Itineraries for Your Trip to Tampa
3 Days in Tampa for Foodies
Restaurants of all types can be found in Tampa. The city may not be known widely for its food, but that doesn’t mean menus are sparse. With fresh seafood sourced nearby and Latin American influences found throughout the streets of Ybor City, Tampa’s restaurant scene rivals that of other major Florida cities.
Tampa sits on the bay, so a visit to this city is an opportunity to enjoy waterside dining, which can be especially lovely at sunset. Whether you’re looking for local seafood or to linger over tapas and sangria (like my wife and I do!), bring your appetite to spend three days eating your way around Tampa.
Blue skies and white clouds make outdoor dining an option throughout the year.
If you only have time for one thing, make it the Cuban fare in Ybor City.
Spend your first day in Tampa eating your way around the bay while seeing some of the city’s sites. Take a tour with a local for a guided experience, or go block-by-block to discover the city on your own.
After a walking tour, your appetite may be primed for dinner and drinks. Snag a spot on a hop-on hop-off bus, so you can kick back while a driver cruises to nine local restaurants and bars.
Day two is all about rustling up some grub in Ruskin. Wake up early and join a private fishing charter in the waters around Tampa Bay. If you’ve booked a hotel room with a kitchen, or at least have access to a grill, you’re in luck: The grouper, snapper, snook, or other fish you catch will be cleaned and bagged for you to take home.
Next, make a sweet stop at a local apiary. Learn about the life and labor of honeybees, then tour the facility and see a working beehive up close. Get your fill of samples, as well.
Ready your hunger for a culinary crescendo on your final day. Set your sights—and stomach—on Ybor City. Drink up more than just the history of this culturally vibrant city during a walking food tour. Eat your way through the compact area and leave room for a glass of rum or post-meal cigar.
More history awaits you in Ybor, this time of the haunted variety. Discover what ghosts may be lurking around the corner, and seek out all kinds of spirits at local pubs. A bar crawl and ghost tour is a scary good way to end your trip to Tampa.
