Tampa Attractions

Tampa Area Attractions

The Florida Aquarium

The Florida Aquarium is one of the most visited Tampa Bay attractions in the area. It is located in downtown in the Channelside District next door to Royal Caribbean and Carnival cruise terminals. It is highly recommended that you visit this must see attraction while in the Tampa area.

The children will enjoy the new Explore-a-Shore water park area. Alone, this is probably worth the cost of admission since they can play all day on the Pirate ship and in the streams of water that shoot up from the ground.

Lowry Park Zoo

Lowry Park Zoo has achieved some major awards including the "Best family friendly zoo" in the country and the “Best mid-sized zoo” in the U.S. This is a must see Tampa attraction. What helps to make this zoo great is that the animals are located in close proximity and the exhibits are not miles from each other.

Museum of Science and Industry

MOSI is a major attraction in the area. It is considered the largest science center in the southeast. In the museum is an IMAX Dome Theatre and a children’s science center. This museum in my opinion is not like the other major attractions in the area. Some of the exhibits are older and there just does not seem to be a lot of excitement when you walk through the museum. However, there are some good exhibits in the museum especially the traveling exhibits that are located in the center. These do have a separate admission fee, however. I would check it out if you have extra time. However, if you are short on time then there are many other more exciting attractions in the area.

The Tampa Museum of Art

The Tampa Museum of Art is one of the more popular museums in the Tampa area for art people. It is located in downtown along the Hillsborough River. The changing exhibits keep the museum new and fresh.

Henry B. Plant Museum

The Henry B. Plant Museum is housed in the 1891 Tampa Bay Hotel and is now a National Historic Landmark. Henry Bradley Plant, the transportation magnate instrumental in the development of Florida and the City of Tampa, built the hotel. This quintessential Victorian palace features unique Moorish revival architecture and dramatic minarets. Visitors will enjoy the opulent European furniture and art treasures of the original railroad resort and the Gilded Age. You'll want to visit the permanent exhibit on the Spanish American War. The past will delight you at the Henry B. Plant Museum.

Ybor City State Museum

In 1886 Vincente Ybor, acting upon the advice of his friend, Gavino Gutierrez, came to Tampa and established Ybor City as a center for cigar factories and as a company town for the managers and workers who made the cigars. Accompanied by another factory owner, Ignacio Haya, he moved his operations to Tampa from Key West to escape labor conflicts and by doing so added tremendously to the prosperity of Tampa.

For many years the cigar industry was the only major manufacturing concern in Tampa. Today, Ybor City is preserved as Ybor City State Museum, and has become a major dining, shopping, and nightlife venue in downtown Tampa.

Tampa Bay History Center

The Tampa Bay History Center is a non-profit educational institution currently operating a history and heritage museum and research library in downtown Tampa, Florida. Through quality exhibits, programs and research, the History Center seeks to preserve and teach the remarkable history of the Tampa Bay area. Gallery exhibits show the geographical, historical and multicultural influences that have shaped the region through the centuries, from 12,000 years ago to the present. Traveling exhibits highlight Florida and regional histories.

Buccaneers Football

Home of the NFL's Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Raymond James Stadium is one of the premier stadiums in the NFL. Unique fan enhancements, such as the three million dollar pirate ship at one end of the stadium, make for a full day experience. The stadium also features individual seats, 650 wheelchair accessible seats, numerous concessions and gift stores, and plenty of parking.

Tampa Bay Devil Rays

Florida's only domed field-sport stadium, Tropicana Field officially opened as a baseball stadium in 1998. The home plate end is higher than the center field end, allowing more rows of upper deck seats in the preferred viewing locations. The roof is a high-tech translucent membrane supported by a structural system that somewhat resembles a bicycle wheel. The stadium offers numerous concession stands, air conditioning, plentiful restrooms and ample parking.

Tampa Bay Lightning

The Ice Palace, located in downtown Tampa, is a state-of-the-art, $160 million entertainment venue. It is the home of the Tampa Bay Lightning of the National Hockey League, and hosts more than 170 events annually.

New York Yankees Spring Training

The Legends Field Complex is considered the premier state-of-the-art training facility in Major League Baseball. The thirty-one acre facility seats 10,000 and is home to the New York Yankees Spring Training, and the minor league Tampa Yankees