Our 2021 Weekend in Tampa Trip Report

This past July, Andrew and I spent the weekend in Tampa for a quick getaway. This is one of our favorite parts of Florida and we go for the weekend at least once a year. Between the beaches, breweries and everything else there is, we cannot get enough of this place! Though I will make updates to my Tampa guide with new recommendations, I wanted to share how we spent our weekend in Tampa.

In the past, we have stayed in both Downtown St. Pete and Downtown Tampa. I still need to stay in the Clearwater area, but we were able to take a day trip over there this time. I find it convenient to stay closer to a downtown rather than the beach so that we can experience the city more easily at night. However, if you want a more relaxing trip, the beach resorts are great for that.

This time we stayed at the new Hyatt Place Downtown Tampa and spent a lot of time in that area. In this Tampa trip report, I’ll share what we did, restaurants and breweries we visited and short review of our hotel.

Things to Do in Tampa Bay

There are endless things to do in Tampa Bay from nature activities to museums to nightlife. This was a short trip, so we only got to a few things. I figured I would share what we fit in this weekend for anyone planning their own trip to Tampa!

Tarpon Springs

We spent a lot of the Saturday exploring the Sponge Docks of Tarpon Springs. This area is a little less than an hour away from Tampa, but makes for a fun day trip. It used to be the sponge capitol of the world and they still harvest sponges now. Another notable quality is the large Greek influence here. Many of the buildings look like something out of Santorini and there is authentic Greek cuisine.

We brought Kiwi and walked around the docks for a while and explored the boutiques. We would have liked to take a history and dolphin cruise along the bay, but were short on time. They even let you bring your pup on most of them! Other fun things to do here include the Tarpon Springs Aquarium and Heritage Museum.

Ybor City

Traffic was horrible driving from the east coast, so our trip was off to a later start than planned. After arriving and getting dinner, the only breweries open were over in Ybor City, so we took an Uber there. The nightlife was in full swing and this was definitely the place to be if you enjoy bars and clubs. We are more low key, so we stuck to the breweries I mention below. However, if you like cigars or nightlife, Ybor City is the place to be at night.

Armature Works

One place I recommend everyone visit in Tampa is Armature Works. This is not only a food hall with over a dozen restaurants, but also a large community space with great views of the river. We hung out here on Sunday when they happened to be having their bimonthly market! We found some cute locally made items, including a beer can candle, a plant display and a puppy bandana. Then we enjoyed live music on the rooftop bar. You never know what will be going on at Armature Works, so I always suggest checking it out.

Riverwalk and Dog Park

When it cooled off in the evening, we walked along the Riverwalk both nights. This is a great spot for views and you can scooter along some parts. We also took Kiwi to the Curtis Hixon Dog Park. It was small, but he had a blast running through the tubes!

Tampa Breweries We Visited

In less than 72 hours, we tried five new to us breweries, which is impressive even for us! Tampa has so many amazing ones, that we always try to fit a bunch in. A couple of these might even make my top brewery list, we enjoyed them so much. Here is what we were sipping on this weekend.

Magnanimous Brewing

The definite hit of the weekend is Magnanimous Brewing in the heights of Tampa. The taproom is simple, but the beers are anything but. I was blown away the first sip of Mango From Zion. This was a smooth and flavorful double IPA with mangoes and vanilla beans.

They do not offer flights, but we did half pours of all the IPAs and loved them. I also tried the Split Stout, that was reminiscent of an ice cream sundae and Andrew liked the lighter German Helles Lager. This is an up-and-coming spot that is very popular with those who enjoy IPAs, but worth a visit for any beer lover. They also have coffee, if you are not in the mood for beer.

Zydeco Brew Werks

Our first brewery visit in Ybor City was Zydeco, which is more of a traditional brewery option. The space had an industrial vibe, which was fitting and there were food options too. The beer list was solid with classics, like the Minivan Kolsch and unique options like the wild yeast Savage. They also offer wine and cocktails, so there is something for everyone here!

Cigar City Cider & Mead

After Zydeco, we had time for one more brewery before the night was over. Andrew has been into mead lately and I am always down to try cider, so we decided to check out this smaller off shoot of Cigar City Brewing. Cigar City Cider & Mead was a fun little hole in the wall with lots of charm and the tap list had a variety of choices. We each got a flight and tried so many ciders and meads. The Apple Pie Cider was absolutely amazing, but I was blown away by the mead too! The Blackberry Vanilla Oak one tasted like a vanilla tootsie roll and we liked it so much, we bought a bottle of it!

Dunedin Brewery

We had actually visited Dunedin Brewery all the way back in 2014, but we have been to so many breweries since then, it felt like a new experience. This is Florida’s oldest microbrewery and they take pride in their small batch brews. I had an excellent flight here, complete with the New Zealand IPA and the Apricot Peach Ale. The only downside is that they were still keeping inside seating to a minimum understandably, so we had to sit outside and it was HOT! Definitely try and drink here inside if you can.

Arkane Aleworks

After trying and loving Arkane Aleworks at many brew fests, I was excited to finally visit the brewery. Andrew, Kiwi and I came here and they even let Kiwi hang out inside. There was a nice outdoor area, but we were so hot from walking around. Andrew and I each got flights and tried of a selection of four different beers each. They have a ton of options to choose from as well!

