Things To Do
Armature Works
This is one of our favorite places to hang out at - any time of day. It's a fun, trendy food hall situated right on the Tampa River Walk with beautiful waterside views, breakfast, lunch, dinner, cocktails & to-go drinks if you plan to stroll the River Walk. Our favorite dining & drink spots at AW include Stones Throw, Zukku Suhi, Kuba, Graze, Cru Cellars & M. Bird (rooftop bar).
M.Bird
M.Bird is Tampa’s premier rooftop destination perched high above the historic Armature Works in the Heights. This luxurious, deco-inspired lounge offers unparalleled, waterfront views of Tampa’s ever-growing cityscape. M.Bird is the perfect setting to indulge in tropical curated cocktails and sharable small plates.
Hidden Springs Ale Works
This is one of our favorite local breweries. We biked the River Walk on our first date and stopped by Hidden Springs for a beer flight (or two)! Try their Gatorade inspired beer, Brawndo. It's a staple.
Sparkman Wharf
Situated along Garrison Channel in downtown Tampa, Sparkman Wharf is a fun spot to grab a bite, a craft beer and listen to live music. This vibrant, out-door food hall and beer garden is one of our favorite spots to hangout when the weather is nice. It's walking distance from the Tampa Marriott Water Street or you can take the trolley here depending on where you're staying downtown.
Oxford Exchange
Oxford Exchange is a restaurant, bookstore, lifestyle gift store, and coffee shop. Stop by for brunch or a cup of coffee and browse the shops while you wait. If you stop by for lunch, try the Chicken Burger or OE Cuban. They also serve Buddy Brew coffee and teas.
The Florida Aquarium
Come see why The Florida Aquarium is a top USA Today ranked aquarium in North America; Top 10 Aquarium by Working Mother; a TripAdvisor top 10 Aquarium in the country; and Parents Magazine top 5 "Kid-Friendly" aquarium.
Luv Child
Luv Child, located in SoHo near Hyde Park Village, is one of our favorite brunch spots and it's amazing for dinner too. It has a fun 70's vibe, trendy atmosphere, and the food is fresh, bold, and bright, with a nod towards healthier Cuban and Latino cuisine. They have an all day coffee bar and we love their Spicy Watermelon Palomas & their Platos (try the Famorro or the Lima)!
Buddy Brew Coffee - Hyde Park Village
Brew Good Do Good. This is our hands-down favorite coffee shop in Tampa. Try a cappucino or oat milk latte and their Chili Lime Avocado Toast with Poached Eggs! Buddy Brew coffee is carefully selected from farmers who diligently grow and process their beans to the highest quality, and treated with tremendous care by artfully roasting each bean to its individual perfection.
CW's Gin Joint
The C.W. Gin Joint is one of the swankiest spots in town with a speakeasy style bar and lounge. It also has amazing food and live Jazz. Stop here on Friday when you arrive for a drink before or after meeting us over in Ybor. The Gin Joint is open from 5 p.m. to 2 a.m. & requires reservations for both dine-in and bar seating.
Hyde Park Village
This is where our wedding reception is located, but it's also a great place to stroll around during the day while you visit! Hyde Park Village, located in the heart of historic Tampa, is a modern oasis for shoppers, travelers and Tampa residents looking for the very best. Here, you’ll find six city blocks of beloved local shops, restaurants and indie brands, as well as the top names in fashion and fitness known around the world.
Splitsville
Splittsville is one of our favorite places to take friends & family that are looking for something more active! Located on the waterfront at Sparkman Wharf in downtown, it has lawn and feather bowling, ping pong, billiards, foosball, darts, and shuffleboard. With a menu inspired by two-time James Beard Award winner Chef Art Smith, classic Southern fare is front and center.
The Sail
The Sail Pavilion & Big Ray's Fish Camp, Tampa’s only 360-degree waterfront restaurant and bar, is centrally located on the Tampa Riverwalk just outside of the Tampa Marriott Water Street. The Sail is one of our favorite casual spots to meet up with friends and enjoy Florida sunsets with plenty of seating and TVs to watch sports.
The Candle Pour
The Candle Pour is a custom candle-making experience that allows you to create your own soy-wax candle from your choice of over 100 different fragrance oils. This is a fun activity you can do during your stay in Tampa and it only takes about 30 min. The Candle Pour is located in Hyde Park Village, so you can plan time to grab lunch, go shopping and stop over here!
The Hall on Franklin
The Hall on Franklin is a European-inspired food hall in downtown Tampa, right next to Hidden Springs Ale Works. It's in a historic building with a cool interior and offers food and drinks from a variety of vendors. Grab a seat at the coffee bar and order something from any one of the restaurants there. They're all great!
Anchor and Brine
This is one of our favorite local spots to visit when we want to feel like we're on vacation. Located at the Marriott Water Street, it's one of the more "upscale" waterside spots for dining & drinks with an amazing out door bar and cabanas to sip, dine & watch the sunset. It's known for the seafood and we love the B.Y.O herbal cocktails - pick your tonic/seltzer, liquor, and fresh herbs for the bartender to mix!
Hotel Bar
This is one of our all-time favorite craft cocktail bars in downtown Tampa - and no, it's not actually a "hotel bar." The bar is literally called Hotel Bar, and it features cocktails hailing from various international hotels. It follows a similar visual theme, bringing black ceiling tiles, floral wallpaper, an ornate chandelier and low-key candlelight together in a scene that seems pulled directly out of the downstairs bar of a swank hotel. If the weather is nice, this bar is walking distance from the Tampa Marriott Water Street and is right across the street from the Downtown Hilton. It's also right by Gen X Tavern if you plan to bar hop.
GenX Tavern
Gen X Tavern is an 80s and 90s themed bar located in downtown Tampa right around the corner from Hotel Bar and the downtown Hilton. This bar is known for its Tang margaritas, paper bag beers, and Capri Sun cocktails and has all your favorite arcade games from the 90's.
American Social
AmSo is our neighborhood spot to grab a drink, enjoy the sunset and catch a lightning game. It's right on the water across from our condo in Harbour Island and is a 2 min. walk from Tampa Marriott Water Street. Be sure to check it out during happy hour for 50% off beer, wine, liquor and small plates! Their brunch is pretty good too!
Four Green Fields
Four Green Fields opened its doors in 1992 in Tampa, FL as America’s only authentic thatched roof Irish Pub. Four Green Fields offers great Irish food and the freshest pints of Guinness in the region 365 days a year. Four Green Fields has been voted by the Dublin-based publication “Ireland of the Welcomes” as one the top 10 Irish pubs in the world. Four Green Fields was also named one of the top 100 places in America to drink beer by Imbibe magazine.
St. Petersburg - Beach & Downtown
If you're looking to add a beach day to your stay, head on over to St. Petersburg, Fla. It's about a 40 min. drive or Uber to the beaches. Our favorite beaches include Post Card Inn (rent cabanas/umbrellas and lounge at the beach bar here) and Passagrille (check out beach boutiques and waterfront seafood restaurants). You can also hop on the Cross Bay Ferry to take the ferry boat to downtown St. Pete to brewery hop and checkout some of the best restaurants in the area. It's about a 45 min. ride by water and offers plenty of seating and bar service. The Ferry leaves from the Tampa Convention Center next to the Marriott Water Street.