Flights to Tampa from CAD142*

Things to do in Tampa

If you're taking a flight to Tampa, you have to add Busch Gardens® Tampa Bay to your travel itinerary. Just a 20-minute drive from downtown in North Tampa, Busch Gardens features African-themed areas, rides and attractions. Take a safari in the 65-acre Serengeti Plain in an open-air vehicle to get up close and personal with giraffes, hippos, and rhinos. You can also see orangutans, gorillas, elephants, kangaroos and sloths throughout the park. Ride world-class rollercoasters, such as the world's fastest and steepest hybrid rollercoaster: Iron Gwazi, which plunges riders 122 km per hour from a 206-foot-tall peak, dropping at a 91-degree angle. Another coaster, Sheikra, also features a 200 ft drop at the same steep angle, while Montu's inverted coaster will be sure to turn your world upside down.

Just across the street from Busch Gardens, and also owned and operated by United Parks & Resorts, is Adventure Island. Featuring a lazy river and wave pool, as well as a number of exhilarating water slides and rides, Adventure Island is a great spot to get some respite from the heat.

Just a 10-minute drive north from downtown, ZooTampa at Lowry Park is home to over 1,300 animals in a stunning tropical setting. Make new friends by touching a tortoise, feeding a giraffe, petting giant stingrays, and learning at the manatee education centre. Arranged by continents, ZooTampa features animals from all over the world, such as Malaysian tigers, Bornean orangutans, Australian koalas and wallabies, as well as African elephants and penguins. For the kids, ZooTampa also features rides such as a carousel, rollercoaster, train ride and even a water flume ride.

If you plan on hitting all of the above major hotspots when you fly to Tampa, consider getting the Tampa CityPASS for discounts at all of the top Tampa attractions.

With the City of Tampa situated where the Hillsborough River meets Tampa Bay, there are plenty of ways to get out and play on the water. See the city from a new angle when you rent a Tampa Bay eBoat or personal vessel from the Riverwalk Boating Co. Bring your friends along for a happy hour on the water with Kraken CycleBoats or the Tampa Bay Tiki Tours. Find your sea legs and explore the Hillsborough River with a paddleboard or kayak rental from Urban Kai or the Tampa Riverwalk Rentals. Hop on the popular Pirate Water Taxi to see all the downtown sights from the water with its fleet of yellow and black vessels. Blast off on the Bay Rocket, Tampa Bay’s new 45-minute adrenaline-filled jet boat thrill ride, where riders experience 2800 horsepower with exhilarating 180-degree spins, turns, and bow dips.

When you fly to Tampa, you'll see that the city has a flourishing arts scene, from street art murals throughout the city to museums and art galleries in the downtown core. Culture-seekers looking to take in a show or learn about the history of the area will not be disappointed.

Learn something new at the Tampa Bay History Center, which has three floors highlighting 12,000 years of Florida history. From the first tumultuous encounters with the Tocobaga to conquistadors and pirates, Florida's Cuban cigar history, and pioneer ranchers, visitors can gain a deeper understanding of the founding of Tampa and Florida as a whole.

Across the river is the Henry B. Plant Museum, once the grand Tampa Bay Hotel built in the 1800s. Today, visitors on flights to Tampa are invited to walk back in time and surround themselves with the opulent furnishings. Learn about how the hotel influenced the beginning of Florida's tourism industry from the start of the Victorian Era by walking through the home's original European and Asian furnishings.

Top activities to do when flying to Tampa

Planning a vacation means looking for the best flights to Tampa, accommodations and attractions to visit. To make planning a little easier, here are a few activities and attractions you won’t want to miss!

• Tampa Riverwalk: Strolling along this 2.6-mile scenic walkway is one of the best ways to stretch your legs after your Tampa flight. It connects you to some of Downtown Tampa’s best attractions, restaurants, parks and much more.
• Armature Works Heights Public Market: Foodies and architecture lovers will want to explore this bustling market. Built in 1910, the building was originally the storage and maintenance facility for Tampa Electric Company’s streetcars. Today, it houses a wide range of shops and eateries.
• Hillsborough River State Park: Enjoy time out in nature when you fly to Tampa. This expansive park offers nature trails, camping, wildlife viewing, canoeing and kayaking.
• Gasparilla Pirate Fest: If you’re booking plane tickets to Tampa, Florida in January, see if your trip lines up with this annual celebration. Every year, thousands of people attend to soak in live entertainment, festivities and a pirate-themed parade.
• Boat tours: See Tampa from a different perspective – on a boat tour! Enjoy sightseeing and wildlife viewing as you cruise along the waters of Tampa Bay.