Explore
Every spot below is somewhere our local team actually sends guests — the beaches worth the drive, the Cuban sandwich worth the line, the game-day traditions and the day trips that make the trip. We keep adding to it, so check back on every stay.
89 places · 10 categories · curated by locals, always growing
Don’t miss
Tampa Heights · Tampa|$$
A stunning 1910 streetcar warehouse reborn as Tampa's premier riverfront food hall.
Go at sunset, grab bites from a few stalls, then head up to the M.Bird rooftop for skyline cocktails.
SoHo / Hyde Park · Tampa|$$$$
Legendary since 1956 — dry-aged steaks, a world-famous wine cellar, and a dessert room upstairs.
Reservations open months out, so book early — and ask for the kitchen and wine cellar tour between dinner and dessert.
Temple Crest · Tampa|$$$$
Florida's coaster capital wrapped around a 300-acre African-themed animal park.
Go straight to Iron Gwazi at rope drop — the line triples by 11am, and weekday visits in the off-season can mean walk-on rides all day.
Clearwater Beach · Clearwater|Free
Powder-white sugar sand and calm, shallow Gulf water on America's most famous beach strip.
Skip the beach-traffic headache entirely by taking the Jolley Trolley over the causeway and staying for the nightly sunset festival at Pier 60.
Bayshore Blvd / Downtown · Tampa|Free
Tampa's massive pirate invasion — a flotilla, parade, and citywide party every late January.
Claim a spot on Bayshore by mid-morning to watch the invasion flotilla sail in before the parade — and wear a pirate hat; you'll feel underdressed without one.
West Tampa · Tampa|$$$
NFL Sundays under a firing pirate-ship cannon at Raymond James Stadium.
Grab seats on the north end near the pirate ship — the cannon blasts and beads tossed to the crowd make it the most fun corner of the stadium.
Tierra Verde · St. Petersburg|$
Five interconnected islands with an 1898 fort, miles of beach, and Tampa Bay's best dog beach.
North Beach's shallow lagoon is our pick for toddlers, and low tide uncovers some of the best shelling in Pinellas County.
Palm Harbor|$$$$
Play the exact PGA Tour layout that hosts the Valspar Championship every March.
Book a stay-and-play package for the best access, and don't be fooled by 'flat Florida' — Copperhead's hills will feel like Carolina.
Downtown Waterfront · St. Petersburg|$$$
The largest collection of Dalí's work outside Spain, inside a building as surreal as the art.
Thursday evenings the museum stays open late with cheaper admission — pair it with dinner on nearby Central Avenue.
Channelside / Water Street · Tampa|$$$
Hockey's loudest party in the Sun Belt, with Tesla coils and a downtown-waterfront setting.
Arrive an hour early and start at Sparkman Wharf on the water — it's the best pre-game food-and-drinks scene, two blocks from the arena.
Downtown · Tampa|Free
A 2.6-mile waterfront promenade stringing together Tampa's best parks, museums, and food halls.
Start with coffee at Armature Works and walk south — the water taxi back means you never retrace your steps.
Ybor City · Tampa|$$$
Florida's oldest restaurant and the world's largest Spanish restaurant, serving Ybor City since 1905.
Book a flamenco dinner show and order the 1905 Salad and a pitcher of sangria de cava — it's the quintessential Tampa night out.
10 spots
Sugar sand, Gulf sunsets and barrier-island escapes
Courtney Campbell Causeway · Tampa|Free
Tampa's in-city bay beach — the closest sand and sunset to downtown, no bridge traffic required.
The water is calm bay water rather than Gulf surf, but for a 15-minute-from-downtown sunset with a food truck or two, nothing beats it.
Dunedin|$$
An undeveloped barrier island reachable only by boat, with some of Florida's most pristine white sand.
Book the first ferry of the morning and walk 10 minutes north from the drop-off — you'll have a postcard-perfect stretch of sand essentially to yourself.
Clearwater Beach · Clearwater|Free
Powder-white sugar sand and calm, shallow Gulf water on America's most famous beach strip.
Skip the beach-traffic headache entirely by taking the Jolley Trolley over the causeway and staying for the nightly sunset festival at Pier 60.
Tierra Verde · St. Petersburg|$
Five interconnected islands with an 1898 fort, miles of beach, and Tampa Bay's best dog beach.
North Beach's shallow lagoon is our pick for toddlers, and low tide uncovers some of the best shelling in Pinellas County.
