Tampa has some fantastic breweries & Cool spots to explore, plus the weather is basically always great—what more do you need?
Tampa Tips:
I would recommend checking flights into the St. Pete-Clearwater airport if you are flying in addition to directly to Tampa—I found some great deals into PIE and it is a much smaller and easier to navigate airport. Check out my thoughts on flying Allegiant Air here.
Tampa has some areas of town that are not super safe, so just be aware of your surroundings and be smart.
Head across the bridge to the cute artsy, beachy city of St. Pete! Check out my beer and travel guide here!
Adventures & Ales Top Recommendations:
Angry Chair Brewing: A fantastic Stout-focused brewery with absolutely incredible beers. Their current taproom is small but they are moving into a new space soon.
BarrieHaus Beer Co.: A killer Lager-focused brewery. They offer side pull and slow pours of a variety of beers that are delicious. They have a nice little patio along with pretzels and Cuban sandwiches.
I would caution that they are a stop for the brew bus tours so when the bus pulls up it is incredibly packed with drunk people, so try to visit on a weekday or an off time.
Woven Water Brewing: A top-notch brewery with great vibes and delicious beers. I was impressed with their Fruited Sours, IPAs, and Stouts. The team here is also incredibly nice!
Hidden Springs Ale Works: A Sour and Stout focused brewery in an artsy taproom. Highly recommend getting a flight so you can try a variety of their beers. They are just up the road from the food hall Armature Works if you are hungry!
Garagiste Meadery: A fantastic meadery right between Hidden Springs and Magnanimous. Their small tasting room has chill vibes and you can see a lot of the production which is always cool. If you are unfamiliar with mead it is very boozy and very pricey as a forewarning, so take it slow and enjoy!
Magnanimous Brewing: An IPA-focused brewery with great beers and a relaxed atmosphere. They also have a coffee program and a taproom in Bradenton.
King State: A brewery, restaurant, and coffee shop all in one. Their space is a cute 70’s style set-up and their beer menu is focused on Lagers. They are known for their breakfast and they do Pizzas on Friday nights that are great.
Barriehaus
The Classic Tourist Spots Actually Worth Visiting:
Oxford Exchange: A restaurant, coffee shop, tea bar, book shop, champagne bar, and store all in one! This place is absolutely adorable and I highly recommend visiting for brunch, coffee, tea, cocktails, shopping or afternoon tea.
Armature Works: An awesome food hall in a beautiful restored building. There are a ton of different food vendors, a couple of bars, and seating indoors and out. It is right on the river and a walking trail runs through the area as well.
Explore Ybor City: this neighborhood reminded me a lot of New Orleans with bars, restaurants, cigar lounges, and balconies everywhere. It’s a popular area especially at night.
Hit the beach! Drive over to the coast or down the bay for some of the best beaches in the US.
Oxford Exchange
Other ideas:
7venth Sun Brewery: An average brewery with fun flight “trees” to sample a variety of their beers.
Cigar City Brewing: A commercialized brewery with a large taproom and full food menu.
Coppertail Brewing Co.: An average brewery with a full food menu and a small patio space.
Bastet Brewing: A unique brewery that is just up the road from Coppertail focused on Sours with an interesting tap list.
Zydeco Brew Werks: A mediocre brewery in Ybor City that is New Orleans themed and more restaurant than beer focused.
