Are you thinking about taking a Tampa vacation? This part of Florida gives visitors an impressive mix of theme parks, wildlife, waterfront entertainment, museums, restaurants, outdoor recreation and access to beautiful Gulf Coast beaches.
Tampa can work equally well for a family vacation, couples getaway or a few days of exploring close to home. One day can be filled with roller coasters and exotic animals, while the next might include an aquarium, a walk beside the river or an afternoon relaxing near the Gulf of Mexico.
There are also plenty of memorable things to do in Tampa for families who love animals. And if getting into the water with a dolphin is on your Florida bucket list, there are several swim with dolphins near Tampa options that can be added to a larger Florida vacation.
Before we get to the dolphins, let’s start with two important parts of planning your trip: choosing where to stay and deciding what you want to do.
Tampa has hotels for almost every style of vacation. Instead of simply choosing five luxury properties, we selected a variety of accommodations based on what different travelers may be looking for. Your ideal hotel might be an upscale downtown property, a relaxing waterfront retreat or simply an affordable place close to the attractions you plan to visit most.
Travelers looking for an upscale stay should take a look at the JW Marriott Tampa Water Street. The hotel offers modern rooms and suites, swimming pools, dining choices, a spa and an excellent setting in Tampa’s growing downtown waterfront district.
Staying in this part of the city also puts you close to many of Tampa’s downtown activities. Instead of spending your entire vacation driving from one place to another, you can explore several waterfront attractions and dining areas from the same general part of town.
If you would rather escape some of the activity of downtown, the Grand Hyatt Tampa Bay provides a different Tampa experience. The property sits on 35 waterfront acres overlooking Tampa Bay and includes outdoor pools, restaurants and natural areas.
The setting makes this hotel particularly appealing for travelers who like having room to relax between sightseeing days. Enjoy the waterfront surroundings, look for local wildlife or simply spend some time at the pool before heading out for your next Tampa adventure.
Families sometimes need more than just a standard hotel room. Embassy Suites by Hilton Tampa Downtown Convention Center offers suite-style accommodations that can provide families with additional space, along with a complimentary made-to-order breakfast.
Another advantage is its downtown setting. Guests are positioned in a convenient part of Tampa for exploring the city’s waterfront district, with several popular family attractions, restaurants and entertainment areas located around downtown.
For travelers who want plenty happening after a day of sightseeing, Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Tampa offers a completely different type of stay. Instead of using the property only as a place to sleep, guests can make its restaurants, pools, spa, entertainment and casino part of their Tampa getaway.
This is especially worth considering for couples, groups of friends and adult travelers who enjoy having dining and evening activities available at their hotel. You can spend the day exploring Tampa and return to a property where there is still plenty happening after dark.
If most of your vacation budget is going toward theme parks and attractions, a practical hotel may be more important than luxury. La Quinta Inn by Wyndham Tampa Near Busch Gardens puts guests very close to one of Tampa’s biggest attractions, making it a useful option for travelers building much of their trip around the park.
That can be particularly helpful for families who expect to spend a full day at Busch Gardens and would rather stay nearby than pay extra for amenities they may barely have time to use.
Hotel prices in Tampa can change considerably depending on the season, holidays, weekends, sporting events and conventions, so compare current rates and amenities before making your reservation.
One of the biggest advantages of choosing Tampa for a Florida vacation is the variety. You do not have to spend every day doing the same type of activity. Tampa gives you amusement parks, animals, museums, history, water activities and outdoor destinations within the same vacation.
Busch Gardens Tampa Bay should be near the top of the list for families who enjoy both animals and theme parks. It combines major thrill rides with an extensive zoological collection, giving family members who may not love roller coasters plenty to see and do.
The park is home to more than 200 animal species and has a strong African theme throughout many of its wildlife areas. Visitors can see animals from around the world while also enjoying roller coasters, live entertainment and family attractions.
One of the most memorable upgrades for animal lovers is the Serengeti Safari. Guests travel through the park’s expansive Serengeti Plain in an open-air touring vehicle, with opportunities to see animals such as giraffes, zebras, rhinos and ostriches.
Families with younger children also have attractions designed for them, including Sesame Street Safari of Fun. That combination of children’s attractions, thrill rides and animals makes Busch Gardens one of the most versatile family attractions in Tampa.
Marine-life fans should save time for The Florida Aquarium during their visit. This downtown Tampa attraction gives families an opportunity to explore aquatic environments and learn about creatures that live in Florida waters and ecosystems from other parts of the world.
Depending on the exhibits available during your visit, you may encounter sharks, stingrays, sea turtles, seahorses, river otters, alligators and a colorful assortment of fish. The Coral Reef Gallery is another popular area for visitors who enjoy marine life.
Its downtown setting makes the aquarium easy to combine with other activities, dining and sightseeing during the same day.
ZooTampa at Lowry Park is another excellent stop for families interested in wildlife. More than 1,300 animals live at the zoo, giving visitors a chance to discover species from Florida and other parts of the world.
A particularly meaningful part of the zoo’s work involves manatees. Its David A. Straz Jr. Manatee Critical Care Center cares for sick, injured and orphaned manatees, with rehabilitation and eventual release back into the wild as the goal whenever possible.
For families already interested in dolphins and marine mammals, the opportunity to learn more about Florida’s manatees can make ZooTampa especially worthwhile.
Not every memorable vacation activity needs an admission ticket. One of the easiest ways to experience downtown Tampa is to spend some time exploring the city’s waterfront on foot.
The Tampa Riverwalk stretches for approximately 2.6 miles and links parks, museums, restaurants, public spaces and entertainment destinations along the Hillsborough River and downtown waterfront.
