<div id="c3be0912bb716eee4ca644c1dfc4ecde4"></div>Tampa is famous for a lot of attractions, from theme parks to museums to downtown restaurants. But there are a lot of places in Tampa that are less well-known but still worth exploring! Some of the best kept secrets in Florida are right here in Tampa Bay.
If you’re looking for a date night exploring some Tampa hidden gems, here are some you’re sure to love.
And if you like uncovering hidden gems and off-the-beaten-path date ideas then consider a visit to Ybor City for its cobblestone streets and history, or head out to Dunedin for local spots.
Unique Activities In And Around Tampa
Boyette Family Farms
6715 Boyette Rd, Wesley Chapel, FL
Located in Wesley Chapel, Boyette Family Farms marries fresh, local produce with a rotating
selection of local food trucks, meats, fish, and baked goods. Open 9am to 6pm Tuesday through
Friday, and 10am to 4pm on Saturday, this a great place to stop by to prep for a homemade
dinner.
This charming farm is also home to seasonal markets with local vendors, crafts, and gifts. Their Facebook page is the best source for information on what will be available each day and any upcoming markets.
Lettuce Lake Park
6920 East Fletcher Avenue, Tampa, FL
Lettuce Lake is a perfect day date idea for those looking to immerse themselves in Florida’s
nature. The park features wooded picnic areas, a 1.25 mile paved exercise trail, and 3,500-foot
boardwalk with an observation tower that provides scenic views of the Hillsborough River. If you
want to get a closer view of the wildlife, guests can rent canoes and kayaks at the park’s entry
station for a fee.
There is also a visitors center that contains displays about local nature and history, as well as a native plant garden.
Lettuce Lake Park is open 8am-7pm in the spring/summer or 8am-6pm in the fall/winter, and the entrance fee is $2 per vehicle up to 8 people per vehicle.
Cypress Point Park
5620 W Cypress St, Tampa, FL
Another great park option is Cypress Point Park, situated right on the bay, but without the hustle
and bustle of other waterfront options. This neighborhood park has a beach, trail, sand
volleyball court, disc golf, and shelters. You can also rent PADL Standup Paddleboards by the
hour from a self-service rental station!
Get your toes in the sand, enjoy a scenic walk, or watch a sunset at this hidden gem!
Cow Creek Farm
6802 Five Acre Rd, Plant City, FL
Nestled in the heart of Plant City, Cow Creek Farm is a family-run farm and scenic venue that
allows you to meet Scottish Highland cattle, as well as a variety of other animals, from playful
goats and alpacas to their rescued Mustang, Radar.
Guests can book a guided hour-long walking tour that offers a deep dive into the world of farming and animal care, with opportunities to feed, brush, and pet the friendly cattle or hop on a tractor ride.
An adult ticket is $28, and they sell out fast so you will want to book as soon as possible!
Follow their Instagram closely to find out when they will be releasing their next set of tour dates.
Related: Keel Farms & Plant City Things to Do
Manatee Viewing Center
6990 Dickman Rd., Apollo Beach, FL
The Manatee Viewing Center, powered by Tampa Electric, is the ultimate opportunity to see and
learn about manatees for free! Manatees love warm water, so in the winter months they leave
colder waters and gather in this area since the Big Bend Power Station in Apollo Beach
circulates warm water back out into the bay.
TECO’s discharge canal is a state and federally-designed manatee sanctuary that provides critical protection from the cold for these gentle animals.
The viewing center features a 900-foot Tidal Walk where you can see a variety of native coastal plants and trees along the way to view manatees. Additionally, there is a rays touch tank, trails and 50-foot observation tower, and an educational building, where guests can learn more about manatees.
The Manatee Viewing Center is open daily 10am to 5pm from November 1 to April 15 and parking is free!
Related: Where to See Manatees in Tampa Bay
Sunken Gardens
1825 4th St. N, St. Pete FL
One of the best kept secrets in Florida, the Sunken Gardens in St. Petersburg is a sinkhole
turned botanical paradise filled with exotic plants and flowers up to 100 years old. The Sunken
Gardens feature orchids, bananas and papayas, royal palms, rainbow eucalyptus, and so many
other beautiful flowers and plants.
There are also a variety of animals to see, including macaws, parrots, toucan, turtles, koi, and my favorite, flamingos. It took us around an hour to fully walk this amazing garden space and take it all in.
The Sunken Gardens are open from 10am-4:30pm
Monday through Saturday, as well as 12pm-4:30pm on Sunday.
Admission is $15 per adult. As the oldest museum in St. Pete, and one of the last “roadside attractions” in Florida, it’s the perfect date idea for plant-lovers and history-lovers alike!
Whimzeyland
1206 Third St N, Safety Harbor, FL
If you’re looking for an unusual and unique place in the area, look no further than Whimzeland!
Home to Todd Ramquist and Kiaralinda’s Whimzey Wire Creations, this house is decorated with
a ton of different materials, including plexiglass sculptures, paintings, bottle trees, recycled
material sculptures, and bowling balls Todd and Kiaralinda collected while traveling on the art festival circuit.
