Central – Section 1.2: Riverfront Culture in Tampa

The Tampa Bay area is home to the 2.6-mile Tampa Riverwalk that runs along the Hillsborough River, connecting downtown to the Channel District and other waterfront attractions. It leads travelers to a host of art and cultural venues with the Straz Center for the Performing Arts in the center of it all, showcasing everything from Broadway shows to classical opera. This world-class venue is also home to the Florida Orchestra and boasts incredible views of the downtown waterfront. Nearby, the Tampa Museum of Art houses a vast collection of modern and contemporary art.

Meanwhile, Henry Flagler wasn’t the only railroad magnate in Florida to leave behind magnificent homes and hotels now operating as museums. At the turn of the last century in Tampa, Henry B. Plant—founder of the Plant System of railroads and steamship lines—built the palatial Tampa Bay Hotel, which today is part of the University of Tampa and operates as a museum whose original furnishings, artifacts and exhibits can be enjoyed on self-guided audio tours.