Florida is synonymous with great family vacation time filled with sunshine, palm trees, and beautiful beaches with optimal water temperatures for swimming and splashing even for small kids.
Tampa Bay is probably our most favorite family friendly destination in Florida. First of all, it is located on the Gulf Coast so the ocean is much calmer here than on the Atlantic Coast, which is great for young kids.
Second of all, there are tons of things to do in Tampa with kids and its neighboring towns in Tampa Bay. Finally, Tampa is very budget friendly. Some destinations in Florida may have lots of attractions for kids but you will spend a fortune there (think about astronomical prices of Miami’s beach front hotels or Disney World entrance tickets).
We visited Tampa half a dozen times already and each time we discovered something new and exciting about the area. It is impossible to put all things to do in Tampa with kids in one 1-week itinerary. So I decided to split my most favorite Tampa attractions in 2 parts and create a separate itinerary for each of them:
- Adventures in the footsteps of the movie “Dolphin Tale” for nature lovers (this itinerary)
- Adventures in theme parks and other fun places for kids
My list of most favorite nature attractions in Tampa for kids includes: dolphin watching, learning about marine life, visiting unique ecosystems as well as learning about animals and plants.
Clearwater Marine Aquarium
The famous feel-good family movie Dolphin Tale and its sequel, Dolphin Tale 2, were filmed in Tampa Bay area. “Dolphin Tale” is based on a real story of a bottlenose dolphin rescued off the coast of Florida and taken in by Clearwater Marine Aquarium. The dolphin named Winter lost its tail because of the injuries it had sustained from the crab traps. Unable to swim properly without a tail it would have eventually died, even in the aquarium setting. A group of enthusiastic people from the Clearwater Aquarium was set on a mission to procure a prosthetic tail for Winter and teach her to swim anew.
So naturally, the #1 thing on my list of things to do in Tampa with kids is going to Clearwater Marine Aquarium and meeting Winter in person.
Clearwater Aquarium is small but it has some cool exhibits and most importantly, it does a tremendous job of rehabilitating injured sea mammals it rescues. Here you can meet stingrays, sharks, turtles, sea otters, dolphins and Winter is the star, of course. There are multiple animal presentations throughout the day, roughly one every 30 minutes, sometimes two at the same time. There is a lot you can learn here about marine life.
You can also go on an educational boat tour – Sea Life Safari – that is typically 90 minutes long. During this eco-tour you will observe data collection in action, as the staff on board will perform a net pull and conduct a “show and tell” about of sea creatures found in the grass beds and sand flats of the Tampa Bay. There is a high chance that you’ll meet a pod of dolphins on your trip as well.
A big portion of “Dolphin Tale” was filmed in Clearwater Marine Aquarium. You can see photos throughout the aquarium indicating where a certain scene was shot. For instance, you can visit Morgan Freeman’s office (who plays Dr. Cameron McCarthy in the movie). A nice treat is waiting for you in front of the aquarium – the house boat of one of the main characters in the movie and cute Rufus the Pelican (actually called Ricky in real life) who lives in Clearwater Maine Aquarium too.
Tampa Bay Watch Discovery Center
If you watched the movie you know about the hurricane that plays a vital part in it. We were lucky to stumble upon an educational exhibit in a small museum on St. Petersburg Pier explaining the life of hurricanes and their dramatic impact on Florida. Since then St. Petersburg Pier was completely rebuilt and I don’t know if the hurricane exhibit is still there but what they do have right now is a fantastic The Tampa Bay Watch Discovery Center dedicated to studying and protection of Tampa Bay ecosystem.
The Florida Aquarium
Another excellent educational thing to do with kids in Tampa in relation to marine life is visiting The Florida Aquarium . As the name suggests, The Florida Aquarium focuses on the diversity of Florida’s ecosystems. It is located in Tampa itself. Florida Aquarium promises to take you on a journey from Florida freshwater springs, to the State’s wetlands, beaches, coral reefs, etc. Florida Aquarium is much bigger than the one in Clearwater but still easy to navigate even with small kids.
It also offers special tours and adventures (for an additional charge) such as dolphin cruises, Penguins Backstage Pass, close encounters with resident critters and more. On top of that you can partake in various swim and dive programs at the aquarium.
Since we last visited the Florida Aquarium a couple of years ago great new attractions were added for your enjoyment: 4D Theater and the outdoor Splash Pad, which is in essence a water playground for kids. Both of these are included with general admission so you don’t have to pay extra.
Shell Key
If you would love to explore Florida’s habitats in the wild, a trip to Shell Key should be at the top of your list of things to do in Tampa with kids.
Shell Key Preserve is a 1,828-acre preserve located in the mouth of Tampa Bay, which includes a 195-acre barrier island known as Shell Key. Shell Key is an undeveloped island which does not even have bathroom facilities but what it does have is an abundance of birds, huge beautiful shells of different varieties, sand dollars, white powdery sand and clear waters. Shell collection is allowed here!
You can take a 10 minutes shuttle to Shell Key from St. Pete Beach. The shuttle runs 3 times per day, each way, weather permitting, and leaves you on the island for minimum 2 hours (maximum – 6 hours). Kids will love collecting all the treasures that the sea washes on shore. Below is just a portion of what we found on the island (to get you the feel of how big these shells are: the smallest dark grey shell in the middle of the picture is 1 inch across):
Once you have satisfied your hunger for learning about marine life you can move to exploration of life on land.