It’s hard to miss this brightly colored house surrounded by lush trees and flowers in Safety Harbor, but did you know you can actually go inside? You can take a 90 minute guided tour of Whimzeyland, Safety Harbor Art and Music Center, and other places that make up Whimzeyland.
Downtown Tampa Mural Walk
Did you know there are 58 murals from the Heights area into Downtown? Whether you want to
drive by or walk to each mural, this is a cheap and fun way to hang out with your date! My
partner and I had a blast searching for each piece and navigating this amazing list the Tampa
Downtown Partnership put together.
Some of our favorites were the rhino at Robertson’s Billards by Juan Pablo and Vanessa Parra, the classic Tampa at PPK by Carl Cowden III, and the dog at 108 North 11th Street by Meaghan Farrell Scalise.
Indoor Experiences
The Gimmick
2213 E 6th Ave, Tampa, FL
The Gimmick is a fairly new comedy venue in the heart of Ybor City. They spotlight a lot of local
comedy talent through their wide variety of shows, such as Monday and Friday Open Mic
Nights, Bomb Shelter on Wednesdays, Dirty Late Night Comedy on Friday and Saturdays, and
Comedy Competitions and Roast Battles.
Tickets are very reasonable, and the venue is BYOB which allows you to bring whatever you want to drink while enjoying the show! This has become one of our favorite date nights as a couple!
Seaside Seabird Sanctuary
18328 Gulf Blvd., Indian Shores, FL
The Seaside Seabird Sanctuary is another free opportunity to interact with and learn about
wildlife in the area. Each year, this organization works to rescue, rehabilitate, and hopefully
release approximately 3,500 sick, injured, and orphaned native wild birds. They are also home
to over 100 permanently injured resident birds who you can see and learn about during your
visit. Stroll through the 1.5 acre sanctuary to view the permanent residents, including Brown
Pelicans, Vultures, Owls, Sanhill Cranes and much more.
Visit the Sanctuary’s new Environmental Education Center to learn more about Florida’s native marine and estuarine environment, enjoy the breathtaking view from the Sanctuary’s observation tower in the Shade Garden, or get a closer look at the birds through presentations like Pelican hand-feeding, Birds
of Prey, or Reading with Rufous, the Sanctuary’s resident eastern screech owl!
Tampa Theatre
711 N Franklin St. Tampa, FL
Built in 1926, the Tampa Theatre is an elaborate movie palace that still functions today thanks
to Tampa Theatre Inc. It’s one of the most heavily utilized venues of its kind in the United
States, hosting more than 700 events each year. The theatre operates a full schedule of first-run
and classic films, concerts, special events, tours, and educational programs.
With a reputation as one of the most haunted buildings in Tampa, my partner and I are looking forward to attending the Ghost of Tampa Theatre Tours that share stories of former employees and
patrons who still make their presence known.
One of the most glamorous events they host is the Hollywood Awards Night, where you can arrive in a limo and walk down the red carpet yourself before watching the Oscars and celebrating the winners together at the Tampa Theatre!
Mr. Putters
11236 W. Hillsborough Ave., Tampa, FL
One of the newer hidden gems on our list is Mr. Putters, an indoor mini golf location with three
unique courses to choose from! Mr. Putters offers the fun of traditional mini golf with additional
obstacles that require you to use your hands, strategic thinking, and various levels of strength to
successfully complete.
The cost is $15.95 per adult for one course and then half off each game after that, so we opted to play two of the three courses.
Some of our favorite holes included things like a pool table, a beer pong set up, a ramp that launched the ball overhead, a mini bat that hit the first swing for you, and a crossbow-type mechanism that propelled the ball towards the hole.
Mr. Putters is open daily from 10am to 9pm.
Cosa Collective
596 Indian Rocks Rd. N Belleair Bluffs, FL
If you’re looking for some local creations, check out Cosa Collective! Cosa Collective is a
special retail destination that houses a diverse collective of products crafted by individual
creators, allowing you to explore and shop local artistry, fashion, and hand-crafted goods all in
one place! With over 40 vendors, you are sure to find anything and everything you are looking
for from jewelry, to candles and soap, to art and other home accessories.
Cosa Collective also provides space for vendors to lead workshops so you can be part of the creation process as well. Grab a coffee from The Break Coffee & Surf Co. located inside Cosa Collective and look
around for a casual but artsy date day!
Tampa Bay Fire Fighters Museum
720 E Zack Street, Tampa, FL
Located in downtown Tampa, the Tampa Bay Fire Fighters Museum preserves the heritage of
Tampa’s Fire Department tells a unique history as a former fire station with exhibits on local
service history, firefighting memorabilia, and vehicles.
Built in 1911, the historic structure that houses the Tampa Firefighters Museum served as the headquarters for the Tampa Fire Department until 1978 when its modern-day replacement opened across the street. It was truly amazing to learn about all the history, interact with the exhibits, and see so many items collected and used throughout the years.
The Tampa Bay Fire Fighters Museum is free of charge and is by appointment only Wednesday through Friday at this time. Appointments can be made through their website!
