15 Incredible Day Trips from Tampa!

St Pete Beach sunsetPhoto byWayne Kask

by Wayne Kask | Jul 23, 2024 |

Tampa is a beautiful bay city along Florida’s Gulf Coast with so many fun things to do.

From here up to Orlando or south to Naples, there are a lot of day & weekend trips to take from Tampa.

The recommendations in this post are kid-friendly places and activities so bring the whole family!

Luscious, white, sandy beaches, Busch Gardens, and Ybor City are just a few things that Tampa has to offer in terms of attractions and entertainment.

If you’re from the Tampa area or just staying here on vacation, there are plenty of exciting activities to do nearby.

All of the attractions on this list are under 3 hours from Tampa.

Take a day trip from Tampa or even a weekend getaway to these spots and enjoy some of the best that Florida has to offer!

Here are 15 day & weekend trips to take from Tampa!

The Best Day Trips From Tampa

1. St. Pete Pier – St. Petersburg

Just a short 30-minute drive from Tampa is the new St Pete Pier in downtown St. Petersburg.

St. Petersburg is a vibrant city and its downtown area is a cultural mix of art galleries, museums, restaurants, and more.

One of the highlights of the city is the new St. Pete Pier, which opened in the summer of 2020.

The pier is 3,000 feet long and on 26 acres of land! While here, walk the pier or you can take a tram that takes you to the local restaurants and bars at the end.

Pier Teaki is the rooftop restaurant at the end of the pier where you can see some spectacular views of the water’s natural beauty and downtown St. Petersburg.

There’s seriously so much to do here; a splash area and playground for the kids, a fishing deck and bait shop at the end of the pier, a beach, and lots of food!

There are several restaurants and bars at the pier, including Doc Fords Rum Bar and Grille, where you can enjoy some seafood and a drink on their waterfront patio.

Spa Beach Bistro is a pizza place at the pier, and there are a few other restaurants, as well.

Things To Do Nearby: Downtown St. Petersburg

✓ Take a stroll or ride a bike through the waterfront parks next to the pier.

✓ Check out the downtown shops and restaurants.

✓ Visit the Museum of Fine Arts or the Dali Museum

🏩 Recommended Rental Nearby: The Vinoy Renaissance St. Petersburg Resort & Golf Club

2. Icon Park – Orlando

About 1 hour and 20 minutes from Tampa is Icon Park in Orlando.

Icon Park sits on the famous International Drive, which is the strip in downtown Orlando known for its attractions, restaurants, shops, and of course, the theme parks.

This outdoor shopping area is full of shops and over 40 restaurants/bars.

Tin Roof is one of the most popular restaurants/bars at Icon Park and is known for its good food and live music.

Icon Park is home to The Wheel, which is a giant Ferris Wheel that takes you up and gives you incredible views of the city from 400 feet in the air!

If that’s not enough, ride the Orlando Starflyer, the world’s largest swing that spins you around even higher at a heart-stopping 450 feet.

The park has plenty of kids’ activities too, including an arcade, 7D rides, Sea Life Aquarium, and Madame Tussauds wax museum.

Or you can have the Pearl Express Train take the kids for a ride around the park.

It’s free to walk around the park and parking is free, also. You can pay for the games and attractions separately, or bundle them up to save.

Things To Do Near Icon Park

✓ If you’re looking for more fun in the area, Ripley’s Believe It or Not is right by Icon Park and is worth visiting.

✓ Sleuths Mystery Dinner Shows is right next to the parking ramp for the park. It’s a live comedy/mystery show where you try to solve the crime.

✓ Pirates Cove Adventure Golf is a mini-golf course and just a short walk from Icon Park.

🏩 Recommended Rental Nearby: Hyatt Place

3. Treasure Island

Treasure Island is a lovely hidden gem about 35 minutes from Tampa.

Right next to Clearwater and St. Pete Beach on the Gulf of Mexico, Treasure Island is an amazing little city to experience.

