Tampa: travel tips and best time to visit

Tampa is the big city on Florida's Gulf Coast, lively, diverse and for many the favorite gateway into the west of the Sunshine State. Its best known magnet is Busch Gardens, a theme park with some of the best roller coasters in Florida and a large animal park rolled into one. Add to that the historic Cuban quarter of Ybor City, the lovely Riverwalk along the water and the closeness to the beaches all around.

The minarets of the University of Tampa, a landmark of the city.

Busch Gardens

The big draw is Busch Gardens Tampa Bay, half roller coaster park, half African themed animal park. For fans of fast rides the coasters are the highlight, along with giraffes, lions and more. A day of its own is well worth it.

Ybor City

The historic Ybor City quarter was shaped by Cuban and Spanish cigar workers. Today you stroll through the old brick streets, between cafes, restaurants and nightlife, and try a Cuban sandwich.

Riverwalk and water

The Tampa Riverwalk runs along the Hillsborough River, past museums, parks and restaurants. The silver minarets of the University of Tampa stand out, and the large aquarium at the harbor is worth a visit too.

Gateway to the beaches

Tampa is the ideal base for Florida's finest Gulf beaches: St. Petersburg and its islands lie right across the bay, Sarasota with Siesta Key a little further south.

Die Höhepunkte von Tampa

What you shouldn't miss.

1

Busch Gardens Tampa Bay

A roller coaster park and large animal park in one, with some of the best coasters in Florida.

Directions with Google Maps

2

Ybor City

The historic Cuban cigar quarter, today full of cafes, restaurants and nightlife.

Directions with Google Maps

3

Tampa Riverwalk

The riverside promenade with museums, parks and the minarets of the University of Tampa.

Directions with Google Maps

4

Gulf Coast beaches

Gateway to St. Petersburg, Clearwater and Siesta Key, some of the finest beaches in the USA.

Practical tips from the forum

Concrete advice from travellers who were there.

Watch out when you plan: Busch Gardens is not in Orlando, it's in Tampa. It's doable from Orlando, but you're looking at at least 90 minutes each way, which easily turns into a hassle.
from the USA-TALK.DE forum

Tampa works well as a start or end point for a Florida road trip along the Gulf Coast, from here you can quickly reach St. Pete Beach, Clearwater and Sarasota.
from the USA-TALK.DE forum

The impressive Sunshine Skyway Bridge takes you toward St. Petersburg and Bradenton, and the crossing alone is an experience.
from the USA-TALK.DE forum

Tickets for sports games are easy to get online, for example through StubHub as print-at-home, often even at short notice and with seats next to each other.
from the USA-TALK.DE forum

Voices from the community

What travellers experienced on the spot.

Tampa is my favorite on the west coast, and the reason was really always Busch Gardens, because of the roller coasters. I kept going back there.
from personal experience

For me Busch Gardens is a lovely park and a good alternative to the often packed Disney parks, because it is usually less crowded. It offers more action on the roller coasters, and I personally really like the mix of zoo and theme park.
from personal experience

My favorite roller coaster is Kumba, one of the first big ones there. It has aged a bit, but I rode it many times in a row and still find it better than Montu near the entrance.
from personal experience

If you like animals, then I recommend Busch Gardens in Tampa.
from the forum USA-TALK.DE

Busch Gardens is a varied theme park in Tampa. Its nine areas are named after different regions of Africa and flow seamlessly into one another. The park offers adventurous roller coasters and rides, various animal enclosures and shows. The main attraction in the redesigned Pantopia area is the free fall tower Falcon's Fury.
from the forum USA-TALK.DE

We were at Busch Gardens today and are staying one more night in Tampa, because tomorrow we are going to a country concert. With that we have reached all our main goals, everything else is now spontaneous.
from the forum USA-TALK.DE

Apart from the animals, Busch Gardens is really more of a pure roller coaster park. If you are traveling with small children, Disney's Animal Kingdom in Orlando is often the better choice.
from the forum USA-TALK.DE

Honestly, in my opinion Tampa itself does not have all that much to offer. For us the place was more of a practical base and a gateway to the Gulf Coast.
from the forum USA-TALK.DE

If you are a football fan, watch a game of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Tickets are often still available at the counters, and the pirate ship in the stadium is a nice sight. Baseball is possible too, for example the Tampa Bay Rays.
from the forum USA-TALK.DE

Have you been here? Share your impression

Your experience helps other travellers more than any glossy brochure. Every post is briefly reviewed before publication.

