, USA
23. Visit the famous Florida Aquarium in Tampa Bay
The Florida Aquarium in Tampa is located in the Channel district of Tampa and is an amazing place to explore with your family and friends. You can delve straight into this wonderful underwater kingdom, which features a majestic collection of 20,000 undersea plants and animals. It also has an outdoor water park and there are many interactive exhibits here, as well. In the Wetlands exhibit, you can observe the alligator swamps and an astounding 4.3 meter (14 foot) length Burmese python, or explore the open water by going on a wild dolphin expedition, on the aquarium’s 22 meter (72 foot) catamaran.
The Florida Aquarium in Tampa Bay
Address: 701 Channelside Dr, Tampa, FL 33602, USA
Website: The Florida Aquarium
Book Tours : The Florida Aquarium in Tampa General Admission
A destination for everyone
Whether you want to do popular outdoor activities in Tampa or try out things that are off the beaten path, the city and surrounding areas have tons of options to choose from. Besides the activities on this list, you could head to the historic city of St. Petersburg to visit the unique Salvador Dali museum, or go further out to St. Pete Beach and Treasure Island for relaxation on an endless sandy beach. We hope this list helps you plan a vacation that is both traditional and slightly offbeat, and fun for everyone.
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