Discover Downtown Tampa!
The Downtown Tampa area is comprised of several distinctive districts with different personalities. Steeped in history and with a business backbone, Downtown Tampa offers visitors and residents a variety of experiences, dining and shopping.
Radiating from the core is Downtown Tampa, the principal business center of the Tampa Bay area and Florida's West Coast. Downtown Tampa includes other charming areas with a flavor all their own. Historic Ybor City, known as the "Cigar Capital of the World," offers intriguing Latin influences and nightlife that is legendary. On the waterfront, the Channel District is an area of redevelopment, anchored by Sparkman Wharf and new condo and apartment residences. Hyde Park and South Howard offer a myriad of eateries and posh shops. All together, this is the area known as Downtown Tampa.
For an evening out, a fun-filled weekend, or a summer vacation, your plans start here. Enjoy urban Florida, spiced with a unique and mysterious history. Discover the attraction Downtown Tampa has with its full offerings of world-class art and culture, major league sports, great shopping and superb dining.
You can find everything easily through our comprehensive Business Directory and how to get there with our Interactive Maps. Whether you seek information about Museums & Galleries and the many Attractions & Points of Interest in the area, or are looking for Shopping, Restaurants or Hotels, you'll discover it all in the Downtown Tampa Guide & Map.
Greetings:
Tampa is a dynamic city full of amazing experiences. As we head toward the end of 2023 and into 2024, excitement is growing for events drawing people from throughout the nation to visit and explore our great city.
"Champa Bay" is alive and well as the Tampa Bay Lightning pursues another Stanley Cup Championship and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers hope to have another boat parade through downtown with a Super Bowl win. Sports highlights continue as the City hosts collegiate football at the highest levels in the annual Gasparilla and ReliaQuest Bowls.
Holiday traditions include lighting up the Tampa Riverwalk with holiday decor and the Tampa Winter Village with the City's popular outdoor ice-skating rink in Curtis Hixon Waterfront Park, the annual Menorah and Holiday Tree Lightings, along with Santa Fest featuring the Friends of Tampa Recreation Holiday Parade.
The Tampa Bay Black Heritage Festival continues our season of festivals and events, followed by one of the country's largest celebrations, our unique Gasparilla Pirate Fest, the Krewe of Sant' Yago Knight Parade, in which the streets of Ybor City come ablaze with floats and krewes from around the bay area, the Publix Gasparilla Distance Classic Race Weekend, and Fiesta Day in Ybor City bringing our city and its rich history alive for millions of visitors.
Be sure to visit the vibrant Tampa Riverwalk, Bayshore Boulevard, Water Street Tampa and all our award-winning National Gold Medal parks. Enjoy cultural attractions including the Tampa Museum of Art, Tampa Bay History Center, Glazer Children's Museum, the David A. Straz, Jr. Center for the Performing Arts, ZooTampa at Lowry Park, and The Florida Aquarium.
With great shopping, fabulous restaurants and exciting nightlife, Tampa has something for everyone. Inside this guide is a comprehensive listing of things to do and see throughout our area. I hope you will take advantage of all our great city has to offer.
Sincerely,
Jane Castor
