24 Hours in Tampa
The view from M Bird at Armature Work
Here’s the scenario. Whether it be a layover or you just drove down, you are going to be in Tampa for exactly 24 hours. Not so long that you can space out the things that you’re doing over several days, but long enough that you can get to know the city a little. And, of course, you want to have a good time and make the most of the places where life finds you.
With that said, here’s what I would do if I had 24 hours in Tampa (aka, my hometown).
12:00 pm: You arrive in Tampa and you are ready for a little lunch. Kinda depends on what you want but if you’re trying to be authentic, head over to the original La Segunda in Ybor City and grab a Cuban sandwich. This is one of Tampa’s few signature foods, this is a great place to get it. La Segunda has been around for 116 years as a Cuban bakery so your sandwich will have the freshest, flakiest, flavorful bread. And the meat has that salty, savory pop that makes this sandwich so satisfying. For real, if you eat this whole thing, you’re going to be full as hell. But man it’s good. There’s a lot of places to get Cuban sandwiches in the city. You can’t go wrong with Brocato or Interbay Meat Market, but La Segunda has the flavor and history to make this a worthwhile trip.
7th Ave. in Ybor City
1:00 pm: With food in your belly, it’s time to hit the road (assuming it’s not too hot). One of the best ways to learn about a city is to hop on a scooter and ride around its neighborhoods. There are several historic and interesting neighborhoods clustered around each other. While you’ll need to be careful, these roads are busy, you can go on your own self guided tour and learn about Tampa.
First, hop on your scooter of choice and cruise down 7th Avenue, Ybor’s main thoroughfare. You can check out the myriad bars and restaurants from the commercial stuff in the Centro Ybor complex to dives like the Reservoir Bar to fancier fare like the Copper Shaker, and all of the tattoo spots and pizza joints in between. Ybor has gotten a bad rap in recent years because of several high profile crimes that have take place there, but when you go during the day, you get to see a place that’s authentic, a little trashy, and a lot of fun. It’s a true live and let live district and that’s why I’ve always appreciated it.
From there, safely cruise down Channelside Drive into the Channel District. The Channel District gives a completely different vibe from Ybor. Not only is it mostly new, it’s quite high end. But there’s a vibe here I also appreciate. Prior to Channel District’s emergence, Tampa didn’t really have a young, high end, hip area (for locals, Hyde Park doesn’t really count). Channel District fills this gap with several high end shops and award-winning restaurants. A lot of people like Boulon. I’ve been to Predalina, Small Giants, and The Pearl, and I’ve had a great time at each.
From there, safely cruise through the bustle of downtown and down into the aforementioned Hyde Park. Hyde Park is similar to Ybor City in terms of its place in Tampa history, but over the last 30-40 years has become much more affluent. The one thing I love about Tampa neighborhoods are the distinct architecture in some of the neighborhoods. Ybor has the shotgun houses. Hyde Park has the bungalows. When you ride through there, there are rows and rows of beautiful porches and tree-lined streets. While Ybor has a great, gritty charm, riding through Hyde Park feel peaceful and scenic. Eventually, you’ll get to Hyde Park Square with its fancy shops. This is a good place to drop off those scooters.
3 pm: You’ve scooted around some of Tampa’s most prominent neighborhoods, I think you deserve a drink. There are a number of options nearby but you’re going to get in an Uber and head over to District South Tavern. District South Tavern is a gastropub with outstanding food and a great happy hour. They have $5.00 drafts (mostly local breweries), $8.00 cocktails, and $10.00 smoked wings (don’t load up, we’re going to eat good soon).They also have a beer and shot special, which is super old school. District South is a nice place to enjoy a drink with laid back locals and feel slightly fancy. Enjoy your gin and tonic.
