6 Best Day Trips From Tampa, Florida

Tampa, Florida, has the privilege of being placed in an area central to many nearby characteristic towns. While the city has plenty of its own character to offer, it is always fun to visit new locations for a fresh scene. Below, I’ve listed six of the best day trips from Tampa, Florida, so that you can use your spare days wisely.

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Best Day Trips to Take From Tampa

Dunedin

Able to be explored in a few hours, Dunedin is a great district filled with touristy shops, tasty restaurants, and waterfront views. The quaint downtown area is flocked with visitors every year but is well worth taking a few hours to explore. If you’re up for a challenge, embark on a journey to find many of the 200 oranges painted on buildings around the town. For those visiting on a Friday or Saturday from 9 am to 1 pm, the Dunedin Downtown Market also offers live entertainment and booths selling food and crafts.

Tarpon Springs

Located not too far from Dunedin, Tarpon Springs will make you feel as if you’ve stepped off a flight in a seaside town in Greece. Taking a stroll through Dodecanese Lane will expose you to numerous Greek eateries and historic sponge docks. Legend has it that Greek sponge divers settled here in the early 1900s. Keeping this history alive, Tarpon Springs still has a reputation for being the Greece of America and selling large supplies of sponges. Since I had originally wanted to travel to Greece this year but had to put my plans on halt, this town felt like the perfect backup plan for the time being.

Disney or Universal - Orlando

Orlando is known as the Theme Park Capital of the World. In my opinion, one of the best day trips from Tampa, Florida, is Disney. If you’re not feeling Disney, however, Universal is a great day trip as well. Spending the day at an amusement park is always a great use of a day off, especially at a theme park like Disney or Universal. If you live in Tampa, you can plan a day trip during one of the parks’ special events to add even more excitement to your day. You can still experience a bit of the parks’ magic without even attending the parks by walking through Disney Springs or the Universal CityWalk, which both offer numerous dining options.

Whether you have theme park tickets or not, the day trip to Universal is worth the 1.5-hour journey. If you don’t have access to a car or are wanting to save yourself the trouble of parking, you can purchase a bus ticket from Tampa to Orlando through Wanderlu.

Wanderlu is a leading bus and train travel search platform. There are seven buses that leave each day, and while prices fluctuate throughout the year, they stay at a low price. Enjoy your day at Orlando and its theme parks without worrying about paying for parking, buying gas, or navigating unfamiliar roads!

Lido Key

About an hour and a half south of Tampa, Lido Key offers lesser-crowded beaches and a quaint downtown area. It is quite the easy drive to Lido Key, and parking is free on Sundays, making it an even more desirable location as opposed to the over-touristy weekend spots in Tampa. I have a detailed 36-hour guide to Lido Key, should you choose to spend some time in the area. Browse what the area has to offer and decide what you want to do during your time there.

Safety Harbor

Safety Harbor is only about 30 minutes from Tampa, making it an easy day trip. Similar to other towns in the vicinity, Safety Harbor has a plethora of fun shops and restaurants for visitors to explore. One of the best places to eat in Safety Harbor is the Bassano Cheesecake Café, a charming shop selling inviting desserts and cheesecake flavors. One of the biggest draws to this town, however, is the Safety Harbor Resort & Spa. A day trip to the spa is always a great use of time, especially when it includes pool usage and access to the resort’s other amenities. For those craving a relaxing day off, Safety Harbor is the place to visit.

Want to spend the night? View prices and details here.

St. Petersburg

St. Petersburg is hands down one of the best day trips from Tampa. During my time living in Tampa, I took endless trips to St. Petersburg to make use of the beaches and adorable downtown area. One of my favorite experiences was when my aunt and I booked round-trip tickets on the Cross Bay Ferry from downtown Tampa to downtown St. Petersburg, which runs from November to the end of April. After being dropped off in the heart of downtown St. Petersburg, we spent our day exploring the St. Petersburg Pier and numerous shops spread around the city. I’ve been to the downtown area multiple times and have dined in many of the restaurants and bars the city has to offer, a few of which are included in my St. Petersburg restaurant guide. Growing up, this was one of my favorite areas of Florida, and I have loved seeing how it has evolved over the years.

I truly believe the aforementioned locations are some of the best day trips from Tampa. There are, of course, other honorable mentions like Clearwater, Venice, Naples, and more. It all depends on the type of day you are looking for and how much traffic you want to come across. Are there any other locations you’d add to this guide? Let me know in the comments!