20 Ways to Cool Down During the Hot, Humid Tampa Summer Season (besides the beach!)
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.
6. Feast on authentic Cuban fare at the world’s largest Spanish restaurant
Columbia has long been regarded as one of the country’s best Spanish restaurants. It also claims the title as world’s largest Spanish restaurant. Having opened way back in 1905, it still stands strong as Florida’s oldest restaurant. Visit the flagship location in Tampa’s historic Ybor city district and you will be treated to live flamenco dancing. On the other hand, the Sand Key location features wonderful views of the water.
Whichever you do decide to visit, be sure to try out the wonderful Cuban black bean soup. You cannot leave Tampa without indulging in this famous dish. Even more impressive than the food is the restaurant’s rich history. Impressively, even after 20 years, Columbia is still owned by the same family (it is now operated by 4th and 5th generation members of the founding Hernandez Gonzmart family)!
7. Explore the Tampa Museum of Art
For a smaller city, Tampa’s Museum of Art is impressive enough to warrant a visit. The museum features an interesting mix of ancient Roman and Greek, modern, and contemporary art exhibits. The beautiful riverfront location puts you within easy reach of many other great attractions including the Tampa Riverwalk, numerous dining establishments, cruise lines, and the Florida Aquarium.
8. Get your game on at the Treasure Island Fun Center
At the largest arcade in Pinellas County, you can enjoy hours of indoor gaming fun. As a fun alternative to a hot day at the beach, you can enjoy classic pinball and arcade games, pool, as well as newer ticket redemption games. From the classic Pac Man arcade game, to Simpsons pinball, to Skeeball and carnival style games, there is a bit of something for everyone here.
They offer a lot of great specials here including 60 minutes of unlimited arcade play for just 10 bucks. Really, not a bad deal at all. The space is large and fortunately never overly crowded. This is a great place for gamers, families looking for indoor entertainment options, couples seeking a fun date idea, and basically anyone else looking for a fun place to beat the heat!
9. Treat yourself to an acai bowl at Raining Berries
Raining Berries is an amazing place to try out your first acai bowl. This delicious cafe is located in the New Tampa area. If you plan on visiting area attractions like Lettuce Lake Park or The Shops of Wiregrass, be sure to plan a quick refueling stop here. Acai bowls are delicious cool treats consisting of pureed acai fruit, topped with granola, fruit, and various other treats such as chocolate, shredded coconut, nutella, or peanut butter.
As a healthy dairy-free alternative to ice cream and frozen yogurt, acai bowls are the perfect treat for anyone craving a healthier dessert option. Really, these bowls are amazingly refreshing on a hot day. Raining Berries also serves delicious coffee, more than 10 varieties of tea (try the Prickly Pear!), and smoothies.
10. Dinner and drinks at Cinebistro
Dine-in movie theaters are super popular today, especially in warm weather destinations. Cinebistro is Tampa’s premier option, with several convenient locations. Hyde Park Village is your best bet as there are tons of cool shops and local cafes (Buddy Brew is awesome!) to explore while you are here. What better way to escape the heat then enjoying delicious food, drinks, and a great movie for a few hours? Unlike many other dine-in theaters, Cinebistro features a classy upscale vibe, thus, making it a perfect date night destination.
The menu is composed of traditional theater fare plus full meals, as opposed to the cheap, unhealthy fried basket food served at most dine-ins. Where else can you enjoy a hummus plate, a glass of wine, Fettuccine Al Forno, and a Creme Brulee cheesecake, all while taking in the newest film?