St. Petersburg Municipal Beach at Treasure Island sits south of John’s Pass and north of Blind Pass.

The beach has a snack bar, restrooms, gift shop, kids’ playground, and sand volleyball.

There’s also a walking and biking path that takes you along the beach. The parking lot is open 24 hours a day and is $2 an hour.

Treasure Island is a perfect spot to take a day or weekend trip from Tampa!

Things To Do In Treasure Island and Nearby

✓ John’s Pass Village and Boardwalk is less than a 10-minute short drive from Treasure Island.

✓ Rosselli Park is nearby and has tennis courts, a kids’ playground, a baseball field, a picnic area, and a dog park.

✓ Get some food at Caddy’s restaurant on the beach. Known for their bottomless mimosas and sangrias on weekends.

🏩 Recommended Rental Nearby: Island Inn Beach Resort

4. Ocala National Forest- Ocala

Just over 2 hours from Tampa, the Ocala National Forest is north of Orlando near Ocala.

With over 600 rivers and lakes, this forest is a nice getaway from theme parks and crowds.

There are lots of things to do here. Come to have a picnic, hunt, fish, swim, go snorkeling, boating, canoeing, biking, or shoot at the shooting range.

The Ocala National Forest is also well-known for nature viewing, plants, scenery, and wildlife. You can rent a cabin, camp in the campground, or in an RV.

Things To Do Near the Ocala National Forest

✓ Both the Ocala National Recreation Trail and Silver Springs State Park are nearby.

✓ Clear Kayak and Paddleboarding activities at Silver Springs State Park.

🏩 Recommended Rental Nearby: Microtel Inn and Suites by Wyndham Ocala

5. Times Square- Fort Myers Beach

Times Square in Fort Myers Beach is about a 2-hour and 20-minute drive and road trip from Tampa.

Fort Myers Beach sits on Estero Island, a barrier island that overlooks the Gulf of Mexico.

Times Square is the downtown hub of Fort Myers Beach. Here, you can relax at the beach, fish at the pier, or just enjoy the views.

Lynn Hall Beach Park is at the former pier and has restrooms, showers, grills, parking, and a picnic area.

There is often entertainment, street performers, and live music at Times Square. Up the street, you explore the shops and dine at the restaurants.

At the base of the pier, you can eat, get drinks, and enjoy some daily live music at PierSide Grill.

Smokin’ Oyster Brewery and Nervous Nellie’s are just a couple more of the popular restaurants here.

Things To Do Near Times Square, Fort Myers Beach

✓ Try a 4 to 6-hour fishing charter in the area with Beeline Fishing Charters!

✓ Bowditch Point Park is near the northern tip of the island and is a nature preserve with natural trails and a beach.

✓ Take a Dolphin Tiki Cruise around Fort Myers Beach.

🏩 Recommended Rental Nearby: Pink Shell Vacation Villas

6. Clearwater Beach

Just a short hop from Tampa is beautiful Clearwater Beach. It’s about a 30-minute drive.

The drive from Tampa to Clearwater Beach is a scenic one and you’re surrounded by lots of water throughout the trip.

Clearwater Beach has been voted the best beach several times in the past! Once you’re here, there’s lots to do.

Relax on the soft, white sand, rent some water equipment, or go for a dolphin-watching boat ride!

Clearwater Beach has Pier 60, a large fishing pier with great views of the area.

The pier area has a kids’ playground and also entertainment and vendors most nights.

The beach also has several waterfront restaurants so you don’t have to go far for food and drinks!

I recommend Frenchy’s Rockaway Grill. This beach restaurant has excellent seafood and drinks. If you like fish, try one of their grouper sandwiches.

This is a popular beach and gets lots of people, but the beach is so wide, it’s easy to keep plenty of space from others.

Come early for beach parking because it will fill up fast. Downtown, there is a big parking ramp that’s within walking distance of the beach and pier.

Things To Do In Clearwater Beach

✓ Visit downtown for shops and the best Clearwater restaurants/bars. The downtown area is just a block from the beach and includes Pelican Walk Plaza, 2 floors of shops, and restaurants.

