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Tampa Riverwalk
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Tampa Riverwalk

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Tampa Riverwalk
4.5
1,857 reviews
#15 of 200 things to do in Tampa
Scenic Walking Areas
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About
This riverwalk is a scenic 2.6-mile-long path along the Hillsborough River where you can discover some of downtown Tampa’s must-sees. Enjoy a leisurely stroll and you'll pass by the Tampa Museum of Art, the Curtis Hixon Waterfront Park—perfect for a picnic overlooking the Tampa skyline—and finally the Tampa Bay History Center. You can also bike or take a scooter down the riverwalk. If you need a rest, there's no shortage of rest stops along the way to watch the water taxis sail by. You might even be inspired to take a boat tour on the river yourself! There are also plenty of restaurants and bars for food and drinks with a view. – Tripadvisor
Suggested duration
2-3 hours
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The area
Best nearby
Restaurants
656 within 3 miles
Eddie & Sam's NY Pizza
635
0.2 mi$ • Quick Bites • Italian • Pizza
Bavaro's Pizza Napoletana & Pastaria
345
0.2 mi$$ - $$$ • Italian • Pizza • Vegetarian Friendly
Hattricks
526
0.2 mi$$ - $$$ • American
Samaria Cafe
295
0.2 mi$ • French • American • Cafe
Oxford Exchange
1,037
0.3 mi$$ - $$$ • American • Cafe • Contemporary
The Pint and Brew Downtown Tampa
87
365 ft$$ - $$$ • American • Steakhouse • Brew Pub
Urban Cantina
279
0.1 mi$$ - $$$ • Mexican • Southwestern • Latin
Malio's
339
524 ft$$$$ • American • Steakhouse • Vegetarian Friendly
Yeoman's Topgolf Swing Suite
177
0.3 mi$$ - $$$ • British • Vegetarian Friendly
Tampa Pizza Company
113
0.2 mi$$ - $$$ • Italian • Pizza • Healthy
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Attractions
140 within 6 miles
LimoLogic LLC.
2
427 ft
MacDill Park
8
418 ftParks
Tampa / Hillsborough Convention and Visitors Association
6
0.1 miVisitor Centers
Curtis Hixon Waterfront Park
289
0.2 miParks
Sacred Heart Catholic Church
158
0.3 miChurches & Cathedrals
Lykes Gaslight Square Park
5
0.1 miParks
Tampa Theatre
718
0.3 miTheaters
Henry B. Plant Museum
830
0.3 miHistory Museums
Tampa Police Museum
10
0.2 miSpeciality Museums • History Museums
Glazer Children's Museum
497
0.3 miChildren's Museums
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See what other travelers are saying
  • Debbie M
    Fort Walton Beach, Florida188 contributions
    Great Walking Path Day or Night
    Enjoyed walking this 2.5 mile Riverwalk along the Hillsborough River on a warm February evening. I was under the misconception that this was a "loop", it is NOT, which I found out after walking 2.2 miles, which turned into 4.4 miles by the time I got back to my hotel. Path is well lit the entire way with many benches and other places to stop and rest/relax along the way. The City of Tampa has done a great job of revitalizing this area. Be advised there are lots of college students traveling "on wheels" along this path, they come on fast and normally blasting music, stick to the sides, not the center of the path and you will have no issues.
    Visited February 2020
    Traveled on business
    Written February 19, 2020
  • John L
    Gainesville, Virginia48 contributions
    A beautiful and affordable and healthy way to see the city
    Touring the River Walk in Tampa is a beautiful and affordable and healthy way to see the city. There was “ice skating” in Florida, plenty of food shops, and a pirate ship to see as well. Great family outing!
    Visited January 2021
    Traveled as a couple
    Written January 10, 2021
  • Adventurer516221
    Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania34 contributions
    Great outdoor people play zone
    Tampa Riverwalk in April is a wonderful day trip. Whether your walking, biking, or boating the area is open and super scenic with beautiful city views and evening sunsets. Wonderful place to enjoy individual and group outdoor activities. Plenty of resturants to select from at the Armature Works. We walked the waterside in the afternoon and took the water taxi at sunset to enjoyed the cool breeze. The water park for children is open! Easy to park by the Armature Works with 4 hour free parking. From an out of towner point of view, the city should be proud and overjoyed to have this city haven. Five stars on this people place city of Tampa!
    Visited April 2021
    Traveled with friends
    Written April 16, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Detailed Reviews: Reviews order informed by descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as cleanliness, atmosphere, general tips and location information.
Popular mentions
4.5
1,857 reviews
Excellent
1,128
Very good
543
Average
154
Poor
21
Terrible
11
Bill R
Tannum Sands, Australia447 contributions
Tampa Riverwalk?
Sep 2020
A great deal of effort to provide people who "Want to be seen" a place to be seen". Loads of concrete, dizzying traffic, randomly deserted scooters, no cover, and very expensive if you wish to have a sandwich or drink. Too much show and not sufficient. gentle places to relax or enjoy thearea.
Written September 5, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Marimee19
Chicago, IL61 contributions
Unpretentious Riverwalk
Mar 2022
I spent a lot of time researching the Tampa Riverwalk but found limited, spotted and scattered information. Things I wanted to know as a tourist: Where does the riverwalk begin and end? Where is the best place to park? Is there free parking ? Is it safe? Are there any good eats? Because dinner at the River's Edge Restaurant (Sheraton Hotel) satisfied my riverwalk desires, I'm going to refer to that experience too. I reserved a table around sunset and was enchanted with what transpired: a tiki bar floated by, cute dogs walked their owners, neon bicycle tires glowed in the dark, hover boarder's whizzed past, joggers jogged, rowers sculled and families strolled as the river metamorphasized from sunny day to glittering night. An added bonus, if you spend more than $30.00 at the River's Edge Restaurant, valet parking is free. Truth be told, we were a little disappointed with the quality of the food. The restaurant does however, have a lovely outdoor bar if you prefer a glass of wine. I tried to get reservations at Ulele's but it was booked out for days. Moral, think ahead if you want to eat at one of the more popular downtown restaurants. Given its location, I'm amazed the River's Edge Restaurant isn't bursting at the seams. It should be. Secretly, I will always be grateful that we experienced it before that happens. BTW - the riverwalk starts at the Armature Building and ends at the Tampa History Museum. We strolled approx one mile at night and felt totally safe. Alternately, you can always find a parking garage, forget the restaurant thing and visit various historical landmarks, but that's more of a daytime adventure and a totally different experience from the one I'm describing.
Written March 29, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
3lionsfan
Boone, NC340 contributions
See both parts
Jul 2020
Now that Tampa has the Riverwalk it is difficult to imagine it ever NOT being part of the landscape. You will find people at all hours running, walking, cycling, and rollerblading. An excellent place to get some exercise or at least fresh air and sunshine. Reminders have been added regarding social distancing. I

