Tampa's Ybor City, Florida Aquarium, and Busch Gardens offer a full day's worth of activities with a distinctly different flavor from Orlando's theme park world. The Cuban-Spanish heritage of Ybor City is particularly compelling, and the drive back on I-4 passes through charming Winter Haven.
Suggested itinerary
- 7:30 AM: Depart Orlando on I-4 west
- 9 AM: Arrive Tampa; start with Florida Aquarium (opens 9:30 AM)
- 11 AM: Drive to Ybor City; walk 7th Avenue (La Septima)
- 12 PM: Lunch at Columbia Restaurant — traditional Cuban cuisine with flamenco atmosphere
- 1:30 PM: Ybor City Museum State Park for context
- 3 PM: Busch Gardens (if theme park is the goal; purchase tickets in advance)
- OR: Drive to Clearwater Beach (45 min) for Gulf Coast beach afternoon
- 6 PM: Dinner in Hyde Park or SoHo neighborhood
- 8 PM: Return to Orlando
Location
27.9506, -82.4572 View on map
Highlights
- Columbia Restaurant (Florida's oldest restaurant, 1905)
- Ybor City cigar culture
- Florida Aquarium
- Clearwater Beach extension possible