For a lot of households, their solely go to to Tampa is the journey by the airport – however with so many issues to do in Tampa with youngsters, you’re lacking out if you happen to don’t spend extra time within the metropolis and Tampa Bay.
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As a result of whereas Orlando’s points of interest, Miami’s model and the Florida shoreline are what get the limelight, you’ll discover a entire string of Tampa household points of interest if you happen to’re heading to the Florida west coast with youngsters.
So whether or not you’re planning a Florida highway journey or heading off to discover the Florida Gulf Coast points of interest, save a while to find the most effective issues to do in Tampa Bay with youngsters, together with Tampa itself and day journeys from the town.
The Florida Aquarium
The most effective aquariums within the US, the Florida Aquarium is house to every part from sea otters to sharks and sea turtles, in addition to moon jellies and corals, plus some inhabitants happier on dry land, reminiscent of lemurs.
The large air-conditioned website is true on the waterfront, straightforward to entry with the streetcar, and in addition to promising some nice Tampa household enjoyable, it’s excellent for serving to youngsters study extra about marine ecosystems, whereas additionally instructing them about conservation and rescue efforts.
The non-profit group has a 4D multisensory cinema and splash pad as properly, plus an entire string of experiences, together with choices like a wild dolphin cruise to take out within the bay.
Enjoyable, inventive, and academic, it’s simply among the best issues to do in Tampa with youngsters. You possibly can purchase skip-the-line tickets right here.
For those who’re visiting the Florida Aquarium and Zoo Tampa, you may also discover joint ZooQuarium tickets
Tampa Electrical Manatee Viewing Heart
Tampa Bay’s water, which is used to chill the town’s energy station, creates the proper habitat for manatees, and one must-visit Tampa household attraction is manatee sanctuary on the Tampa Electrical’s Huge Bend.
As quickly because the temperature within the metropolis begins to drop, you discover these light creatures naturally converging on the location, often between November and April – you’ll be able to examine the webcams to see who’s visiting.
Contained in the Manatee Viewing Heart constructing, there are brilliant shows to assist immerse you on the earth of the manatee, from the mangrove tunnel to seagrass beds, in addition to studying about their lives.
Add in a stroll amongst award-winning butterfly gardens and the middle’s tidal stroll, and it’s just a little slice of pure Florida inside the metropolis. Don’t miss the beautiful loop path with a wildlife remark tower, to look out to the water from a 50ft excessive viewpoint.
Whilst you’re there, head over to the Rays Contact Tank which homes a gaggle of cownose rays, the precise mascots of Main League Baseball’s Tampa Bay Rays.
ZooTampa at Lowry Park
For those who’re visiting Tampa with youngsters who love animals, you’ll be able to’t miss ZooTampa at Lowry Park. With a sequence of aviaries, together with macaws circling as you enter, the main target is firmly on rescuing, rehabilitating and conserving wildlife.
You’ll discover native wildlife, reminiscent of manatees, bald eagles and river otters on the Florida Boardwalk & Manatee Mangrove, whilst you might additionally feed giraffes, work together with big tortoises and splash aroud within the Manatee Fountains.
Look out for endangered primates, an entire space that’s house to Asian wildlife, together with Malaysian tigers, sunbears and Komodo dragons, in addition to one other part centered on Africa. Add in rides, from carousels to coasters, and it’s a extremely enjoyable time out with youngsters.
Ebook your tickets with free cancellation, in addition to skip-the-line tickets to ZooTampa.
For those who’re visiting the Florida Aquarium and Zoo Tampa, you may also discover joint ZooQuarium tickets
Busch Gardens Tampa Bay
The most effective-known points of interest within the areas is Busch Gardens, a 335-acre theme park that can also be among the best issues to do in Tampa with youngsters.
Additionally house to one in all Tampa’s largest zoos, with 300 species of animals in your youngsters to fulfill plus some nice household exhibits to take pleasure in, it’s the rollercoasters and rides which actually make this a must-visit in your listing of Florida west coast points of interest.
There’s every part from adrenaline thrills just like the 335-foot freestanding drop tower of Falcon’s Fury to rides for youthful youngsters themed round Sesame Road – to call only a few.
