Things to Do & See Along The Tampa Riverwalk
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The Riverwalk is one of the best ways to take in a lot of Tampa’s best attractions in one single place. It’s a 2 mile path which connects many of the top museums and attractions, not to mention the site of numerous city events throughout the year. The quiet pedestrian path follows the beautiful Hillsborough River. Along the way, you will pass many of the city’s top attractions including the highly rated Florida Aquarium and The Tampa Museum of Art which I consider a hidden gem. You can also shop, dine (I love that there is a Columbia restaurant!), and enjoy various water related activities like stand up paddleboarding and cruises.
The Riverwalk is one of the best places in the city to take in views of both the skyline and river. Whether you decide to walk or bike, either way you will enjoy smooth, flat path. The setting is beautiful – the path is very maintained and nicely landscaped. It’s just a nice place to get in some light exercise in a scenic setting. I enjoy taking a morning jog here every now and then – the river scenery is so motivating.
The path is almost never overcrowded, unless there is a major event taking place. If you are looking for a great urban recreational path, the Riverwalk is an ideal option considering the easy access to amenities. You can also connect to the equally beautiful Bayshore Blvd path for a longer ride. This paved route is the longest continuous sidewalk in the country at 4.5 miles.
The Gasparilla Pirate Ship can be seen along the water. Each year, the city holds the iconic Gasparilla festival which is basically a weekend of pirate themed events and parades.
In this pic, the boat is decked out for Super Bowl LV. They ran a really cool laser light show for the Superbowl events. The Riverwalk went all out for the iconic event which was hosted in the city. As you likely remember, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers beat the Kansas City Chiefs 31-9. This was a really memorable event as it was the first time a team was playing in their home stadium and they won to make it even more iconic. I have always been a huge Tom Brady and New England Patriots fan so it was super fun to attend this event and cheer on Brady on his new team.
Views of the skyline are fantastic. While Tampa’s skyline is not overly impressive, this walk is the best way to view it with both day and nighttime equally scenic. I prefer visiting in the morning for exercise and at night when there is some big event going on.
The major highlight of the RIverwalk is easy access to some of the city’s top tourist attractions. Below are a few great city attractions I recommend adding to your bucket list.
The Florida Aquarium
Tampa’s highly regarded aquarium houses over 200,000 various forms of sea life. The most impressive sight is a 500,000 Coral Reef Exhibit featuring tiger sharks, giant turtles, and hundreds of other interesting forms of sea life. Certified divers can even take a dive with the sharks!
Highlights here include colorful exhibits, a nice layout, and a beautiful outdoor Wetlands Trail. I like coming here to escape the heat – it’s the best air conditioned break in the city. What is nice is that you can get in for free the first Sunday of each month if you are a Bank of America card member (I use this “Museums on Us” perk frequently).
Learn more about this aquarium
Tampa Bay History Center
Tampa’s top notch history museum features 3 floors of exhibits dedicated to Florida history, including an exhibit detailing the first inhabitants of Tampa and information on Tampa’s cigar industry history. Be sure to stop for lunch at Columbia, frequently rated as one of the best Spanish restaurants in the world. This is my favorite restaurant in the city. I absolutely love the Cuban Black Beans (I make my own version of this soup at home all the time now). The Black Bean Cakes, Veggie Paella, and Chicken Salteado are also fantastic.
Tampa Bay Times Forum
Tampa’s event center is most famous for being home to the Tampa Bay Lighting, the city’s hockey team. Recents events have included various musical acts and shows such as Disney on Ice.
Tampa Convention Center
The Tampa Convention Center is used to host private events throughout the year. The city’s temperate climate along with great water and skyline views make the Convention Center a popular year-round event hosting location (picture taken on adjoining Bayshore Blvd.)
Florida Museum of Photographic Arts
This Tampa museum dedicated to the art of photography is located on the second and third floors of the modern downtown Cube building. This small museum only takes an hour at most to browse around, and is therefore easy to incorporate into an evening out in Tampa. Not as spectacular as the Art Museum, but still worthy of a visit.
Glazer Children’s Museum
Glazier’s Children’s Museum is located right next to the Museum of Art. It’s attractive location on the waterfront next to Curtis Hixon Park makes it a great choice for a fun family afternoon out. Here you will find plenty of educational, interactive exhibits for the kids and a nice waterfront park setting for the adults.
Curtis Hixon Park
Tampa’s waterfront park is home to numerous ongoing and yearly events, including: free yoga on Sunday evenings and the Tampa Bay Seafood Festival. The park is a great spot to take in views of the city skyline. Take a break, relax, and enjoy the views!
I love coming here most during the winter season for the annual Winter Village Event. There is a real ice rink (pretty cool for Florida), a synchronized Christmas light show, and specialty food and drink. As a Chicago native, I have always loved ice skating and seasonal festivities – I was so happy that the city had a real ice rink!
Tampa Museum of Art
Tampa’s downtown art museum features a small collection of modern art and Roman/Greek artifacts. Special exhibitions showcase throughout the year so you can always look forward to something new. The new building features a beautiful multi million dollar contemporary design. It’s no Art Institute of Chicago, but worthy of a visit for sure.
Every Thursday from 4 to 8pm, the museum operates on a pay-as-you-wish format, enabling everyone the opportunity to enjoy some culture. Also, this museum is part of Bank of America’s Museums on US program (free entry to any cardholders the first weekend of each month).
David A. Straz Center for the Performing Arts
Tampa’s premier performance venue hosts several Broadway productions each year. Recent productions have included Cinderella and Dirty Dancing. The lineup also includes concerts, plays, and comedic performances.
In addition to the attractions listed above, there are numerous opportunities for shopping and waterfront entertainment located along the Riverwalk. Here are a few of the top activities located on Tampa’s Riverwalk.
Tampa eBoats
A unique way to experience the city by boat, eBoats provide a peaceful waterfront experience with picturesque views of the river and skyline. These silent electric powered boat rentals are available by the hour to tourists and locals seeking a relaxing time off their feet.
Yacht Starship
The Yacht Starship offers several daytime and evening dining cruises in the Bay area, including: Clearwater, St. Petersburg, and downtown Tampa. The 2 hour downtown cruise features an elegant 3 course dinner menu selection and full bar (drinks are an additional charge), along with live entertainment. Enjoy fabulous views of the river, great views of the city, and an occasional dolphin sighting! Special events take place throughout the year – check the website for more details.
Where to Stay
There are a handful of hotels located on the RiverWalk: The Sheraton Riverwalk, Marriott Waterside Hotel, Embassy Suites Tampa, Howard Johnson Plaza Downtown, and Westin Tampa Harbour Island. In addition to fabulous views, each property offers numerous amenities including: on-site dining, pools and fitness centers, and convenient access to the RiverWalk and surrounding Bay attractions.
Location & Parking
You can begin your walk near the Straz Center for Performing Arts located at: 1010 N Wc Macinnes Pl.
Parking is available at various parking garages or along the side streets. Parking meters located north of Kennedy Blvd. are free after 6pm on weekdays and all day on weekends!
