Located on the western coast of the Sunshine State, Tampa combines a relaxed beach lifestyle with the luxuries of a large multicultural metropolitan city. And with such a large plethora of culture and art to experience and flavorsome food to enjoy, there are few ways for a Floridian yogi to experience boredom. To enhance your Tampa experience, we’ve curated a list to help you navigate a few days exploring this beautiful city.
What to Eat
Fresh Kitchen
1350 South Howard Ave., (813) 833-2201
The owners of Fresh Kitchen couldn’t find an agreeable answer to the question: “Where do we eat healthy and fresh around here?” So they created their own health-centric cafe with a build-your-own-bowls menu concept. Choose from unique bases like sweet potato noodles or coconut ginger rice, add veggies and a protein, sauce it up, and be on your way. Also, the menu is 100 percent gluten-free and the grilled meats are hormone and antibiotic free.
Where to Sweat
Yoga Downtown Tampa
206 East Cass St., (813) 944-2291
Yoga downtown offers something for every yogi. Hatha, vinyasa, aerial, basics, and core intensive are just a few classes they teach weekly with specialty workshops held in their off-site yoga yurt. Feel like taking your practice outside? Every Sunday, Yoga Downtown offers a donation based class Curtis Hixon Waterfront Park, weather and park availability permitting.
Kodawari Studios
3965 S Henderson Blvd, Suite C, (813) 773-4017
Kodwari is a 5000 sq. ft yoga, bodywork, and wellness center. Students appreciate the plethora of class offerings, welcoming atmosphere, and diversity of instructors. Their calendar is packed with various events like Sunday Funday brunch and weekend long workshops dedicated to everything from pranayama to prenatal learning. Post class or workshop, replenish your energy with a smoothie or juice from their healthy cafe or unwind with a massage or float therapy session.
Yoga Loft Tampa
2002 E 5th Ave #102, (813) 248- 9642
Yoga Loft is a modern yet cozy boutique-style studio that hosts over 20 classes a week. With smaller class sizes, yogis are guaranteed personal attention from Yoga Alliance-certified instructors. If you’re around on a weekend, pop into their Sunday Salute class. This unique session combines flow and hatha, breathwork, asana, and meditation to create a peaceful yoga practice.
Where to Shop
Hyde Park Village
744 S Village Cir., (813) 251-3500
Shopping, food and special events come together in this open-air shopping district. With shops like Lululemon and Anthropologie, get ready for your wallet to receive a workout. When you’re fatigued from shopping, stop at one of the many restaurants or cafes to refuel, or take a seat under the shady oaks to people watch. Hungry for fresh produce? Every first Sunday of the month there is a farmers market selling local food and crafts from 10AM-3PM.
Where to Spend Time Outdoors
Bayshore Boulevard
312 Bayshore Blvd.
This 4.5-mile sidewalk and road provides beautiful views of Hillsborough Bay on one side and gargantuan multi-million-dollar homes on the other. Join locals and vacationers alike running, cycling, skating, and walking along one of the longest continuous sidewalks in the country. If you’re the traveler who never puts the camera down, schedule your visit around sunrise or sunset to snap some memorable images.
Curtis Hixon Waterfront Park
600 N Ashley Dr., (813) 274-8615
This eight acre park is home to unique urban design, sustainable construction, and operational features including reclaimed water for irrigation, and LED lighting. Swing by to hang out on the Great Lawn and check out some live music, or enjoy lunch in the pavilion. Kids will love the interactive fountains, and you’ll love getting to spend some time in the sunshine. It’s also the home of this year’s Wanderlust Tampa 108—we’ll see you on the lawn!
Cypress Point Park
5620 W Cypress St., (813) 274-7722
If you don’t have time to drive out to Tampa Bay’s beaches, you can get get your feet sandy and salty at Cypress Point Park. Open sunrise to sunset, this public park is known for it’s beautiful sunsets, dunes, wildlife, and flight watching. (Yup, Due to it’s proximity to Tampa International Airport, you can watch as planes takeoff and land.) If aviation doesn’t interest you, play a game on the sand volleyball court or frisbee golf course.
Yogi Hot Spot
Oxford Exchange
420 W Kennedy Blvd., (813) 253-0222
A restaurant, bookstore, lifestyle gift store, co-working space, design studio, and event venue all in one! Reservations to the restaurant are highly recommended, and don’t arrive with a work agenda. The space has no wi-fi. A co-working space without wi-fi? It’s not all that weird. Their website states: “the internet is surely invaluable, but occasionally unplugging and reconnecting with the non-digital world is vital. And Oxford Exchange is intended to provide that escape.” We give two thumbs up for that policy!
Have a Good Time
Tampa Aquarium
701 Channelside Dr., (813) 273-4000
An astounding variety of wildlife live in or near Tampa Bay, and you can see some of the most spectacular at the Tampa Aquarium. This 250,000-square-foot aquarium is home to sharks, penguins, stingrays, jellyfish, and more. Off-Site experiences include: a wild dolphin cruise, a shark dive, or a kayak adventure through the magnificent mangrove forests of Newman Branch. Choose your own adventure!
Traveling this fall? Check out our complete list of Wanderlust city guides.