10 Fantastic Daytrips (less than 2 hours) from Tampa
Disclaimer: We are not paid to promote any restaurant, hotel, activity, product, or attraction. All opinions are subjective and based on our personal experience. Your experience may be different.
Daytrip 5: Anna Maria Island
- Distance: 1 hour
- Location: 55 miles south of Tampa via I-75 south
- Highlights: Secluded, lack of commercialization and tourism, “Old Florida” vibe, great shelling, excellent bird watching
Anna Maria Island is the quaint picture-perfect beach area which seems to exist today only as a fleeting memory on a postcard. This is a rare beach that maintains that charming “Old Florida” vibe, particularly during the off season, where you are pretty much guaranteed a beach spot all to yourself.
Anna Maria Island is one of the few Gulf Coast beaches not overrun by congestion. This 7 mile barrier island is reminiscent of a time long gone before heavy beach commercialization took over. You will not find a ton of tacky resorts, restaurants, and over commercialization in this region, but rather pure Florida beach. This is the perfect beach choice for a lazy, laid-back afternoon sunbathing, enjoying the shorebirds, and collecting shells.
In town, you will find quiet inns, local restaurants, and an overall friendly local, non touristy vibe. The island is just 7 miles long so really easy to get around. Consider renting a bike or golf cart as there are lanes everywhere, or take the free trolley in between various sights. As for dining, check out The Sandbar located right on the beach.
Daytrip 6: Clearwater/St. Petersburg
- Distance from Tampa: 30-40 min
- Location: Clearwater Beach (112 S. Osceola Avenue). St. Pete Beach (4700 Gulf Blvd.), Weedon Island Preserve (1800 Weedon Dr NE St. Petersburg)
- Highlights: Home to some of the most gorgeous beaches in the state, amazing sunset and dolphin cruises, great restaurants, excellent bird and gator watching at local preserves
Clearwater
The Clearwater/St Petersburg area is one of the most popular tourist destinations within the Tampa Bay region, and for good reason. Wonderful beaches, preserves, recreational opportunities, and restaurants can be enjoyed throughout both cities. As an added bonus, this area is a really quick drive from Tampa, and thus, the most easily accessible daytrip in the area. As a local, I loved having easy access to the white sand beaches and fun themed restaurants. Not something I did every weekend due to the crowds, but it was fun every now and then.
Clearwater is widely known for its’ smooth sand beaches, and frequently rates amongst the best beach towns in America. The fine grained sand is comprised almost entirely of quartz and stays cool to the touch even on the hottest of days. These gorgeous white sand beaches & crystal clear waters draw people from all over the world. Even Orlando tourists find a way of making it over to Clearwater for a much needed break from the theme park congestion.
That being said, do not come to Clearwater expecting a relaxing day in the sun. A break from walking on your feet all day at the theme parks – yes. Relaxing, not really! Clearwater, while a fun active beach, is far from the most relaxing. If a day of swimming, beach sports, enjoying a live event on the beach, and perhaps taking a scenic sightseeing cruise sounds like fun, then by all means go ahead with planning a trip to Clearwater.
Beachcombers will want to head next door to Sand Key Beach, known as one of the shelling hotspots of the Gulf. This is one of the best beaches on the Gulf for finding sand dollars and all sorts of colorful shells. Plus, it’s really quiet in comparison to the neighboring touristy beaches.
St Petersburg
Pass-A-Grille beach in St. Petersburg is another one to add to your bucket list. It gets quite busy most summer afternoons, however, it’s got that old school charm and is surrounded by a low-key dining and shopping area known as Pass-A-Grille village.
Exploring Weedon Island Preserve should also be high up on your to-do list. Not only can you hike a variety of trails here, but you can also see all sorts of wildlife in their native habitat, from alligators, to armadillos, to tortoises. I have seen more armadillos here than anywhere else (see pic below). And the bird watching is incredible. Be sure to climb the observation tower to enjoy stunning views of the Tampa Bay region.
St Pete is also home to an amazing world-class art scene which includes the renowned Dali museum. I also love the glass blown art museum, featuring the works of Dale Chihuly. I have seen his artwork throughout the country, so it was cool visiting a museum dedicated to his beautiful works.
There’s much more to do in the Clearwater/St. Petersburg area. Check out my full guide for more ideas.
Daytrip 7: Tarpon Springs
- Distance from Tampa: 45 min.
- Highlights: Excellent Greek food, fun festivals year-round, quiet and relaxing tourist destination, Beautiful nature surrounding the city, historic healing mineral spa
- My Tarpon visitor guide
“The Greek Capital of the US”
Tarpon Springs is a Florida Gulf Coast city rich in Greek history. If you like Greek food and culture, you will definitely want to plan a daytrip here. Check out the Original Mr. Souvlakis or Hellas for an authentic Greek meal. Greek sponge divers settled here in the 1900’s, and today tourists come from all over to see the historic sponge docks along the water, lending to the town’s nickname the “sponge capital of the world.”
