Exploring Tampa Without an Itinerary
From waterfront neighborhoods and unexpected wildlife encounters to local recommendations and rooftop dining, sometimes the best travel plans are the ones you never make.
We came to Tampa for a Rush concert. We had tickets, a hotel, and a reservation at Bern's Steak House. Those were the important things.
What we didn't have was a sightseeing itinerary.
And that was intentional.
We had an entire day to explore before the concert. Rather than filling it with reservations, admission tickets, and scheduled activities, we decided to see where the day took us.
If something looked interesting, we'd stop. If it didn't, we'd keep going.
No checklist. No pressure to see everything. No worrying about whether we were falling behind schedule.
As it turned out, Tampa gave us more than enough to do.
Starting the Day With a Better Cup of Coffee
Our morning began with an experiment in hotel-room coffee.
The Barrymore Hotel had a Keurig in the room, so we made a cup. Unfortunately, it wasn't particularly good.
Fortunately, we didn't have to go far for a better option.
The Bagel Nook was just a short walk from the Barrymore, beside the Straz Center for the Performing Arts. We headed over for coffee and breakfast, with absolutely no need to get the car involved.
The first thing that caught our attention was the selection.
This wasn't a place offering a few ordinary bagels and cream cheese. There were traditional varieties, cereal-inspired creations, unusual spreads, and enough combinations to make choosing breakfast a project of its own.
I went with a bacon and Asiago cheese bagel filled with bacon-and-chive cream cheese.
Gina chose an Apple Cream Crumble bagel with cranberry-walnut cream cheese.
Two very different combinations, and exactly the kind of creative selection that made The Bagel Nook interesting.
Both were substantial breakfasts, and with better coffee to go along with them, our morning was already off to a good start.
The total was $28.67 for the two of us.
We weren't trying to find Tampa's ultimate breakfast spot. We just wanted coffee and something good to eat within walking distance of our hotel.
Mission accomplished.
A Charging Stop That Turned Into a Wildlife Encounter
After breakfast, we walked back to the hotel and decided to take the Tesla out for a drive.
We weren't particularly concerned about the battery, but we figured that if a convenient charging opportunity presented itself, we might as well take advantage of it.
We would be leaving Tuesday morning. Having the car charged meant one less thing to think about on departure day.
We found chargers at an Aldi near Hyde Park.
While the Tesla charged, we decided to walk around the neighborhood and admire some of the older homes.
That was the plan, anyway.
Then Gina spotted a flock of white ibis in a park across the street.
Naturally, we went to investigate.
The birds wandered around the grass, apparently comfortable with people nearby. Gina got an up-close look, and we spent a few minutes watching them.
Then something else caught our attention.
At a nearby dog park, a woman was working with her dog. She had it sit, lie down, and stay while she walked what looked like a hundred feet away.
The dog remained right where she left it.
We were impressed.
We have two dogs at home, and watching that training session immediately brought their very different personalities to mind.
Amber, our seven-year-old, is happiest wherever we are. Cooper, at two, is pure little-boy energy. Everything needs to be investigated, and absolutely everything needs to be sniffed.
Watching a dog remain perfectly still while its owner walked away was fascinating.
We spent about fifteen minutes watching the birds and the dog training before returning to the car.
We never did get around to admiring those older houses.
Squirrel moment.
And that's exactly why we enjoy traveling this way.
Bayshore Boulevard, Beautiful Homes, and a Little Real Estate Curiosity
With the Tesla charged, we headed toward Bayshore Boulevard.
This is one of those drives where the scenery makes you want to slow down and enjoy the surroundings.
On one side, we had views of the water. On the other, beautiful homes, many of them large enough to make us wonder what the property tax bills looked like.
We had recently paid property taxes on two Florida homes, so the subject was fresh in our minds.
Looking at some of the houses along Bayshore, we couldn't help wondering what the owners paid in taxes and insurance.
We also joked that perhaps this was where the owner of the Rolls-Royce we'd seen outside Bern's Steak House lived. After our evening at Bern's Steak House, we wouldn't have been surprised!
You can read about that memorable evening in Our Bern's Steak House Review.
The Tesla handled much of the driving, although I still had to pay attention to the road. That allowed us to enjoy the scenery and talk about the homes without feeling rushed.
We continued south along Bayshore until we reached the MacDill Air Force Base area, then turned around.
There wasn't a particular destination in mind.
The drive itself was the attraction.
