The Tampa Bucket List: 19 things to do in and around town

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By Floricua Staff

September 19, 2024

Here’s your guide to all our favorite Tampa spots.

In Tampa, there’s no shortage of things to do, sights to see, and foods to eat. But finding a starting point can be overwhelming. We’re here to simplify things with your guide to all things Tampa.

Things to Do in Tampa

Channel your inner pirate at Gasparilla Pirate Festival

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For the uninitiated, Tampa Bay has been celebrating Gasparilla every January since 1904. The festival features a parade and mock invasion of the city to honor the memory of the legendary (and most likely fictional) pirate José Gaspar.

Take a stroll along the Tampa Riverwalk

People on the Riverwalk in downtown Tampa FL

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Nestled along the vibrant Hillsborough River, the Tampa Riverwalk offers a panoramic pathway that’s perfect for family strolls, jogs, or bike rides. With a range of activities and picturesque views, it’s no wonder this spot is a hit among locals and tourists alike.

The Riverwalk connects many of Tampa’s attractions, parks, and restaurants, making it a must-visit destination for those seeking a blend of urban excitement and natural beauty.

Attend a free event at the Curtis Hixon Waterfront Park

Cityscape view in the downtown district at the Curtis Hixon Waterfront Park on Ashley Drive.

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Curtis Hixon Waterfront Park is a jewel in downtown Tampa, providing an oasis of lush greenery amidst the cityscape. Known for hosting an array of free events, from concerts to outdoor movies, there’s always something fun to do here. The park boasts interactive fountains, a dog park, and playgrounds, ensuring entertainment for every member of the family.

Have a puppy play date at Queenie’s Dog Park

Located along the Tampa Riverwalk, Queenie’s Dog Park is a lush, well-maintained space where your furry friends can romp and play. With artificial turf areas and plenty of shade, it’s a comfortable stop for both pets and owners.

The dog park is part of the larger Water Works Park, which is a hit with families for its splash pad, playgrounds, and open spaces.

Shop at Vintage Post Marketplace

Surprise your loved one this holiday season—and celebrate Florida’s short-lived period of chilly weather— with the gift of new patio décor for your family home. Vintage Post Marketplace in Tampa has fire pits, sofas, chairs, and tables with just the right amount of retro flair to fuel your family’s next s’more-roasting session.

This Tampa small business’s 9,000-square-foot inventory of consigned and vintage furniture items also includes items for the bedroom, kitchen, and living room.

Browse the day away at Oxford Exchange

When shopping for the perfect gift to wow the person on your list who fancies the finer things in life, you only need to visit one longstanding Tampa institution: Oxford Exchange. This European-inspired complex contains a restaurant, a bookstore, and a coffee shop, but their lifestyle gift shop is its true hidden gem. Here, a shopping concierge can help you sift through elegant bath products, soothingly scented candles, upscale barware, and luxury jewelry to customize a gift tailored to your loved one’s wishes and whims.

Feel like a kid again at Zen’s Toyland

Remember the days before smartphones were invented when families huddled together in their living rooms to play games and utilize their imaginations? Zen’s Toyland in Tampa suburb Carrollwood is a toy- and game-filled emporium filled to the brim with throwback favorites ranging from model train sets to wooden puzzles to Barbies. You won’t be able to miss their overflowing selection of plush toys, and their crafts section contains kits to make jewelry, nail polish, or string art.

Celebrate Halloween at Busch Gardens

This one is strictly for hard-core Halloween fanatics who are unafraid to face the darkest, most terrifying side of All Hallows’ Eve. And when we say terrifying, we mean terrifying.

Mere mortals who enter this dark realm will be dismayed to discover that “unspeakable horror lives in every dark corner” of the park, from horror-filled haunted houses and frightful scare zones to ghoulish roaming hoards. There is also a circus of fear, a coven of witches, and Florida’s wildest rides at night.

There’s even a Scare-E-Oke for those musically inclined! Visitors can select a song and take their turn behind the mic to belt out a song. They can even take home a photo of their experience. No wonder Howl-O-Scream was voted one of the Top 10 Best Halloween Theme Park Events by USA TODAY’s 10 Best Readers’ Choice Awards.

