Tampa Help

[MonorailLove]

Hi everyone!

DH and I will be heading to Tampa Nov 9 morning of and flying to Ft. Lauderdale Nov 12 (got such a great deal to fly!). I've rented a car for the Tampa portion.

What are some good hotel recommendations and things to do around Tampa?

We will be going to Busch Gardens on the 11th and Amalie Arena the evening of the 10th for the hockey game. I know of Clearwater is about an hour drive, but DH is not really a beach guy, but he said whatever is good for him. Definitely don't have an idea where to stay either! Thanks for all your replies and suggestions!

 

[havaneselover]

We enjoyed the zoo and aquarium when we lived there. Love BG Tampa! I'm no help with hotels.

 

[pearlieq]

I'm not really a beach person either but the St Pete beaches changed my mind! They're so beautiful and worth a visit. Skip the craziness of Clearwater and head further south to Indian Rocks, North Reddington, or Madiera Beach. They're much quieter with less traffic and crowds. There are large city lots that charge a nominal fee (around $5) for parking. Most take credit cards but you can also bring quarters for metered spots.

Near the more southern beaches is a place called John's Pass. There's a boardwalk that's a little kitschy, but it's cute for a walk and there are lots of restaurants and shops. The Boardwalk Grill is a little hole-in-the wall that makes delightful lobster rolls and fried yummies. You can also pick up reasonably priced dolphin tours or jet boat rides from John's Pass. Dolphins are usually pretty easy to spot from the boardwalk as well!

You can easily combine a beach trip with a spin around downtown St. Petersburg. Central Ave will take you from the John's Pass area right into the heart of downtown in about 20-30 minutes. They've got a lovely shopping area with restaurants and even some very nice museums if you're so inclined. There's a city garage at 2nd St/2nd Ave that only costs $1/hr.

The old cuban quarter of Tampa, Ybor City, is interesting to see. The Tampa Bay Brewing Company has a big restaurant and brewhouse right in the middle. There's also a movie theater, comedy club, cigar shop, and bars. Antique streetcars run from downtown through Ybor if you don't want to drive, but there are also inexpensive city garages.

As for where to stay, it depends on your budget. You might enjoy staying downtown given your plans--there's an outpost of every major chain in downtown Tampa and the adjacent Channelside. You can usually snag a pretty good deal on one of them. You can walk to Amalie arena and the Riverwalk from the Marriott, and most others are a quick Uber or shuttle ride away from the arena.

Another option that might be a bit more budget friendly is to say near the airport in an area called Westshore. There are tons of hotels of all budget ranges and you'll be right near I-275 which is the road that will take you both to Busch Gardens and out toward the beaches. The International Plaza mall in Westshore is nice for a stroll and dinner. Also, if either of you are beer enthusiasts the Cigar City brewing company has tours and a tasting room in that neighborhood as well.

 

[Disney Khi]

I've gone to Tampa a few times when DH had business there. We've stayed at both the Marriott and Embassy Suites downtown, and both were great. They both have cool rooftop pools, but the Marriott has a much bigger pool area. The Westin that is nearby looks really pretty, but I haven't stayed there yet.

It's an easy walk from those hotels to the aquarium, if you are interested. There is also a little trolley, but I've never taken it. The aquarium is right next to the cruise terminal. At the entrance to the terminal there is a small office that sells discounted tickets. We bought our aquarium tickets there. (This was a few years ago, but hopefully this hasn't changed.) There's a mall area there with some bars and restaurants right by the cruise terminal. I saw advertised some boat excursions, but we never went on them. There's also a history museum there closer to the hotels that had a small Columbia restaurant. We really enjoyed eating there and sitting outside by the river.

We really like the main Columbia restaurant that is in Ybor city. We actually went to the one in Celebration last month when we visited WDW because we like it so much.

