17 Fun Things To Do in Tampa Bay on a Rainy Day
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Florida rains often, so it's always a good idea to have a Plan B especially when you have guests in town visiting. We recently had plans to go to the different beaches like Clearwater and St. Pete Beach, but due to the weather, we had to make alternate plans. Luckily, we found lots of things to do indoors.
Here are our top suggestions for making your rainy day in Tampa Bay just as fun as those sunny days.
1. Armature Works
Upscale Food Court, Bar & Lounge
Dating all the way back to 1910, Armature Works used to be a storage and maintenance facility for streetcars and was known as Tampa's streetcar warehouse. It's a mixed-use commercial space and there are a ton of different food vendors here.
The space is huge with plenty of communal seating so it’s also a great place to meet new people. Not only is it a massive dining space, but there are pop-ups, workshops, and events so there is always something fun and exciting happening.
Armature Works
BnB - Butcher and Barbeque
Empamamas
2. Yuengling Beer Tour
Free Tour with Beer
Yuengling, America’s oldest brewery, offers free tours with complimentary beer samples. We thoroughly enjoyed our tour and had a great time tasting their beer even though we’re not huge beer drinkers.
At the time of our visit, the facilities appeared a bit outdated, but they have recently updated the campus and have some excellent reviews.
Yuengling Beer Facility in Tampa
3. Cigar City Brewing
Local Beer Tour
Another beer tour you can do is one that is local to Tampa at Cigar City Brewing. Many of our friends have raved about their beer and tour. It’s very popular with the tourists and locals. Their facility has a large taproom bar and another larger restaurant area.
4. Cinebistro
An Elevated Movie Experience with Taste
If you want to watch a movie in a more private setting along with some upscale food, Cinebistro is perfect. We were surprisingly blown away by the entire experience from the food to the super comfy lounge chairs.
We don't know if we can ever go back to watching movies at normal theaters. The premium reserved seating and service right at our seat with chef-created menus were exceptional. Candy still thinks about that delectable cheesecake she had.
Cinebistro Hyde Park
5. Florida Aquarium
Interact with Penguins
We were expecting our visit to the Florida Aquarium to last a couple of hours, but we ended up spending half the day here because there was so much to see and learn. Of course, the penguins were our favorite part but we also reserved a spot for a behind-the-scenes tour which made us appreciate the aquarium for all its hard work and dedication.
We have to say that one of the exhibits we really enjoyed that we haven’t experienced at any other aquarium was the indoor Wetlands Trail. As soon as you walk in, you immediately feel as if you stepped into the middle of Florida’s wildlife. The mangrove forest is spectacular and you get to explore this beautiful habitat without the mosquitoes.
Florida Aquarium Tampa
Meeting penguins at the Florida Aquarium
Florida Aquarium Wetlands Trail
6. International Plaza
Beautiful Mall with Tons of Great Stores
If you love shopping, International Plaza will be your heaven. It’s a beautiful mall filled with popular stores like Apple, Express, Aldo, Urban Outfitters, Zara, and H&M. They also have high-end stores including Louis Vuitton, Coach, Kate Spade, and the list goes on. There are 200 specialty stores indoors plus Neiman Marcus, Nordstrom, and Dillard's, so you can definitely spend hours here.
7. Henry B Plant Museum
Location of the Oldest Operational Elevator in the Nation
We went to the museum knowing very little about Henry B. Plant and left having a great appreciation for his contributions to Tampa, Florida. This hotel played such a significant role in Tampa’s history that we can now understand why it was designated a National Historic Landmark in 1972.
It’s a fairly small museum, but with unique offerings. There is a free live single-character performance on Sundays and one of the oldest operational elevators in the nation is here. We went inside the elevator and we must say that we were a bit spooked.
Henry B. Plant Museum
Historic furniture inside the museum
Florida’s oldest operating elevator
8. Top Golf
Always Great Fun
We always have a great time at Top Golf and this is a fantastic place to have fun with your friends. The wait time is usually long, but they have a bar and restaurant indoors you can wait at.
