Tampa is easy to do alone because the TECO Line Streetcar is fare free and links Ybor City, the Channelside waterfront and downtown. Ride it, step off where something looks good, and use the Riverwalk and its museums to fill the gaps.
Last checked 2026-11-01.
Ride the streetcar first
The TECO Line Streetcar says that all rides are fare free, and HART, which operates it, lists it as fare free on its fares page. Its stop list runs from Centennial Park Station and Centro Ybor Station in Ybor City, along 8th Avenue and 7th Avenue, down to Port Tampa Bay, York Street, The Florida Aquarium (Cumberland Avenue and Channelside Drive) and Water Street (TECO Line Streetcar, HART fares). Visit Tampa Bay describes the ride into Ybor City as just over a mile from downtown (Visit Tampa Bay: Ybor City). With no ticket to buy, a first solo outing can be as small as one stop out and one stop back.
Ybor City: cigar-factory streets
Visit Tampa Bay calls Ybor City the historical and cultural roots of Tampa Bay, where many buildings echo the brick exteriors of converted cigar factories from the days of the Cigar Capital of the World. It lists Columbia Restaurant as the oldest restaurant in Florida, Café Quiquiriqui for coffee in a Cuban-inspired bistro, and cigar shops such as Tabanero Cigars, Sweetheart Cigars and J.C. Newman Cigar Co., which has a new on-site museum. It also explains the free-roaming chickens as part of the district's history (Visit Tampa Bay: Ybor City). A coffee window or a counter seat gives you a reason to sit and watch the street.
The Riverwalk and its museums
The City of Tampa's Riverwalk page lists parks along the water (Cotanchobee Park, Curtis Hixon Waterfront Park, Julian B. Lane Riverfront Park and Water Works Park), four museums, a Monument Trail, public art and a Riverwalk tour (City of Tampa: Riverwalk). Walking it is a good no-plan afternoon: you can leave at any point.
Curtis Hixon Waterfront Park. At 600 N Ashley Drive, open 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. The city describes a great lawn with sloped and terraced edges, space for outdoor yoga and a dog park, and the Pirate Water Taxi offers views of downtown from the water (City of Tampa: Curtis Hixon Waterfront Park). It sits next to the Tampa Museum of Art, so a gallery visit and a lawn break fit one outing.
Tampa Museum of Art. At 120 W. Gasparilla Plaza. Hours are 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. most days and 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Thursdays. On Thursday evenings from 4 to 8 p.m. "Art on the House" is pay-as-you-will. Regular adult admission is listed at $25. The museum is closed on Gasparilla, Thanksgiving and Christmas Day (Tampa Museum of Art).
Tampa Bay History Center. At 801 Water Street along the Riverwalk, open daily 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Adult admission is listed at $18.95, and children aged 0 to 6 are free. The building houses the Touchton Map Library and Columbia Cafe (Tampa Bay History Center). The Water Street streetcar stop is nearby.
The Florida Aquarium. At 701 Channelside Drive, which posts its hours for the week on its visit page, and has its own streetcar station (The Florida Aquarium).
A Gilded Age hotel on the river
Henry B. Plant Museum. At 401 W. Kennedy Boulevard, inside the former Tampa Bay Hotel, which operated as a winter resort from 1891 to 1932 and is now part of the University of Tampa. From January to November it is open Tuesday to Saturday 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Sunday noon to 5 p.m., closed on Monday; adults pay $12. The museum lists a weekly live theater performance, "Upstairs/Downstairs", at 2 p.m. through November, and a Cigar City Cinema exhibit running to 28 February 2027. Its Victorian Christmas Stroll runs in December, with hours still to be announced on the visit page (Henry B. Plant Museum, Visit and accessibility). A short performance in a historic room is a gentle way to share a space with strangers.
A riverfront seat
Armature Works. In the Heights District at 1910 N Ola Ave, a riverfront food hall with four restaurants. It runs "Rides by the River", a free monthly outdoor car show held every third Saturday (Armature Works, Rides by the River). Wandering a free event is easier alone than a table for one.
A long walk: Bayshore
Bayshore Linear Park Trail. The City of Tampa describes a 10-foot-wide sidewalk that starts at Columbus Statue Park at Platt Street and ends at Gandy Boulevard, open sunrise to sunset, with benches, a water fountain, bicycle parking and fitness stations. Fifteen bronze markers by Michele Oka Doner are set into the sidewalk. Fishing is not permitted along the trail (City of Tampa: Bayshore Linear Park Trail). Walk as far as you like and turn back.
First solo outings
- Easy: one streetcar stop. Ride from Water Street to The Florida Aquarium station and back, or sit on the lawn at Curtis Hixon Waterfront Park.
- Middle: Thursday at the art museum. Arrive in the afternoon, see the galleries and stay for the late hours (Art on the House from 4 p.m.).
- Bold: an Ybor City afternoon. Take the streetcar to Centro Ybor, have a coffee, then walk the cigar-factory streets.
For ideas on eating on your own, see how to eat alone while traveling.
Solo Era for iPhone
Take yourself on an analogue afternoon
Solo Era has a solitude mission at level 3: "Take yourself on an analogue afternoon." Bring a book, paper map or notebook, and use the Riverwalk as your public place. Free to download. A subscription is required to start missions. Prices and any free trial are shown in the app and depend on the offer and eligibility.
Where next
Continue with Orlando, St. Petersburg, Florida or Miami, or head north to Atlanta. Browse the cities hub, read about a new city on your own or the solo travel guide.
FAQ
Is the Tampa streetcar free?
Yes. The TECO Line Streetcar says all rides are fare free.
When is the Tampa Museum of Art open late?
On Thursdays until 8 p.m., with pay-as-you-will admission from 4 to 8 p.m.
How do I get to Ybor City from downtown?
The streetcar runs into Ybor City, just over a mile from downtown according to Visit Tampa Bay.
Is the Henry B. Plant Museum open on Mondays?
No. From January to November it is closed on Mondays and open Tuesday to Sunday.
When is the free car show at Armature Works?
Armature Works describes it as a monthly outdoor car show held every third Saturday. It is free.
Sources (checked 2026-11-01)
- TECO Line Streetcar
- HART: fares
- Visit Tampa Bay: Ybor City
- City of Tampa: Riverwalk
- City of Tampa: Curtis Hixon Waterfront Park
- City of Tampa: Bayshore Linear Park Trail
- Tampa Museum of Art
- Tampa Bay History Center
- The Florida Aquarium
- Henry B. Plant Museum
- Henry B. Plant Museum: visit and accessibility
- Armature Works and Rides by the River
Details change; check the venue before you go.
Solo Era for iPhone
Try it with Solo Era
Solo Era gives you one realistic mission a week, records how nervous you felt before and after, and keeps a photo journal of what you did. An iPhone app. A subscription is required to start missions; any free trial depends on the offer and eligibility shown in the app.
