Tampa Riverwalk
You should go to the Tampa Riverwalk if you are staying in the downtown area and are searching for a pleasant place to stretch your legs and walk around. This 2.4-mile path that weaves its way down the waterfront offers spectacular vistas of the Hillsborough River and the surrounding area. The Riverwalk begins at Sparkman Wharf and terminates at the Armature Works – alternatively it can be traveled in the opposite direction, depending on where you want to begin or end your journey.
Along its length, the Riverwalk features a remarkable array of public art that extends from murals to sculptures and everything in between. A number of Tampa’s most popular tourist destinations, such as the Florida Aquarium and the Tampa Museum of Art, may also be found along the boardwalk. There are a total of four playgrounds available, two of which include splash pads for the children.
From the Channelside District at its eastern terminus to the mouth of the Hillsborough River and then further north along the riverside to Tampa Heights, the Riverwalk forms a continuous path that connects a wide variety of parks, attractions, public spaces, and hotels along the majority of the waterfront in downtown Tampa. The Riverwalk begins at its eastern terminus in the Channelside District. The Tampa Bay History Center, Amalie Arena, the Tampa Convention Center, Rivergate Tower, Curtis Hixon Waterfront Park, Water Works Park, and the Waterfront Arts District, which is comprised of the Tampa Museum of Art, the Florida Museum of Photographic Arts, the Glazer Children’s Museum, and the Straz Center for the Performing Arts, are some of the notable points of interest that can be found along the Riverwalk. Locations along the Riverwalk play host to a variety of community events, the most notable of which are the numerous festivals that take place in Curtis Hixon Park and the arrival of the “pirate ship” Jose Gasparilla, which moors at the Riverwalk behind the Convention Center during the Gasparilla Pirate Festival. Other locations along the Riverwalk also play host to a variety of community events.
If you work up an appetite or a thirst along the way, there is a wonderful selection of eateries that offer sunny patios where you can enjoy delicious food while also getting a great view of the neighborhood. This is especially true at the end (or starting) points at Sparkman Wharf, where you’ll find a fine mix of restaurants housed in “containers,” or at the Armature Works, where the majority of the dining options are housed indoors in a beautifully restored industrial building. Both of these locations are convenient to the harbor.
Friends of the Riverwalk is a non-profit organization that works in collaboration with the City of Tampa to develop, activate, and promote Tampa’s downtown riverfront area. Their goals are to connect the downtown riverfront parks, museums, attractions, and businesses; to support further expansion and development of the Riverwalk; to create an inviting outdoor destination; and to build a stronger sense of community. These goals will be accomplished while also supporting the Riverwalk’s efforts to expand and develop.
Museum of Science and Industry