ZooTampa
ZooTampa is a premier family attraction in Tampa and in 2009 it was voted #1 Family Friendly Zoo in the U.S. by Parents magazine.
One fourth of the zoo is dedicated to Florida’s habitats, the rest of it represents three continents: Africa, Australia and Asia, plus a primates section. You can spend the whole day at ZooTampa. In addition to regular animal viewing there are animal encounters, various rides (ex.: train, safari, carousel, Roaring Springs water ride, etc.) and 2 water splash areas perfect for hot Floridian days. We visited many zoos in the U.S. and it is one of best there is.
Botanical Gardens
Last but not least of things to do in Tampa with kids in terms of nature exploration is visiting local botanical gardens.
There are three(!) botanical gardens in Tampa Bay area: University of South Florida Botanical Gardens in Tampa itself, Sunken Gardens in St. Petersburg and Florida Botanical Gardens in Largo. All three are highly rated by visitors. We only visited the first two so far.
Sunken Gardens is the smallest of the three (6 acres) and the most expensive ($10 pp for adults and $4 for children). But it is unique due to its historical structures and the way it was built at the bottom of a drained lake. In addition to that you can see many resident birds in the Sunken Garden too (the photo below is from stpete.org).
USF Botanical Gardens is a 16-acre green space showcasing 3000 plants. At $5 pp it is a bargain. It is the least crowded of the three with lots to see. Our favorite parts of the garden are: palms garden, succulents and bamboo garden.
The Florida Botanical Gardens in Largo is a 100-acre park which is absolutely FREE to visit. It has 20 garden areas listed on their website from rose garden to fruit trees gardens to various demonstration gardens and the list goes on. Since we have not visited it yet it will be our top thing to do in Tampa when we come back.
Tampa Bay Beaches
Finally, nothing beats Tampa Bay area beaches in terms of enjoying what Mother Nature has to offer.
For the best beaches you need to cross over the Tampa Bay and explore the territory between Clearwater in the North and St. Pete Beach in the South. It is hard for me to say which is the best beach in Tampa Bay area. Every little beach town on that stretch of land has wonderful beaches. Clearwater beach is consistently ranked as one of the top beaches in the nation. Personally, I am partial to St. Pete Beach. What I like about the beaches in Tampa Bay is that in addition to calm clear waters they are typically very wide. So even if you have lots of people at the beach it does not feel packed because there is so much space around.
Where to stay in Tampa Bay Area.
We prefer to stay in St. Pete Beach area and then drive around (you will definitely need to rent a car to get to all attractions). St. Pete Beach is a perfect town for families. Most of the hotels are built right on the beach and most of them are affordable. Our favorite place is Sirata Beach Resort. You can book a decently priced suite here with 2 rooms and a kitchen. There are also lots of dining options right around this hotel area. So when you are in town, at you home base so to speak, you pretty much won’t need a car, you can walk to restaurants, grocery stores, etc.
Where to eat in Tampa Bay Area
Depending on which beach town you choose as you home base you will have a different choice of restaurants. A couple of areas I suggest to explore whether or not you are going to stay nearby: Pass-a-Grill area of St, Pete Beach and John’ Pass Village. The former is famous for great restaurants along the beach and the later is built as a tourist attraction in itself with multiple shopping and dining options.
When to visit Tampa Bay Area
May-June is the best time to visit Tampa Bay Area. The water has warmed up significantly by then and the hurricane season is not in full swing yet. Once we went to Tampa in November: the weather was very pleasant but the water temperature was in the 50s F, which was a total bummer. The water stays cold throughout all winter. Second half of summer and September are very hot and humid and there are lots of tropical storms (and a full-blown hurricane may arrive too)
Must haves for your trip to Tampa
First of all, you definitely need to get Tampa City Pass as it will save you 50% on 5 major attractions (3 of which described in this article and 2 will be highlighted in my up-coming Tampa itinerary):
Second of all, here are my must-haves that you need to pack four your Tampa vacation:
- A beach tent – much more practical and sturdy than a beach umbrella, it will provide protection from the sun for the whole day. We never go to the beach without it.
- Kids hooded beach towels – so much more practical and easy to use for kids than just a regular towel.
- Sun screen that is not harmful for marine life – I am sure you have your favorite sunscreen for everyday use but you need a special one to go to the beach to protect marine life from harmful chemicals.
- Beach blanket, sand proof. The sand on Tampa Bay beaches is very soft and fine. It is so fine because it consists of tiny particles that will stick to everything, except for your beach blanket and all the things you will safely keep on it 🙂
- Wide brim sun hats for all members of the family
- Cool sunglasses – I personally love Michael Kors because of the quality and reasonable prices
- I big beach bag to carry all this stuff above. I like Bluboon totes because they have waterproof compartments for your wet things.
Additional Resources
Here are several other articles you may find useful for planning Florida vacation:
Things to do in Key Largo with Kids
Kennedy Space Center Review and Tips
Things to do in Sarasota with Kids
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