Emily & Bob
Things To Do
ZooTampa at Lowry Park
Amazing zoo with beautiful, lush, tropical landscaping. Easy to spend a few hours here, and it's in Bob and Emily's neighborhood a couple miles north of downtown Tampa. There are even TV shows about the zoo, it is incredible!
Kayak and Paddle Boarding at Urban Kai
This is Emily’s favorite spot to paddle board! You’re guaranteed to see some wildlife and Emily sees manatees at this spot almost every time she paddles here. Urban Kai rents paddle boards and kayaks, and there’s a fun tiki bar on site so you can get snacks and a pina colada after your paddle.
Armature Works
Armature Works is a gigantic converted brick building where they used to service the Tampa streetcars. Now it's a food hall with a ton of dining and drinking options, right on the Hillsborough River north of downtown Tampa. Excellent craft beer, wine, and cocktail options at the main bar.
Ybor City Historic District
Ybor City is the historic heart of Tampa--it's where the cigar industry began here and was really the reason Tampa became a city back in the 1880s. Beautiful brick lined streets, historic buildings (including several cigar factories), and now it is an entertainment center with dozens of great restaurants, breweries, and bars/clubs. Any visit to Tampa needs to have an Ybor stop, it is totally unique. There is a free historic streetcar system that runs from Ybor to downtown Tampa at regular intervals, well into the night. The oldest restaurant in Florida, the Columbia, is in Ybor as well.
La Segunda Central Bakery
This is basically where the Cuban sandwich was invented, and has been operating for around a hundred years. Great Cuban pastries too. You will not regret a stop here! It's just north of Ybor City.
Bayshore Boulevard
Bayshore is often described as the gem of Tampa--it's one of the longest continuous sidewalks in the country and runs from downtown Tampa several miles southwest. It's part of the Hyde Park Historic District, which is one of the oldest neighborhoods in Tampa. Huge, regal homes with amazing architecture and history to enjoy, and it's right on the bay with views of downtown Tampa the whole way. Great for a walk, run, or biking trip. Ends at Ballast Point, which has a long dock, great views, and a nice park.
Mazzaro's Italian Market
The best Italian market in the southeast. Bob truly believes they make the best sandwiches in the country, but they're a coffee roaster and bakery as well. A must-stop for any trip to St. Pete.
Tampa Riverwalk
Riverwalk in downtown Tampa; people here are very proud of it, and it's a great way to explore downtown. Open containers allowed, so you can stop at a bar and grab something to go. It goes almost all the way up to Armature Works, and we have seen manatees and other wildlife from the riverwalk several times.
Honeymoon Island State Park
Honeymoon Island is the closest proper beach to Tampa, and it is totally worth the trip. It's a state park, so the beach is completely undeveloped, and it has nice views of downtown Clearwater too. We go all the time! Other beach options include St. Pete Beach and Clearwater Beach.
Sparkman Wharf
Sparkman Wharf is an "outdoor food hall" area in downtown Tampa; it's located right on the streetcar line that goes from downtown to Ybor City (which is free) and just feet away from Florida Aquarium, Tampa Bay History Center, and Port of Tampa. There's a large bar in the middle and a bunch of food vendors to choose from.