11+ Water Activities in Tampa Bay to Try This Summer

A Boat Day

Looking for the perfect summer water activity? Let us introduce you to one of the best Clearwater boat rentals: A Boat Day! This is one of our favorite boat rentals and private boat charters which we highly recommend as the weather heats up.

Whether you’re celebrating a bachelorette party with friends or a special occasion with family, spend the day island hopping, dolphin sight-seeing, snorkeling, and shelling.

With locations in Clearwater, Indian Rocks, and Dunedin, you’re in for an unforgettable experience! Let their professional captains take the wheel and set sail on a boat tour.

Pro-tip: Their water slide boat is perfect for families who want some extra fun!

Lost Pearl

It’s Gasparilla every weekend with the Lost Pearl in Downtown Tampa! This is a family-friendly interactive pirate ship with 1.5 hours of fun activities. All of their cruises depart from the Downtown Tampa water activities port near the Tampa Convention Center.

Kids will learn to work as a team and use water cannons to help search for treasure!  If you’re looking for a view of dolphins, this is also a great way to see Tampa’s favorite wildlife.

On board, adults can enjoy soda, domestic beer, house wine and spirits. When you’re done, there are some great pirate themed souvenirs to bring your pirate memories home with you!

Pirate Water Taxi

You may have been on hop-on, hop-off bus tours in other cities – but in Tampa, we do them on the water! The Pirate Water Taxi or “yellow cab” is a signature attraction in the downtown area. With your tickets, you can use this as a chill way to go visit all the best spots – Channelside, Riverwalk, Davis Island, and Harbour Island.

We recommend hopping on board during their Happy Hour cruise, on Monday through Thursday – from 4-7PM.  Here you can get drink specials on beer, wine, and hard seltzers to sip on as you visit your next destination. This is the best way to pregame and save some money before visiting the bar!

Captain Memo's Pirate Cruise

Captain Memo’s is a fun pirate cruise located on Clearwater Beach. Get away from the traffic and crowds on this unique dolphin tour!

This pirate adventure goes in search of dolphins – accompanied by a lot of fun activities for the family.  We love this cruise for all of the different areas for the family to break out into different activities.

On board, there is a treasure hunt, face painting, water gun games, stories and even dancing.

Tampa Bay SUP Stand Up Paddleboarding and Kayaking

Whether you’re in the mood to kayak, try some petal boats, or stand-up paddleboard, Tampa Bay SUP has got you covered! Beat the heat and choose your favorite option to get out on the water. You’ll find yourself standing on a long surfboard and paddle your way around the water.

If you’re a newbie, don’t worry! All skill levels are welcome. If you’re paddleboarding, you can either kneel on the board or stand for a more expert level.

Yacht Starship

Yacht Starship is a signature attraction in the Tampa area.  Combining amazing views, luxury dining, and the best service in the area – this is the perfect place for a special night out on the water.

Setting sail near Sparkman Wharf, attend their Sunday Brunch, dinner cruises, even holiday meals. Check out their website for updates on special events – like Father’s Day Brunch, Fourth of July cruises, and more!

Meals are served either buffet or a la carte.  Their menu includes a lot of inspired meals – including surf & turf, Mediterranean tastes, or Cuban-style eats as nod to Tampa.

eBoats

Tampa’s eBoats are a really cool way to cruise around the river, without paying for a boat or trying to find friends who own a boat. Skip the struggle and rent out an electric boat, that any adult can maneuver! Captains must be 25 or older, but children are welcome to be passengers.

Each boat holds 12 passengers, so this is great for parties. We recommend renting an eBoat during sunset, when the colors bounce beautifully off the water and Tampa buildings.

Kraken Cycleboats

If you’ve come across a group of people partying on a cycle boat along the Tampa Riverwalk, you’ve most likely seen Kraken Cycleboats! This is a fun and boozy way to see the best of the Tampa views while cycling down the river with friends and drinks. The cycleboat stops at Armature Works where you can pick up an extra drink before heading back down the river.

This is a perfect group activity that highly recommend booking for a birthday or bachelor/bachelorette party!  With drinks, great music, and friends – CycleBoats always turns into a party.

Cross Bay Ferry TB

The Cross Bay Ferry is a great way to skip the common traffic of the Howard Frankland and chill out instead.  Check out the Provincetown III Ferry as a way to get from Downtown Tampa to Downtown St. Pete!  At the St. Pete stop, there is great views, fresh markets and shopping.  At the Tampa stop, you can enjoy restaurants, museums, and Lightning games!

Get Up and Go Tampa Bay

Get Up and Go Tampa Bay is one of our favorite water activities because of how beautiful the experience is. They offer kayaking in completely clear kayaks, so you can see the wildlife underneath you!

From Shell Key Preserve to Tarpon Springs, it’s an unforgettable experience. We recommend the glow tour for a nighttime adventure!

Dolphin Sight Seeing Tours

Every Tampa Bay visitor or resident should take advantage of the many dolphin sight-seeing tours in the area!  Seeing dolphins in Tampa Bay is an amazing experience.

Start your day off with some sight seeing or catch a sunset view to end your day. You can find dolphin tours at each of the following locations:

• Clearwater Beach Area
• Downtown Tampa
• John’s Pass
• Florida Aquarium
• Clearwater Marine Aquarium
• Tarpon Springs

Urban Kai

We love Urban Kai! It’s conveniently located in Downtown Tampa and St. Pete, so it’s easy to access from both sides of the bridge. They offer stand-up paddleboarding and kayaking, but our personal favorite is paddle boarding.

If you don’t know how to paddleboard, no worries, they offer classes. They guarantee you’ll be hooked after one class. It’s a solid workout that brings you closer to nature and eases your mind. It’s the perfect outdoor activity!

Epperson Lagoon

Epperson Lagoon is a must-visit spot for friends and families! This water park is guaranteed to bring you an adventure. It’s the first of its kind, a 7.5 acre Crystal Lagoon located in Wesley Chapel. They are currently open for Epperson Ranch residents and the public.

They have a Lagoon Day Pass available for acess to their tropical beach paradise, swimming in their clear blue water, taking on their inflatable Slidezilla slide, family lawn games to choose from, beach toys, beach volleyball, and access to the swim-up bar. Plan your day, head out to Wesley Chapel, and escape to paradise!

Hubbard's Ferry

Get ready for a one of a kind trip to and from Egmont Key and Shell Key with the Hubbard’s Ferry. The Shell Key Island ferry begins and ends at the historic military outpost, Fort De Soto boat ramp. You’ll enjoy a twenty minute boat ride to the island only accessible by boat with the opportunity to see dolphins, sea turtles, and manatees. Once you arrive at Shell Key Island, the day is yours to relax, swim, and explore!

If you choose to visit Egmont Key, the ferry departs from Fort De Soto Bay Pier. This thirty minute ferry ride again offers the opportunity to see dolphins, sea turtles, and more. While at Egmont Key, you can enjoy shelling, snorkeling, and historic such as the Egmont lighthouse and the ruins of Fort Dade.