Outdoors · Tampa · United States
8 best outdoor things to do in Tampa
Parks, viewpoints and open-air sights for the dry, bright days.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Pictured: Busch Gardens Tampa Bay, Tampa · Photo: ClaudiaTampa39 at en.wikipedia, Public domain
Quick answer
Start with Tampa Riverwalk, Busch Gardens Tampa Bay and The Florida Aquarium. Together the 8 picks below take roughly 17–24 hours across 7 areas; 3 are free.
Key facts
- Places in this guide
- 8
- Free entry
- 3
- Time to see them all
- 17–24 hours
- Areas
- Downtown, North Tampa and Channel District
Plan a trip to Tampa
Compare flights, places to stay and rental cars, then book with the provider you choose.
Outdoors in Tampa
Waterfront · Downtown
1.Tampa Riverwalk
Walk it north at sunset for the view of the Plant Museum's minarets across the river, finishing at Armature Works for dinner.
- Time needed
- 1–2 hours
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- Outdoors
- Views
- Couples
- Iconic
Theme park · North Tampa
2.Busch Gardens Tampa Bay
Ride the big coasters in the first hour, before queues build and summer thunderstorms close them in the afternoon.
- Time needed
- Full day
- Cost
- Expensive
- Kids
- Iconic
- Active
- Nature
Aquarium · Channel District
3.The Florida Aquarium
Time your visit with a scheduled dive show at the coral reef tank; the timetable is posted at the entrance.
- Time needed
- 2–3 hours
- Cost
- Mid-priced
- Kids
- Rainy day
- Nature
Zoo · Lowry Park
4.ZooTampa at Lowry Park
Head to the manatee area first; it is one of the few places to see manatees up close outside the winter season.
- Time needed
- Half a day
- Cost
- Mid-priced
- Kids
- Nature
- Outdoors
Waterfront · Hyde Park
5.Bayshore Boulevard
Go at sunrise or sunset to avoid the heat, and look out for dolphins in the bay.
- Time needed
- 1–2 hours
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- Outdoors
- Views
- Active
Market · Tampa Heights
6.Armature Works and Heights Public Market
Take the Pirate Water Taxi from downtown and arrive by river.
- Time needed
- 1–2 hours
- Cost
- Low cost
- Food
- After dark
- Outdoors
Nature · Apollo Beach
7.Manatee Viewing Center
Go on the morning after a cold night in January or February, when the most manatees crowd into the canal.
- Time needed
- 1–1.5 hours
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- Nature
- Kids
- Off the beaten path
Park · North Tampa
8.Lettuce Lake Park
Visit in the cooler morning hours; wildlife is most active and the boardwalk is shaded.
- Time needed
- 1.5 hours
- Cost
- Low cost
- Nature
- Outdoors
- Kids
- Photo spot
Grouped by area
| Area | Places | Time needed |
|---|---|---|
| Downtown | Tampa Riverwalk | 1–2 hours |
| North Tampa | Busch Gardens Tampa Bay and Lettuce Lake Park | Full day + 1.5 hours |
| Channel District | The Florida Aquarium | 2–3 hours |
| Lowry Park | ZooTampa at Lowry Park | Half a day |
| Hyde Park | Bayshore Boulevard | 1–2 hours |
| Tampa Heights | Armature Works and Heights Public Market | 1–2 hours |
| Apollo Beach | Manatee Viewing Center | 1–1.5 hours |
Booking and timing
Of these 8, 3 free, 2 low cost, 2 mid-priced, 1 expensive. Book ahead for Busch Gardens Tampa Bay. The longest visit is Busch Gardens Tampa Bay; group the rest by area to save travel time.
- Busch Gardens Tampa Bay: Tickets bought online in advance are usually cheaper than at the gate; safari truck tours sell out on busy days.
How to fit them into 5 half-days
Grouped by area and kept to about four hours each, so you walk more than you ride.
- Half-day 1 (Downtown): Tampa Riverwalk, at least 1 hour.
- Half-day 2 (North Tampa): Busch Gardens Tampa Bay, at least 6 hours.
- Half-day 3 (North Tampa and Channel District): Lettuce Lake Park → The Florida Aquarium, at least 4 hours.
- Half-day 4 (Lowry Park): ZooTampa at Lowry Park, at least 3 hours.
- Half-day 5 (Hyde Park, Tampa Heights and Apollo Beach): Bayshore Boulevard → Armature Works and Heights Public Market → Manatee Viewing Center, at least 3 hours.
The best months to be outside
- December: highs of 23°C (73°F), about 5 rainy days, moderate crowds. Mild and sunny, with holiday lights along the Riverwalk and at the Plant Museum; busy around Christmas.
- November: highs of 26°C (79°F), about 4 rainy days, moderate crowds. Dry, warm and comfortable; hurricane season ends and the winter visitors start to arrive.
- February: highs of 23°C (73°F), about 6 rainy days, busy crowds. Dry and pleasant, with baseball spring training starting and the state fair in town.
The neighbourhoods they are in
- Downtown and the Riverwalk — Office towers and hotels along the Hillsborough River, with museums on the waterfront
- Hyde Park and SoHo — Bungalows and brick streets off Bayshore Boulevard, with a bar strip on South Howard
- Tampa Heights — Restored streetcar depot food hall and a riverside lawn at the north end of the Riverwalk
More of Tampa
Questions travellers ask
+Where should I start in Tampa?
Tampa Riverwalk. A continuous waterfront path of about 4 km runs from the Channel District along the Garrison Channel and the Hillsborough River to Tampa Heights.
+Which of these are free in Tampa?
Tampa Riverwalk, Bayshore Boulevard and Manatee Viewing Center.