A Tom Brady Conversation Leads to Davis Islands
Somewhere along the way, our conversation turned to Tom Brady and his time playing for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
Looking at the homes around us, I commented that he must have lived in something similar while he was playing in Tampa.
Gina decided to Google that.
She discovered that Brady had rented one of Derek Jeter's homes on Davis Islands.
That led us to two addresses associated with Jeter. Since we were already nearby, we decided to take a look.
Davis Islands turned out to be an interesting place to drive through, with enormous homes tucked into what is still a functioning residential neighborhood.
The streets were relatively narrow, and there was plenty of everyday activity: landscapers, construction crews working on new homes, handymen, and local traffic.
The second property was particularly impressive. This was the home Brady had rented from Jeter, a residence of 22,000 square feet, with gates and very visible security cameras. It was only $75,000 a month to lease it, we could not confirm if that included utilities.
We made a slow pass, admired the property, and continued on.
We weren't there to linger outside someone's home or turn the visit into a celebrity pilgrimage. We were simply curious about the neighborhood and the real estate.
We never did make it to Jeter's current Tampa residence, sometimes referred to as the Billionaire Bunker.
But then again, that wasn't on our nonexistent itinerary.
Hyde Park and the Value of Asking a Local
Eventually, we decided to explore Hyde Park.
We found a free parking garage and spent some time walking around.
Hyde Park had a pleasant atmosphere, with shops, restaurants, and people out enjoying the day.
One thing we noticed throughout Tampa was how clean everything seemed. In Hyde Park, we actually encountered several street sweepers, something we don't often see in our everyday travels.
As we wandered, we came across Joe & Son's Olive Oils.
We went inside and started sampling.
The shop offered a variety of flavored olive oils and balsamic vinegars, including combinations we wouldn't ordinarily encounter at a grocery store.
We struck up a conversation with the owner.
Naturally, food came up.
We mentioned that we'd had dinner at Bern's Steak House the previous evening. He hadn't been yet, so I showed him some of our photographs and explained the experience, including the wine cellar and dessert room.
By the time we finished talking, he seemed excited to try it himself.
Then the conversation turned to lunch.
We weren't especially hungry. Bern's had been a substantial dinner, complete with dessert, and we'd already eaten hearty bagels that morning.
A smoothie sounded about right.
The owner recommended Clean Juice.
That was all we needed.
Ask Another Local. Works every time.
Before leaving, we bought a bottle of Milanese Gremolata infused olive oil for $21.50.
A small souvenir, a pleasant conversation, and a lunch recommendation.
Not bad for a stop we hadn't planned.
Smoothies for Lunch
We followed the recommendation and headed to Clean Juice.
I ordered the Immunity 2.0, made with pineapple, carrot, orange, lemon, turmeric, and camu camu.
Gina chose the Youthful One, a blend of coconut oil, banana, blueberry, vanilla, date, and almond milk.
Both were very good.
At $29.30 for the two drinks, this wasn't an inexpensive lunch, but it was exactly what we wanted.
After the previous night's steak dinner and that morning's bagels, a lighter lunch was a welcome change.
And we probably wouldn't have discovered the place if we hadn't stopped to talk with someone at the olive oil shop.
Sometimes local recommendations are more useful than another hour of online research.
An Afternoon Break Before Dinner
After our wandering, we headed back to the Barrymore.
We'd seen plenty, eaten well, and enjoyed a beautiful day without ever feeling as though we needed to be somewhere at a particular time.
We took a nap, showered, and got ready for an early dinner.
The Rush concert was still ahead of us, so we wanted something enjoyable but not overly heavy.
We also wanted somewhere different.
That's when we remembered another recommendation we'd received earlier in the weekend.
John, our shuttle driver at the Barrymore Hotel, had recommended Armature Works. His suggestions had been excellent so far, and we remembered him describing the place as eclectic, with plenty of different food options.
He'd been right about everything else. Why not give this recommendation a try?
Armature Works: An Old Warehouse Full of Possibilities
We drove over to Armature Works and found paid parking.
The parking system charged $10 for the day, using a pay-by-plate setup.
I looked for a shorter parking option since we only expected to be there for a couple of hours, but couldn't find one easily.
Ten dollars seemed reasonable enough compared with other parking costs we'd encountered.
Besides, my time has value, too.
We paid and went inside.
From the outside, Armature Works didn't announce itself with much fanfare. It looked like an old warehouse, and if we hadn't heard about it, we might not have realized how much was happening inside.
