Things To Do
Bella's Italian Cafe
Bella's Italian Café opened in 1986 with the vision of providing an authentic Italian cuisine to the people of Tampa. It is now one of the longest-standing and most popular restaurants in Tampa. Eric's favorite menu item is Lasagne Napoletana, which is a delicious four-cheese lasagne topped with a bolognese sauce.
Columbia Restaurant
The Columbia Restaurant was founded in 1905 and is Florida's oldest restaurant located in Ybor City. They serve a Spanish-Cuban cuisine and is still owned and operated by family members. The restaurant has expanded to an entire city block and is now the largest Spanish restaurant in the world. Depending on the evening and with a reservation you can request the reservation to include their live Flamenco Dance Show. Our favorite menu item is their famous 1905 salad and Cuban sandwich paired with one of their Sangrias. We highly recommend going to the original location in downtown Ybor City, but if you can't make it there you can find the Columbia restaurant in the airport at Airside E or it's sister location in Downtown Tampa on the Tampa Riverwalk right behind Amalie Arena, which is home to the Tampa Bay Lightning hockey team.
Green Lemon
Green Lemon is a fun modern Mexican restaurant. Start off your meal with the Trio Dip appetizer, which features homemade guac, queso and salsa with Green Lemon's signature seasoned chips. You will also find one of Tampa's best margaritas here, our personal favorite is the Soho Signature Margarita, get the bigger size it's delicious. If you are in time for Taco Tuesday the Shia Labeef, Americano, and KFT street tacos are our go to items for lunch or dinner. They also feature some great modern style bowl options. Have a diet restriction, luckily you're in Tampa, Green Lemon is one of many restaurants that has options for vegan, gluten-free and other dietary restrictions.
Buddy Brew Coffee
Looking for a local coffee shop to try? Head over to Buddy Brew! They have multiple locations including downtown Tampa and Hyde Park Village.
Wright's Gourmet House
Wright's Gourmet House has the best sandwiches and cupcakes in Tampa. We love the Turkey Club which is a huge double-decker sandwich. We also make sure to always get one of their delicious cupcakes.
Bern's Steak House
Bern's Steakhouse is the place to go if you are looking for the top steak house in Tampa and a unique upscale dining experience. Their perfectly aged prime steaks are cut to order and they have one of the largest wine collections in the world. After dinner you must go upstairs to the world famous Harry Waugh Dessert Room. You will need to make a reservation for this restaurant. They take reservations on a rolling 60 day availability calendar. You can book by phone but we highly recommend booking on their website under “make a reservation”. Please note that the reservations open at midnight. The reservations fill up extremely fast. We recommend staying up to make the reservation at midnight the night when that rolling 60 day mark hits. Please reference the dress code on their website. You can also get a reservation for the dessert room only. You will need to call to make that reservation and they only have certain time slots available.
Armature Works
Along the Tampa Riverwalk you will find Armature Works. Here you will discover a food hall with over 14 local eateries, full service restaurant options and a rooftop bar overlooking downtown Tampa. One of Eric's favorite places is the M.Bird rooftop bar that overlooks the river, a great spot for a cocktail and sunset view. Kelly enjoys walking just behind Armature Works, where you will find Jeni's Ice Cream Shop. Jeni's is an Ohio based ice cream shop that reminds her of her days in Columbus, OH when she attended Ohio State.
Sparkman Wharf
Sparkman Wharf is a waterfront outdoor dining experience. The outdoor park area consists of 10 eateries in repurposed shipping containers, a covered beer biergarten, full service restaurant options and an outdoor stage with frequent live music.
Tampa Riverwalk
Stretching 2.6 miles, the Tampa Riverwalk runs along the Hillsborough River and is a popular destination for Tampa Bay locals and visitors. It is the perfect place for a morning jog or an evening stroll. There are plenty of places to stop and enjoy along the way including restaurants, bars, museums, parks, landmarks and much more. At the center of the Tampa Riverwalk is Curtis Hixon Park that frequently has events set up for all to enjoy. This is the location of Eric and Kelly's first date in 2020 for the Super Bowl experience, where they walked the Riverwalk and enjoyed festivities. Go Chiefs!
Bayshore Boulevard
Looking for a place for a morning run? Bayshore Boulevard the world’s longest continuous sidewalk at 4.5 miles long. This 10 foot-wide waterfront sidewalk starts at the Columbus Statue Park at Platt Street and ends at Gandy Boulevard. All hours of the day you can find people walking, jogging, biking, and rollerblading. You will also see fitness stations along the trail with different equipment. The Tampa Garden Club where the wedding ceremony and venue will be hosted can be seen as you make it down close to the crossroads of Bayshore Blvd and Bay to Bay.
Water Street
Eric had his first apartment in Tampa in 2018 right up the street while this area was being developed. He used to walk his chocolate labrador retriever, Maya, right by all the construction and wow has it changed. Water Street is now home to the Tampa Edition hotel and various restaurants. Recently we went to Boulon Brasserie, which features European flare and great adult beverages. If you have the chance to explore Water Street, it is walkable to Amalie Arena and Sparkman Wharf.
Hyde Park Village
Hyde Park Village is in the heart of historic Tampa. It consists of six city blocks full of upscale shops and restaurants. This is a great place to come in the morning and enjoy a coffee at a local coffee shop named Buddy Brew or plan an evening for dinner and shopping.
International Plaza and Bay Street
Forgot something at home? Need to make a last-minute shopping trip? The International Mall with 200+ stores and great dining choices has everything you need and more. The mall is conveniently located right next to the TPA Airport.
Cross Bay Ferry - St. Pete - Tampa
Hop on the Cross Bay Ferry to 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.
3 Daughters Brewing
St. Petersburg is home to many microbreweries. 3 Daughters Brewing is one of our favorites as it is a good place to enjoy a cold craft beer on their ever changing menu and enjoy live music. Eric highly recommends you go to the local grocery store or to the 3 Daughters Brewing location in St. Petersburg and try their Beach Blonde Ale.
St. Pete Beach
If you're looking to add a beach day to your stay, head on over to St. Petersburg, FL. It's about a 40 min. drive or Uber to the beaches from Tampa. Our favorite beaches include Post Card Inn for a younger party vibe (rent cabanas/umbrellas and lounge at the beach bar here) and Passagrille for families (check out beach boutiques and waterfront seafood restaurants). The St. Petersburg pier is a fun spot to enjoy dinner or drinks with a tiki bar that overlooks the ocean. Enjoy the sunshine while you are in the sunshine state!
Clearwater Beach
Another option for a beach day is heading to Clearwater Beach. It is about a 45 minute drive from downtown Tampa. This beach has been voted America's #1 beach several times.