We went to Clearwater one day and had a nice time. It was September, so it wasn't crowded. I would think that November wouldn't be crowded, but I don't really know. We parked at a hotel by the beach that offered cheap parking, then just spent a little time in the water. There was a big pier there (I think it was called Pier 33 or something like that) that you could go out on. (There was a fee to go out all the way to the end of the pier but it wasn't much.) We just walked through town looking at shops and ended up at a cool beachside restaurant and ate there. There is also some kind of aquarium there with famous dolphins, but we didn't go there.

DD was with us, so we didn't do any nightlife or any fancy restaurants or adults only venues. And DD and I mostly just walked around the downtown area, so that's where most of my experience is located. We also walked to the Children's Museum, but you didn't mention any kids, so I figure that's out.

I hope you have a nice trip. I always enjoy our trips to Tampa.

 

[Arich01]

We love Tampa! We're actually headed there for a hockey game as well in October Channelside is great, tons of restaurants and the Aquarium. We like to go to Precinct Pizza on Channelside before the game- great pizza, wings and prices. Just get there a tad early because it gets crowded before a game. We then just walk to Amelie (really nice arena as well if you haven't been before )

We stayed at the Downtown Hilton and it was walking distance (maybe 5 blocks at most if I'm correct) to Amelie and very nice! Starbucks in the lobby. This time we have Embassy Suites Downtown booked and it is RIGHT next door to the arena!

Bern's Steakhouse is an AMAZING restaurant! It is pricey, but it is an experience and we consider it an event. They make everything there, down to the homemade crackers for cheese as a starter. You sit down to a mulit-course dinner and then you can choose to head upstairs to their Dessert Room You sit in these giant wine barrel booths with live classical piano playing. We love that place It's worth checking out their website!

 

[nymets69]

Love the Columbia House great salad and Sangria. You can also visit NY Yankees spring training stadium in Tampa. Clearwater has the aquarium, that the movie Winter the dolphin, you can see Winter and Hope, that was featured in the movie.

 

[flateacher]

You have gotten some great advice on here already. I second what others have said:

• Lowry Park Zoo - sort of near Busch Gardens (if you like zoos)
• Florida Aquarium - near downtown - called Channelside (if you like aquariums)- they also have a dolphin boat tour you can take - it leaves right from the Aquarium.
• Clearwater Marine Aquarium - in Clearwater (1 hr away) - has Hope and Winter from Dolphin tales and Dolphin Tales 2. This place is more of a marine rehab center. Some people get disappointed that it isn't bigger or like a "real" aquarium. But their mission is different, its rescue, rehab, release. They also have a dolphin boat tour.
• Channelside itself - food and shops
• Ybor City - The brewery etc. Definitely eat at the Columbia - you should be able to walk right in. You can take the trolley from Ybor to Channelside and back
• Bern's - you will need reservations and it is very expensive... everything is al a cart (you can spend around $150-$200 for two people - thats without dessert).
• Hotels and where to stay - downtown is a good place to stay, near the airport/westshore area isn't bad. There is an area near the airport called Rocky Point - its on the way to Clearwater (but on the Tampa side of the bay). The hotels are on the water if you are interested in that. It isn't too far from downtown - but watch traffic during rush hour on I-275 if you are trying to get to the game from there (or the Westshore area).
• I would NOT stay near Busch Gardens - not the best area and there isn't too much to do around there. I wouldn't stay near the beach - unless you are going to spend time there. It is a pain to get back and forth over the bridge to Tampa - lots of traffic.

I hope this helps - let me know if you have any other questions. Enjoy your trip here!

 

[NinaBella]

Hi everyone!

DH and I will be heading to Tampa Nov 9 morning of and flying to Ft. Lauderdale Nov 12 (got such a great deal to fly!). I've rented a car for the Tampa portion.

What are some good hotel recommendations and things to do around Tampa?