Ebook tickets with free cancellation right here, together with mixed ticket choices and tickets with pre-paid parking.
The Tampa Bay Metropolis Go, which covers entry to 5 main household points of interest, additionally contains tickets to Busch Gardens
Journey Island Tampa
Proper throughout the road from the Busch Gardens is the Journey Island Tampa water park, if you happen to’re seeking to mix a few Tampa household points of interest in at some point.
Youngsters can take pleasure in loads of journey, together with the adrenaline-fueled free-fall Vanish level or race down the four-lane slide, Riptide – plus there’s gentler enjoyable within the lazy river and wave pool.
You’ll discover lots for littler ones as properly, together with the water-friendly jungle health club of Fabian’s Enjoyable Port, plus 50 water toys within the Splash Assault splash zone, whereas Paradise Lagoon has one thing for everybody – a pool to loosen up in, a internet climb and enjoyable obstacles plus cliff jumps for the fun seekers.
Ebook tickets with free cancellation right here.
iFLY Tampa
Go away strange household enjoyable standing with one of the thrilling issues to do in Tampa with youngsters, throughout an unforgettable, gravity-defying indoor skydiving expertise.
The state-of-the-art expertise is secure for youths (open to age 3+) however with loads of thrills for teenagers and adults; the wind tunnels’ followers can blow as much as 185mph (300kph) with area for 12 flyers directly time. You even get an extended freefall expertise than leaping out of an precise airplane…
An amazing exercise for the complete household, hold a watch out for reductions on tickets with Get Your Information and Viator.
Dinosaur World
Journey again in time and see over 150 life-size dinosaurs at Dinosaur World in Plant Metropolis, simply half-hour outdoors of Tampa. Set amongst lush vegetation, youngsters are positive to have a blast as they tackle the roles of younger paleontologists and excavators.
Search for actual minerals and gems on the Dino Gem Excavation and uncover a life-size stegosaurus skeleton from beneath the sand. Go to different animals from the Ice Age and watch a stay animatronic animal show. Don’t miss the prospect to finish your day with the final word themed picnic lunch at Dine with the Dinos.
Ebook tickets right here, together with a reduction utilizing my hyperlink and code MUMMYTRAVELS6.
Bits-n-Items Puppet Theatre
Bits-n-Items Puppet Theatre brings collectively the most effective of childhood with parts of fantasy and high quality storytelling – a beautiful household attraction assured to spark the creativeness, because of the environment of creativity on the PuppetWorld Playhouse.
Its big puppet productions and exhibits are carried out all year long and have classics like Little Purple Using Hood, Jack and the Beanstalk, and Hansel and Gretel amongst others.
And the award-winning performances combine a spread of puppet types, together with marionettes and hand puppets, which youngsters are assured to like.
Glazer Kids’s Museum
There’s a world of studying disguised as play on the Glazer Kids’s Museum, designed to show them to suppose and act purposefully and turn out to be lifelong learners.
Amongst their vary of various actions is a KidsPort, an Engineers’ Workshop, a Pizza Place, and a theatre, so your baby can tackle the roles of something from chef to vet and farmer and extra, all whereas letting their creativeness have full rein and taking part in to their hearts’ content material.
The museum additionally provides particular packages and bi-monthly Sunshine Sundays devoted to youngsters with particular wants, making it an inclusive area for all.
Museum of Science and Trade
Discover one other likelihood for youths to get arms on on the Museum of Science and Trade (MOSI) in Tampa, a scientific playground with greater than 100 interactive actions.
Households can strive every part from constructing a robotic and exploring optical illusions to fixing mind puzzles, and even exploring one other world of their NASA-funded mission; Moonbase lunar colony!
There’s additionally a Jurassic Park-themed exhibit to discover the science of prehistoric life, plus the prospect to stare upon a large number of stars of their planetarium, and even touring to a different world of their digital actuality simulator.
Purchase tickets with free cancellation right here.
