Make 2023 the year you discover our diverse destination with fantastic food, superb shopping & amazing adventures for the entire family. See Tampa in 2023.
RELAX BOLDLY
With over 2,500 new rooms added in the last two years, Tampa Bay has been experiencing an incredible hotel boom. The Tampa EDITION, the destination’s first five-star hotel, opened in October 2022 with luxury amenities and seven unique dining concepts under the guidance of MICHELIN-starred chef John Fraser. Also in the bustling Water Street neighborhood is ROOST Tampa, downtown’s first and only full-service, fully furnished lifestyle apartment hotel with 97 units and a massive 7th-floor amenity deck.
Opened in 1926, the historic Floridan Palace Hotel located downtown joins the Tapestry Collection by Hilton and will begin a $25 million renovation in 2023.
Just outside of downtown in historic Hyde Park, the iconic foodie-focused Epicurean Hotel is undergoing an expansion that will add eight suites and a 4th-floor terrace space to the boutique South Tampa property.
SIP BOLDLY AND DINE EFFORTLESSLY
Tampa Bay is growing and evolving, and so is its culinary scene. In 2022, the destination earned inclusion in the first-ever MICHELIN Guide to Florida, becoming the fifth U.S. destination to welcome the world’s oldest restaurant rating system and its coveted stars and recognition. Tampa Bay received 19 recommendations in the inaugural guide, including three MICHELIN Bib Gourmand recipients, Ichicoro Ramen, Rooster & the Till, and Rocca.
In 2023, new restaurants like Ash, Boulon Brasserie, and The Pearl will bring contemporary, chef-driven dining options to the downtown Water Street district. The $500 million Midtown Tampa development is one of Tampa Bay’s latest developments and brings a host of new restaurants like Colony Grill, the health-driven True Food Kitchen, and a new modern American concept from renowned local chef Chris Ponte, Ponte Tampa, which opened in November 2022.
Coming in 2023 to the nearby Westshore business district, visionary restauranteur Jeff Gigante will open Union New American, a two-floor dining experience offering high-quality, globally inspired fare. And in South Tampa, Florish, a trendy new vegan hot spot that opened in 2022.
Did you know that Tampa Bay is home to one of the largest concentrations of craft breweries in the state of Florida? Craft beer and cocktail enthusiasts can sign up for the relaunched Bay Crafted Pass to check in at more local breweries and distilleries to redeem real prizes. And for wine lovers, look out for Bouzy, a new champagne and cocktail bar opening in Hyde Park Village in 2023, and Wine on Water, a new neighborhood wine shop with over 500 selections coming soon to the Water Street district.
ADVENTURE UNFORGETTABLY
The Tampa Riverwalk links together some of downtown Tampa’s top attractions, restaurants, parks and more, along a 2.6-mile waterfront walkway bookended by two popular food halls. To the North, Armature Works at the Heights Public Market houses over a dozen unique dining options to choose from such as two MICHELIN Recommended full-service restaurants, Steelbach and Oak & Ola. At the South end of the Riverwalk is Sparkman Wharf, a new-age waterfront hotspot with full-service indoor eateries like Noble Rice to go along with a host of shipping containers that have been refurbished and transformed into unique quick-service concepts headed by top area chefs like the new Lunch Lady and JoDog.
Visit seven unique attractions and explore the Tampa Riverwalk with one easy mobile ticket! The new Riverwalk Attractions Pass is your admission ticket to landmark attractions like the Tampa Museum of Art, which began work on its Centennial Renovation & Expansion that will double the museum’s exhibition spaces and triple its education spaces when completed in 2024.
ADMIRE BRILLIANTLY
Take in over 40 beautiful murals and inspiring public art pieces found throughout Tampa Bay. Start your insta-worthy journey with the massive new 21ft flamingo at Tampa International Airport. The flamingo arrived in 2022 as part of the airport’s public art program and has become a social media sensation! As you venture out into Tampa Bay, discover a variety of new murals like “Equality Diversity,” a dazzling anamorphic mural located in downtown’s Water Street District by Dutch artist Leon Keer.
