Tampa is a city combining the sunny Floridian climate with Cuban, Spanish, and Italian influences, making it an ideal daycation destination for those seeking warm weather and great food. Curious about how to spend your day there? Consult our highlights to learn more.
Your Tampa Daycation Holiday Highlights
- Food – There’s a lot to whet your appetite in Tampa, with plenty of different culinary styles from which to choose. Combine beer and cigars at the Cigar City Brewing Company, or enjoy Cuban and Spanish fare at the family-run La Teresita Restaurant. Palaus Restaurant is another top Cuban diner, while Mexican meals can be had at Acapulco Taqueria.
- Live Entertainment – The David A. Straz, Jr. Center for the Performing Arts puts on a range of performances, including dance, theatrical, and operatic shows. The historic Tampa Theatre dates back to 1926, features a Wurlitzer organ, and hosts films, shows, and other events. If laughter is the best medicine you can find your prescription at the Improv Comedy Theater, which offers cocktails and comedy.
- Theme Parks – Busch Gardens is a family-friendly theme park that provides thrills galore with its rides, live entertainment, and African animals. Nearby, the Adventure Island water park includes exciting rides, as well as a wave pool and lazy river.
- Aquarium and Zoo – The Florida Aquarium is home to an assortment of aquatic animals, including sharks, penguins, and stingrays. If you prefer your wildlife on dry land, visit ZooTampa at Lowry Park, where there are interactive exhibits and you can feed the giraffes.
Six Intriguing Tampa Facts
- Tampa was originally known as Tampa Town before its name was shortened to its current form.
- The city’s Big Cat Rescue is one of the largest sanctuaries in the world dedicated to helping abandoned and abused big cats.
- Tampa’s Gasparilla parade is the third largest parade in the United States.
- Tampa has a six mile (10km) continuous sidewalk, the longest in the world.
- Tampa’s proximity to Cuba made it a hub for cigar production and earned it the nickname “Cigar City.”
- The only snowfall ever recorded in the city was in January 1977.