✓ Hogan’s Beach Shop is a great place to see wrestling history and collect memorabilia.

✓ After checking out the beach shop, have a beer at Hogan’s Hangout on the corner of Mandalay Ave.

✓ The original Frenchy’s Cafe is right around the corner from Hogan’s Hangout.

✓ While in Clearwater Beach, don’t miss the Clearwater Marine Aquarium for some family fun. The aquarium is home to dolphins, sea turtles, and other marine life.

✓ Sand Key Beach Park is south of Clearwater Beach and Pier 60. It’s a quieter spot with a picnic area, grills, shelters, a dog park, and a beach.

🏩 Recommended Rental Nearby: Hilton Clearwater Beach Resort and Spa

7. Bayfront Park: Anna Maria

About 1 hour and 25 minutes from Tampa is Bayfront Park in Anna Maria.

Anna Maria is the northernmost city on Anna Maria Island, a barrier island across from Tampa Bay to the south.

Bayfront Park is at the northern tip of the island and is sandwiched between the Anna Maria City Pier and the Rod and Reel Pier.

The park has bike racks, grills, pavilions, picnic tables, a playground, restrooms/showers, and a nice little stretch of beach.

Things To Do On Anna Maria Island

✓ While here, walk over to the Anna Maria City Pier. The pier is just a little way south.

✓ Or you can walk north to Rod & Reel Pier for some great views and good food. Both are less than a half-mile away from Bayfront Park.

✓ You can see lots of marine life in the water from the piers. We saw stingrays and dolphins when we were at the Rod & Reel Pier.

✓ Just a little further north from Rod & Reel Pier is Bean Point, which is the beach at the northernmost point of the island. Here is where Tampa Bay meets the Gulf of Mexico.

Note: There are no amenities at Bean Point, it’s just a great beach with picturesque views and smaller crowds.

🏩 Recommended Rental Nearby: Sunrise Garden Resort

8. John’s Pass – Madeira Beach

About 40 minutes from Tampa, John’s Pass is a family-friendly shopping village and boardwalk in Madeira Beach with lots of shops, outdoor activities, and restaurants.

You can take the kids on a pirate ship or dolphin sightseeing tour, or to an arcade.

There are plenty of rentals to do here too, including boat rentals, jet skis, paddleboards, and kayaks.

For those looking for some thrills, they offer parasailing at John’s Pass and also have an alligator attraction, where you can kiss an alligator! They also have tortoises, frogs, and fish.

You can’t go to Johns Pass without eating some food or doing some shopping.

The Lazy Lizard and Overhead Surf Shop are just a couple of the apparel stores here, but there are also jewelry stores, gift shops, ice cream shops, candy stores, and more.

Get some lunch or dinner at Bamboo Beach Bar or The Hut. There are lots of other restaurants here, too.

At The Hut, we had great food and drinks outside on their deck overlooking the John’s Pass waterfront.

Things To Do Near John’s Pass, Madeira Beach

✓ Just north of John’s Pass is a nice beach access area in Madeira Beach.

This beach isn’t very wide and there are a lot of hotels and vacation rentals on the beach, so it gets crowded fairly quickly.

✓ There’s a parking lot and a pay station here. There are no lifeguards here and hours are 7 am to dusk.

✓ About 10 minutes south of John’s Pass is the St. Petersburg Municipal Beach in Treasure Island.

🏩 Recommended Rental Nearby: Barefoot Beach Club

9. Sightseeing Cruise: Naples

Naples is a bit of a drive from Tampa at 2.5 hours but there are lots of fun things to do here, so it’s definitely worth the trip!

Pure Florida has sunset and sightseeing cruises around Naples Bay and Gordon Pass.

The boat captain is knowledgeable and they tell you a lot about the area, while they take you along the beautiful waterfront homes in Naples.

See dolphins and other wildlife, and enjoy the views on the boat ride, while having a couple of drinks.

