10 Fantastic Daytrips (less than 2 hours) from Tampa
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Tampa is a fun and exciting vacation destination for those who love the sun, fitness, and theme parks. With easy access to white sandy beaches, lush nature preserves, abundant gator sightings, tree-lined bike paths, a diverse restaurant scene, and theme parks…there’s just so much fun to be had just about anywhere you go. As a resident for 3 years, I discovered many gems, both on and off the coast. Nevertheless, if you are looking to venture out a bit and explore more of Florida’s exciting Central & Gulf Coast region, there are plenty of exciting daytrips within a 2 hour drive of Tampa.
From the well-known touristy theme park capital of the world, Orlando, to little known Gulf Coast beach gems like Anna Maria Island, there is something here for everyone, whether you are seeking an exhausting day of over-the-top vacation-y theme park fun, or an isolated day basking in the sun at a quiet beach. In my guide, I have detailed 10 diverse daytrips to add to your bucket list.
Daytrip 1: Sarasota
- Distance from Tampa: 1 hour
- Location: Siesta Key (948 Beach Rd: free parking), Myakka State Park (13208 State Rd 72: $6 to park), Sarasota Jungle Garden (3701 Bay Shore Rd: $25 per person)
- Highlights: Award-winning beaches, finding shark teeth, lots of touristy restaurants and shops, beautiful sunsets
- My full guide to Sarasota’s best beaches
Siesta Key
Beautiful Siesta Key Beach, featuring the softest sugar white sand you will ever step foot on, is by far the number one daytrip in my opinion. As soon as you dig your toes into the super soft, snow-like texture of the sand (made up of 99% pure quartz), you will never want to leave. The first time I visited, I was shocked on how clean and soft the sand was in comparison to others.
This beach is wide with plenty of space for everyone to lounge, sunbathe, build sandcastles, search for shells…basically anything and everything.
Adjacent to the beach you will find Siesta Key Village, a fun touristy shopping and dining area. Stop by Mojo Risin’ prior to your beach visit for a cup of coffee in a laid-back surf style setting.
Myakka River State Park
Myakka is one of Florida’s oldest and largest parks. This is hands down one of the best natural sites anywhere near the Florida coast. Lush tropical hiking through unspoiled wetlands, hardwood hammocks, and prairies, alligator watching, bird watching, bike riding. Basically you can do just about anything which makes Florida great here. It’s been one of my favorite places to visit in Florida since my first time living in Tampa back in 2011.
Hiking here is a real treat as tortoises, osprey, and armadillos often come right out on the trails. The canopy walkway (one of only a few in the world) and the observation tower both offer tremendous views. And last but not least, a cruise aboard the Gator Gal airboat (the largest of its’ kind) is a must! Alligator sightings guaranteed! Update: Gator Gal closed: the ride is now a pontoon. We saw dozens of gators on 2 separate visits.
With gorgeous scenery all around and so much to do, Myakka really is a hidden gem. It’s a fantastic place to spend a few hours enjoying uninterrupted nature and one of my favorite daytrips from Tampa.
Sarasota Jungle Gardens
See free roaming flamingos as well as many species of exotic birds at this beautifully landscaped botanical garden. This is the perfect place to stroll around for an hour or 2 to kill some time. You can stroll through tropical gardens, hold an exotic bird, watch a variety of shows, and even hold a gator.
St. Armands Circle
St. Armands is a hotspot for unwinding after a full day out in the heat exploring the sights around Sarasota. Check out Columbia’s, Florida’s oldest Spanish restaurant, and by far the best restaurant in Sarasota, if not the entire Tampa region. The Cuban Black Beans dish is the best I’ve ever tried: I continue to make a copycat recipe to this day! Asides from dining, there are numerous shops to browse around and various events on the lineup year-round.
Daytrip 2: Honeymoon Island/Dunedin
- Distance from Tampa: 45 min.
- Location: Honeymoon Island SP (1 Causeway Blvd, Dunedin, FL)
- Highlights: Smooth sand beaches, access to Caladesi Island, separate dog beach, on-site hiking trails, best sunsets in the region
- My full Honeymoon visitor guide
Honeymoon Island is one of the more popular beaches in the Tampa Bay area. In fact, it gets crazy crowded most summer days & holiday weekends. If you are seeking more of a laid-back day of fun-in-the-sun, plan your trip on a weekday, and if possible, during the off season. Regardless of the popularity (and resulting crazy traffic), this sure is a gorgeous place that should be near the top of your Florida Gulf Coast bucket list.
Not only do you get to explore several beautiful beaches here, you will also have the opportunity to hike through rare Florida virgin slash pine habitat and possibly see a Bald Eagle, Osprey, or Great Horned Owl. If you don’t mind shelling out a few bucks, consider taking a ferry over to Caladesi Island, one of Florida’s few remaining undeveloped barrier islands. Here you can enjoy fantastic beach combing (best place to find sand dollars), soft white sand beaches, and snorkeling.