The Tampa Bay Metropolis Go, which covers entry to 5 main household points of interest, additionally contains tickets to MOSI Tampa
Tampa Bay Historical past Heart
A Smithsonian Affiliate Museum, this historical past middle options three flooring overlaying over 12,000 years of Florida historical past.
From pirate Jack Rackam to Teddy Roosevelt, this fascinating museum holds a wealthy historical past of all of the personalities and communities that had been current in Florida, so it’s a good way to look past the vacationer points of interest in Tampa with youngsters.
There are common short-term displays too, with altering shows which have coated every part from fossils to Hispanic artwork, music and far more.
As a bonus, the Historical past Heart’s waterfront Columbia Cafe has some improbable traditional Spanish and Cuban-inspired dishes – don’t miss their authentic Cuban sandwich.
Ebook tickets right here with a reduction if you happen to use my hyperlink and code MUMMYTRAVELS6.
For those who’re serious about Florida historical past, don’t miss the Ybor Metropolis Museum State Park too
The Tampa Museum of Artwork
Maintain a watch out for the Tampa Museum of Artwork, an iconic landmark of downtown Tampa with its 23-foot tall forged iron sculpture named Laura with Bun on the north and a 14,000 square-foot LED set up of Leo Villareal’s Sky illuminating the south.
The everlasting assortment additionally showcases a spread of sculpture, pictures, portray, and new media, and shares new views on art-making with youngsters, teenagers, and adults.
Lots to encourage and get your youngsters pondering, you’ll discover traditional, trendy and modern artworks at this much-loved Tampa household attraction.
Tampa Bay Car Museum
From the early Mercedes to Mustangs and extra, the Tampa Bay Car Museum is house to a few of the finest examples of the evolving car business.
From elegant classic automobiles to quirky prototypes, and automobiles from throughout the USA, France, Germany, Nice Britain, and Czechoslovakia, it’s an enchanting tribute to engineering innovation over greater than a century.
A deal with for car-lovers of all ages, and a enjoyable likelihood to go down reminiscence lane if you happen to’re visiting Tampa with youngsters and their grandparents.
Tampa Riverwalk
Mixing tradition, leisure and an opportunity to get lively outdoor, Tampa Bay’s Riverwalk makes an unmissable place to go to for households in Tampa.
The south finish is house to the Riverwall, a collage of greater than 550 photographs by artist Bruce Marsh, which sums up this stunning riverwalk, plus it’s bike-friendly if you wish to try extra of the points of interest, parks and museums linked by the route.
Maintain a watch out for the Historic Monument Path, choose up the nature information or eye up a few of the public artwork alongside the way in which.
Don’t miss a go to to Sparkman Wharf, one in all Tampa’s finest eating facilities with the most effective waterfront view, or head in direction of the Tampa Conference Heart, the place you could find the Tampa Bay Water Bike Firm’s uncommon crafts – the views of Tampa as you pedal on these water bikes gained’t be shortly forgotten.
You may as well obtain a Riverwalk smartphone audio strolling tour to select a few of the highlights.
Lettuce Lake Conservation Park
Positioned simply outdoors Tampa, Lettuce Lake Conservation Park is one in all Hillsborough County’s most visited parks and a major Gulf coast attraction.
It has a 1.25-mile paved path for a simple strategy to discover with youngsters, a 3,500-foot boardwalk with an remark tower, and plenty of alternatives to discover and examine nature right here and within the wooded areas.
You’ll discover family-friendly actions as properly, together with volunteer-led nature training excursions, canoeing and kayaking.
Catch some stay sport
If you’re serious about skilled sports activities, Tampa has three main venues – the Tampa Bay Buccaneers play their house video games at Raymond James’s Stadium from August to December.
Then straight throughout the road from the stadium is George M Steinbrenner Subject, previously Legends Subject, the place the New York Yankees do spring coaching from February to March. The membership’s minor league workforce, the Tampa Tarpons, performs at Legends from April by August.
Or for Nationwide League hockey, the Tampa Bay Lightning start their sequence in October on the St Pete Instances Discussion board, positioned close to downtown Tampa.