The company also does jet boat thrill rides, boat rentals, dolphin tours, and jet ski rentals.

They do boat tours in Fort Myers, as well.

Things To Do In Naples FL

✓ The boat picks you up and drops you off at Tin City, which is a bunch of indoor shops and restaurants on the Naples waterfront.

✓ The Naples Pier is close by and a popular attraction with concessions and a beach area.

🏩 Recommended Rental Nearby: Cove Inn on Naples Bay

10. St Pete Beach

About 40 minutes from Tampa, St Pete Beach is known as “The Sunset Capital of Florida” for the breathtaking sunsets on the Gulf of Mexico.

St Pete Beach was just named the top beach in the U.S. for 2021 by TripAdvisor!

Take the boardwalk up to the white, sugar-sand beach. They sell tickets for parasailing and other water activities right here on the beach.

The County Park Beach has metered 235 parking spots, but you still want to get here early, because they will fill up quickly, especially during the busy season.

It was $6.50 to park here for 2 hours. The beach also has restrooms and showers.

No pets or alcohol are allowed on the beach. There are also no lifeguards here.

Things To Do In St. Pete Beach

✓ The Drunken Clam is a good seafood restaurant right across the street from County Park Beach.

The Clam is a sports bar and is also popular for wings and drinks.

✓ Pass-a-Grille Beach is further south on the island and has paddleboard and speed boat rentals.

This is a well-known beach with gift shops and amazing restaurants or bars nearby, including Hurricane Seafood Restaurant.

🏩 Recommended Rental Nearby: The Don CeSar

11. Lighthouse Beach Park – Sanibel Island

Just a little under 2.5 hours from Tampa is Lighthouse Beach Park on Sanibel Island.

Lighthouse Beach Park is on the eastern tip of the island and one of the best things to do while here. It’s one of the best places to collect shells in Florida.

There is one of the favorite spots on Sanibel Island with a nice beach area, a fishing pier, and of course the lighthouse just a little ways from the beach.

Bring some food and have a picnic, there are barbecue grills to cook on, too. This park is over 40 acres and it’s a nice place to hang out and relax.

There are also trails to walk around the area. The park is pet-friendly and is open 24 hours a day.

Parking is $5 an hour and it costs $6 to get to Sanibel Island.

Things To Do On Sanibel Island

✓ There are quite a few places to rent bikes and moke cars on the island and it’s a good way to get around and explore.

✓ Bowman’s Beach Park is on the western end of the island and has trails, a kids’ playground, and another popular spot for shelling.

✓ J.N. “Ding” Darling National Wildlife Refuge is close to Bowman’s Beach Park and is known for its migratory bird populations.

Note: The refuge is more than 6400 acres and home to nearly 250 bird species!

🏩 Recommended Rental Nearby: Waterside Inn on the Beach

12. Universal Studios Orlando

Just a little over an hour from Tampa is Universal Orlando. With 4 Parks and hundreds of popular attractions, Universal is one of the top things to do in Orlando.

Universal Studios and Islands of Adventure feature the likes of Harry Potter, Despicable Me, and the Transformers.

Come to both parks for hours of rides, food, shows, family-friendly entertainment, and shopping.

Volcano Bay is the new water theme park and has water slides, a lazy river, and a wave pool. Take it easy and unwind in one of their private cabanas!

City Walk features lots of dining, shopping, and entertainment options.

Get some food at popular chains like Jimmy Buffett’s Margaritaville and Hard Rock Cafe, or experience some Jamaican-influenced food and enjoy some reggae music at Bob Marley’s.

Show off your singing skills at City Walk’s Rising Star karaoke bar or take in a show with Blue Man Group.

Things To Do Near Universal Orlando

✓ Shadow Bay Park is just north of Universal and has trails for walking and biking and tennis courts.

✓ Fun Spot America is another lesser-known theme park with an arcade, roller coaster rides, bumper cars, and go-karts.