You will also find a number of tourist shops and the cutest little local coffeeshop. Eco Beans features terrific coffee, the most delicious pastries (a number of which are vegan and/or gluten free), and a beautiful lush outdoor patio. Update: Eco Beans is now closed. However, Copenhagen Cafe (great Danish pastries) and Urban Grounds are great alternatives. Tarpon’s Main St. is my go-to choice as a local for a relaxing weekend coffee break.
Beautiful parks & beaches
Food and history aside, the area is home to a number of pretty parks and beaches. Fred Howard Park is a beautiful place to watch a sunset. AL Anderson Park is a gator watching hotspot. The best portion of the 45+ mile long Pinellas trail also runs right through downtown. I recommend the 7 mile route from Tarpon Springs to Dunedin: it’s beautiful and mostly flat with interesting sites in both towns to explore before or after your ride. Also, I really recommend taking the dolphin watching cruise over to Anclote Island, a shelling hotspot only accessible via boat.
The city also offers an interesting lineup of events throughout the year. The Opa! Greek festival is a hit each June. The Sponge Docks Seafood festival is a big hit each fall. There’s Snow Place like Tarpon Springs is a big hit with locals and tourists alike come December. The cheerful holiday event features a number of festive activities including real falling snow!
While in the vicinity stop by Palm Harbor (a quick 10 min drive) for a rejuvenating stroll around John Chestnut Park. This was my favorite park while living in the area: I saw so many gators and I love walking over the swampy boardwalk. Plan your visit around dusk to see the deer. I’ve never seen so many deer in my life!
Daytrip 8: Safety Harbor
Safety Harbor, most well-known for being home to a healing mineral springs, is the place to go if you like spas. At the Safety Harbor Spa & Resort, you can soak in natural mineral enriched waters which the ancients used to cure various ailments. The healing water comes from Espiritu Santo Springs, “where healing waters flow,” and was considered to be a fountain of youth by early Spanish explorers.
Other attractions include Phillippe Park and a charming Main Street district. Fountain Grill at the Safety Harbor Resort is a great place to enjoy lunch. The Mediterranean Tapas plate is pretty delicious. Keep in mind that you can use the spa facilities for just $25 a person: a great budget friendly alternative to paying for a pircey massage! Enjoy a day of relaxing and detoxing, followed by a great lunch! Another great local restaurant is Nona Slice House serving great pizza and apps!
Daytrip 9: Lakeland
- Distance from Tampa: 45 min
- Highlights: Beautiful parks, easy side trip from Orlando or Tampa, quiet daytrip with little traffic, one of the last remaining drive-ins, alligator capital of central Florida
- My scary walk down Alligator Alley
Lakeland is a small community located about halfway in between Tampa and Orlando. At first glance, the area does not seem to offer much, however, there are at least 2 attractions here which make the easy 45 min drive from Tampa well worth the effort.
First of all, the Circle B Bar Reserve is one of the best spots in the state for alligator watching. A walk down the super scary “Alligator Alley” trail pretty much guarantees that you will leave seeing dozens of alligators. The trails here are leafy and shady with much more wildlife to see than simply alligators. If you are not up for a risky walk, consider one of the free volunteer led tram tours, available on weekends.
The second reason to visit Lakeland is for the Silver Moon, a historic drive-in which has been going strong since 1948. This is the last remaining drive-in in Polk County, and one of the few still standing in the state. As these drive-ins are so rare today, it’s a fun opportunity to take a temporary step back in time to the days when summer nights were spent at the drive-in. I have seen many movies here: my favorite experience was seeing one of my favorite Halloween classics, Hocus Pocus, on the big screen.
Daytrip 10: Silver Springs State Park
- Distance from Tampa: 1 hour, 45 min.
- Location: 5656 E Silver Springs Blvd, Silver Springs
- Admission: $12-25 per person for the boat rides. Boats take off every 30-45 min from 10am-4pm.
- Highlight: Florida’s first tourist attraction, glass bottom boat rides, beautiful natural scenery
- My guide to glass bottom boat rides
Silver Springs is still as popular as ever today as it was when it opened in 1870 as Florida’s first tourist attraction. The park became famous for its’ glass bottom boat rides which allowed visitors a clear glimpse of life under the springs.
Silver is one of the largest springs in the world with numerous plants and animals calling the springs home. You will see all sorts of aquatic life through the glass bottom boat. Alligator sightings are also common. The tour guide is very knowledgeable with lots of historical info & interesting tidbits about the area. After your cruise, take a walk along one of the beautiful nature trails.
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