4 pm: After your drink, you can enjoy a little more exercise before enjoying a delicious dinner. Have the uber drop you off at Curtis Hixon Park and take a stroll along the Riverwalk. The Riverwalk is a foot path going along the Hillsborough River. People watching to the max. Lots of baddies, lots of people doing interesting things, a lot of run clubs, a lot of people strolling after work. You’ll take this walk past the Straz Center. I think there’s a little outside bar for a pit stop. Then over to Waterworks Park, where you’ll ultimately end up at Armature Works, a great food hall with a diverse set of dining options.
Armature Works
5 pm: Armature Works has a great energy. It’s a blend of young locals coming down from hip surrounding areas like Tampa Heights and downtown, tourists, and families. The crowd is diverse as are the food options. Great pizza at The Fold. All the meats at Butcher & BBQ. Sushi burritos at Zukku. There’s a lot here and then there’s the restaurant Oak and Ola, Steelbach, if you want to get fancy. Take it all in and choose your dining adventure.
7 pm: After a nice meal of your choosing, head up stairs to M Bird. A rooftop bar/restaurant with one of the best views of downtown Tampa in our area. And you won’t be the only person taking that sunset picture, this is lowkey one of Tampa’s see and be seen enclaves. There will be lots of beautiful people partaking in cocktails and flirting.
As an alternative, I would be remiss if I didn’t give you a great brewery option to check out.
Sky Puppy Brewing
And there’s no brewery that combines sexy, dark, sultry vibes with great beer and wine better than Sky Puppy Brewing in Ybor City. It’s housed on 8th Ave in one of the city’s oldest buildings. Once you walk in, you're transported to another world. It’s like this sultry cave with dim lighting, and bat-themed tap handles (I guess a sky puppy is a bat, fact-check that.) The brightness is generated by a delightful staff and a tasty beverage menu. On a recent visit, I had a hoppy lager, which was really, really good.
9 pm: Wherever you go, it’s about time to step up your night with a little sophistication and style. I present to you two choices. In Ybor, I really like The Copper Shaker. It’s one of those inventive drink spots where you’ll likely have something strong with ingredients that you didn’t know you needed but will grow to love. You can also get good Old Fashioned there. I asked. Music gets loud there, so be forewarned.
The other and slightly more preferred option is CW Gin Joint. From the moment that a door man asks if you are here for dinner or drinks, you know you’re in a different place. Gin Joint gives 1920s Prohibition, speakeasy vibes. It’s extravagant and beautiful. On Saturdays, and probably other days too, there’s a live jazz band. And while they don’t have a drink menu, when asking for a gin and tonic, they’ll hit you with a gin recommendation that will change how you feel about gin and tonics. Also, be forewarned. The drinks are strong, the vibe is festive, you may get tipsy.
12 am: You may end up at the Seminole Hard Rock Casino. And if you do, you’ll have an insane amount of fun, but you’ll also be sucked into a time warp. Like all casinos, Seminole Hard Rock is windowless and full of edgy energy. Start off at the L Bar for drinks and supreme people watching. Seminole Hard Rock is perhaps the most diverse place to hang in all of Tampa Bay. All income levels, all races, all ages congregate here to party, gamble, and potentially win some cash.
From there, you can hit the floors and try to make a little money of your own. I won $70 on roulette two trips ago. Someone at a party I went to won 250 on a slot machine. All and all, it’s a fun place to party, just be careful, you’ll definitely lose time, money, and sobriety here.
5 am: If shit goes sideways, and you’re here til the early morning, you’re going to be hungover and hungry. There’s a number of places that can get you right. My choice in this situation would be Trips Diner in Seminole Heights. Trips, named for the owners set of triplets, is quite popular, you won’t be the only one there. They have good “stick to your ribs” traditional breakfast and lunch classics, which is what you need after last night. Go with the country fried steak bowl or the hubcakes (pancakes the size of hubcaps), thank me later.
7 am: Before you crash into a hotel bed or a plane seat, consider taking a walk along the river at Rivercrest Park. It’s a gentle, yet, active way to commune with nature and end a wild day in a sneaky wild city.
