Tampa’s Highlights Self Guided Audio Walking Tour

Overview

Itinerary

1. 1
   15 min

   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! nnNew, Lifetime access, no expiry. Use it anytime, on any trip, as many times as you want.nnThe tour is over 2 miles long, with more than 41 audio stories, and takes about 1-2 hours to complete.

2. 2
   20 min

   Weu2019re 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
   25 min

   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
   10 min

   The Hillsborough River spills into Hillsborough Bay, which empties into Tampa Bay about seven miles from here. Thatu2019s also where youu2019ll 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
   If Tampa was such a tiny town in the 1800s, howu2019d 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 thatu2019s 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
   During the rise and fall of Tampau2019s cigar industry, the streets of Ybor City were ruled by a shady, dangerous individual known as u201cThe Dean of the Underworld.u201d That man was Charlie Wall.

7. 7
   15 min

   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 weu2019re about to enter is Henry B. Plant Park, named in his honor. Itu2019s Tampau2019s 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, weu2019d 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
   10 min

   Ahoy, mateys! Do you see any pirates around? Thereu2019s 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 thatu2019s been going on since 1904.

9. 9
   15 min

   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, itu2019s still in use to this day! Occasionally, at least. Trains still chug over the bridge every once in a while, but these days, thereu2019s more river traffic passing under the bridge than there are trains passing over it, so itu2019s usually left open.

Good to know

• Public transportation options are available nearby
• Suitable for all physical fitness levels
• How To Access: After booking, youu2019ll get an email and text with setup instructions and password (search u201caudio touru201d in emails and texts). u2022 Download the separate tour app by Action u2022 Enter the password sent by email and text. u2022 MUST download the tour while in strong wifi/cellular. u2022 Works offline after download.
• How to start touring: Open Actionu2019s separate audio tour guide app once onsite. u2022 If there is just one tour, launch it. u2022 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 storyu2019s 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 donu2019t 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.

Cancellation policy

For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.

• ✓ 100% refund24 hours or more before the start time
• ✕ 0% refundLess than 24 hours before the start time

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