Tampa, Florida with Kids

The Florida Aquarium has garnered the attention of publications like USA Today and Parents Magazine. Families journey from freshwater to open ocean habitats at the Aquarium in seven exhibits. There are simulated wetlands in a glass atrium, beaches and bays, coral reefs, and more to explore. Families can explore on their own, or join one of five tours, some leaving the Aquarium and heading out to the ocean. Guests can also participate in an in-water snorkel experience, swim with marine life, or dive with sharks. The Splash Pad is a water play area for kids that’s included in the admission price. A 4D multisensory theater brings short films to life.

The Florida Aquarium, 701 Channelside Drive, Tampa, FL, Phone: 813-273-4000

ZooTampa at Lowry Park has been providing animal experiences to families since the late 1930s, and from its present location since 1957. It has been constantly evolving to provide increasingly more authentic animal habitats and human experiences. Those who want to go beyond the usual zoo experience can participate in a number of animal encounters, including with penguins, elephants, and white and Indian rhinos. There are also animal-themed rides, plus a guided safari tour by Africa Expedition Company. Other ways to enjoy the zoo are monthly Toddler Tuesdays for members, Yoga in the Wild events, and a number of other zoo events throughout the year.

Zoo Tampa at Lowry Park, 1101 West Sligh Avenue, Tampa, FL, Phone: 813-935-8552

The award-winning Tampa Museum of Art opened its new home in 2010. This museum brings an innovative approach to art from ancient to modern to contemporary. It includes antiquities collections from both Greek and Roman cultures. Exhibitions rotate with something new nearly always on offer. Guests can expect sculpture retrospectives, wood and papier-mâché, monumental landscape sculptures, painted pottery, and other exhibits. The museum also has a café with a covered terrace providing visitors with beautiful views. A museum store has several exhibition-related gifts, museum catalogs, home décor, jewelry, and art books to name a few treasures on offer.

120 Gasparilla Plaza, Tampa, FL, Phone: 813-274-8130

Glazer Children’s Museum is where kids get the chance to play with purpose. They connect with their world, discover new ideas, and become lifelong leaders.

With 22 exhibits, there is no shortage of scenarios where a child’s imagination comes alive. They’ll have fun creatively playing in a farm, cruise ship, bank, firehouse, hospital, and many other exhibits.

The museum also offers families special programs like Developmental Checkups for kids three and younger (reserve a time online), Board Free Tuesdays where kids’ admission prices are waived, and bi-monthly Sunshine Sundays dedicated to kids with special needs. The museum is open seven days per week, and kids under a year old are free.

Glazer Children’s Museum, 110 W Gasparilla Plaza, Tampa, FL, Phone: 813-443-3861

The Museum of Science & Industry (MOSI) has over 100 hands-on activities making it the ultimate scientific playground. Guests can build a robot, solve a brain puzzle, explore a lunar colony, or peek into the future with emerging technologies. Permanent exhibits include A Look Inside about the human body, Connectus with futuristic innovations, NASA’s Mission Moonbase, Idea Zone – a makers’ space, plus I Wonder, The Saunders Planetarium, Sky Trail Ropes Course, and Virtual Reality Simulator. A visit to this museum could easily be the most fun kids have on vacation. There is a general admission, and the Planetarium and Ropes Course require a small extra fee.

4801 E Fowler Avenue, Tampa, FL, Phone: 813-987-6000

Kids can experience the fascinating art of puppetry with Bits-n-Pieces Puppet Theatre. Performances of classic morality tales both entertain and teach young theater-goers at PuppetWorld Playhouse, the troupe’s home theater. Many of the shows are with small puppets, but giant puppets perform Three Billy Goats Gruff, Princess Thimbelina, Rip Van Winkle, and Aesop’s Dinosaur Fable. Got No Strings Interactive Exhibit is a 5,000-square-foot exhibition where guests will see many of the theater’s giant puppets, plus be able to explore a giant puppet under construction and examine its moving parts. Check the website for the latest Tampa Bay performances. Children two and under are free.

12904 Tom Gallagher Road, Dover, FL, Phone: 813-659-0659

The artist in the family will appreciate a trip to The Dunedin Fine Art Center. The Art Center has fascinating exhibits like the watercolors of Jack Ellis, a local art legend, or the One Day Tampa Bay community photographic exhibit on offer to guests. But, the spirit of the Art Center focuses on providing art classes for preschoolers through adults. Nearly 20 classes are designed specifically for children with themes as diverse as drawing, cooking, clay sculpting, and storytelling. Teens also have a plethora of classes to explore their artistic sides, including Characters of Anime and Manga, Goth: The Drawing Class, Teen Darkroom, and Get Down to Painting.

1143 Michigan Boulevard, Dunedin, FL, Phone: 727-298-3322

Tampa Electric Manatee Viewing Center was born from the discharge canal of the city’s power station. Because this clean Tampa Bay water was used to cool a power unit, it warmed before it released back into the bay via the canal. Manatees naturally began converging in the warm water during cold weather. Now, the discharge canal known as Big Bend is a designated manatee sanctuary with state and federal protections. Highlights of the Viewing Center include an environmental education building with numerous displays, award-winning butterfly gardens, a tidal walk, a manatee habitat loop trail, and a wildlife observation tower.

Tampa Electric Manatee Viewing Center, 6990 Dickman Road, Apollo Beach, FL, Phone: 813-228-4289

Big Cat Rescue is a sanctuary for rescued big cats. The organization rescues big cats from abusive situations and when they’ve been abandoned. Big Cat Rescue not only offers a sanctuary to the big cats, but it works tirelessly to end big cat trade and private possession via education and legislation. Cats at the sanctuary include jaguars, leopards, lions, tigers, bobcats, lynx, caracals, cougars, ocelots, Savannah cats, servals, and Siberian lynx. There are several types of tours available that must be reserved and prepaid online, including a Kids Tour and a Feeding Tour. Other than the Kids Tour, most tours are limited to guests 10 and older.

8013 N Meadowview Cir, Tampa, FL 33625, Phone: 813-920-4130

Busch Gardens is a wildly popular Tampa theme park that features 10 African zones, each with its own animal encounters, rides and roller coasters, and shows and entertainment. The best approach to the park is to plan ahead choosing must-see shows and favorite animals and rides before arriving at the park. For example, Egypt zone has an 80-foot snake animal encounter and Montu roller coaster – the world’s longest and tallest inverted coaster. Serengeti Plain has hundreds of animals, a train, a gondola, and an up-close animal experience from a safari truck. Vacationers will want to check the website for upcoming events as well. Children under three are free.

10165 McKinley Drive, Tampa, FL, Phone: 813-884-4386