Michelin stars and manatees to Jolly Roger mayhem – Tampa Bay is full of surprises

THE CITY of Tampa holds one kind of Tampa Bay experience, but the region offers so much more. 

Tampa brings the swagger and the bay ties it all together with a big bow.

The best way to start is along the Tampa Riverwalk, a 2.6-mile waterfront promenade that stitches together the city’s parks, museums, bars and restaurants like a thread of neon. 

By day, you can bike or stroll under swaying palms, stopping for a craft beer at a dockside bar or a spin through the Tampa Museum of Art. 

You’re golden

By night, the Riverwalk glows with colour – lights bouncing off the water as live music spills from rooftop lounges. 

A Riverwalk Attraction Pass is the golden ticket, unlocking entry to seven major attractions, including the Tampa Bay History Center. 

Whether you’re chasing culture, seeking cocktails or just looking for a good excuse to be outside, this is where Tampa’s heartbeat sounds loudest.

Then there’s the food. If you think Florida’s culinary reputation begins and ends with oranges, Tampa Bay is here to correct you. 

This is a city that takes its food seriously, with five Michelin-starred restaurants and a dining scene that swings from high-end to hole-in-the-wall, sometimes on the same block. 

Top tables

Start with the Cuban sandwich, a Tampa-born masterpiece of roast pork, ham, Swiss cheese, mustard and pickles, pressed to crispy perfection. 

You’ll find versions all over town, but the historic cafes of Ybor City claim the original. 

For Scandinavian sophistication, grab a table at Ebbe, where incredible chefs turn out Michelin-starred tasting menus that blur the line between dinner and art. 

The menu at the Bib Gourmand-awarded Rooster & the Till features dishes from South East Asia, Latin America and the Levant – and its happy hours are guaranteed to make you beam. 

If tacos are more your speed, Streetlight Taco takes them to a level that deserves a standing ovation, especially when paired with a mezcal margarita. 

Returning to Ybor City, this is where Tampa’s past and present dance together. 

Once the cigar capital of the world, Ybor still carries the echoes of its Cuban, Spanish and Italian founders in its architecture, food and powerful, wonderfully tasty coffee. 

In daylight hours, it’s all historic charm, brick streets and iron balconies. Come nightfall, it’s a different beast. If you want a taste of old Havana with a side of Florida fun, Ybor delivers.

Alligator adventure

Tampa isn’t just about culinary excellence, it’s also an outdoor playground. You can kayak through mangrove tunnels where manatees drift by like lazy Sunday afternoons, or zipline over alligator-inhabited swamps (from the safety of a harness).

And then there’s Gasparilla, the annual pirate festival that turns the city into a colourful rum-soaked carnival. 

Every January, a full-sized pirate ship and a flotilla of smaller vessels sail into Tampa Bay, their crews demanding the city’s surrender.

Mayhem ahoy

What follows is a parade of bead throwing, cannon firing, costumed mayhem that makes Mardi Gras look like a picnic. 

With British Airways Holidays you’ll have plenty of carefully selected hotels to choose from as well as the option to add a car to your trip, making Tampa Bay the perfect starting point for a Florida road trip. 

Book now and let Florida surprise you: ba.com/tampa