Sours are probably their biggest specialty, but they also had a lot of IPAs and Stouts on tap. This is definitely more a place for modern brews than traditional ones. All the beers I tried were excellent, especially the Outta Space and Tropical Neapolitan. We left with almost everything they had in cans because we love the beer here so much!

Restaurants We Tried in Tampa

As always, we ate well on this weekend in Tampa trip. I try to visit mainly places we haven’t been before so that I can review more restaurants for the blog. However, we still went to a couple tried and true locations as well.

One thing I will point out is how mixed service was at most places. I understand the restaurant industry is going through some changes and you could tell a lot of these places were understaffed and our waiters were trying their best. It does get frustrating having so much slow service and mix-ups though. I just wanted to mention that for anyone traveling this summer, as I hear it’s a nationwide trend! The following restaurants are all worth checking out in the Tampa Bay area.

Haiku

We had dinner at Haiku the first night for sushi and appetizers. I saw this place on Instagram and was worried it would be too trendy. The food and cocktails were delicious though, especially the waygu beef, the dumplings and the ceviche roll. Between the tasty Japanese menu and the fun atmosphere, Haiku is perfect for a date night or celebratory meal.

Hellas

During our day trip to Tarpon Springs, we had to have a traditional Greek lunch. Hellas is the classic spot here and it was well worth the hour long wait. We tried a variety of offerings from the Greek salad (with its signature Clearwater addition of potato salad) and the gyro to the feta dip and fresh pita bread. This was just the meal needed for a day by the sea, especially with the mussels I got on the side! We topped it off with some baklava from the bakery next door too.

Ulele

One of my top 10 Tampa restaurants is Ulele and that held true this trip. Their beer and okra fries were still on point like I remembered. I went for shrimp and grits as an entrée this time and it was outstanding. I really liked the unique twist with grit cakes instead of grits and the savory sauce the shrimp was in.

The Mill

No weekend trip is complete without Sunday brunch and the consensus was that The Mill is one of the best for it. This ended up being a chaotic meal and the restaurant was clearly understaffed. Between their credit card machine breaking and us having to walk across to Publix for an ATM to the long wait for drinks, there was definitely a damper on this brunch.

We both thought the breakfast sandwiches we got (Andrew-fried chicken and me-grilled cheese) were good, but a bit too rich and definitely not what we were expecting for the price. This place still gets great reviews though, so I will give it another try soon!

The Lab Coffee

With The Mill being lackluster, we ended up at The Lab for coffee afterwards. This might be my new favorite Tampa coffee shop. They had an excellent cold brew section and even let dogs sit in the café.

Xochitl Cocina Mexicana

Our last meal of our weekend in Tampa trip was at the new Xochitl Cocina, which opened less than a year ago. This Mexican restaurant had everything we wanted from margaritas and guacamole to burritos and tacos. Though a lot of the menu was standard and I enjoyed a classic burrito with cauliflower, there were some distinct offerings, like the birria taco Andrew got.

Our Stay at the Hyatt Place Downtown Tampa

For our weekend in Tampa, we stayed in the new Hyatt Place Downtown. This joint Hyatt Place and House hotel opened in earlier this year and is right in the heart of the city. This was a very convenient location and we could walk or scooter around the Riverwalk, Armature Works and down to Sparkman Wharf.

The hotel had a modern feel with a very luxurious looking lobby. We found the room to be more than adequate with a king bed, large seating area with a pullout couch, and a view of the city. The bathroom was a little lacking, especially since the shower had horrible water pressure.

In the past we have stayed at the Aloft Tampa, which is slightly closer to the Riverwalk. I think I still prefer this one for a few reasons. First, it had a nicer pool, although they are both on the small side. The pool at the Hyatt felt tiny and cramped, but there was some nice rooftop seating. Second, the Aloft lets dogs stay free, which is nice. Lastly, we had some issues with the elevators being really slow

Overall, it was a great spot for weekend trip to Tampa. Any longer than that and I would want a hotel with more amenities. For only 12,000 points per night, it is a deal!

Know Before You Go: Our Weekend in Tampa Trip Report

Tampa Bay is an excellent vacation destination in Florida, whether you are going for a quick trip or a long getaway! I hope this Tampa trip report provided some ideas for how to spend a weekend in this area and what to expect. For more restaurant, attraction and brewery recommendations, I have a full guide with tips! For now, here are a few takeaways:

• Favorite Tampa Restaurants – Ulele, Hakiu, Xochitl, Armature Works, Sparkman Wharf, Oxford Exchange
• Things to Do in Tampa – Visit the Riverwalk, Go to a Foodhall, Play Games at Parks & Rec, Explore Ybor City
• Breweries to Try in Tampa Bay – Magnanimous Brewing, Arkane Ale Works, Dunedin Brewery
• Tampa Bay Day Trips – Tarpon Springs, Downtown St. Pete, Caladesi Island State Park, Fort De Soto

Have you been to Tampa before? Let me know what your favorite thing to do here is if you have! To find out more Tampa Bay travel tips, check out my complete travel guide here.