We will be going to Busch Gardens on the 11th and Amalie Arena the evening of the 10th for the hockey game. I know of Clearwater is about an hour drive, but DH is not really a beach guy, but he said whatever is good for him. Definitely don't have an idea where to stay either! Thanks for all your replies and suggestions!

I live in Tampa and woukd recommend staying in downtown Tampa in Channelside. There are many choices if you googke hotels in Channelside. Most Channelside hotels have free hotel shuttles until midnight around Channelside.

Just do not stay at a Ybor hotel. That place is sketchy at night.

Another popular choice is the Renaissance adjacent to International Mall.

http://www.marriott.com/hotels/trav...el/?scid=bb1a189a-fec3-4d19-a255-54ba596febe2

 

[pearlieq]

• I would NOT stay near Busch Gardens - not the best area and there isn't too much to do around there. I wouldn't stay near the beach - unless you are going to spend time there. It is a pain to get back and forth over the bridge to Tampa - lots of traffic.

+1 for this. The area around Busch Gardens is a grey wasteland of fast food restaurants and dollar stores (lots of good cheap eats because of the college campus, though!) and you don't want to be dealing with bridge traffic every day.

Rocky Point is a great suggestion if you'd like a bit of a "beachy" experience during your stay without the hassle of the drive. There's a Doubletree, Westin, Hyatt, and a few others out there with lovely views and water access. Most of the hotels, and a restaurant called Whiskey Joe's, offer watercraft and jetski rental. There is a walking path that also goes almost entirely along the Courtney Campbell Causeway that is pleasant (if a bit noisy from traffic) and offers great photos of the bay.

 

[Claire&TheBoys]

We went a couple of summers ago and enjoyed spending a half-day at MOSI - Museum of Science and Industry. It's near USF, as I recall.

I think we stayed at a Springhill Suites near the interstate. It wasn't the best location, but not horrible. There were a few restaurants nearby and then quite a few more just a few miles down the road. It was a pain to get to, though, because of the construction in the area.

 

[Maine_Belle]

We lived in Pinellas Park (between St. Pete and Clearwater) 10 years ago and my in laws are in northeast Tampa. You've gotten some great suggestions so far- we loved Busch Gardens and the aquarium. If you come over to St. Pete, I highly recommend the Chihuly Collection- if you've never seen his art glass, it's so amazing and its an incredible huge collection. http://www.moreanartscenter.org/chihuly/ Make an art day of it and visit the Dali Museum too! http://thedali.org/

MOSI was definitely cool, though I feel like it was in a far corner of Tampa.

We totally weren't beach people either. I second the recommendation of Indian Shores or Indian Rocks or some of the beaches south of Clearwater to visit. We used to love going early in the morning when the water was like glass and no one was there. We'd walk for a while then hit brunch somewhere.

If you wanted to go for a drive Tarpon Springs, north of Clearwater is a cool little city with a very Greek heritage and a history of sponge diving. Even further north is Weeki Wachee where you can watch a mermaid show, but it's a bit of a hike and we never went so I can't say if it's worth the drive.

We used to hit up flea markets for some cheap weekend fun- there are some big ones that have cool finds if you're into that sort of thing.

Again, our info is 10 years old at this point, but our favorite restaurants used to be
Tampa: The Columbia, Bahama Breeze (in hindsight, that one probably isn't anything special, but it was walking distance from my office for happy hours!)
St. Pete: Red Mesa (we'd go to the one on 4th, the northern most one)
Pinellas Park: Cajun Cafe on the Bayou (looks derelict but it was always so tasty and they had great beer http://www.cajuncafeonthebayou.com/)
Gulf Coast (north to south): Guppy's on the Beach, Crabby Bill's (our brunch spot), Salt Rock Grill ($$$ but soooo good!)

Find somewhere to eat a Cuban, some grouper, and drink some local Yuengling beer!

 

[mickeyluv'r]

We love Tampa.

You say you aren't all that into beaches, but the areas has several parks that are pretty unique. For a start, the waves are much smaller than the Atlantic beaches. There are also many more nice shells. There's plenty of opportunity to walk on nice sand, but you can also find many shells.