Dunedin|$
A drive-to barrier island with four miles of natural beach, osprey-filled pine trails, and a dog beach.
Walk the Osprey Trail in the morning to spot nesting owls and ospreys, then cool off at the pet beach with your pup before the afternoon crowds arrive.
Indian Rocks Beach · Indian Rocks Beach|Free
A low-key residential beach town with 27 public access walkways and zero high-rise sprawl.
This is where locals go to escape the Clearwater crowds — pick any numbered access in the teens and it'll feel like your own private beach on weekdays.
Madeira Beach · Madeira Beach|Free
A laid-back family beach next door to the shops and grouper sandwiches of John's Pass Village.
Order the grouper sandwich at a John's Pass boardwalk spot and watch dolphins ride the tidal current through the pass — they show up like clockwork.
Pass-a-Grille · St. Pete Beach|Free
A historic, old-Florida beach village at the very southern tip of St. Pete Beach.
Watch the sunset from the sand at Paradise Grille with a snack from the walk-up window — then turn around to see dolphins working the pass at dusk.
St. Pete Beach · St. Pete Beach|Free
A wide, lively Gulf beach anchored by the pink Don CeSar hotel and classic beach bars.
Grab a frozen drink at a rooftop bar near the pink Don CeSar 'castle' about 30 minutes before sunset — the light on that building is pure Florida magic.
Treasure Island · Treasure Island|Free
One of the widest beaches on the Gulf coast, with room to spread out even on holiday weekends.
Sunday evenings at the Sunset Beach pavilions bring drum circles and some of the mellowest sunset vibes on the barrier islands.
20 spots
Cuban institutions, food halls and toes-in-the-sand seafood
Tampa Heights · Tampa|$$
A stunning 1910 streetcar warehouse reborn as Tampa's premier riverfront food hall.
Go at sunset, grab bites from a few stalls, then head up to the M.Bird rooftop for skyline cocktails.
SoHo / Hyde Park · Tampa|$$$$
Legendary since 1956 — dry-aged steaks, a world-famous wine cellar, and a dessert room upstairs.
Reservations open months out, so book early — and ask for the kitchen and wine cellar tour between dinner and dessert.
Ballast Point · Tampa|$$
A cult-favorite South Tampa fry shack famous for lobster corn dogs and grouper — now Michelin-recommended.
Get the lobster corn dog and a grouper sandwich, then drive five minutes to Ballast Point Pier for the bay view.
Grand Central District · St. Petersburg|$
St. Pete's beloved walk-up window for Cuban sandwiches, mojo pork bowls, and fresh-pressed juices.
Get the Cuban with a mango juice and eat it curbside — then wander Central Ave's murals and shops.
Hyde Park / Kennedy Blvd · Tampa|$
Tampa's hometown craft roaster — the flagship of the city's coffee scene since 2010.
Order the nitro cold brew and take a bag of Double Dog espresso beans home as a souvenir.
Downtown Dunedin · Dunedin|$$
A festive, family-owned Main Street cantina serving authentic regional Mexican for 30+ years.
Order the mole and a fresh-lime margarita, then stroll Main Street for ice cream and shop windows after dinner.
Westshore / Spruce Street · Tampa|$
The brewery that put Tampa on the craft beer map — home of Jai Alai IPA.
Do a flight, but don't leave without a taproom-exclusive pour — and grab cans of Jai Alai for the beach cooler.
Ybor City · Tampa|$$$
Florida's oldest restaurant and the world's largest Spanish restaurant, serving Ybor City since 1905.
Book a flamenco dinner show and order the 1905 Salad and a pitcher of sangria de cava — it's the quintessential Tampa night out.
Downtown Dunedin · Dunedin|$
Florida's oldest craft microbrewery (est. 1995), the heart of Dunedin's famous beer scene.
Start here with an Apricot Peach Ale, then walk Dunedin's brewery trail — HOB, 7venth Sun, and more are minutes away.
Clearwater Beach · Clearwater|$$
The classic toes-in-the-sand grouper joint right on Clearwater Beach — famous since 1981.
Go at sunset for a beachfront table, and order the grouper sandwich 'Buffalo style' with a Rum Runner.
EDGE District · St. Petersburg|$
St. Pete's first modern craft brewery, with an award-winning lineup and a huge beer garden.
Order the Sunshine City Lager on the lawn, then brewery-hop — several more great taprooms are within blocks.