After your day out at the beach, I recommend exploring Dunedin’s charming Main Street, a beautiful tree-lined downtown lined with local restaurants and boutique shops. Enjoy a croissant and coffee at Cork and Bean or grab lunch at the eclectic International restaurant, The Living Room on Main. The Pinellas trail bike path (rated one of the best rail trails in the US) passes right through Main Street. The vibe is great here, the energy high, and the variety of dining and shopping tremendous. Overall, it’s the perfect touristy place to end your beach day! I recommend checking out the Beatles museum while your are in town.
Daytrip 3: Fort de Soto
- Distance from Tampa: 45 minutes
- Location: Fort de Soto Park (3500 Pinellas Bayway S, St. Petersburg)
- Highlights: Beautiful beaches, paved multi-purpose recreational trail, excellent beach combing, good for swimming
Fort De Soto is a gorgeous Pinellas County Park located on 5 offshore islands: St. Jean Key, Madelaine Key, Bonne Fortune, St. Christopher Key, and Mullet Key. There is plenty enough to do here to justify the 45 min drive from Tampa. In fact, Fort de Soto’s North Beach has been the recipient of numerous awards, and this alone makes the trip worthy.
Sunbathing, collecting seashells, hiking, biking, fishing, and kayaking are all popular past times here. A ride along the 7 mile long bike path is the perfect leisurely weekend activity for anyone who wants to enjoy nature as well as get in a great workout. The hiking trails are beautiful and easy, not to mention a great place to bird watch and simply enjoy the tropical scenery. Check out the easy 1.5 mile nature trail. Ferry access to beautiful Egmont Key Island, home to a historic lighthouse and nature preserve, is also available.
Numerous dining choices are available in nearby St. Pete beach. Casual cafes, waterfront restaurants, seafood, cuban restaurants, delis, ice cream shops, healthy fare: you will find a bit of everything. Head over to Pass-A-Grille village, a cute historic neighborhood with many touristy shops and beach themed restaurants. Pass-a-Grille beach is a bit quieter than touristy St. Pete beach. It’s a bit narrow, but a great place to relax.
Daytrip 4: Orlando
- Distance from Tampa: 2 hours
- Location: 6000 Universal Blvd (Universal Studios) 1180 Seven Seas Dr, Lake Buena Vista (Magic Kingdom).
Of course, the close proximity to Orlando is one of the main advantages of Tampa. However, there is so much to do in and around Tampa, that really, there is no need to even make the 2 hour trek to Orlando. Regardless, if you want to squeeze in a trip to Orlando while in the vicinity, it’s definitely doable.
I didn’t visit Disney for the first time until I was in my 30’s. I’ve been making up for that the last decade or so with many repeat visits. I love the Magic Kingdom most for the nostalgic rides. My favorites include: Pirates of the Caribbean, The Haunted Mansion, Peter Pan’s Flight, Space Mountains, and Thunder Mountain Railroad.
A full day out at any of the Disney Parks or Universal easily justifies the 2 hour drive. With the new Epic Universe, and Jurassic coaster at Islands, now is a great time to check out the parks again.
Both parks are equally fantastic with awesome rides, thus the park-to-park tickets are a must! For Universal my top ride picks are: E.T., Men in Black, Escape to Gringotts, and The Mummy. For Islands, my top picks are: Ripsaw Falls, Popeye and Bluto’s, Hagrid’s Motorbike Adventure, The Forbidden Journey, and the Hulk Coaster. If this is your first time visiting, I have written a detailed first timer’s guide as there is so much to explore!
Organizing your park time
First, choose your park. I recommend at least 2-3 day park-to-park tickets as both Universal and Islands have so much to offer, including movie themed rides, water rides, great shows, and The magical Wizarding World of Harry Potter. Islands is definitely the better summer choice due to the numerous water based attractions. Universal is home to the more nostalgic movie based rides.
Head over to popular attractions like Harry Potter first (you get hour early admission by staying at a Universal resort) and be sure to download the Wait Time app so you can adjust your day accordingly as to not waste precious time. Mythos (rated the world’s best theme park restaurant) is a great mid afternoon lunch break within the park. Water rides at Islands are best for the hot afternoon hours. During the evening hours when the crowds die down, I try to get on favorites like Men in Black, E.T., and Harry Potter for a second time. After a long day at the park head over to CityWalk where you will find all sorts of entertainment, shops, & restaurant. Vivo is a wonderful Italian restaurant!
Of course, there is much more to Orlando besides theme parks if you are interesting in exploring beyond the Magic Kingdom. Preserves, museums, themed dining…no need to visit a theme park if you want to save a few bucks.
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