However, because it contains intense adult content, such as violence, gore, and blood, it is intended for mature audiences only. Howl-O-Scream is a separately-ticketed night event, and no costumes are allowed.

For ticket prices, select dates and times, and more information, click HERE.

Watch the piping plover migrate for the fall

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Bird Watcher’s Digest identifies coastal habitats like Honeymoon Island State Park and Fort de Soto County Park in the Tampa Bay area, as well as Tigertail Beach in Naples, as prime viewing grounds to catch glimpses of the piping plover.

This threatened species might be hard to observe without a discerning eye, and surely without your binoculars, as their sandy gray coats blend in with the colors of the ocean’s shoreline. Once they catch a little speed, however, their bright orange legs are sure to catch your attention.

Load up on Puerto Rican groceries at El Grande Supermarket

Want to recreate a traditional Puerto Rican dish at home, using all the ingredients you miss from home? At Tampa’s El Grande Supermarket, located at 8413 Hanley Rd., you can buy recao, cilantro, Coriander leaves, and everything you need to make a really good sofrito, which you know is la clave del buen sabor.

Here you will also find all manner of goodies from the island, such as Conchita guava paste, calabaza, yucca, plantains, and even “empanadillas de pizza” (or deep fried pizza turnovers), which are available uncooked and frozen so you can enjoy the delicious Puerto Rican delicacy in the comfort of your own home.

But that’s not all you can find here. There are also those special pots and pans Boricuas love, like a big caldero to make a delicious Sancocho, and all at a very good price.

For more information, please visit HERE.

Grab a drink at Punch Room

Located inside Tampa’s first five-star hotel, it’s only fitting that Punch Room’s decor is swanky with polished wood paneling, royal blue and chartreuse seating, and a roaring fireplace. The menu is dedicated to the flavors and spirits of the Caribbean and Gulf of Mexico, including the Principe de Gales, which is inspired by Tampa’s historic Cuban cigar industry, and Ziggy’s Punch, a rum drink from Jamaica.

Even more things to do:

Where to Eat in Tampa

Bern’s Steakhouse

Any list of Tampa’s hottest restaurants would be remiss to not include Bern’s Steakhouse. Though expensive — single entreés can easily exceed $50 here — you’re paying for impressive service and quality. But let’s be real: The most romantic aspect of a meal at Bern’s is the dessert, as this restaurant has separate seating for this course called the Harry Waugh Dessert Room.

Luckily, all dinner reservations come with access to the Dessert Room following main courses, but you can also make reservations specifically for the Dessert Room from 6 to 6:45 p.m. every day bar Monday, when the entire restaurant is closed. There’s nothing more romantic than sensual chats over glasses of wine and homemade desserts!

New York New York

After drinking and dancing the night away at one of Tampa’s many bars and clubs, there’s only one solution for your late-night, tipsy cravings: a slice from New York New York Pizza. With locations across Tampa in Carrollwood, Hyde Park, Westchase, Ybor City, and the Tampa International Airport, it’s hard to miss out on this time-honored pizzeria. What sets New York New York apart from other late-night slice spots is its commitment to quality. Their dough is always made from scratch and their ingredients are fresh and flavorful. The Florentine pie combines spinach, ricotta cheese, tomatoes, and garlic, while the Four Cheese explores the pairing of cheddar, asiago, and Muenster cheeses with traditional mozzarella.

La Segunda Bakery

Established in 1915 by a Spaniard who fell in love with Cuban bread while fighting in the Spanish-American War, this Tampa bakery with outposts in Ybor City, South Tampa and nearby St. Petersburg serves Cubans on crispy, flaky loaves complete with the palmetto leaf baked in. La Segunda has been a family business for over a century, and today, the great-grandson of its founder leads the production of 18,000 loaves of Cuban bread each day.

Pal Campo

Pal Campo Restaurant — 2023 Award Winner for Best of Tampa Bay Best Puerto Rican Restaurant — offers a unique dining experience in Central Florida; a cozy, welcoming place where you can relax and enjoy grandma’s cooking away from home.