If you’ve never been to Top Golf, you’re in for a treat. The first time I went, I had so much fun that I did not want to leave. I don’t play golf, but I do love to hit that ball with a drive and see how far it goes. They make the friendly competition super entertaining.
Top golf - Tampa
9. Tampa Museum of Art
Quaint Museum with Interesting Exhibits
Tampa Museum of Art (or TMA) has an interesting mix of contemporary and modern art along with Greek and Roman antiquities. They have a growing permanent collection and always have interesting exhibits. TMA does not have as many collections as other museums we usually go to, but their exhibits are excellent and the architecture of the building itself is brilliant.
Tampa Museum of Art
10. Glazer Children’s Museum
Kids Love It!
If you’re trying to entertain your children on a rainy day, your kids will love Glazer Children’s Museum. Located right next to the Tampa Museum of Art, this 53,000-square-foot building has tons of interactive activities for the kids.
They can master money at a bank, learn where food comes from on a farm, become a firefighter, cook up something delicious at the pizza shop and so much more.
11. Two Shepherds Taproom
Huge Indoor Play Area for Pups
If you are looking for a place to hang out with your dog on a rainy day, Two Shepherds is perfect. They have a large indoor play area for the dogs with some agility equipment and for the humans, they have a bar area so you can relax and watch your pup play.
Indoor bar at Two Shepherds
Large indoor play area for dogs at Two shepherds
12. Seminole Hard Rock Casino
Unwind and Have Some Fun
If you’re a fan of gambling, Seminole Hard Rock Casino is the place for you, but this casino is not all about gambling at slot machines or table games. There’s actually a lot of entertainment and dining options here too.
You can kick back and enjoy a cocktail in a low key atmosphere, listen to live music from local artists, and take advantage of the Tampa nightlife. They also have three fining dining restaurants and numerous casual dining and quick bite options located throughout the casino. Plus there’s a 26,000-square-foot spa that features thirteen treatment rooms and some shopping.
13. Pin Chasers
Awesome Atmosphere with Fun Vibes
Pin Chasers has been around in Tampa for awhile and they have 3 locations at Veterans, Midtown, and Pasco. They offer bowling classes, tournaments, cyber bowling, late night bowling and just plain ‘ol regular bowling too. It’s great for all ages!
14. The Dali Museum
Largest Collection of Surrealist Art by Salvador Dali
Over in St Petersburg, a short 30-minute drive from downtown Tampa, there’s the Dali Museum you can explore. This museum carries the largest collection of Dali's work outside of Europe and there are so many unique pieces to look at. We learned a lot about Dali’s fun and quirky personality along with his brilliant talent as an artist.
Even if you’re not into art, the structure of this building is truly amazing to marvel at. The Dali Museum always has rave reviews, so you won’t be disappointed.
The Dali Museum in St. Petersburg
Inside the Dali Museum
Dali’s brilliant art work
15. Chihuly Collection
Fantastically Colored Glass Sculptures
The Chihuly Collection is a stunning, permanent collection of world-renowned artist Dale Chihuly’s unique artwork located in downtown St. Pete. All his sculptures are made of glass in bold colors. Most of his work represents dreamy, abstract interpretations of sea creatures, submerged landscapes, and floating tumbleweeds. If you’re an avid Chihuly fan, you must visit this exhibit.
16. St. Pete Fairgrounds
Art-Meets-Technology Immersive Experience
Fairgrounds St Pete is an art and technology museum with over 60 local and international artists that were commissioned to make art for visitors to immerse themselves. It’s a Florida-themed art installation and you can even find clues throughout the exhibit to solve a mystery.
17. Vertical Ventures
Unique Workout for All Ages
If you’re into rock climbing, Vertical Ventures in St Pete is the place to go. Some of the gym’s features include 40 foot tall routes, more than 80 climbing lines, 20,000 square feet facility, and a dedicated training area. It’s geared toward all ages and they are more than happy to help newbies get started.
