Tampa travel guide
Things to Do in Tampa: Attractions and Restaurants Worth Visiting
Tampa is easy to enjoy when you combine one walkable neighborhood, one major attraction and one memorable meal. This guide offers a relaxed way to experience the city without trying to fit everything into a single day.
Start along the Tampa Riverwalk
The Tampa Riverwalk connects parks, museums, waterfront views and several downtown attractions. It is a practical starting point because you can walk between Curtis Hixon Waterfront Park, the Tampa Museum of Art, the Tampa Bay History Center and the area surrounding the Florida Aquarium.
Families can spend part of the day at the aquarium or Glazer Children’s Museum, while adults may prefer the art museum, history center or a relaxed walk beside the Hillsborough River.
Explore Ybor City
Ybor City is Tampa’s historic Latin district and remains one of the best places to experience the city’s Cuban, Spanish and cigar-making heritage. Walk Seventh Avenue, browse the small shops and visit the neighborhood museum before dinner.
The TECO streetcar connects Ybor City with the Channel District and downtown, making it possible to combine these areas without moving your car several times.
Visit a waterfront attraction
The Florida Aquarium is a strong choice for families and rainy or especially hot days. Nearby Sparkman Wharf offers outdoor seating, food options and views of the channel. For history, the Tampa Bay History Center sits directly on the Riverwalk and includes exhibits on the region’s Indigenous, immigrant, maritime and cigar-industry history.
Restaurants to visit in Tampa
Columbia Restaurant — Ybor City
Founded in 1905, the original Columbia occupies an entire Ybor City block and serves Spanish and Cuban dishes in richly decorated dining rooms. It is a natural choice for visitors who want dinner to feel connected to Tampa’s history. Reservations are wise, especially if you want to attend a flamenco performance.
Visit the Columbia Restaurant websiteUlele — Tampa Heights
Ulele sits near Water Works Park at the north end of the Riverwalk. The menu draws on Florida ingredients and native-inspired flavors, and the riverfront location works well for lunch, dinner or a meal paired with a Riverwalk stroll.
Visit the Ulele websiteBern’s Steak House — South Howard
Bern’s is Tampa’s classic special-occasion steakhouse, known for dry-aged steaks, an extensive wine collection and its separate dessert room. Plan ahead: popular reservation times can be difficult to secure, and the restaurant has a dress code.
Visit the Bern’s Steak House websiteArmature Works — Tampa Heights
Armature Works is a restored historic building overlooking the Hillsborough River. Its food-hall format makes it especially useful for groups who want different choices, and the surrounding lawn and waterfront provide space to relax before or after eating.
Visit the Armature Works websiteColumbia Cafe — Tampa Riverwalk
Located inside the Tampa Bay History Center, Columbia Cafe offers a more casual waterfront way to sample Cuban and Spanish-inspired favorites. It fits easily into a downtown itinerary and avoids a separate trip to Ybor when time is limited.
Visit the Columbia Cafe websiteA simple one-day Tampa itinerary
- Morning: Visit the Florida Aquarium or Tampa Bay History Center.
- Lunch: Eat at Columbia Cafe or choose from the vendors at Armature Works.
- Afternoon: Walk part of the Riverwalk and stop at Curtis Hixon Waterfront Park or the Tampa Museum of Art.
- Evening: Explore Ybor City and have dinner at the Columbia, or reserve Bern’s for a special occasion.
Transportation tips for your Tampa visit
Downtown attractions are relatively close together, but Tampa’s airport, beaches, Ybor City, South Howard and surrounding communities cover a much larger area. Prearranged private transportation can be helpful for airport arrivals, cruise connections, dinners, family outings and groups traveling with luggage or car-seat needs.
Wright Executive Transportation provides scheduled private rides throughout Tampa Bay, including Tampa International Airport, Port Tampa Bay, Clearwater, St. Petersburg and longer-distance destinations.
Helpful planning sources
Attraction information was checked against the City of Tampa and Visit Tampa Bay Riverwalk guide. Restaurant details should always be confirmed directly before visiting because hours, menus and reservation policies can change.