Ybor City · Tampa|$
Baking Tampa's famous Cuban bread since 1915 — the loaf behind nearly every great Cuban sandwich in town.
Go early, order a hot-pressed Cuban and a guava-and-cheese pastelito, and take a warm loaf home for later.
West Tampa · Tampa|$
A beloved family-run Cuban restaurant and counter café feeding West Tampa since 1972.
Sit at the counter like the regulars and get the ropa vieja with extra plantains — portions are huge, so come hungry.
Downtown / University of Tampa · Tampa|$$$
Tampa's most beautiful brunch — a restaurant, bookstore, and tea shop in a stunning 1891 building.
Come on a weekday morning to skip the weekend wait, then browse the bookstore with a cortado in hand.
Seminole Heights · Tampa|$$$
Seminole Heights' multi-year Michelin Bib Gourmand star — Tampa's favorite neighborhood tasting-plate spot.
Sit at the chef's counter and let the kitchen guide you — order two or three plates more than feels reasonable.
Rattlesnake Point / South Tampa · Tampa|$$
Toes-in-the-sand island vibes and sunset views over Old Tampa Bay.
Arrive an hour before sunset, snag a waterside table, and order the frozen Painkiller with a dozen oysters.
Channel District / Water Street · Tampa|$$
An open-air shipping-container food hall and biergarten on the downtown waterfront.
Perfect pre-game or post-aquarium stop — grab a local draft, spread out on the lawn, and let the kids run.
South Pasadena · South Pasadena|$$
An open-air Old Florida landmark smoking mullet and mahi over red oak since 1951.
Bring cash, order the smoked fish spread with saltines and a cold beer, and get a tub to-go for your rental's fridge.
Tampa Heights · Tampa|$$$
Native-inspired Florida cuisine in a restored 1903 waterworks building on the Riverwalk.
Grab a patio table at golden hour, start with the charbroiled oysters, and walk the Riverwalk to Armature Works afterward.
West Tampa · Tampa|$
The no-frills West Tampa institution behind the famous Honey Cuban — a.k.a. the 'Obama sandwich.'
Order the Honey Cuban with a colada — and note they close at 3 p.m., so make it a breakfast or lunch run.
10 spots
Theme parks, aquariums and can't-miss landmarks
Temple Crest · Tampa|$$$
Tampa's 30-acre tropical water park right across the street from Busch Gardens.
Rent a cabana and arrive at opening — Floridians show up around noon, so mornings are gloriously uncrowded.
Temple Crest · Tampa|$$$$
Florida's coaster capital wrapped around a 300-acre African-themed animal park.
Go straight to Iron Gwazi at rope drop — the line triples by 11am, and weekday visits in the off-season can mean walk-on rides all day.
Island Estates · Clearwater|$$$
A working marine rescue hospital made famous by Winter the dolphin of the Dolphin Tale films.
Time your visit to a sea turtle feeding and take the Rescue Boat Tour out into the Intracoastal — wild dolphins usually show up.
Downtown / Riverwalk · Tampa|$$
Three floors of hands-on play for the under-10 crowd, right on Curtis Hixon Park.
Go at opening on a weekday and bring a change of clothes for the water tables — your kids will need it.
Uptown / USF area · Tampa|$$
Tampa's hands-on science museum, freshly renamed and anchored by the second-largest planetarium dome in the U.S.
Grab planetarium show tickets when you walk in — dome seats sell out on rainy afternoons, and the show is worth planning your visit around.
Historic Uptown / 4th Street · St. Petersburg|$
A 100-year-old botanical garden sunk 15 feet below street level, complete with flamingos.
Go right at opening when the light filters through the canopy and the flamingos are being fed — photographers, this is your spot.
Downtown · Tampa|Free
A 2.6-mile waterfront promenade stringing together Tampa's best parks, museums, and food halls.
Start with coffee at Armature Works and walk south — the water taxi back means you never retrace your steps.
Channel District · Tampa|$$$
A top-ranked downtown aquarium tracing a drop of Florida water from spring to open sea.
It sits right on the Riverwalk's eastern end next to Sparkman Wharf — do the aquarium in the morning, then lunch at the wharf's shipping-container food stalls.
Downtown Waterfront · St. Petersburg|Free
A 26-acre pier district jutting into Tampa Bay with beaches, art, playgrounds, and rooftop dining.
Come an hour before sunset — fish off the end, watch 'Bending Arc' light up, and catch downtown St. Pete glittering behind you.
