Tampa Tours &
Things to Do
Discover the best Tampa tours and things to do on Florida’s Gulf Coast: ride the coasters at Busch Gardens, cruise Tampa Bay to spot dolphins, glide across the Everglades on an airboat, explore historic Ybor City, and day-trip to the white sands of Clearwater Beach. Compare top-rated experiences and plan the perfect trip.
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Explore Tampa by interest
Whatever brings you to Tampa — world-class museums, the river, or a long lunch — start with the experiences travellers love most.
Top attractions in Tampa
The landmarks that define the city — and the tickets and tours that get you in, often skipping the line.
Busch Gardens
Coasters & safari.
Tampa Bay
Skyline cruises.
Airboat Rides
Wild Florida.
Ybor City
Cigar quarter.
Clearwater Beach
White sand.
Dolphins
Bay wildlife.
Riverwalk
Downtown.
Theme Park Rides
Coasters.
45 min awayClearwater Beach
White sand.
20 min awayBusch Gardens
Coasters & safari.
Region awayAirboat Ride
Wild Florida.
Bay awayDolphin Cruise
Wild dolphins.
City awayYbor City
Cigar quarter.
City awayBay Cruise
Skyline sails.
Know before you go
Short, straight answers to the questions every Tampa visitor asks before booking.
Winter (Dec–Mar)
Warm, dry and sunny — the best time to visit.
Spring (Apr–May)
Warm and pleasant, before the summer heat.
Summer (Jun–Sep)
Hot and humid with afternoon storms.
Autumn (Oct–Nov)
Warm and quieter, a good time to visit.
For the beach
Winter and spring for the Gulf beaches.
Best overall
December to April for warm, dry days.
One day
The riverwalk, Ybor City and a bay cruise.
Two days
Add Busch Gardens or an airboat ride.
Three days
Add Clearwater Beach and dolphin cruises.
For families
Busch Gardens, airboats and dolphins.
For the beach
A Clearwater Beach day trip.
For culture
Historic Ybor City.
On foot
The riverwalk and Ybor City are walkable.
Trolley
The historic trolley links downtown and Ybor.
By boat
Cruises and water taxis ply the bay.
By car
A car is handy for Busch Gardens and beaches.
Where to stay
Stay downtown or near the riverwalk.
US dollar
The US uses the dollar; cards widely accepted.
Busch Gardens
Buy tickets ahead and arrive early.
Bay cruises
Book sunset cruises in advance.
Airboat tours
Go early for the most wildlife.
Clearwater
Arrive early on weekends for parking.
Ybor City
Try a Cuban sandwich in the Latin quarter.
Sun protection
Bring sunscreen, a hat and water.
Busch Gardens
Tickets sell out on peak days — book ahead.
Bay cruises
Sunset cruises fill up — reserve early.
Dolphin cruises
Family cruises fill up — book ahead.
Airboat tours
Airboat rides fill up — reserve early.
Beach trips
Clearwater day trips fill up — book ahead.
Winter season
December to April is busiest — book well ahead.
Busch Gardens
Around $36–120 for a theme park ticket.
Bay cruise
About $27–50 for a Tampa Bay cruise.
Airboat ride
Roughly $27–60 for an airboat tour.
Ybor tour
Around $40–70 for a food or history tour.
Beach trip
About $53–90 for a Clearwater day trip.
How to save
Join group tours to save over private ones.
Tampa through the seasons
What's best, how busy it gets, and one booking tip for each time of year.
- Best for
- Beach & city.
- Crowds
- Booking tip
- Peak.
- Best for
- Warm days.
- Crowds
- Booking tip
- Lovely.
- Best for
- Theme parks.
- Crowds
- Booking tip
- Humid.
- Best for
- Quieter city.
- Crowds
- Booking tip
- Warm.