Planning a trip to Tampa? We are sharing our guide to planning 3 days in Tampa Itinerary.
From the Hillsborough River to shopping, to museums to Busch Gardens, there is so much to do in Tampa. The perfect 3 days in Tampa itinerary will include time at theme parks and museum day, shopping, and yummy food. You can see some of the highlights of our trip here.
There is also lots of history and culture to be found in Tampa Bay. For example, Ybor City is also known as “Cigar City” because it was the heart of the cigar industry in the US. Therefore it has a rich history with lots of diversity.
If you are looking for museums and art galleries there are lots of options.
Love the water? You could also have a beach day along the Gulf of Mexico. Or water around the Hillsborough River to she yachts and cruise ships that come to the port of Tampa.
There is enough to do to spend more than 3 days, but we found 3 days to be perfect. If planning a trip to SW Florida this 3 days in Tampa itinerary will help you have the best time in the area
3 Days in Tampa Itinerary
How many days do you need in Tampa?
If you want to do a trip to Orlando Tampa is a great add-on since they are close to each other. The perfect 3 days in Tampa itinerary for us included a day at the theme park, a day shopping and exploring day, and a day at a museum.
What is the best month to visit Tampa?
Florida is known as the Sunshine State so it is a great location year-round. I find the best time to visit Tampa is in the Fall, from October to December. Fall has cooler weather but still lots of sunshine. And closer to Christmas there are lots of lights and decorations.
Is it worth visiting Tampa?
Is Tampa Worth Visiting? Yes definitely! Tampa is a fun city with a retro vibe. There is so much to do in Tampa.
Where to Stay in Tampa
Element Midtown Tampa
We stayed at the Element Tampa Midtown and I would highly recommend it!!! We also stayed at an Element hotel in Jacksonville. And we fell in love with the brand and its clean design combined with warm hospitality.
Here are the reasons you must stay at The Element Midtown Tampa Hotel
- Location!!! The Element Midtown Tampa is located in the city’s hottest new area, Midtown. It is such a fun area with lots of cute shops and yummy cafes. It is also close to Tampa International airport, Raymond James Stadium, International Plaza, and Bay Street.
- Rooftop pool - Their pool overlooks the city with sweeping views.
- Dog friendly - Bring your puppy with you to this pet-friendly hotel
- Breakfast!! - If you have never stayed at an Element Hotel you are in for a treat!!! They have so many options from a yogurt parfait bar, lots of fresh fruits, bread, and a daily specialty meal from avocado toast to omelets.
- Great rooms, comfortable beds, and a kitchenette.
Midtown Tampa map
Check out all the fun restaurants and stores in Midtown Tampa here. B and I had a girl's afternoon and we really enjoyed:
- Shopping at Buff City Soaps
- Kale Me Crazy - I loved their Mushroom Latte and acai bowl
- True Food Kitchen - They have lots of healthy options
- Tipsy Salon - They have great massaging chairs
Things to do Inside Tampa
Here are the things we recommend doing in Tampa.
- Theme Park Day at Busch Gardens
- Shopping/Exploring Day
- Museum day at The Florida Aquarium
Day 1 Busch Gardens
This was our first trip to Busch Gardens in 8 years and it was a blast!!! We went at Christmas time and I highly recommend it.
Not traveling in December don't worry there is still lots of fun there year-round.
Here are some of the questions you guys asked:
Busch Gardens Line Wait Times
The wait times were between 5 minutes to an hour. I definitely recommend downloading the Busch Gardens app so you can see the wait times in real-time. The app also has a great map feature to help you navigate the park. If you want shorter lines I recommend going during the week, except when schools are out of a session like Spring break.
Busch Gardens Tampa Kid Rides
There are lots of options for kid rides at Busch Gardens in the Sesame Street Safari of Fun and Pantopia. Slade is only 2 and it was his first time going on rides all by himself.
Kids will also enjoy the train ride through the park and all the animals. And shows like Elmo's show and the ice skating show at Christmas time.
Can you do Busch Gardens Tampa in one day?
You can definitely do Busch Gardens in one day, but if you have two days there is plenty to do. I recommend getting there when they open and staying until they close to fit everything in. It is interesting how different Busch Gardens was with kids. Before kids, we spent the entire time on the rollercoasters. With kids, we spent more time enjoying the shows and the kid's area. We explored all the animals and do the train ride. We never made it to the rollercoasters.
Day 2: Shopping and Exploring
Midtown is such a fun area to explore. I would recommend a day shopping and exploring there. If you want to be close to the water you could use this day as a beach day or a day to explore the River area.
Midtown Tampa map
Check out all the fun restaurants and stores in Midtown Tampa here. B and I had a girl's afternoon and we really enjoyed:
- Buff City Soaps
- Kale Me Crazy - I loved their Mushroom Latte
- True Food Kitchen
- Tipsy Salon - They have great massaging chairs
Day 3: Museum, Zoo, or Aquarium
Tampa is rich in history so you will want to spend a day at the museum. Since we have two young children we spent the day at The Florida Aquarium. We happened to be in Tampa on a chilly and rainy weekend so this was the perfect place to spend the day.
Since we love water we have been to lots of Aquariums around the world. The Florida Aquarium was incredible. If it is a warm day I recommend bringing a bathing suit for kids to play in the splash pad area.
We especially loved all the touch tanks and how large the tanks were. It was our first time touching jellyfish. And we spent ours watching fish and turtles swim by.
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