Top Things to do in Tampa Bay 2021 (Before Or After Your Cruise!)

What happens when the port of departure is a destination within itself? Well, we put it to the test and see what Tampa bay is really like for a pre-cruise adventure we explore the city from Ybor city to the riverwalk staying in great locations and seeing how much we can explore to enhance our cruise experience prior to our cruise.

There really is so much to see and do that you will want to consider checking it out as well thank you so much for Visit Tampa bay for extending this opportunity for us to experience what it's really like. If your cruise sails out of Port Tampa Bay, I highly recommend spending some time in the city! It is extremely navigable and welcoming to cruise passengers pre or post-cruise!!

International Mall -Bay Street (closer to the airport)

Gearing up for a weekend of Latin cuisine we opt for an evening at the International Mall on Bay street. Loads of dining options are even more dining than shopping to check out. Many of the dining options there have outdoor seating and some even semi outdoors to battle the elements. We grabbed some light bites to eat and enjoy some of the atmospheres here to kick off our arrival into the city and get ready for our cruise!

Breakfast at Hotel Haya

Conveniently this is our meeting spot location for our walking tour with Ybor City Walking Tours so after grabbing some quick fuel for our day we are ready to meet our tour guide Max, a lifelong local to the area who is able to educate us on the history of Ybor City and teaching us fun facts!

Here's an example of a knowledge bomb! Ybor city might be known for the nightlife and the bars being open until 3 a.m but in most recent years the area has shifted to become a more industry town, centered around tech. I loved the nuggets of knowledge that we learned and we couldn't even take a few steps without seeing our first cigar factory one of the many that we will see throughout Ybor City.

The founder of Ybor City, Vincente Martinez, looking over his creation of one of the biggest industrial towns in all of America completely centered around one major industry cigars!

I really couldn't help but laugh at how many chickens are roaming around the city they have free reign as they are protected by the city.

Immigrants came to Tampa and were encouraged by Mr. Ybor to make the move. Promising them the ability to work in his cigar factories and have nearly free housing so these casitas look a little bit different from what we know as casitas on the pool decks of cruise ships today!

Head over to Cuban National Territory!

That's right! This small corner lot it's actually owned by Cuba. You can walk in enjoy the garden but don't get your hopes up too high if getting your passport stamped that's not actually going to happen. It's said that Ybor City is really the birthplace of the Cuban revolution. According to Max, our tour guide from Ybor City Walking Tours, the last owner of this land when he died he turned over the deed back over to Cuba and that's why it's Cuban owned.

Visit the oldest restaurant in Florida- The Columbia -

Fun fact the restaurant has been family owned since 1905
The restaurant is huge for starters, this place is like a maze there are little nooks and crannies and different dining rooms throughout so after your meal, go wander off and you might find some interesting art like a room full of portraits from a royal family you never heard of!

On the weekends it is busy for lunch! They had many delicious food options to choose from!

Sangria made right at the table was a hit along with the salad that they chopped and dressed right in front of us! Both a production and fun way to see what some of their special ingredients are!

Overall the food was super tasty, and delicious! And don't be alarmed when you see white asparagus in the Seafood Paella! Our waiter made quite the impression after casually whispering in my mom's ear after noticing the look on her face of not being able to place what was on her plate! (I can't wait to recreate this incredibly hilarious moment around Thanksgiving dinner)

Explore more of Tampa with the Pirate Water Taxi!

I actually took a short walk from the Aloft hotel so it just took about 10 minutes to get down there leisurely walking to see some sights. The pirate water taxi has 15 stops and is a great way to get across the city to visit different restaurants, museums, and other sites and attractions!

I was happy that the boat ride was narrated but fun facts about the area as you cruise on past landmarks. For example a nugget I adored learning about: if you're familiar with the sport Crew, collegiate teams will come down to Tampa in the winter to practice rowing because it's too cold where they go to school. They have the tradition of marking up the walls with their team spirit. The University of Tampa is along the river as well. I thought this was really neat as I've seen this similarly done before with cruise line employees marking up the rock walls in Skagway, Alaska.

I learned that you can actually purchase your ticket at any stop so that's pretty cool and you can purchase it right away or if you purchase it online ahead of time and then show them. You don't have to go down to the main ticket booth as I did.

Our hotel was the Aloft Tampa. A fantastic location in downtown Tampa. This hotel is a great spot because it's located right on the riverwalk, so you can walk or take a water taxi! Additionally super centrally located being only just about two blocks from the streetcar as well!

Inside the hotel there is a nice bar and lounge, it's even dog friendly inside and with a pool so lots of amenities and a nice location to enjoy.

Go explore Armature works- An upscale food hall with more dining options than I can choose from!

I was super surprised how family-friendly it is and actually, a lot of people were out and about and enjoying it. I spoke to one of the greeters at the door and she said it is the busiest on the weekends but they're actually open all throughout the weekdays too.

Depending on the weekend there's a lot of different activities that are going on like little miniature golf and little festivals and carnivals that are fun for the kids and the families to come out and enjoy.

Delicious sushi and boba at amateur works

Clang, Clang goes the trolley!

I'm a super fan of the streetcar because it can take you all around town, from channel side all the way up to Ybor city and around to the different stations throughout Tampa. It's a great way to see the city and keep you a little bit warm or cool as it is temperature-controlled. They are running every 15 minutes which is super nice and they are free to ride. You do have to wear a mask though inside the trolley and they will hand them to you if you don't have one.

Sparkman Wharf restaurants are actually shipping containers that have been repurposed to be these small food outlets. Enjoy a bite to eat at the intimate dining gardens and beer garden. Such a fun way to upcycle and provides an incredibly fun vibe here in Sparkman Wharf. In the evening listen to live music.

Getting around Tampa is so incredibly easy, for any type of traveler. Again the streetcar and water taxi were a hit in my book made my trip so easily navigable. I'm looking forward to coming back to Tampa again and continuing

I found that there is really so much to do and fun to be had and explore. Even though I've been to Tampa before, there is still more to see and do! I'm looking forward to coming back again to continue the fun activities. The city truly makes it easy for you to extend your cruise vacation prior to or post-cruise to enjoy a bit more of your vacation!