Tampa Riverwalk Before or After Your Cruise: A Florida Sail & Stay Guide
Cruising from Tampa? Don’t just arrive, board your ship and sail away. Stay a little longer and discover Tampa!
The Tampa Riverwalk is one of our favorite ways to add a little more Florida to a cruise vacation. This 2.6-mile waterfront path follows the Hillsborough River and Garrison Channel through downtown Tampa, connecting restaurants, museums, parks, attractions and some of the city’s best waterfront views. Best of all for cruisers, the southern end of the Riverwalk is in the same Channelside area as Port Tampa Bay, making it particularly convenient for a pre- or post-cruise stay.
At Florida Sail & Stay, that’s exactly what we mean by Sail & Stay: your Florida vacation doesn’t have to begin when the ship leaves the dock—or end when it returns.
Start Near the Cruise Port: Channelside & Sparkman Wharf
A great place for cruise passengers to begin exploring is Sparkman Wharf at 615 Channelside Drive.
This waterfront gathering spot offers casual dining, drinks, outdoor seating, entertainment and plenty of Florida sunshine. Because there are multiple food vendors and restaurants, it works especially well for families and groups where everyone wants something different.
It’s also an excellent place to simply grab a drink, find a waterfront seat and watch the activity around Tampa’s busy port.
FS&S Tip: If you're staying near Water Street or Channelside the night before your cruise, make this your first-night stop. You immediately get that “vacation has started” feeling without needing to travel far from the cruise terminals.
Dive Into Florida at The Florida Aquarium
Next on our route is The Florida Aquarium at 701 Channelside Drive.
This is much more than a rainy-day option. The aquarium showcases Florida wetlands and marine environments along with sharks, sea turtles, stingrays, river otters and thousands of other animals.
For families cruising from Tampa, this is one of the easiest attractions to add to a pre- or post-cruise day because of its location near the port.
Want to get out on the water before getting on your cruise ship? The aquarium also offers a separate Wild Dolphin Cruise aboard its Bay Spirit II catamaran, combining Tampa Bay sightseeing with the possibility of spotting bottlenose dolphins and native birds.
Allow approximately 2–3 hours if you want to make the aquarium one of your primary Riverwalk activities.
Learn a Little Tampa History
Continue toward Water Street and stop at Tampa Bay History Center.
This is an especially good choice for first-time Tampa visitors. Exhibits cover thousands of years of Florida and Tampa Bay history, including indigenous peoples, Spanish exploration, cattle ranching, cigar manufacturing and the people and cultures that helped shape modern Tampa.
And there's another reason we put this stop on our FS&S walking tour...
Eat a Cuban Sandwich on the Waterfront
Inside the History Center you'll find Columbia Cafe at the Tampa Bay History Center.
This waterfront offshoot of Tampa's famous Columbia Restaurant is an ideal Riverwalk lunch stop. Look for Tampa favorites including the Cuban sandwich and Columbia's famous Original 1905 Salad. Outdoor seating overlooks the water.
If you're visiting Tampa for the first time, a Cuban sandwich deserves a place on your Florida food list.
Stop at Water Street Tampa
As you continue along the waterfront, slow down around Water Street and the Tampa Convention Center.
This is a great section for photographs, drinks and waterfront dining. One option is Anchor and Brine at the Tampa Marriott Water Street, particularly if you'd like seafood and outdoor waterfront seating.
Nearby, The Pearl Tampa offers an oyster-room and gastropub-style experience.
Don't feel that you have to eat a complete meal at every stop. One of our favorite ways to explore a destination is to graze your way through it—an appetizer here, a drink there, dessert somewhere else.
Trade Your Walking Shoes for a Boat
Here's where your Tampa Riverwalk day can get even more interesting.
Pirate Water Taxi operates along the downtown waterfront and can become part sightseeing cruise, part transportation. Stops connect several major Riverwalk areas, including Sparkman Wharf, the Tampa Bay History Center area, the Convention Center, Curtis Hixon Waterfront Park and points farther north.
That makes the water taxi particularly useful for cruise passengers who don't want to walk the entire Riverwalk twice.
FS&S idea: Walk one direction and use the Pirate Water Taxi for part of your return trip. You'll experience Tampa from both land and water.
Schedules and stops can change, and tides can affect service, so check the current schedule before heading out.
Take a Tampa Sightseeing or Sunset Cruise
Want an actual boat excursion?
Tampa Bay Fun Boat operates sightseeing and sunset trips from the Tampa Convention Center boat docks.
This can be a fun alternative for travelers arriving a day early who want to see Tampa's waterfront from the water without committing to a full dinner cruise.
A sunset cruise is particularly appealing for a pre-cruise evening: check into your hotel, explore part of the Riverwalk, have dinner and finish your first Florida day watching the sun go down from the water.
Make Dinner the Cruise: Yacht StarShip
Yes—you can even take a cruise before your cruise.
Yacht StarShip Cruises & Events departs from 603 Channelside Drive, conveniently located near the southern portion of our Riverwalk route.
Yacht StarShip currently offers Tampa brunch, lunch and dinner sailings as well as selected themed and special-event cruises. Dinner sailings are generally about two hours and combine Tampa skyline views with dining and onboard entertainment.
This could be a particularly memorable choice for the night before your cruise.
Check schedules in advance because sailing dates and departure times vary.
Try a Smaller River Dining Cruise
Another interesting option is Craft Tampa, departing from the Channelside area.
Craft offers a different experience from a large dining yacht: a purpose-built river cruiser paired with food and cocktails. It's another option worth checking when you're planning a special pre- or post-cruise evening.