Simple day journeys from Tampa with youngsters
There’s a lot to do in Tampa itself that you simply gained’t be bored, however if you happen to’re trying so as to add some straightforward day journeys to your loved ones break, right here’s some extra inspiration.
Legoland Florida resort
Round an hour from Tampa, you’ll discover round 50 rides, exhibits, and points of interest at Legoland Florida, for a improbable time out with youngsters, together with the cities in miniature at Miniland.
It’s additionally round an analogous distance from Orlando, if you happen to’re visiting each a part of Florida with youngsters, with multiday tickets obtainable to incorporate Peppa Pig Theme Park and Legoland Waterpark.
Hit the seashore
You possibly can’t go to the Florida Gulf Coast with out hitting at the very least one seashore – properly, you might, however you shouldn’t! There’s alternative galore if you happen to’re in search of the most effective Florida seashores with youngsters, however hold these two in your listing, each in straightforward distance of Tampa.
Fort DeSoto Park, on the southern finish of St Pete, has nearly three miles of beautiful white sand seashore – a few of the finest in the entire United States.
The two.5-mile stretch of Clearwater Seashore is understood for its equally pretty white sand, in addition to calm, shallow and clear waters which make it excellent if you happen to’re visiting Florida with youngsters.
Or simply off the coast of Clearwater is Caladesi Island State Park, that’s in style with nature fanatics in addition to beach-goers – solely accessible by ferry however properly definitely worth the effort.
In the meantime St Pete Seashore has the longest stretch of undeveloped seashore in Pinellas County, Go-a-Grille Seashore, with watersports together with paddleboarding, in addition to sea, solar, sand and shells.
Go to Bradenton
Enterprise additional down the Gulf Coast and you may uncover Bradenton, together with manatees on the Bishop Museum of Science and Nature, plus its personal Riverwalk with splash zones, artwork work and inexperienced area.
It’s additionally straightforward to cross to close by Anna Maria Island, with but extra white sand seashores and dolphin-spotting boat excursions.
Sunken Gardens, St Pete
Head out to St Petersburg to the 100-year-old Sunken Gardens, a botanical paradise which is St Pete’s oldest residing museum. Dwelling to tropical vegetation galore, you’ll move waterfalls and a flock of flamingos as you observe a few of the paths previous greater than 50,000 tropical vegetation and flowers.
St Pete can also be house to the Parrot of the Caribbean Trolley Boat excursions of Tampa Bay, changing the previous amphibious Tampa Duck excursions.
Crystal River
This little piece of Florida heaven is stuffed with out of doors adventures for households, with one of many highlights at Three Sisters Spring. This wildlife reserve on Crystal River permits you to simply spot manatees, in addition to swimming with them throughout your go to.
You may as well discover the springs which give the locations their names, with attractive clear water that’s excellent within the Florida warmth.
Weeki Wachee mermaids
The oldest roadside attraction in Florida, you’ve been in a position to marvel on the mermaids of Weeki Wachee for many years – however it doesn’t make them any much less enchanting for youths (and large youngsters).
The mermaids carry out thrice a day, year-round – it’s solely round 45 minutes north of Florida, with lots extra to find within the state park, together with the prospect to swim, paddleboard or take a ship journey, and study native nature.
Giraffe Ranch
One other spotlight lower than an hour from Tampa, Giraffe Ranch sits subsequent to the Inexperienced Swamp, Florida’s second largest wilderness space, and this wildlife protect is house to sand hill cranes in addition to native orchids – to not point out the massive stars, the giraffes.
There are 5 sorts of safaris to select from, every led by driver-guides, whether or not you favor to remain in your personal car following a information who offers commentary to your FM automobile radio, a 4WD tour expertise, and even camel-back safaris. Many embrace giraffe feeding, plus you may also see rhino, tapir and pygmy hippos on the reserve. Should be booked upfront.
Disclosure: This submit accommodates affiliate hyperlinks – any purchases you make are unaffected however I could obtain a small fee
Dinosaur World/Museum of Artwork courtesy Go to Tampa Bay; MOSI courtesy Go to Tampa Bay/Keir Magoulas, all different pictures courtesy of Depositphotos
