Day Trippin' › Florida › From Tampa › Best family-fun places
Our picks for the best family-fun places within 3 hours of Tampa: 14 places, 2 under an hour away, 8 between 1 and 2 hours and 4 between 2 and 3 hours, counted by road time from ZIP 33602.
We put first the places with a real photo, a well-known name, a family-friendly note and an official site, then list the rest by drive time. The closest is Clearwater Marine Aquarium, 32 min west of Tampa.
Under 1 hour 1 to 2 hours 2 to 3 hours
Photo: TheWanderingTraders, CC BY-SA 4.0
#1 · Theme park · 1 hr 11 min northeast
Cinderella Castle, classic rides and parades. The heart of Walt Disney World.
Heads-up: Buy tickets and check park hours ahead. Very crowded on holidays.
Photo: qwesy qwesy, CC BY 3.0
#2 · Aquarium · 32 min west
Working marine rescue center where you can meet rescued dolphins, sea turtles and otters.
Heads-up: Hours shown as 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on the official site. Buy tickets online on busy days.
Photo: Nathan Forget, CC BY 2.0
#3 · Theme park · 56 min east
A LEGO park for kids 2-12 on the site of old Cypress Gardens, plus a water park and Peppa Pig park.
Heads-up: Water park is seasonal. Christmas event on select dates Nov 21-Jan 3.
Photo: Jedi94, CC BY-SA 4.0
#4 · Theme park · 1 hr 9 min northeast
World showcase pavilions, big rides and food festivals.
Heads-up: Lots of walking.
Photo: Jeremy Thompson, CC BY 2.0
#5 · Theme park · 1 hr 12 min northeast
Marine life shows, coasters and animal habitats.
Heads-up: Holiday events Nov-Jan.
Photo: Gfgbeach, CC0
#6 · Theme park · 1 hr 13 min northeast
Universal's newest theme park with several themed worlds.
Heads-up: Some events need separate tickets.
Photo: NBCUniversal, CC BY-SA 3.0
#7 · Theme park · 1 hr 14 min northeast
Movie-themed rides and shows, including the Wizarding World of Harry Potter.
Heads-up: Prices and times change without notice.
Photo: NBCUniversal, CC BY-SA 4.0
#8 · Water park · 1 hr 14 min northeast
A tropical water park built around a giant volcano with slides and a lazy river.
Heads-up: May close in cold weather.
Photo: Robert Linsdell, CC BY 2.0
#9 · Theme park · 1 hr 15 min northeast
Big coasters and themed lands next to Universal Studios Florida.
Heads-up: Some rides have height limits.
Photo: Connor J Williams, CC BY 2.0
#10 · Family fun · 2 hr 8 min east
An 800-foot pier with food, bars, an arcade, live music and surf lessons.
Heads-up: Busy on weekends.
Photo: Jake N., CC BY 2.0
#11 · Family fun · 2 hr 11 min northeast
The World Center of Racing. Tours take you to the track and garages.
Heads-up: Tours change on race days.
Photo: Gamweb, CC BY-SA 3.0
#12 · Water park · 2 hr 15 min northeast
A water park plus go-karts, laser tag and mini golf.
Heads-up: Check the calendar.
Photo: AndrewAvitus, CC BY 3.0
#13 · Aquarium · 2 hr 41 min northeast
A historic oceanfront marine park where you can watch and interact with dolphins.
Heads-up: Encounters need reservations.
#14 · Aquarium · 1 hr 8 min south
Research aquarium on City Island with sharks, sea turtles and manatees. Its new Mote SEA aquarium is near the Sarasota mall.
Heads-up: Tickets must be bought online to guarantee entry. Confirm which campus you are visiting.
Our top picks are Magic Kingdom (1 hr 11 min), Clearwater Marine Aquarium (32 min), LEGOLAND Florida (56 min), EPCOT (1 hr 9 min) and SeaWorld Orlando (1 hr 12 min). The page lists 14 places in all.
14: 2 under an hour away, 8 between 1 and 2 hours and 4 between 2 and 3 hours, by road from ZIP 33602.
Clearwater Marine Aquarium, about 32 min west of Tampa.
Most have a fee or need a pass; each card shows what to expect.
2 of the 14 list themselves as open year-round. Places with a season say so on their card; check hours before you go.
Drive times are by road on a typical day from ZIP <class 'zip'> (OpenStreetMap data with the OSRM route planner); places under 25 minutes away count as in town. Facts checked against official sites; passes and hours change, so check before you go.