<div id="c3be0912bb716eee4ca644c1dfc4ecde4"></div>Life in Tampa Bay means dodging rain during the summer months, but luckily for us locals there are plenty of indoor activities and date night options to keep date night (or day!) romance alive on a rainy day. Whether it's a first date, or just hoping to make it your best date—Check out our roundup of the best indoor date ideas.
Indoor Activities in Tampa Bay
- Elev8 Fun Tampa
- Mr. Putters
- Skateworld of Tampa
- LALA karaoke bar
- Lowry Parcade
- Gen X Tavern
- Splitsville
- Gigglewaters Safety Harbor
- Tampa Theatre
- Stumpy's Hatchet House
- 1UP Entertainment
- The Florida Aquarium
- Dalí Museum
- Florida Museum of Photographic Arts
- Tampa Bay History Center
- Tampa Museum of Art
- Henry B. Plant Museum
- Local breweries
- Unique coffee shops
Rainy Day Play Date
Keep your date all fun and games with an indoor play space on a rainy day. Tampa's newest indoor entertainment center, Elev8 Fun, located at Citrus Park Mall in the former Sears storefront. Elev8 has two stories of interactive fun, such as retro and modern arcade games, axe throwing, blacklight mini golf, bowling, and a ropes course.
Head upstairs to race around their indoor go-kart track and challenge others to a game of laser tag. They also have an open dining area with a full bar and menu.
Looking for a date night that's a hole-in-one? Head to Mr. Putters in Town ‘n' Country, with fun challenges and unique courses, it's the perfect spot for laughs and love.
Wanna go back in time and feel like a kid again? Lace up your skates at Skateworld of Tampa, a roller rink with plenty of public skate time. Let loose and dance on four wheels with someone special.
Over in St. Pete, consider a karaoke night at LALA — a unique karaoke bar and restaurant with some great dishes in addition to tunes.
An arcade evening is the perfect date night idea. Arcade and board games fans can find fun and refreshments at Lowry Parcade in Seminole Heights and Gen X Tavern in downtown Tampa. One corner of Gen X feels just like your childhood living room with plenty of fun games to while away the hours. You'll find all kinds of nostalgic games like Guess Who, card games and Monopoly.
Keep the competitive vibe going by hitting the lanes at Splitsville at Sparkman Wharf. Knock down a few pins before heading to the new Noble Rice for a meal next door.
If none of this is appealing on the next rainy day, head to the mall, or Hyde Park Village, for a movie date. Share some popcorn and enjoy a quiet couple hours away from the rain inside a movie theater. Bring a blanket and enjoy a cozy rainy day.
Or for a unique movie experience, head to Safety Harbor. Gigglewaters is a 1920s restaurant, bar & classic movie theater in the heart of Downtown Safety Harbor. This awesome nostalgic movie spot is one of our favorite indoor activities for a rainy day in Tampa Bay.
Keep the shows going with the Tampa Theatre for an artsy indoor date. The theatre was built in 1926, and continues to celebrate both classic and modern entertainment with films, concerts, comedy shows, and other events.
If you're looking for some energetic, hands-on fun, try your hand at axe throwing at Stumpy's Hatchet House. Wear comfy clothes and close-toed shoes, and plan to stay for an hour or two. You can also order light snacks and drinks to stay fueled during throwing.
For another axe-throwing option and overall social spot that's great for a rainy day, check out 1UP Entertainment. You can bowl with state-of-the-art lanes, play classic arcade games, practice your swing with the golf simulator, or get immersed in the multi-sensory dark ride at the XD theater. Hungry? Enjoy scratch kitchen options from their full menu, and keep an eye out for happy hour on Mondays, Tuesdays, and Sundays.
Love marine life? Head over to The Florida Aquarium. As soon as you walk in, you'll stroll through the Wetlands of Florida exhibit. Covered by a domed room, you'll find mangrove trees, roseate spoonbills, sea turtles, an alligator, and more. Walk through beautiful indoor habitats, including the Coral Reef, moon jelly, sharks, and more.
Even on a rainy day, you can get up close and personal by walking around the exhibits or adding on an experience, like the Wild Dolphin Cruise, AquaEd, or the Penguin Encounter. If you ride the Wild Dolphin Cruise, be prepared to get a little wet!
MORE: Tampa Bay's Most Romantic Date Ideas
Rainy Day Educational Date
Who says a date can’t be fun AND educational? A rainy day is the perfect excuse to stroll hand in hand through one of our area’s incredible museums.
Get some creative inspiration at the Dalí Museum in Downtown St. Pete, and while the museum’s collection is nothing to sneeze at, there’s almost always a fun traveling exhibit to explore while you’re there as well. Be sure to check out their newest experience, Dali Alive 360, taking place in the new dome.
In the heart of historic Ybor City, stroll through the quaint Florida Museum of Photographic Arts. The museum features exhibits of historic and contemporary works, as well as special events and photography classes.
Learn a little more about where you live at the Tampa Bay History Center. From our earliest of settlers to the history of Gasparilla, you’ll come away with a better appreciation for your hometown.
Just down the Tampa Riverwalk from the History Center, you’ll find the Tampa Museum of Art – a beautiful and modern space with a lovely collection and frequent host to traveling exhibitions.
Down the street, the Henry B. Plant Museum showcases its permanent collections from the late 19th century and other exhibits that highlight our local history. The museum was formerly the Tampa Bay Hotel, which operated from 1891 to 1932, and now serves as a National Historic Landmark. Visit on the second Saturday of the month, January – November, for free admission and a live classical music performance.
Rainy Day Dining
Really any restaurant with indoor dining will do the trick for a rainy day (perhaps one of these romantic restaurants in Tampa Bay), but it’s a great time to try out somewhere with lots of dining options in one place.
Armature Works is, of course, a classic – with plenty of dining options ranging from casual take-out style stalls with cuisine like pizza and BBQ, to two beautiful full-service restaurants. Don't forget to grab some cookies from Bake n' Babes.
Newer to Tampa and still growing, Midtown Tampa is also home to a slew of restaurants, all worth trying. You will have to bring an umbrella as there is no indoor path from restaurant to restaurant.
Keep things casual with a cheeseburger at Shake Shack or indulge in some delicious pasta at BellaBrava. Cap off your dining adventure with a sweet treat like ice cream or chocolates at one of these popular and delicious dessert spots.
Rainy Day Drinking
A little more focused on grabbing a beverage on a rainy day? We did the legwork to track down our favorite wine bars on both sides of the bay to settle in with a bottle of wine or have a nice wine tasting.
For beer fans we have a comprehensive list of all the breweries in our area so you can find one that suits your mood and location. A little brewery hopping sounds like a fun date idea to us. We love the vibe at Coppertail Brewing in Ybor City, plus they have a great menu of comfort foods and snacks.
You could certainly spend the entirety of a rainy day throwing back brews and playing games at 3 Daughters Brewing in St. Pete, one of the many amazing breweries around. We’d hate to leave out a classic date idea – explore these coffee shops for a cozy rainy-day date.