Tampa’s Highlights Self Guided Audio Walking Tour

Itinerary

1. 1
   Tampa Riverwalk 15 minutes

   Welcome to the Tampa Riverwalk! This scenic walking path runs right along the Hillsborough River with plenty of sites to see and stories to tell on both sides of the river. Our walk today covers a little over two miles and should take around an hour and a half. So without further ado, let's get walking! New, Lifetime access, no expiry. Use it anytime, on any trip, as many times as you want. The tour is over 2 miles long, with more than 41 audio stories, and takes about 1-2 hours to complete.

2. 2
   Stop 20 minutes

   We’re strolling past the Hotel Tampa Riverwalk, on our right. The sleek Art Deco design might make you think it was built sometime in the early 1900s, but it actually opened in 1969. The design is actually a nod to the architectural heyday of Miami, where Art Deco was all the rage about a century ago. If you ever find yourself in Miami, make sure to check out my driving tour of the city!

3. 3
   Kiley Garden 25 minutes

   That checkerboard display of grass and concrete strips off to our right is Kiley Garden, designed in the 1980s by the late landscape architect Dan Kiley. Kiley loved modern design and believed in creating outdoor spaces that fit with their surroundings. Here, Kiley created a gridded landscape, inspired by the business buildings that tower along the edge of the garden.

4. 4
   Port Tampa Bay 10 minutes

   The Hillsborough River spills into Hillsborough Bay, which empties into Tampa Bay about seven miles from here. That’s also where you’ll find the Port of Tampa Bay, the largest port in the state of Florida. Tankers and cargo ships bring over 37 million tons of cargo through this port each year!

5. 5
   Julian B Lane Riverfront Park Pass by

   If Tampa was such a tiny town in the 1800s, how’d it become such a big deal? That would be thanks to the discovery of one valuable mineral: Phosphate, a chemical compound of the mineral phosphorus that’s often found in rocks. Phosphate is rich in nutrients, a perfect ingredient in fertilizers that helps crops grow. And you know what, phosphate helped Tampa grow too!

6. 6
   Ybor City Pass by

   During the rise and fall of Tampa’s cigar industry, the streets of Ybor City were ruled by a shady, dangerous individual known as “The Dean of the Underworld.” That man was Charlie Wall.

7. 7
   Henry B. Plant Museum 15 minutes

   As we approach the end of our tour, what better time to return to the man responsible for making Tampa the city it is today: Railroad tycoon Henry B. Plant. The lush park we’re about to enter is Henry B. Plant Park, named in his honor. It’s Tampa’s oldest public park and includes a botanical garden full of orchids, palms, citrus and other tropical plants. When Plant purchased the land in 1886, there was a huge orange grove here. 150 years ago, we’d be walking through that grove right now! But Plant cut those trees down to make way for his Tampa Bay Hotel, which he built with all the money he made from the railroad.

8. 8
   Gasparilla Pirate Festival 10 minutes

   Ahoy, mateys! Do you see any pirates around? There’s one day of the year they swashbuckle around, overrunning the Riverwalk and the park on our right, Curtis Hixon Waterfront Park. This all takes place during The Gasparilla Pirate Festival, an annual tradition that’s been going on since 1904.

9. 9
   Stop 15 minutes

   That an old steel bascule bridge is the only one of its kind in Tampa. It dates back to 1915 and was once the main route into the old port of Tampa. Believe it or not, it’s still in use to this day! Occasionally, at least. Trains still chug over the bridge every once in a while, but these days, there’s more river traffic passing under the bridge than there are trains passing over it, so it’s usually left open.

Good to know

• Public transportation options are available nearby
• Suitable for all physical fitness levels
• How To Access: After booking, you’ll get an email and text with setup instructions and password (search “audio tour” in emails and texts). • Download the separate tour app by Action • Enter the password sent by email and text. • MUST download the tour while in strong wifi/cellular. • Works offline after download.
• How to start touring: Open Action’s separate audio tour guide app once onsite. • If there is just one tour, launch it. • If multiple tour versions exist, launch the one with your planned starting point and direction.
• Go to the starting point No one will meet you at the start. This tour is self-guided Enter the first story’s point and the audio will begin automatically Follow the audio cues to the next story, which will also play automatically. Enjoy hands-free exploring. If you face audio issues, contact support. Stick to the tour route & speed limit for the best experience.
• Travel worry-free: Use the tour app anytime, on any day, and over multiple days. Start and pause the tour whenever you like, taking breaks and exploring side excursions at your own pace. Skip anything you don’t care about or explore bonus content for everything that interests you
• Savings tips: Driving tours: purchase just one tour for everyone in the car Walking tours: couples can share one tour by splitting headphones
• New, Lifetime access, no expiry. Use it anytime, on any trip, as many times as you want.
• For the best experience, bring headphones/earbuds for your walking tour.
• The tour requires a supported mobile device for navigation. Please use an iPhone with iOS 15 or later, an Android device with Android 9 or later, or an iPad/tablet with GPS and cellular service.
• Your password can be used on the same number of devices as travelers booked. Enter the same password on each device.