Honeymoon Island is a state park, very inexpensive, and lots of natural trails, plus facilities, and food. You can also take a shuttle boat to Kaladesi. There's also lots of opportunity to go kayaking.

If you go to (or near) Indian Rocks Beach, I highly suggest a restaurant called Guppies. It is just across from the beach, and has amazing food. It is kind of focused on Florid seafood, but has many options. The crab guacamole is amazing!

For hotels, we like the Tampa Marriott Westshore. In itself, it isn't all that fancy, but close to the airport, the mall, and many dining options in the area. (though also a few nude bars). The staff is always nice, and the restaurant is decent. We also stayed in the downtown area (near the aquarium). Parking was little funky, but otherwise the area was nice.

Do consider one of the shuttle boat tours around the bay. We saw wild dolphins where we least expected them!

Clearwater Aquarium was a big disappointment. We knew it was a rehab facility. The two dolphins live in a very tiny pool. There isn't much to see except donation baskets every few feet. As soon as you enter, guests are bombarded with requests for more money. I've been to other wildlife rehab facilities that are FAR more educational. Clearwater is just kind of depressing.

Another place we absolutely LOVED is a Taco truck called Los Comparres (5305 N Armenia Ave, West Tampa). At first, it doesn't look like much, but the food is amazing! The Ceviche is outstanding, and the people that run it are very nice. The food is made to order, and gets pretty busy at peak times. Look up reviews!
Last

Another FREE thing to do that time of year is to visit the Tampa Electric's (TECO) Manatee viewing Center. In addition to the main manatee viewing area, there's a tidal walk trail to a lookout tower.

 

[mickeyluv'r]

Gulf Coast (north to south): Guppy's on the Beach, Crabby Bill's (our brunch spot), Salt Rock Grill ($$$ but soooo good!)!

You beat me to it! We tried both Guppies and Crabby Bill's this past winter and they are both great! Guppies on the Beach was amazing!


Next time we go we'll have to try some of the other places you listed.

 

[Maine_Belle]

You beat me to it! We tried both Guppies and Crabby Bill's this past winter and they are both great! Guppies on the Beach was amazing!


Next time we go we'll have to try some of the other places you listed.

I'd check reviews before you go because it's easy for a place to go downhill in a decade, but the 2.5 years we lived there all these places were consistently good (maybe minus Bahama Breeze!) and they are all still in business, so that's a good sign. We found the area to be overrun with lots of chains, so when we'd find a good independent eatery, we were happy to frequent it! I'm trying to convince my husband we should take the kids (and my in-laws if they are up for it) to Cajun Cafe or Guppy's when we are in Tampa visiting next month. We only have a couple of days with family after visiting WDW and it's a solid hour drive, but I'd love to visit one of the old haunts again and maybe dip my toes in the Gulf.

 

[MonorailLove]

Thank you all for the responses and suggestions! I'll have to research them all on my days off. Thanks again!

 

[Gracie09]

Yeungling brewery. Is it still open? I went there years ago

 

[mickeyluv'r]

I'd check reviews before you go because it's easy for a place to go downhill in a decade, but the 2.5 years we lived there all these places were consistently good (maybe minus Bahama Breeze!) and they are all still in business, so that's a good sign. We found the area to be overrun with lots of chains, so when we'd find a good independent eatery, we were happy to frequent it! I'm trying to convince my husband we should take the kids (and my in-laws if they are up for it) to Cajun Cafe or Guppy's when we are in Tampa visiting next month. We only have a couple of days with family after visiting WDW and it's a solid hour drive, but I'd love to visit one of the old haunts again and maybe dip my toes in the Gulf.

(sorry about possibly hijacking this thread)

We've been to Guppy's several times in the last, oh 18 months to so. We returned because it was so good the first time.

Try the fish chowder!