When the holiday season rolls around, the family members roll into town. Here are a few activities you can do with your relatives visiting Tampa for the holidays.
Sunday Market at Wat Thai Tampa
5306 Palm River Rd. | (813) 626-8850
Wat Tampa hosts the Sunday Market weekly from 8:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. The market features a variety of Thai dishes, fruits, vegetables, drinks and more. While enjoying Thai cuisine, explore the temple and take some pictures of the beautiful landscape.
Winter Village
600 N. Ashley Drive
Celebrate the holiday season at Curtis Hixon Park. The Winter Village features an ice rink, various dining options and a small marketplace. Guests can also hop on the Winter Village Express and enjoy a themed ride on select Sundays with treats, music and activities.
Sparkman Wharf
615 Channelside Dr. | (813) 345-5881
Visit Tampa’s newest waterfront hotspot. Sparkman Wharf features 10 dining concepts, a craft beer garden, a community lawn with games and seating, a stage and a large LED screen. The Check their website before you go to see if live music, pop-up shops or movies are happening on the lawn.
Armature Works – Heights Public Market
1910 N. Ola Ave. | (813) 250-3725
This mixed-use building is packed with multiple innovative eateries that are sure to satisfy anyone’s palettes. Anyone in your family can find something to munch on whether it be a smoothie bowl from Swami Juice or empanadas from Empamamas. Also, keep an eye out for events happening on-site by visiting the calendar on their website.
Florida Aquarium (above)
701 Channelside Drive | (813) 273-4000
Dive into Florida’s ecosystems and others from around the world. The aquarium houses about 7,000 plants and animals in the facility.
Busch Gardens
10165 McKinley Drive | (813) 884-4386
Get a thrill this holiday season and ride some roller coasters at Busch Gardens. At night, the park transforms into a Christmas wonderland adorned in Christmas lights. Don’t be surprised if you run into Santa, Rudolph and other characters from the television special “Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer.”
HorsePower for Kids and Animal Sanctuary
8005 S. Race Track Road | (813) 855-8992
If you have a couple of little ones coming to town, this is the perfect place for your group. Children ages 7 to 15 years old can ride horses on the property. There is also a petting zoo and animal sanctuary, wherein visitors can see about 200 animals of around 80 different species.
Tampa Museum of Art
120 W. Gasparilla Plaza | (813) 274-8130
Show your relatives some love by taking them to see the Season of Love exhibition at the Tampa Museum of Art. Three exhibits are currently on display: Robert Indiana: A Sculpture Retrospective; Yayoi Kusama: LOVE IS CALLING; and Patricia Cronin: Aphrodite, and the Lure of Antiquity. Visitors can also grab a bite to eat at the cafe on the first floor.
Hyde Park Village
1623 W. Snow Circle | hydeparkvillage.com
Hyde Park Village offers a range of high-end shopping, dining and entertainment paired with free parking in the three parking garages. Santa will be popping up at various locations in the village throughout December. Visit the calendar on their website to keep up with Santa and his crew.
Lettuce Lake Park
This park’s wooded picnic areas make the best spot for an afternoon picnic with relatives. The park also features barbeque grills, a hiking trail, a 3,500 foot boardwalk and more.
