7 Best Sights in The Tampa Bay Area, Florida

This is a U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service sanctuary for the manatee. Kings Bay, around which manatees congregate in winter (generally from November to March), feeds crystal-clear water into the river at 72°F year-round. This is one of the sure-bet places to see manatees in winter since hundreds congregate near this 90-acre refuge. The small visitor center has displays about the manatee and other refuge inhabitants.

If you want to get an even closer look at these gentle giants, several dive companies provide opportunities for you to swim among them—if you don't mind shelling out some extra cash, donning a wet suit, and adhering to some strict interaction guidelines. In warmer months, when most manatees scatter, the main spring is fun for a swim or scuba diving.

Overlooking the Manatee River, this 1.5-mile path connects downtown Bradenton attractions to the waterfront. The path spans the Green and Desoto bridges and offers various activities, including a splash fountain, a skate park, a canoe and kayak launch, a beach volleyball court, a fishing pier, outdoor seating, and a 20-slip day dock. Various groups use the outdoor amphitheater for special events, and musical and theatrical performances. An eastward expansion of the Bradenton Riverwalk is planned.

In the middle of the mouth of Tampa Bay lies the small (350 acres), largely unspoiled but critically eroding island Egmont Key, now a state park, national wildlife refuge, national historic site, and bird sanctuary. On the island are the ruins of Fort De Soto's sister fortification, Fort Dade, built during the Spanish-American War to protect Tampa Bay. The primary inhabitants of the less-than-2-mile-long island are the threatened gopher tortoise and box turtles.

The only way to get here is by boat, and you can catch a ferry from Fort De Soto, among other places; area operators include Hubbard's Marina, Dolphin Landings, and Island Boat Adventures. It's well worth the trip—the beach here is excellent for shelling, secluded beach bathing, wildlife viewing, and snorkeling.

Florida flora and fauna shine in more than a dozen gardens and natural areas at these botanical gardens, open to visitors for free nearly every day of the year. You can wander through areas devoted to native plants, cacti and succulents, and a butterfly garden. You never know what sort of wildlife you might encounter—alligators, birds, and turtles—in the Aquatic Habitat, consisting of a gorgeous retention pond and McKay’s Creek.

Anna Maria Island's "Main Street" features numerous upscale mom-and-pop boutiques, including beach-appropriate clothiers, beach-inspired home decor stores, and antique furniture shops. You can also find shops offering items such as quality jewelry and infused olive oil. The Anna Maria City Pier, which overlooks the southern end of Tampa Bay, sits at the end of the street. If you're here in the morning, check out Anna Maria Donuts, which offers made-to-order custom doughnuts, some with interesting ingredients such as sriracha sauce.

Paralleled by a busy boulevard lined with sponge shops and Greek restaurants, this several-blocks-long waterfront showcases Tarpon Springs' Greek roots as well as the industry that first made the town thrive over a century ago. Stroll along the docks and check out tons of small boutiques, bakeries specializing in baklava and the like, and several boat tours of the surrounding waters. Pop into the Sponge Docks Museum to see a film about the much-sought-after creatures from the phylum Porifera and how they helped the town prosper in the early 1900s. You'll come away converted to (and loaded up with) natural sponges.

This state park has the remains of a circa-1851 sugar mill and other remnants of a 5,100-acre sugar plantation owned by Florida's first U.S. senator, David Levy Yulee. Interpretive panels spaced throughout the mill ruins describe early methods of the sugar-making process, the plantation's role in the Civil War, and the harsh conditions endured by the 1,000 enslaved people who worked here.