Top 5 Awesome Outdoors Adventures in Tampa Bay

I love living in Florida because you have the opportunity to do so many outdoor adventures year round. If you live in the Tampa Bay area, the outdoors should be calling your name!

Here are my top 5 awesome outdoor adventures for you and your family.  These are adventures that we have the luxury to have in our backyard.  One only needs to travel a short distance to dive in!  Outdoor adventure is so much fun to do with the whole family!  Most of them are off the beaten path, but isn’t that where the treasures are?

1. Deep Sea Charter Fishing- Head on out to sea with a deep sea charter boating adventure!  Go crab fishing with Gus and Crabby Adventures to be a crab fisherman for the day!  Best part:  Kids under 4 are free and an all you can eat seafood lunch (with more food than you can eat) is included.
   

   

2.  Canoeing or Kayaking – Venture down the Hillsborugh River in a canoe or kayak.  If you have never been canoing with the kids, this is a must do.  Pack a picnic and get your water shoes on and head down to Canoe Escape, where they will get you set up for your adventure, complete with paddles and a map.  If your kids are 12 and older, maybe a night trip down the Hillsborough River is in order!
3. Hiking or Biking– Kids love to explore.  It is always a fun adventure too see things you have never seen before!  Head out to Lettuce Lake Park  and bring your walking shoes, your bike, your binoculars and a treasure bag!  Exploring is a life long activity that kids can learn so much from!  Pack a lunch and relax in the great outdoors!
4. Water Sports- So many lakes and so much water in Tampa Bay, with such little time. Why not learn to participate in water sports instead of watching from afar!  Water skiing, wake boarding and the list goes on!  If you are a first timer, check out Ski McCormick located in Seffner, just west of Tampa.  Kids are definitely welcome, and they will thank you afterwards…trust me.
5. Snorkel and Dolphin Watching- Do I need to say more?  Head to St. John’s Pass and find Hubbard’s Marina to experience an adventure of a lifetime.  You will take the ferry from Ft. De Soto to Egmont Key.  Explore the beautiful Egmont Key and have the time of your swimming underwater with the fish.  Might just see dolphins too!
   

I hope these ideas inspire you to explore the great outdoors in Tampa Bay with your kids!  And if you are looking for more resources on the abundant outdoor adventures Tampa Bay has to offer, download the Outdoor Adventure Guide by Visit Tampa Bay.