Delicious Hidden Gem Food Finds
The Hangar Restaurant
540 1st Street South, St. Pete, FL
Aviation lovers will be a big fan of this spot located at the Albert Whitted Airport in St. Pete. Grab
a seat on the back balcony for drinks and food while watching planes take off and land This
location is the perfect dumping-off spot for strolling the waterfront in St. Pete or walking over to
the St. Pete Pier.
Girl and a Grill
4330 N. Nebraska Avenue, Tampa, FL
This spot is a must for all our breakfast lovers! Girl and a Grill, by Tampa native April Page, is
just that… April a couple of other cooks grilling up some of your favorites! The menu includes
items like buttery grits, home-fried shrimp, a steak and onion bagel, and of course the basics
like bacon, sausage, eggs and pancakes.
I had the bacon, egg and cheese croissant sandwich and it was absolutely delicious! While Girl and a Grill does not serve alcohol, they do have Kool-Aid slushies, one of my favorite items to get here in the Florida heat. The location is small and has limited seating outside, so this is the perfect to-go meal to enjoy at one of the parks mentioned above!
Fat Beet Farm
13830 W. Hillsborough Ave, Tampa, FL
Fat Beet Farm is a coastal farm dedicated to sustainability, education, and restoring the farm-to-
fork connection. Food is grown on the farm, cooked in their kitchen, and all food waste and
scraps are then used to create organic fertilizers for the next season of crops. While the farm-to-
table food experience is delicious, our trips to Fat Beet Farm mostly consist of grabbing some of
their fresh-baked pastries and sweets.
My favorites are the giant cinnamon roll and the Early Grey Shortbread, but everything always looks amazing in the case. There is also a fridge full of prepped meals to take home and guests can take farm tours during certain times of the year to see the gardens, greenhouses, bees, and other parts of the farm-to-fork connection at Fat Beet Farm!
Outside Kitchen
4622 E Hillsborough, Tampa, FL
Outside Kitchen is the place to go for comfort food consisting of pasta, seafood, lamb chops,
jerk ribs, and so much more! The food is just as good as it looks on their Instagram, which you
will definitely want to follow for daily announcements of food specials, prices, and any changes
in hours. The lamb chops with the smack & cheese is my favorite!
Book + Bottle
Seventeen 6th Street North, St. Pete, FL
Looking for a place to unwind and relax together? Book + Bottle is a bookstore with wine, coffee
and snacks! With two sommeliers on staff and even more in training, they love helping curate
the perfect bottle of case of wine. Inside there is a cute bar, as well as plenty of intimate seating
options.
If you’re not sure what to read, they offer several sponsored book clubs at the shop. All you have to do it buy the book and show up- no RSVP needed! Stop by for a glass or share a bottle while you relax and read away!
Kaleisia Tea Lounge
1441 E Fletcher Ave, Suite 101, Tampa, FL
If you and your partner are tea lovers and haven’t tried Kaleisia Tea Lounge yet, what are you
waiting for? Even if you’re not an avid tea drinker, the atmosphere and taste of Kaleisa’s tea are
so good, that you’ll keep going back.
For your next date, you can choose from the many different teas available, or go for one of the smoothies, entrees, and light bites. There are also vegan and gluten-free options.
Beautiful Places That Even Locals Overlook
Epperson Lagoon
31885 Overpass Rd, Wesley Chapel, FL
Epperson Lagoon is a man-made water park in Wesley Chapel. Take a dip in the crystal clear
water, try your skills at the floating obstacle course, rent kayaks or paddle boards, or relax at the
swim-up bar. There is truly something for everyone here!
Epperson Lagoon also offers evening events like movie nights and trivia if you want to make it a full-day experience. We love going to the Lagoon to relax with a pina colada and a book after a busy week of work!
Hillsborough River State Park
15402 U.S. 301 North, Thonotosassa, FL
Just a short drive from Tampa, Hillsborough River State Park offers a refuge from city life with
seven miles of nature trails and wonderful wildlife viewing. Stroll along the river rapids, enjoy
camping, explore historic structures, share a picnic, or view scenic landscapes.
Some of the activities offered at the park include campfire circles, canoes and kayaks to rent, horseback riding, numerous nature trials, and our favorite: glamping!
Timberline Glamping allows you to maximize your time outdoors while not sacrificing the comforts of a bed and air conditioning. Each site comes with two hammocks, string lights, a mini-fridge, a fire pit and a charcoal grill. It is such a cute experience!
Lane’s Lemonade
349 Main St., Dunedin
This quaint lemonade joint in Dunedin is situated in a vintage boxcar that delivered citrus and development to Dunedin in the 1880s. Today, it serves up fresh squeezed lemonade, limeade, orangeade, and vanilla-orange swirl ice cream.
Egmont Key
4905 34th St. South, St. Petersburg
This secluded island is a great Tampa hidden gem for quality time with each other and nature and is one of the best hidden treasures in Florida. Beautiful, historic and hard to get to — Egmont Key checks all the boxes.
Wishing you a great time exploring these hidden gems with your sweetheart!