Lowry Park · Tampa|$$$
A shady, walkable 63-acre zoo famous for its manatee hospital and up-close animal feedings.
Hit the manatee viewing area first thing in the morning when the rescued calves are most active — it's the most quietly moving thing in Tampa.
8 spots
Mangrove kayaking, manatees and wild Florida
St. Petersburg|Free
A 47-mile paved rail-trail linking downtown St. Pete, Dunedin, and the Tarpon Springs sponge docks.
Our favorite ride: park in Dunedin, pedal north to the Tarpon Springs sponge docks for Greek food, and coast back — about 22 flat miles round trip.
Thonotosassa|$
One of Florida's original state parks, famous for rare Class II river rapids and cypress-shaded trails.
Take the short Rapids Trail first thing in the morning — mist on the river, zero crowds, and you'll likely spot ibis and the occasional gator sunning downstream.
North Tampa · Tampa|$
A 3,500-foot boardwalk over Hillsborough River swampland where gators, herons, and owls put on a show.
Walk the boardwalk slowly and scan the water-lettuce mats — spotting a gator's eyes gliding between the herons never gets old for our guests.
Clearwater Beach Marina · Clearwater|$$
A guaranteed-sighting dolphin cruise aboard a tugboat whose wake dolphins love to surf.
Book the sunset departure — you get dolphins surfing the wake plus a Gulf sunset from the water in one trip.
St. Petersburg|$
The world's longest fishing pier — a former bay bridge open 24 hours under the Sunshine Skyway.
Drive out at night at least once even if you don't fish — the lit pier, the glowing Skyway cables, and tarpon rolling under the lights are pure Tampa Bay.
Clearwater Beach · Clearwater|Free
A free nightly sunset festival with street performers, artisans, and live music on Clearwater Beach.
Ring the sunset bell tradition with the kids, then let the street performers carry the evening — it's the easiest no-plan night out on the beach.
Apollo Beach · Apollo Beach|Free
Watch hundreds of wild manatees gather in the warm power-plant outflow — free, every winter.
Come on a chilly January morning right at opening — the colder the night before, the more manatees you'll count, sometimes by the hundreds.
Riviera Bay · St. Petersburg|Free
Paddle through mangrove tunnels on a 3,700-acre preserve that feels like the Everglades in miniature.
Rent early on a rising tide and paddle the tunnels before the wind picks up — mid-morning light filtering through the mangrove canopy is unreal.
8 spots
Bucs, Bolts, Rays and spring training baseball
West Tampa · Tampa|$$
See the Bronx Bombers up close each February and March at Steinbrenner Field.
Come early to watch morning workouts on the back fields — you'll get closer to the players there than any ticket in the Bronx allows.
Clearwater|$$
Grapefruit League baseball with a tiki bar in the outfield at BayCare Ballpark.
Buy the cheap outfield berm tickets, bring a blanket, and order the grouper sandwich from the Frenchy's stand — that's how the locals do it.
West Tampa · Tampa|$$$
NFL Sundays under a firing pirate-ship cannon at Raymond James Stadium.
Grab seats on the north end near the pirate ship — the cannon blasts and beads tossed to the crowd make it the most fun corner of the stadium.
Channelside / Water Street · Tampa|$$$
Hockey's loudest party in the Sun Belt, with Tesla coils and a downtown-waterfront setting.
Arrive an hour early and start at Sparkman Wharf on the water — it's the best pre-game food-and-drinks scene, two blocks from the arena.
Downtown St. Pete · St. Petersburg|$$
Big-league baseball is back home at a fully rebuilt Tropicana Field for 2026.
Tickets here are some of the cheapest in MLB — snag lower-bowl seats day-of and visit the Rays Touch Tank behind right-center field.
Downtown St. Pete Waterfront · St. Petersburg|$
Pro soccer with a sunset over the marina — the most scenic sports ticket in the bay.
Sit on the east side for the water view, then walk two blocks to the Beach Drive bars afterward — it's the perfect low-cost night out.
Riverside Heights / North Hyde Park · Tampa|$
Championship-winning pro women's soccer in an intimate riverfront stadium.
This is the ground-floor moment for women's pro soccer in Tampa — small stadium, big atmosphere, and tickets are still easy to get.
Downtown Dunedin · Dunedin|$$
The coziest ballpark in the Grapefruit League, steps from Dunedin's craft-brewery strip.
Make it a Dunedin day — game at 1, then walk to Dunedin Brewery or HOB Brewing after the final out; you'll never touch your car.