🏩 Recommended Rental Nearby: Loews Portofino Bay Hotel at Universal Orlando

13. Dinosaur World – Plant City

Dinosaur World is just over 20 minutes from Tampa in between Tampa and Orlando.

Explore the life-size dinosaurs outdoors at this family-friendly attraction.

There are hundreds of dinosaurs to walk among, interactive displays, a dinosaur-themed playground for kids, and a gift shop.

Food, snacks, and coolers are allowed in the park. Dogs are allowed on leashes.

Things To Do Near Dinosaur World: Plant City

✓ There are a number of food options in Plant City not too far from Dinosaur World.

✓ These include Carrabba’s Italian Grill, 1916 Irish Pub, Applebees, Outback Steakhouse, and Mi Casa Mexican Restaurant.

✓ If you bring your dog to Dinosaur World, you can also let them play at the Plant City Dog Park which is close by. Birchwood Park and Rowena Mays Park are also in the area.

🏩 Recommended Rental Nearby: Hampton Inn Plant City offers 15% off room rates when you call ahead and mention Dinosaur World.

14. Leffis Key – Bradenton Beach

About an hour from Tampa is Leffis Key in Bradenton Beach.

Bradenton Beach is the southernmost city on Anna Maria Island but has some nice beaches and other attractions.

At Leffis Key, you can walk on the boardwalks and trails through the mangrove forest and take in the sights along Sarasota Bay.

This preserve is popular for viewing birds and other wildlife and there is fishing access. There are also benches, a bike rack, overlooks, and a pavilion.

Things To Do In Bradenton Beach

✓ Coquina Beach is right on the other side of Gulf Drive from Leftis Key and is the most popular beach on the south end of the island, with lots of amenities.

✓ Cortez Beach is also close by and is about a mile north of the preserve.

🏩 Recommended Rental Nearby: Tropic Isle Inn

15. Disney World Orlando

The list of day trips from Tampa wouldn’t be complete without mentioning Disney World!

Disney World is about an hour away from Tampa and is filled with theme parks, resorts, shopping, restaurants, bars, live shows, and entertainment.

Visit the 4 theme parks: Magic Kingdom, Animal Kingdom, Epcot, and Hollywood Studios.

There’s also shopping at Disney Springs, and the water parks, Blizzard Beach and Typhoon Lagoon.

You can fit some of these Disney attractions in a day trip, but with so much to do here, you will definitely need to come back for more!

Things To Do Near Disney World

✓ Sea World is about 10 minutes from Disney. This attraction has shows and presentations with marine life, rides and attractions, and close encounters with the animals.

✓ Discovery Cove is a nearby snorkeling spot where you can also go swimming with dolphins!

🏩 Recommended Rental Nearby: Wyndham Grand Orlando Resort

Frequently Asked Questions

What Cities Are 1 Hour Or Less Away From Tampa?

• St. Petersburg- 25 minutes

• Plant City- 25 minutes

• St. Pete Beach- 36 minutes

• Clearwater Beach- 38 minutes

• Madeira Beach- 39 minutes

• Anna Maria Island- 60 minutes

What Cities Are 2 Hours Or Less From Tampa?

• Orlando- 1 hour and 33 minutes

• Ocala- 1 hour and 38 minutes

What Cities Are 3 Hours Or Less From Tampa?

• Fort Myers Beach- 2 hours and 18 minutes

• Naples- 2 hours and 23 minutes

• Sanibel Island- 2 hours and 28 minutes

What Beaches Are Closest To Tampa?

Ben T. Davis Beach is a popular beach in Tampa and is located on the causeway as you head to Clearwater. Located across from Davis Beach is East Tampa Beach.

Conclusion: Day Trips From Tampa

As you can see, there are many awesome attractions and day trips from Tampa!

by Wayne Kask

Wayne is a travel blogger and creator of Always on the Shore. He loves to write about the best attractions, restaurants, and resorts in Florida and the southeastern U.S. When he is not writing, he is running outdoors, spending time with family, or planning his next trip.