f you are not familiar with Tampa you need to know that the Riverwalk is, for the time being, divided at Cass Street. The southern section takes you down to the Convention Center area. If you cross Cass Street and head north you will find Waterworks Park, Florida-native themed Ulele restaurant, the many dining options at Armature Works and more. It's worth making your way thru the construction to enjoy both ends of the Riverwalk.
Written July 29, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
TravelingBum10
United States2,682 contributions
River walk during the day
Apr 2021 • Couples
We went there around noon. We parked in a public parking lot across the street. Parking rates were very expensive if you’re only planning on spending 1 or 2 hours. You’re better off parking in the children’s museum. There’s a beautiful park right by the museum. Great for kids. We did the walk to the university and then turned around. There’s a water taxi and some other fun boats. You can also rent scooters or bikes. There were a lot of people doing exercise around the time we went.
Written April 17, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
VeeCai
Swan River, Canada7 contributions
Drunken teenagers
Jun 2022 • Solo
I have seen bad behavior among teens. This place has just way too many of them. There are smells of marijuana all along the river walk. City parking regulators give out parking fines to whoever they feel like.
Written July 3, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
peachykeen808
grand lido negril82 contributions
Cool Riverwalk
Jun 2021
This was a pretty cool spot downtown. Watching the water taxis come through with the tunes and the people riding bikes, skateboards or just walking through like my family and I did was cool. I would certainly visit this spot again.
Written July 12, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Miles Archer
Boca Raton, FL7,606 contributions
RIVER VIEW AND PEOPLE WATCHING
Jan 2021 • Solo
I came this weekday morning for exercise to walk off the hearty breakfast I had, and to people watch. It was chilly, which sped up my walking speed. Plenty of people here, though it wasn't crowded. Most were pedestrians, some with a dog. A few bicyclists were out and about, but they were easy to avoid. A woman was pushing her infant in a baby carriage, moving along briskly. Rollerbladers were zipping along, but easily dodged pedestrians. There were several people moving about on the two-wheel electric scooters that you stand on. Neat river view. I had no problem maintaining social distancing. I suspect that it would be busier on weekends. Good for people watching

Written January 13, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
TC GREN
Tampa, FL407 contributions
Easy waterside walk, limited shade
Jun 2020 • Friends
Nice lengthy walk from canal area all the way north on the east side of Hillsborough River. Lots of tours and recreational activities, a few drinking and eating options. As you walk north near the art museum, you can walk up steps to Cass street level and cross the street/train tracks to reach the Straz Center and pick up the waterfront trail all the way north to Waterworks park. It’s rarely shaded along the way so can be very hot in direct sun. Be also on the lookout for cyclists and rollerbladers who can zip by quick - just keep your eyes out. And if you aren’t keen on the walk, you can take the Water Taxi instead.
Written May 31, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Onthego1950
West Bend, WI148 contributions
Very well done Riverwalk with great views!
Feb 2020
I highly recommend taking a stroll on the riverwalk. As the boardwalk is 10’ wide there is room enough for jogger or cyclists, along with walkers. Very fun to people watch as well. Good signage along the way, with lots of benches to take a break when needed. Musicians playing under the bridges was an added treat.
Written February 10, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
John S
1 contribution
Terrible Hotel
Aug 2023 • Family
This is a hotel that has not been updated and is used as a tool to deceive guests into staying there. My room was terrible and outdated. The toilet was running and leaking. The hotel charged my credit card rather than doing an authorization. The room smelled like smoke. Try to feed my bacon after I specifically stated no bacon. This was a very terrible stay. I am someone who does not complain, but I don't know why this was such a terrible experience in America. I know some of you will look and say he is mad about something. No! I am mad about everything. I am very disappointed in this hotel. Everything went bad and the service was very poor! I hope the hotel will update all rooms and not their best rooms. Charging for Wi-fi a total of $25 per day that you do not use is excessive and should not be a part of a failing and poorly structured hotel!
Written August 26, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
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Tampa Riverwalk - All You Need to Know BEFORE You Go (with Photos)

Frequently Asked Questions about Tampa Riverwalk
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