8 spots
PGA Tour venues to beloved municipal tracks
Forest Hills · Tampa|$
Tampa's beloved city muni, named for the greatest female athlete of her era.
It's short but sneaky — small greens punish overconfidence, and the weekday morning rate is the best golf value inside city limits.
Bardmoor · Largo|$$
A former JCPenney Classic host that any golfer can tee up on in central Pinellas.
It's the best-conditioned public-access round in Pinellas for the money — book morning times in winter because the snowbird crowd fills it fast.
Trinity · New Port Richey|$$
A Robert Trent Jones Sr. design open to everyone at a friendly daily-fee price.
The RTJ pedigree at a $50-ish price point is the quiet steal of Tampa Bay golf — play it before everyone else figures that out.
Palm Harbor|$$$$
Play the exact PGA Tour layout that hosts the Valspar Championship every March.
Book a stay-and-play package for the best access, and don't be fooled by 'flat Florida' — Copperhead's hills will feel like Carolina.
Riviera Bay / North St. Pete · St. Petersburg|$
St. Pete's flagship city course, laced with mangroves along Tampa Bay.
Watch for ospreys and the occasional manatee in the canals — and if you only have two hours, the Cypress Links nine is the perfect beach-day golf fix.
Wesley Chapel|$$$
Freshly reimagined by Rees Jones as part of Saddlebrook's $92 million resort transformation.
You're playing brand-new Rees Jones holes before the golf world catches on — pair a round with the resort's famous tennis and new Super Pool.
Bowling Green|$$$$
Three of America's top-ranked public courses rising out of old phosphate dunes — worth every mile of the drive.
Do it right: drive down the night before, stay on-site, and walk 36 with a caddie — Red in the morning light is the round you'll talk about for years.
Lutz|$$$
A public-access TPC with tour-level conditioning 30 minutes north of downtown.
Book a twilight rate in winter — the back nine through the cypress heads at golden hour is as pretty as public golf gets in Tampa.
9 spots
Dalí, murals, movie palaces and cigar-city history
Channel District · Tampa|$
A fully operational WWII Victory-class cargo ship you can explore bow to engine room.
Combine it with the aquarium next door — 45 minutes aboard is plenty, and kids love climbing to the gun decks.
Central Arts District · St. Petersburg|$$
A permanent, purpose-built gallery of Dale Chihuly's luminous large-scale glass installations.
Catch the glassblowing demo first so you appreciate what you're looking at, then let the darkened galleries do their thing.
Beach Drive / Vinoy Park · St. Petersburg|$$
A classical waterfront museum spanning 5,000 years of art, from ancient Egypt to Monet and O'Keeffe.
Do the MFA in the morning, then walk Beach Drive's sidewalk cafes toward the Vinoy — it's St. Pete at its most elegant.
Downtown Waterfront · St. Petersburg|$$$
The largest collection of Dalí's work outside Spain, inside a building as surreal as the art.
Thursday evenings the museum stays open late with cheaper admission — pair it with dinner on nearby Central Avenue.
Central Arts District / EDGE District / Grand Central · St. Petersburg|Free
One of America's best street-art cities — 600+ murals threaded along a walkable avenue of indie shops and craft breweries.
The 600-700 blocks of Central and the alleys behind them hide the densest murals — go before 10am for people-free photos and cooler air.
Downtown / Riverwalk · Tampa|$$$
The Southeast's largest performing arts complex, hosting Broadway tours on the Riverwalk.
Book a pre-show dinner on the river terrace and walk the lit-up Riverwalk back to the car — it makes any show feel like an occasion.
Downtown · Tampa|$
A gloriously restored 1926 movie palace where the ceiling twinkles with stars.
Arrive 20 minutes early to hear the Wurlitzer and grab a balcony seat — and yes, the theatre is (affectionately) said to be haunted.
Sponge Docks / Dodecanese Blvd · Tarpon Springs|Free
America's most Greek small town, where sponge boats still work the docks like it's 1905.
Order a gyro and a slab of baklava at Hellas, then buy a real sea sponge for your kitchen — they last for years and beat any souvenir shirt.
Ybor City · Tampa|Free
Tampa's cigar-rolling Latin Quarter, reached by a vintage streetcar that's still free to ride.
Ride the streetcar in from downtown around golden hour, get the 1905 Salad tossed tableside at Columbia, and say hi to the famous street chickens.
