Season guide · Tampa · United States
Tampa in winter
December–February: weather, crowds, prices and the best things to do this time of year.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Pictured: Busch Gardens Tampa Bay, Tampa · Photo: ClaudiaTampa39 at en.wikipedia, Public domain
Quick answer
Mild, dry and sunny, with Gasparilla, the state fair and manatees in warm-water refuges; too cool for most people to swim. Expect highs up to 23°C (73°F) and lows around 11°C (52°F), with about 17 rainy days across December–February.
Key facts
- Months
- December–February
- Temperatures
- 11°C (52°F) to 23°C (73°F)
- Rainy days in the season
- About 17
- Sea
- 19°C (66°F) to 20°C (68°F)
- Crowds
- Busy
- Hotel prices
- High
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Weather in winter
| Month | High | Low | Rainy days | Daylight | Crowds |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 22°C (72°F) | 11°C (52°F) | 6 | 10.5 h | 4/5 |
| February | 23°C (73°F) | 12°C (54°F) | 6 | 11.2 h | 4/5 |
| December | 23°C (73°F) | 12°C (54°F) | 5 | 10.4 h | 3/5 |
Compared with the rest of the year: average highs of 23°C (73°F) against a yearly 28°C (82°F), and 17 of the year's roughly 100 rainy days fall in these 3 months. Crowds rate 4/5 and hotel prices 4/5 on average.
What's on in winter
Recurring events; dates move from year to year, so confirm with the organiser.
- January: Gasparilla Pirate Festival — pirate ship invasion and parade along Bayshore (usually late January)
- February: Florida State Fair (usually February)
- February: MLB spring training — the Yankees play at Steinbrenner Field (late February to March)
- December: Victorian Christmas Stroll at the Henry B. Plant Museum (usually December)
- December: Winter Village ice rink in Curtis Hixon Park (usually late November to early January)
Make the most of the weather
Nature · Apollo Beach
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
Lettuce Lake Park
A county park on the Hillsborough River with a boardwalk through cypress swamp and an observation tower over the water, where alligators, turtles, ibis and herons are common.
- Time needed
- 1.5 hours
- Cost
- Low cost
- Nature
- Outdoors
- Kids
- Photo spot
Waterfront · Downtown
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
Busch Gardens Tampa Bay
An Africa-themed theme park with some of Florida's biggest roller coasters, including the dive coaster SheiKra, the inverted Montu and the wooden-steel hybrid Iron Gwazi.
- Time needed
- Full day
- Cost
- Expensive
- Kids
- Iconic
- Active
- Nature
Aquarium · Channel District
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
Day trips in winter
- Weeki Wachee Springs (About 1 hour by car) — A state park built around a deep, clear spring where 'mermaids' have performed underwater shows in a submerged theatre since 1947.
- Crystal River and Three Sisters Springs (About 1 hour 40 minutes by car) — In winter, hundreds of manatees shelter in the warm springs of Kings Bay at Crystal River.
What to pack
- Light layers for the day and a light jacket for the evening
- Comfortable walking shoes
Other times of year
Questions travellers ask
+Is winter a good time to visit Tampa?
It is a trade-off: Mild, dry and sunny, with Gasparilla, the state fair and manatees in warm-water refuges; too cool for most people to swim. The best months overall are March–May and November.
+What is the weather like in Tampa in winter?
Highs of up to 23°C (73°F) and lows around 11°C (52°F), with about 17 rainy days over the season.