Month guide · Tampa · United States
Tampa in October
What October is really like in Tampa: weather, crowds, prices, events and what to pack.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Pictured: Columbia Restaurant, Tampa · Photo: LittleT889, CC BY 4.0
Quick answer
October is a shoulder-season month. Expect average highs of 29°C (84°F), lows of 20°C (68°F), about 5 rainy days and roughly 11.4 hours of daylight. The rains ease and humidity drops through the month; a good time for outdoor festivals, though storms remain possible.
Key facts
- Average high / low
- 29°C (84°F) / 20°C (68°F)
- Rainy days
- About 5
- Daylight
- About 11.4 hours
- Sea temperature
- 26°C (79°F)
- Crowds
- Moderate
- Hotel prices
- Average
Plan a trip to Tampa
Compare flights, places to stay and rental cars, then book with the provider you choose.
Weather in October
October is the 6th-warmest month in Tampa: days average 29°C (84°F) against a yearly average high of 28°C (82°F), and nights fall to about 20°C (68°F). Rain falls on roughly 5 of its 31 days. Compared with September (32°C (90°F)), October is cooler; by November highs drop to around 26°C (79°F).
- Sunrise (15 October)
- About 07:30
- Sunset (15 October)
- About 19:01
- Daylight
- About 11.4 hours
- Sea
- 26°C (79°F)
Autumn (September–November). September is stormy and the peak of hurricane risk; by November it is dry and comfortable with stone crab season under way.
Crowds and prices
On a 1–5 scale, October rates 3 for crowds (the peak is March at 5) and 3 for hotel prices (highest in March). Prices sit in the middle of the year's range.
Events in October
- Guavaween — Ybor City Halloween street party (usually late October)
- Stone crab season opens (mid-October)
Dates move from year to year. Check the organiser’s site before booking travel around an event.
What to do in October
Mild, settled days suit walking, viewpoints and time outdoors.
Historic site · Ybor City
J.C. Newman Cigar Company (El Reloj)
The red-brick El Reloj factory, with its clock tower, has been rolling cigars since 1910 and is the last of Tampa's historic cigar factories still in production.
- Time needed
- 1.5 hours
- Cost
- Low cost
- History
- Off the beaten path
- Rainy day
Architecture · Downtown
Tampa Theatre
Seeing a film is the best way in; guided balcony-to-backstage tours run on some days.
- Time needed
- 2 hours with a film
- Cost
- Low cost
- Architecture
- History
- After dark
- Rainy day
- Couples
Gallery · Downtown
Tampa Museum of Art
The museum's riverfront building in Curtis Hixon Park shows modern and contemporary art and one of the larger collections of Greek and Roman antiquities in the southeastern US.
- Time needed
- 1.5 hours
- Cost
- Mid-priced
- Art
- Rainy day
- History
Museum · Downtown
Glazer Children's Museum
Bring a change of clothes for the water-play gallery.
- Time needed
- 2–3 hours
- Cost
- Mid-priced
- Kids
- Rainy day
The sea averages 26°C (79°F) — warm enough to swim. Best beaches near Tampa.
What to pack
For highs near 29°C (84°F), lows near 20°C (68°F) and 5 wet days: light, breathable clothes, a sun hat and high-factor sunscreen; comfortable walking shoes.
Is October a good time to visit Tampa?
A shoulder-season month, with 2 notable events on the calendar. If your dates are flexible, March–May and November are better overall. Compare every month.
Tampa in other months
Questions travellers ask
+What time does the sun set in Tampa in October?
At about 19:01 local time in mid-October, with sunrise at about 07:30: roughly 11.4 hours of daylight.
+How warm is Tampa in October?
Average highs are around 29°C (84°F) and lows around 20°C (68°F).
+Does it rain a lot in Tampa in October?
Expect rain on about 5 days of the month.