Tampa | World’s Best Cities

Tampa

In Tampa, the natural and built environment are in sync. The city has low crime, pleasant weather in its 361 days of sunshine per year, and sprawling, diverse outdoor attractions, including, of course, nearby beaches like Desoto Park and Clearwater Beach. Chief among the parklands is the Tampa Riverwalk, a 2.6-mile continuous waterfront corridor along the banks of the Hillsborough River and the Garrison Channel. It’s bookended by the Florida Aquarium and the popular Ulele restaurant; in between, there’s the Tampa Bay History Center, the Florida Museum of Photographic Arts, the convention center, and other stops of interest that contribute to Tampa’s #14 ranking in Attractions. In early 2018, another park was added to the mosaic of green spaces along the Riverwalk: The Julian B. Lane Riverfront Park’s 23 acres invite visitors to get onto the water, rather than simply admiring it, via row boats, canoes, kayaks and paddleboards. The shoreline provides plenty of waterfront entertainment spaces for landlubbers.