Things to do in Tampa

Busch Gardens

 

Across the street from Adventure Island is its parent park, Busch Gardens Tampa Bay  Another notable Tampa feature, the gardens have actually been around for longer than Disney World. It is also considerably cheaper to enter, and boasts of a number of themed sections focusing on the Congo, Morocco, Egypt, Nairobi, and Timbuktu. There are also exhibits focusing on the Serengeti and the Myombe Reserve, both of which enable guests to get really close to the animals.

 

Adventure Island Water Park

 

Adventure Island Water Park offers plenty of wet fun and excitement for the entire family. One of Tampa’s most enduring and most endearing landmarks, the park has been around for over 30 years. Although it isn’t the most modern or most innovative water park, there are plenty of cool features to keep families entertained for hours, including two swimming pools, several water slides, a volleyball court, and so much more.

 

Florida Aquarium

 

Located directly beside the cruise port, the Florida Aquarium offers interactive, hands-on displays, exhibits featuring many different sea creatures and wildlife and has a great example of Florida wetlands housed under a giant glass dome. There are different shows during the day, including the Penguins Promenade. There is also a great outdoor water adventure area for the kids – Explore a Shore – where they can cool off among pirate ships and water cannons.

 

Tampa Electric’s Manatee Viewing Center

 

Kids and even adults will definitely appreciate the Tampa Electric’s Manatee Viewing Center with its array of cute and cuddly creatures, mangrove forests, a stunningly beautiful butterfly garden, and a cool gift shop. Providing a unique opportunity to observe manatees swimming through the channels of the Tampa Electric water plant, the tour is a must for anyone who has even a passing interest in marine life. Best of all, it costs much less than a visit to most other parks and attractions in Tampa.

 

Henry B. Plant Museum

 

Also worth checking out is the Henry B. Plant Museum, which is just as impressive for its antiques, architecture, and historical displays as it is for its setting. Located within the grounds of the Moorish Revival Tampa Bay Hotel on the campus of the University of Tampa, the museum provides a unique and detailed look into life in Tampa during the start of the 20th century, and also hosts a fascinating display on Henry Bradley Plant, the railroad magnate who created the museum.

 

See Excursions in Tampa