Top 12 Tampa Bay Experiences

1. Busch Gardens® Tampa Bay
Take a white-knuckle ride at Busch Gardens® Tampa Bay, among the world’s top-rated theme parks. Cheetah Hunt® gives you the feel of chasing prey across the Serengeti. Cobra’s Curse brings you eye-to-eye with the Snake King before hurtling through an amazing ride. In 2019, Tigris opens as Florida’s tallest triple-launch coaster. Tampa Bay CityPASS makes access a bargain.

2. Tampa Riverwalk
Running 2.4 miles (4 km) along Garrison Channel and the sparkling Hillsborough River, the Tampa Riverwalk provides a pedestrian-only path linking popular hotels, restaurants, museums, and performance venues like gems on a string. It is the perfect place for a morning jog, an afternoon bike ride, or a hand-in-hand sunset stroll.

3. Dolphin spotting
Thrill to the sight of a fin breaking the water during The Florida Aquarium’s Dolphin Quest excursion aboard the Bay Spirit II. Tampa Bay is home to bottlenose dolphins, manatees and other sea creatures all year round and an important nursery ground for their young. For a close-up encounter, step inside the Florida Aquarium to discover the connections that unite Florida’s delicate ecosystem from springs and wetlands to reefs and the Gulf of Mexico.

4. On the Waterfront
Take to the water along Tampa Bay’s sparkling downtown waterfront. Sporty types will want to try out their sea legs atop a rented paddleboard. Captain your own Tampa e-boat for a slow cruise through downtown. Hop on and off the Pirate Water Taxi as it travels up and down the waterfront. Or bring your own crew and brews for a pedal-powered exploration above the Kraken Cycleboat.

5. Luxury and discount shopping
Shop ‘til you drop among International Plaza’s 200 luxury brands, including Tiffany’s, Hugo Boss and Apple. Tampa International Airport is moments away, so you won’t have far to tote your bags. Bargain hunters will treasure the high-end brands at bargain prices at Tampa Premium Outlets – definitely worth the 20-minute drive north of downtown.

6. Brew Bus
Join your friends (and make new ones) on an afternoon tour of Tampa Bay’s amazing craft breweries and leave the driving to this crew when you do. They’ll get you from Coppertail to Cigar City to Angry Chair and back with plenty of restaurant stops along the way so you can also soak up the superb food scene here in Florida’s hub for craft brewing.

7. Tampa Bay History Center
People have called Tampa Bay home for more than 12,000 years, leaving behind a legacy written in wood, steel, and cigar smoke. Hands-on exhibits let visitors trace the history of the region from its earliest days to the 21st Century. Explore the inner working of the factories that make Tampa Bay the Cigar Capital of the World. The newest addition includes a life-sized pirate ship, sunken treasure and exciting tales of discovery. Sample a piece of culinary history when you bite into an authentic Cuban sandwich at the museum’s Columbia Café.

8. Ybor City
Stroll the brick streets beneath iron balconies that preserve the unique flavor of Tampa Bay’s historic Latin Quarter. Savor Spanish and Cuban favorites at the Columbia, Florida’s oldest restaurant. Stop in a cigar shop to see Cuban masters still rolling smokes as they have for 130 years. Listen for the crowing of Tampa Bay’s wild chickens – a direct connection to the waves of Cuban, Spanish, and Italian immigrants that built Tampa Bay into the Cigar Capital of the World. Step into Cuban territory at the park dedicated to the original Cuban revolutionary, poet and journalist José Martí.

9. Bern’s Steak House
Florida’s top steak house also houses the world’s largest private wine collection at more than a million bottles. Located in the heart of toney Hyde Park, Bern’s has spent 60 years perfecting the kind of style and service that has lifted it into highest echelons of dining in the U.S. After your sumptuous main course, be sure to step upstairs to the Harry Waugh Dessert Room for their famously decadent macadamia nut ice cream.

10. Food Halls
Mix and match the plethora of local pleasures at two new food halls – Sparkman Wharf and Heights Public Market at Armature Works. Located at opposite ends of the Tampa Riverwalk, both eateries offer flavorful combinations of local restaurants created by some of Tampa Bay’s most dynamic chefs. Enjoy your meal while basking in the Florida sun at waterfront Sparkman Wharf. Watch boats bob on the Hillsborough River at Heights Public Market, which has your taste buds covered from Cuban sandwiches to ramen to breakfast and beyond.

11. Tampa International Airport
We know, it’s exceeding rare than an airport makes the list of memorable experiences. But, trust us on this. With flights from Europe on British Airways, Icelandair, Norwegian and (soon) Delta, TPA consistently ranks among the best airports in the U.S. for efficiency and all-around experience. A recent $1 billion expansion has added even more local restaurants, the country’s only in-airport brewery, and a new rental car facility that gets visitors on to their holiday in record time. Coming or going, it’s something to text home about.

12. Tampa Bay CityPASS
As the only Florida destination in the CityPASS system, Tampa Bay gives families the perfect way to explore everyone’s favorite attractions without breaking the bank. For a single, steeply discounted price, CityPASS provides access to Busch Gardens® Tampa Bay, the Florida Aquarium, ZooTampa at Lowry Park, and MOSI – the Museum of Science and Industry. Take your time – each booklet is good for 9 days.

To book your holiday to Tampa Bay, call us on 020 8742 8299 or email sales@americaasyoulikeit.com.

Book by 30th April 2019 to receive 10% off your holiday!