Top 20 Places to Take Kids in and around Tampa - 2022
20 Best Places to Take Kids in the Tampa area: 2022's winners!
Every May and June, thousands of local parents, grandparents, and caregivers weigh in on their favorite local places to take kids. Typically, we showcase the Top 20 winners... but this year, in honor of KidsOutAndAbout.com's 21st birthday (we originally launched in June of 2001), we bring you the Tampa area's
TOP 21 Places to Take Kids!
Of course, there are literally hundreds of wonderful places to take your kids in our area! After checking out the winners below: Explore KidsOutAndAbout's lists for lots more ideas: Check out our packed calendar of events, visit our Everything That's Free page, and sign up for our free weekly newsletter that will tell you everything you need to know so you can make plans to experience all of the Tampa area's family-friendly hidden gems.
1. ZooTampa at Lowry Park
Tampa's Lowry Park Zoo is a 63-acre nonprofit zoo located in Tampa, Florida.
2. Busch Gardens
Busch Gardens® Tampa Bay is the ultimate family adventure, offering over 300 acres of exploration including a unique blend of thrilling rides, one of the country's premier zoos and exciting seasonal events all year.
3. Florida Aquarium
The Florida Aquarium is a 501(c)3 non-profit facility that aims to engage people through education, entertainment, conservation and research to inspire stewardship of our natural environment.
4. Cracker Country Rural Florida Living History Museum
At Cracker Country, you won't just see history, as your experiences unfold before you you'll feel like you've become part of the past. It's a great place to create memories that will last a lifetime with your children or grandchildren. Cracker Country is open during the Florida State Fair, selected Saturdays throughout the fall, and for school programs and private tours by reservation only.
5. Bounce House Place
Bounce House Place is a spot where your kids would be known by their names. Children love bouncing and we love to make them happy by offering the best inflatable fun around! Bounce House Place is clean and fun full. We have 6 mega bounce rides, a jungle gym, video games, a party place, a play date place, open play times and even more.
6. Seaside Seabird Sanctuary
The Seaside Seabird Sanctuary is dedicated to the rescue, rehabilitation, and eventual release of sick and injured birds. Located on the beautiful Gulf Coast of Florida in Indian Shores, the Seaside Seabird Sanctuary is a Central Florida attraction, and is a destination for tourists from all over the world.
7. Pioneer Florida Museum and Village
The Pioneer Florida Museum and Village welcomes families and groups for self-guided tours or guided tours with advance notice. The museum has many buildings and displays mainly representing the 1800’s through 1945. Throughout the year, the museum puts on festivals and special events: Scarecrow Festival, Country Christmas & Vintage Market, Living History events, Raising Cane (Cane Syrup Competition), Farm Fest & Quilt Show, Cracker Cowboy Day and a Jelly Bean Fling (Spring Festival). The museum is dedicated to historic preservation and education. During each special event, museum buildings have docents in period clothing, traditional craft demonstrations, vendors, children’s activities, live entertainment and great food.
8. Adventure Island - Tampa
Located right across the street from Busch Gardens® Tampa Bay, Adventure Island® is Tampa's island paradise, featuring a combination of exhilarating water rides and tropical, tranquil surroundings.
9. Clearwater Marine Aquarium
Clearwater Marine Aquarium is a non-profit marine animal hospital dedicated to the rescue, rehabilitation and release of marine life. It is the home to non-releasable animals including Hope the Dolphin, star of the Dolphin Tale movies. Each visit goes towards animal care and its conservation and research efforts.
10. My Local Library
Of course, the libraries in the Tampa area are not really ONE place, but MANY places... but it's important to emphasize how valuable libraries are for family learning and fun. The libraries in our area are wonderful about posting their events to the KidsOutAndAbout calendar so you always can get ideas for free things to do with your kids that celebrate education and imagination. KidsOutAndAbout.com takes this opportunity to salute the wonderful children's librarians who serve our community with such dedication. They're proud that locals voted them to the list of the best places to take kids this year!
12. Museum of Science and Industry
Get hands-on in Tampa's iconic science center where curious minds can explore space science, weather, engineering, physics, the human body, and more. Become and aspiring astronaut in Mission Moonbase or let your creativity run wild in Idea Zone, where anyone can design and engineer hands-on STEAM projects. Learn about the Jurassic Period and see our 30-foot tall Diplodocus in Dinovations Lab. Immerse your senses on the Virtual Reality Simulator ride, discover the night sky in the Saunders Planetarium or head outside to experience an adrenaline rush like no other on the Sky Trail Ropes Course. Get "STEAMED" at MOSI, where Science, Technology, Engineering, Art and Math collide!
17. Glazer Children's Museum
There’s something new to discover with each visit to Glazer Children's Museum! Play pretend in your favorite signature exhibit and discover new worlds in visiting exhibits. Create and connect as a family with seasonal Family Play Projects, cozy up for storytime with Team GCM, get your giggles out during spontaneous play activities, and celebrate your day of play in the Ring Out the Day Parade.
18. Altitude Trampoline Park
Altitude Trampoline Park in Tampa is the largest trampoline park in the bay area. It features high energy equipment such as trampolines, a foam pit, a rock climbing wall, and much more entertainment for families, groups, and individuals. Young or old, you're bound to enjoy yourself here at Altitude.
Winners in Special Categories
In the second part of our survey, we asked readers to select their favorites in six categories. Here were their choices.Top Arts Educator: Straz Center for the Performing Arts
Located on the bank of the historic Hillsborough River, the Straz Center serves as a cultural crossroads, bringing innovative new artists and blockbuster commercial successes to the Tampa Bay community. With its award-winning outreach programs that take the arts to underserved school children and the only accredited performing arts school in the region, the Patel Conservatory, the Straz Center also nurtures the creative spark and transforms lives.
Top Sports Educator: Topgolf Tampa
Topgolf is a technology-enabled, golf entertainment concept where people from all walks of life come to play golf their own way in a dynamic, multi-level venue experience. Players can enjoy a variety of games for players of all ages and skill levels, a chef-inspired food and beverage menu, and more. To book your play today, visit www.topgolf.com.
Top STEM Educator: Florida Aquarium
The Florida Aquarium is a 501(c)3 non-profit facility that aims to engage people through education, entertainment, conservation and research to inspire stewardship of our natural environment.