Check out other new public art installations in the destination like the eye-catching turtle installation in Midtown Tampa or the beautiful birds and whale mural by Italian artist, Allessandra Etsom, which is a colorful celebration of sustainability and the beauty of natural Florida.
To learn more about the growing art scene in Tampa Bay, check out our new video series created in partnership with the Tampa Arts Alliance, spotlighting 5 local artists and their experiences.
EXPLORE WILDLY
North America’s tallest, steepest, fastest hybrid rollercoaster, Iron Gwazi, arrived at Busch Gardens Tampa Bay and captured the 2022 Amusement Today Golden Ticket Award. Coming in 2023, the park welcomes even more thrills with the Serengeti Flyer, a 105-foot swing ride that will be the fastest and tallest ride of its kind.
At ZooTampa at Lowry Park, meet the stars of the hit National Geographic show, Secrets of the Zoo, now streaming on Disney+ and National Geographic. In 2022, Tampa Bay’s premier zoo announced plans for a $125 million expansion that will add new attractions, a new South American realm, and expanded Africa and Asia areas. Tampa Bay will welcome even more animal encounters with The Florida Aquarium embarking on a $40 million expansion plan that will bring California sea lions to the west coast of Florida for the first time ever.
FLY HAPPILY
Tampa International Airport is your gateway to Tampa Bay! Regularly ranked among the top airports in the nation for passenger satisfaction, TPA was ranked the #1 large airport in North America in 2022 by J.D. Power. With nonstop service from 80+ destinations in the U.S. and new service from low-cost carriers like Avelo and Breeze Airways, it’s never been easier to visit the heart of Florida’s Gulf Coast.
In 2022, Virgin Atlantic launched direct flights from the London Heathrow Airport (LHR) to TPA, joining a growing list of new, nonstop international routes that includes Eurowings Discover service from Frankfurt, Edelweiss Airlines from Zurich, and a daily route from London Gatwick with service from British Airways that has historically connected Europe to Florida’s West Coast. TPA will continue to expand its international connections in 2023, with Frontier Airlines announcing new direct flights to Caribbean destinations including Punta Cana in the Dominican Republic, Jamaica’s Montego Bay, as well as a domestic flight to San Juan, Puerto Rico
CULTURAL GETAWAYS
Step into the past, sip on a café con leche, and see how Ybor City put Tampa Bay on the map by becoming the “Cigar Capital of the World.” Visit the newly renovated J.C. Newman Cigar Factory and Museum, America’s oldest family-owned cigar factory and learn the art of cigar rolling with new hand-rolling classes.
Looking for new flavors in the historic Latin District? Check out the new Roast on 7th and its hidden Madame Fortune Taylor’s Speakeasy – both in the same location. While Roast serves up simple deli sandwiches and classic comfort foods for breakfast and lunch, the speakeasy, named to honor a former slave who owned over 30 acres in what is now downtown Tampa, will offer dishes with names like “The Scrub” that celebrate historic black neighborhoods and figures in the Tampa Bay community.
CRUISE CONFIDENTLY
Serving an estimated 1.2 million passengers over the course of the year, 2022 was the year to cruise out of Port Tampa Bay! Tampa Bay now homeports five vessels from four cruise lines, including Carnival, Royal Caribbean, and Norwegian, along with Celebrity Cruises’ Celebrity Constellation now offering 10 and 11-night voyages to the Eastern and Southern Caribbean. On the horizon, Port Tampa Bay is embarking on a $12.6 million expansion that will allow room for an additional large ship to enter and more travelers to adventure in and out of Tampa Bay.
Need a place to stay pre or post-cruise? The recently opened Hampton Inn + Home2Suites offers a variety of rooms to choose from just steps away from Port Tampa Bay!
So go ahead, see Tampa in 2023 and all that it has in store for you.