You can make the Riverwalk an activity by itself or use it to connect different stops during a downtown sightseeing day. It is also a nice change of pace after spending a full day inside a theme park.
Ybor City gives visitors a look at a completely different side of Tampa. The historic neighborhood developed around Tampa’s cigar industry and the immigrant communities that helped shape the city.
Today, visitors can walk through the historic district, learn about its Cuban and Latin heritage, browse local businesses, see cigar shops and enjoy Cuban and Spanish-influenced food.
Adding Ybor City to your itinerary is a good way to experience some of Tampa’s personality and history instead of spending your entire vacation at large attractions.
Parents traveling with younger children may want to add the Glazer Children’s Museum to their itinerary. Located downtown, the museum is designed around interactive play, creativity and hands-on learning.
It is also useful to have a few indoor activities planned during a Florida vacation. If the afternoon becomes especially hot or rainy, an indoor museum can help keep the day moving without having to return to your hotel.
If your family loves water slides and swimming pools, consider spending a day at Adventure Island. Located near Busch Gardens, the water park offers a combination of slides, pools, water attractions and areas where visitors can simply relax.
Rather than trying to squeeze Busch Gardens and Adventure Island into the same packed day, families may enjoy them more by giving each park its own day. That leaves more time for rides, breaks and spontaneous fun without constantly watching the clock.
Although most of this guide focuses on Tampa itself, a longer Tampa vacation is a great opportunity to enjoy Florida’s Gulf Coast.
Clearwater Beach is one of the best-known nearby beach destinations, offering white sand, Gulf waters, restaurants, watersports and beautiful sunsets. The area around Pier 60 becomes especially lively as the day winds down.
A beach day can also provide a welcome break between busy attraction days. After roller coasters, museums and sightseeing, spending a few hours with your feet in the sand may be exactly what everyone needs.
Tampa’s food scene is another reason to leave some open space in your itinerary. The city has strong Cuban and Spanish influences along with waterfront restaurants, contemporary dining and casual food halls.
If you want to combine dinner with a little Tampa history, consider the Columbia Restaurant in Ybor City. The family-owned restaurant dates back to 1905 and is closely associated with Tampa’s Spanish and Cuban culinary traditions.
Its historic setting makes the experience about more than simply having dinner, particularly if you are already spending part of your day exploring Ybor City.
Ulele is another interesting Tampa dining choice, especially for visitors spending time near the waterfront. Located in Tampa Heights, the restaurant features native-inspired cuisine, an on-site brewery and an attractive setting beside the water.
Consider combining dinner here with an evening stroll so you can enjoy Tampa after the daytime heat begins to fade.
Traveling with a family or group can make choosing a restaurant surprisingly difficult. Armature Works helps solve that problem by bringing multiple food choices together inside a restored historic building.
The Heights Public Market gives everyone an opportunity to find something that appeals to them, making it a useful choice when one person wants something completely different from everyone else.
Tampa has many wildlife attractions, but travelers looking specifically for an in-water dolphin program will need to venture beyond the city itself.
Dolphin World helps families explore several possibilities elsewhere in Florida. Options include the dolphin swim at Discovery Cove in Orlando, other dolphin encounters in the Orlando area and dedicated dolphin programs in St. Augustine.
The experiences are not all alike. Some are part of a full-day resort or theme park visit, while others place more emphasis on the dolphin interaction itself. Minimum ages, swimming requirements, program formats and what’s included can also differ.
Rather than choosing based only on location, compare the programs and decide which experience is the best match for the people traveling with you.
Explore Dolphin Experiences Near Tampa »
A great Tampa trip does not require filling every hour of every day. In fact, one of Tampa’s strengths is that you can create a vacation with very different experiences without making every day feel the same.
You could dedicate one day to Busch Gardens and its African animals, spend another exploring Tampa’s downtown waterfront and aquarium, discover the history and food of Ybor City on another day, and then slow everything down with an afternoon at the beach.
Animal lovers have even more possibilities. Busch Gardens, ZooTampa and Tampa’s aquarium can all become part of the itinerary, while families who want an even bigger bucket-list experience can add a dolphin program to their Florida travel plans.
Whether you are coming from across the country or already live in the Tampa Bay area, there is always another neighborhood, attraction, restaurant or Florida experience waiting to be discovered.
Families have plenty of choices, including Busch Gardens Tampa Bay, ZooTampa at Lowry Park, Glazer Children’s Museum, Adventure Island and Tampa’s aquarium. Which ones you choose should depend on your children’s ages and whether they prefer animals, thrill rides, water activities or hands-on exhibits.
Downtown can work well for families interested in waterfront attractions, museums and restaurants concentrated in the same general area. If Busch Gardens is the centerpiece of your trip, choosing accommodations closer to the theme park may be more practical.
You can see several highlights during a long weekend, but allowing four or five days creates a more relaxed trip. Extra time makes it easier to mix major attractions with downtown sightseeing, restaurants and a beach day without rushing from place to place.
Tampa offers an unusually broad mix of experiences. Visitors can enjoy major theme parks, wildlife attractions, historic neighborhoods, waterfront recreation, museums, professional sports, Cuban and Spanish food traditions and convenient access to Gulf Coast beaches.
Tampa gives parents plenty of flexibility because activities are available for many different ages and interests. A family can combine animals, children’s museums, water attractions, roller coasters, outdoor recreation and beach time instead of building the entire trip around one type of entertainment.
Travelers who want an in-water dolphin experience can look beyond Tampa to programs available elsewhere in Florida. Dolphin World features options in the Orlando and St. Augustine areas, allowing families to compare the style of experience, participant requirements and other details before choosing a program.
Compare Swim With Dolphins Near Tampa Options »
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