Curtis Hixon Waterfront Park
Back on land, continue north to Curtis Hixon Waterfront Park.
The large waterfront lawn provides some excellent downtown skyline and Hillsborough River views. It's also a good place to slow down, people-watch and give your feet a break.
This part of the Riverwalk is especially attractive around sunset and after dark, when Tampa's waterfront lighting begins to come alive.
Choose a Museum
Two attractions sit right beside Curtis Hixon Waterfront Park.
Art lovers can visit Tampa Museum of Art, which combines modern and contemporary art with classical antiquities.
Families traveling with younger children may prefer Glazer Children's Museum, with three floors of hands-on, play-based exhibits.
You probably won't have time to visit every museum and attraction in one Riverwalk day. Pick one or two that match your interests and leave yourself time to simply enjoy the waterfront.
Continue Toward Water Works Park
As you head farther north, downtown gradually gives way to the Tampa Heights section of the Riverwalk.
Water Works Park provides another waterfront green space and marks your arrival in one of our favorite sections of the walk.
And you'll know you're getting close to one of Tampa's best-known Riverwalk restaurants.
Make Reservations for Ulele
For a special Tampa meal, consider Ulele.
Located in a restored historic pump house beside the Riverwalk, Ulele focuses on flavors and ingredients connected to Florida's land, water and cultural history. Its waterfront setting makes it especially appealing for visitors.
This is the kind of restaurant that fits perfectly into a Sail & Stay experience: you aren't simply eating dinner—you are getting another taste of Tampa and Florida before or after your Caribbean cruise.
For busy evenings and weekends, reservations are a good idea.
Finish at Armature Works
Our walking route finishes at Armature Works.
The restored historic building houses Heights Public Market and numerous places to eat and drink. It is one of those destinations where everyone in your group can choose something different, making it especially useful for families and multigenerational cruise groups.
If you're here around sunset, don't rush away.
Grab something to eat or drink, find a spot overlooking the Hillsborough River and enjoy your final Riverwalk views.
Adults looking for cocktails and elevated sunset views can also check out M.Bird above Armature Works.
The FS&S Tampa Riverwalk Walking Route
For cruise passengers, we recommend exploring south to north, beginning close to Port Tampa Bay and finishing at Armature Works.
START — Port Tampa Bay / Channelside
- Sparkman Wharf
Waterfront • Food • Drinks • Tampa photo stop - The Florida Aquarium
Marine life • Florida ecosystems • Optional dolphin cruise - Tampa Bay History Center
Tampa & Florida history - Columbia Cafe
Cuban sandwich • 1905 Salad • Waterfront lunch - Water Street Tampa
Restaurants • Hotels • Waterfront views - Tampa Convention Center
Pirate Water Taxi • Sightseeing/sunset boat departures - Curtis Hixon Waterfront Park
Skyline views • Park • Photo stop - Tampa Museum of Art / Glazer Children's Museum
Choose your attraction - Straz Center Area
Continue north along the river - Water Works Park
Relax • Waterfront views - Ulele
Signature Tampa dining stop - Armature Works
Food hall • Drinks • River views • Sunset
FINISH — then take the Pirate Water Taxi or another transportation option back toward downtown/Channelside.
The official Riverwalk is approximately 2.6 miles end to end, so remember that the walking distance increases considerably when you add museum visits, restaurant detours and exploring individual attractions.
If You Only Have 3 Hours
Keep it simple.
Start at Sparkman Wharf, walk through Water Street, visit the Tampa Bay History Center area, grab a Cuban sandwich or drink at Columbia Cafe, continue to the Convention Center and then use the Pirate Water Taxi to see more of downtown from the water.
If You Have a Full Day
Start near Channelside in the morning.
Visit The Florida Aquarium or Tampa Bay History Center, have lunch at Columbia Cafe, walk through Water Street, explore Curtis Hixon Waterfront Park, choose a museum, continue to Ulele and finish with dinner or drinks around Armature Works.
Use the water taxi to help with the return journey.
If You Have Two Nights Before Your Cruise
Now you're really doing Florida Sail & Stay.
Use your arrival day to settle into a downtown or Water Street hotel, explore Sparkman Wharf and take an evening sightseeing, sunset or dinner cruise.
Spend the following day exploring the Tampa Riverwalk at a relaxed pace. Visit an attraction, enjoy a Tampa-style lunch, take the water taxi and finish with dinner overlooking the river.
The next morning, you're already in Tampa and ready to head to your cruise terminal.
No long-distance race to the port. No trying to time a flight with embarkation. Just breakfast, luggage and the beginning of the next part of your vacation.
Why We Recommend Arriving in Tampa Early
We always encourage cruise travelers to consider arriving at least a day before embarkation rather than planning a flight into Tampa the same day their ship departs.
But arriving early doesn't have to feel like simply adding an extra hotel night.
Turn that extra night into part of the vacation.
Explore the Tampa Riverwalk. Eat a Cuban sandwich. Ride a water taxi. Watch the sunset over the Hillsborough River. Enjoy dinner on a boat. Discover a little bit of Tampa.
Then get on your cruise ship the next day.
That's the idea behind Florida Sail & Stay: don't just cruise from Florida—experience Florida.
Plan Your Tampa Sail & Stay
Cruising from Tampa? Florida Sail & Stay can help you build a Florida experience around your cruise, including your cruise vacation, pre- or post-cruise lodging and ideas for experiencing Tampa and the surrounding area.
Already have your cruise booked? Let us help you add the Stay to your Sail.
Looking for a cruise from Tampa? Contact Florida Sail & Stay and let us help you explore current cruise options sailing from Port Tampa Bay.
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