Tampa Uncovered: Paddleboarding, Culinary Hotspots, and the Best of Florida’s Most Desirable City

Tampa has always been a city shaped by water and wanderers. It sits on the edge of the Gulf like a place perpetually ready to launch into something new, yet it carries its past with a kind of quiet pride. Cuban and Spanish influences run through its neighbourhoods, its kitchens, and even its architecture. Modern towers rise beside century‑old brick warehouses. A streetcar glides past palm‑lined parks. And everywhere you go, the city feels like it’s in motion—growing, reinventing, and welcoming anyone who wants to join the ride.

Downtown Tampa hums with energy. The Tampa Riverwalk, a sweeping waterfront promenade, ties the city together like a ribbon—connecting parks, museums, restaurants, and public art in a way that makes the city feel both intimate and expansive. Locals jog along the water at sunrise. Families wander between playgrounds and cafés. We rented bikes from Tampa Riverwalk Rentals, which makes it easy to hop on and cruise past the skyline, stopping to watch dolphins surface in the bay. The Riverwalk is the city’s front porch, and it’s alive from morning to night.

PHOTOS: Courtesy Visit Tampa Bay

Tampa’s reputation as a family‑friendly destination is well earned. The annual 120-plus-year-old Gasparilla Pirate Festival sees hundreds of pirates aboard the “Jose Gasparilla”, named after the famed pirate José Gaspar, who once terrorized the waterways of the Tampa Bay area,  invade to the delight of crowds cheering from bridges, boats and the riverside. Once ashore, the pirates invade the city with over 100 floats in the third-largest children’s parade in the U.S. The celebration then continue for eight weeks with festivals for everything from music, arts, and film festivals, plus . . . .

Read the complete Tampa Uncovered story on our travel site here: Tampa Uncovered: Paddleboarding, Culinary Hotspots, and the Best of Florida’s Most Desirable City – Travel Trek and Tour

Header image: Courtesy Visit Tampa Bay