6 spots
7th Avenue after dark, boutique villages and boardwalks
Downtown / EDGE District · St. Petersburg|$$
St. Pete's mural-covered main drag of craft breweries, indie shops, and buzzing patios.
Do the 600-block first — Green Bench Brewing plus the murals around it — then work your way toward the Pier as the neon comes on.
Hyde Park · Tampa|$$$
An open-air shopping village of upscale boutiques and cafes in Tampa's prettiest historic neighborhood.
Come on the first Sunday of the month for the Fresh Market, then walk two blocks to Bayshore Boulevard for the world's longest continuous sidewalk.
Westshore · Tampa|$$$
Tampa Bay's premier mall, from Apple to Louis Vuitton, with an open-air dining street attached.
It's the perfect rainy-day or last-day-before-your-flight plan — you can shop right up until you need to be at TPA, five minutes away.
John's Pass · Madeira Beach|$$
A salty fishing-village boardwalk of seafood shacks, souvenir shops, and dolphin tours.
Order the smoked fish spread at a waterfront bar around sunset and watch the charter boats come in with the day's catch.
East Tampa · Tampa|$$$
One of the largest casinos in the U.S., with 24/7 gaming, celebrity-chef dining, and live entertainment.
It's 15 minutes from downtown and genuinely fun at 1 a.m. — join the free Unity rewards program at the door before you play.
Ybor City · Tampa|$$
Tampa's historic Latin quarter turns into its liveliest bar-and-music strip after dark.
Start early with a 1905 Salad at the century-old Columbia Restaurant, then bar-hop down 7th — and keep an eye out for the neighborhood's famous free-roaming chickens.
5 spots
Mermaid springs, quartz-sand islands and worth-the-drive gems
Anna Maria Island · Anna Maria|$
A laid-back, old-Florida barrier island with sugar-white beaches and no high-rises.
Park once and ride the free trolley end to end — and get a grouper sandwich at the Sandbar with your toes literally in the sand.
Kings Bay / Three Sisters Springs · Crystal River|$$$
The only place in the U.S. where you can legally snorkel alongside wild manatees.
Book the earliest tour on a cold January morning — that's when the springs are thickest with manatees — and add nearby Homosassa Springs Wildlife State Park to see them from the underwater observatory.
Winter Haven · Winter Haven|$$$
A 150-acre theme park built for kids 2-12, with coasters, a water park, and millions of bricks.
Go on a weekday, hit Coastersaurus and the Driving School first, and don't skip the original Cypress Gardens banyan tree tucked at the back of the park.
Siesta Key · Sarasota|$
America's famous quartz-sand beach paired with Sarasota's Ringling museums and arts scene.
Hit the beach in the morning, The Ringling in the heat of the afternoon, then catch the Siesta Key drum circle at sunset on Sundays.
Weeki Wachee · Spring Hill|$
Live mermaid shows in an underwater theater plus crystal-clear kayaking, about an hour north of Tampa.
Arrive right at opening — the park hits capacity fast in summer — and book your kayak launch ahead of time since river reservations are required.
5 spots
Gasparilla, strawberry season and bowl-week Tampa
East Tampa · Tampa|$
Twelve days of midway rides, deep-fried everything, and livestock shows each February.
Go on a weekday afternoon for shorter ride lines, and come hungry — the annual new-fair-food lineup is half the reason locals go.
Plant City · Plant City|$
An 11-day berry-season blowout with big-name concerts and legendary strawberry shortcake.
Skip the lines inside and grab your strawberry shortcake from the St. Clement's church booth — locals swear it's the best on the grounds — and buy a flat of fresh berries on the way out.
Bayshore Blvd / Downtown · Tampa|Free
Tampa's massive pirate invasion — a flotilla, parade, and citywide party every late January.
Claim a spot on Bayshore by mid-morning to watch the invasion flotilla sail in before the parade — and wear a pirate hat; you'll feel underdressed without one.
Clearwater Beach · Clearwater|$
Master sculptors turn 1,000 tons of Clearwater's sugar-white sand into a walk-through art museum.
Buy the sculpture-exhibit ticket for just before sunset, then stay for the free concert and Pier 60's nightly sunset celebration — three events for one parking spot.
Westshore · Tampa|$$
Tampa's New Year's college football bowl game — the longtime Outback Bowl under its current name.
Even casual fans should tailgate — the lots around Raymond James on bowl morning are a party, and tickets are usually easy to grab compared to playoff games.