Rainy day · Tampa · United States
8 things to do in Tampa when it rains
Indoor sights that make a wet day feel planned rather than lost.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Pictured: Ybor City Historic District, Tampa · Photo: Peter K Burian, CC BY-SA 4.0
Quick answer
Start with The Florida Aquarium, Henry B. Plant Museum and Ybor City Museum State Park. Together the 8 picks below take roughly 13–16 hours across 4 areas; all charge for entry. July is usually the wettest month, with about 17 rainy days.
Key facts
- Places in this guide
- 8
- Free entry
- 0
- Time to see them all
- 13–16 hours
- Areas
- Channel District, University of Tampa and Ybor City
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Tampa on a rainy day
Aquarium · Channel District
1.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
Museum · University of Tampa
2.Henry B. Plant Museum
Visit in December, when the rooms are decorated for the museum's Victorian Christmas Stroll.
- Time needed
- 1–1.5 hours
- Cost
- Low cost
- History
- Architecture
- Rainy day
- Photo spot
Museum · Ybor City
3.Ybor City Museum State Park
Start your Ybor visit here to make sense of the buildings you will pass on 7th Avenue.
- Time needed
- 1 hour
- Cost
- Low cost
- History
- Rainy day
- Off the beaten path
Historic site · Ybor City
4.J.C. Newman Cigar Company (El Reloj)
Book a tour slot online; you can buy cigars rolled on site at the shop afterwards.
- Time needed
- 1.5 hours
- Cost
- Low cost
- History
- Off the beaten path
- Rainy day
Architecture · Downtown
5.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
6.Tampa Museum of Art
Combine it with the Glazer Children's Museum and the Curtis Hixon park lawns next door.
- Time needed
- 1.5 hours
- Cost
- Mid-priced
- Art
- Rainy day
- History
Museum · Downtown
7.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
Museum · Channel District
8.Tampa Bay History Center
The map gallery upstairs holds centuries of rare Florida maps and is easy to miss.
- Time needed
- 1.5–2 hours
- Cost
- Mid-priced
- History
- Kids
- Rainy day
Grouped by area
| Area | Places | Time needed |
|---|---|---|
| Channel District | The Florida Aquarium and Tampa Bay History Center | 2–3 hours + 1.5–2 hours |
| University of Tampa | Henry B. Plant Museum | 1–1.5 hours |
| Ybor City | Ybor City Museum State Park and J.C. Newman Cigar Company (El Reloj) | 1 hour + 1.5 hours |
| Downtown | Tampa Theatre, Tampa Museum of Art and Glazer Children's Museum | 2 hours with a film + 1.5 hours + 2–3 hours |
Booking and timing
Of these 8, 4 low cost, 4 mid-priced. None needs booking far in advance. The longest visit is The Florida Aquarium; group the rest by area to save travel time.
How to fit them into 4 half-days
Grouped by area and kept to about four hours each, so you walk more than you ride.
- Half-day 1 (Channel District): The Florida Aquarium → Tampa Bay History Center, at least 4 hours.
- Half-day 2 (University of Tampa and Ybor City): Henry B. Plant Museum → Ybor City Museum State Park → J.C. Newman Cigar Company (El Reloj), at least 4 hours.
- Half-day 3 (Downtown): Tampa Theatre → Tampa Museum of Art, at least 4 hours.
- Half-day 4 (Downtown): Glazer Children's Museum, at least 2 hours.
The wettest months
- July: highs of 33°C (91°F), about 17 rainy days, moderate crowds. Hot and humid with frequent lightning storms; plan beaches and theme parks for the morning.
- August: highs of 33°C (91°F), about 17 rainy days, quiet crowds. The wettest, most humid stretch and the start of peak hurricane risk; hotel prices are at their lowest.
- June: highs of 32°C (90°F), about 13 rainy days, moderate crowds. The rainy season begins, usually as a short, heavy thunderstorm in the afternoon; hurricane season officially starts.
The neighbourhoods they are in
- Downtown and the Riverwalk — Office towers and hotels along the Hillsborough River, with museums on the waterfront
- Channel District and Water Street — New towers, the cruise terminals and the Florida Aquarium on Garrison Channel
- Ybor City — Brick cigar factories, wrought-iron balconies and the city's busiest bar street
More of Tampa
Questions travellers ask
+Where should I start in Tampa?
The Florida Aquarium. The aquarium follows a drop of water from Florida's springs and wetlands to its coral reefs, with a mangrove gallery under a glass dome, a large coral reef tank and a penguin habitat.