Area Attractions

• Sparkman Wharf is near the cruise terminals and a great place for light food, casual shopping, and people watching.  You'll find restaurants operating from shipping containers and a beer garden.
• Riverwalk in Tampa Heights, is a 2.7 mile path next to the Hillsborough River.  Find water taxis, sidewalk art & monuments, a Seminole Indian memorial, eateries, and plenty of sights including a pirate ship. Along the way, is Amalie Arena, home to the 2020 Stanley Cup champs.  Go Bolts!  At the Riverwalk terminus, Armature Works hosts a number of innovative eateries where you can order food and sit outside, along with full service, sit down restaurants. 
• Ybor City offers outstanding Spanish and Italian cuisine, and is a fun, eclectic place to spend an evening out. Dessert, sangria, Cuban coffee, and cigars….  Columbia, the oldest restaurant in Florida, is a noted Spanish restaurant where you'll surely want to try the churros served with warm chocolate, caramel, and guava.
• International Plaza About 10 minutes from the hotel, this mall offers a wide range of retailers, along with an outdoor eating area at all price points, from Rocco's Tacos, The Cheesecake Factory, to Ocean Prime.
• Florida Aquarium 
• Raymond James Stadium, home of Super Bowl champs, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, hosts the Chicago Bears vs. the Buccaneers Sunday, October 24.  University of South Florida is against Tulsa October 16 and Temple October 23.
• Amalie Arena booked MercyMe for Thursday, October 21.
• Is golf your game?  For a drive near 30 minutes, TPC Tampa Bay offers tee times and PGA instructors.
• For a drive under about 40 minutes, consider Busch Gardens, St. Petersburg (with the Salvadore Dali Museum), or St. Pete Beach--Tripadvisor's #1 America's Top 25 Beaches for 2021.  Snapper's Sea Grill at St. Pete's Beach is delicious!
• For a drive over an hour, visit historic Tarpon Springs and learn of the Greek sponge diving tradition.  Be sure to visit Hella's Restaurant and Bakery. Opa! Trips to the Orlando area, with Disney World and Universal Studios can be arranged via bus companies that typically offer reasonably prices.  Note:  due to COVID restrictions, these companies have ever-evolving schedules.  (AAA may offer discounted admission tickets.)

You'll have fun escaping to join us in Tampa for the 86th Annual International Conference.