Once we found our way in, we discovered a lively collection of food options.
Pizza, ramen, tacos, coffee, a full bar, and plenty more.
It was the sort of place where two people could have completely different cravings and still find something to eat.
We walked around, considered the choices, and eventually decided to head upstairs to M Bird.
Rooftop Dining at M Bird
M Bird offered an open, airy setting with a view, a pleasant breeze, and just enough activity to make the place feel lively.
The music was perhaps a little louder than I would have preferred, but we could still carry on a conversation.
We'd arrived early for dinner, which worked in our favor.
It wasn't especially crowded, and we didn't have to wait long for service or food.
We settled in, and our server brought menus and water.
Rather than ordering two full meals, we decided to share several appetizers.
After everything we'd eaten during the previous twenty-four hours, that seemed like the sensible approach.
I ordered Ciro's Old Fashioned, made with Penelope Bourbon Four Grain, demerara syrup, and bitters.
Gina chose Josie's Vacation, a zero-proof cocktail featuring passionfruit, cucumber, mint, lime, and seltzer.
Then we ordered three dishes to share:
Jerk Chicken Egg Rolls: Jerk chicken and green onions, served with coconut pineapple sauce.
Bourbon Peach Chicken Skewers: Grilled chicken with bourbon glaze, roasted rosemary potatoes, and fresh peach.
Dynamite Shrimp Lettuce Wrap: Crispy shrimp, dynamite sauce, marinated slaw, poke dressing, and gem lettuce.
Everything was excellent.
The egg rolls were flavorful, the chicken skewers were a great combination of savory and sweet, and the shrimp were my favorite.
The shrimp were beautifully cleaned and perfectly cooked, with the fresh taste and texture I always hope for when ordering seafood.
We enjoyed the food, the drinks, the breeze, and the view.
We weren't trying to squeeze in one more attraction before the concert.
We were simply enjoying dinner together.
And that was enough.
A View Worth Lingering Over
One of the pleasures of M Bird was the setting itself.
From our rooftop seats, we could look out over the surrounding area, with palm trees, open green space, and the city beyond.
It was a beautiful afternoon.
The combination of good food, a light breeze, and a relaxed atmosphere made it easy to sit and enjoy the moment.
We finished what we wanted and packed up the leftovers: two chicken skewers and two pieces of egg roll.
Then it was time to head back to the hotel.
We had a concert to attend.
What We Learned From a Day Without Plans
We didn't visit a museum.
We didn't book a sightseeing tour.
We didn't try to check off Tampa's most famous attractions.
Instead, we found a neighborhood bagel shop, watched ibis wandering through a park, admired waterfront homes, followed a conversation about Tom Brady to Davis Islands, sampled olive oils, took a local's advice about lunch, and finished with a wonderful rooftop dinner.
All without venturing very far from our hotel.
We also noticed some of the little things that give a city its personality.
Tampa struck us as clean and well maintained. We saw street sweepers working in Hyde Park, people enjoying the waterfront, and neighborhoods that felt active and lived in.
We even noticed what seemed to be an unofficial warm-weather uniform among younger women around town: sports bras paired with leggings or short shorts. We saw variations of it everywhere, from Bayshore Boulevard and Hyde Park to Armature Works. Apparently, athletic wear isn't just for the gym anymore.
Those aren't the kinds of details that usually make it into a sightseeing guide.
But they're part of what you remember when you actually spend time somewhere.
The day also reminded us of something we've learned from years of traveling.
You don't have to fill every hour to make a trip worthwhile.
Sometimes the best discoveries happen because you have room in your schedule for them.
Had we been rushing from one attraction to another, we might never have stopped to watch the birds, talked with the olive oil shop owner, or discovered our rooftop dinner spot.
We would have seen more things.
But would we have enjoyed the day more?
I doubt it.
Our Curated Upgrades Verdict
🟢 Go for it! Leave some unplanned time in your next city visit. Pick a neighborhood, start walking or driving, and follow whatever catches your attention. Ask locals where they like to eat. Allow yourself to change direction.
🟡 Maybe. If there's a particular attraction you really want to experience, make a reservation or buy tickets in advance. You can still leave the rest of the day open.
🔴 Pass on it. Don't feel obligated to pack every available hour with activities simply because you're on vacation. A full schedule isn't necessarily a better vacation.
Tampa gave us an enjoyable day of discoveries, good food, and interesting conversations.
And we still had plenty of energy left for the reason we'd come in the first place.
Rush was waiting.