Climate through the year

Average temperatures, day and night. Large value °C, small value °F.

22°72°F10°50°F

Jan

23°73°F11°52°F

Feb

26°79°F13°55°F

Mar

29°84°F16°61°F

Apr

31°88°F20°68°F

May

33°91°F22°72°F

Jun

33°91°F23°73°F

Jul

33°91°F23°73°F

Aug

32°90°F23°73°F

Sep

29°84°F19°66°F

Oct

26°79°F15°59°F

Nov

23°73°F11°52°F

Dec

Map with viewpoints

Park, entrances and the best viewpoints at a glance.

Loading the map transfers data (including your IP address) to OpenStreetMap.

Distances and driving times

How far it is to the key places nearby.

From	Distance	Drive time
St. Petersburg	22 mi (35 km)	approx. 0.5 hrs
Sarasota	60 mi (95 km)	approx. 1.25 hrs
Orlando	85 mi (135 km)	approx. 1.5 hrs
Fort Myers	125 mi (200 km)	approx. 2.25 hrs

Where to stay

Right in the middle of things, or cheaper a bit further out.

Downtown and Riverwalk

by the river

Central, close to museums, the aquarium and the nightlife districts.

Near Busch Gardens

to the north

Handy for an early park start, plenty of hotels nearby.

Westshore

towards the beaches

Well connected, on the way to the Gulf beaches.

Insider tips and common mistakes

What was worth it and what to skip.

Insider tips

Give Busch Gardens its own early day, then you ride the coasters with short waits.
Experience Ybor City in the evening, with Cuban food and live music.
Use Tampa as a base and take in the Gulf beaches all around.

Common mistakes

Seeing Tampa only as a stopover. The city and Busch Gardens deserve days of their own.
Coming in high summer and underestimating the heat and thunderstorms.
Skipping the beaches right next door, they are among the finest in Florida.

Photos

Click to enlarge.

Videos

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Frequently asked questions

What is Busch Gardens?

A large theme park in Tampa, half roller coaster park, half animal park. Just right for coaster fans.

Is Tampa worth it beyond the parks?

Yes. Ybor City, the Riverwalk and above all the nearby Gulf beaches make Tampa a lovely base.

How many days for Tampa?

Two to three, more if you give Busch Gardens a day of its own.

When is the best time to visit?

Autumn to spring. Summer is hot, humid and stormy.

Nearby

Easy to combine on a road trip.

Sunshine City

Florida

St. Petersburg

The Dalí Museum, a playful pier and some of the finest Gulf beaches.

Sarasota

The Ringling legacy, world-famous Siesta Key Beach and elegant flair.

Orlando

The theme park capital of the world, plus more Florida than you'd think.

Tampa

Busch Gardens

Ybor City

Riverwalk and water

Gateway to the beaches

Die Höhepunkte von Tampa

Busch Gardens Tampa Bay

Ybor City

Tampa Riverwalk

Gulf Coast beaches

Practical tips from the forum

Voices from the community

Have you been here? Share your impression

Climate through the year

Map with viewpoints

Distances and driving times

Where to stay

Downtown and Riverwalk

Near Busch Gardens

Westshore

Insider tips and common mistakes

Insider tips

Common mistakes

Photos

Videos

Tampa Travel Guide

Busch Gardens Tampa, the Guide

Tampa and Ybor City 4K

The Best Things in Ybor City

Frequently asked questions

Nearby

St. Petersburg

Sarasota

Orlando