Show the guys in your life how much you appreciate them by planning the perfect day trip to Tampa.
Written By Melissa Peterson
Bay Rocket Tampa photo courtesy of Bay Rocket Tampa
If you’re wondering how to treat Dad this month, why not plan a day trip packed with adrenaline-filled adventure, a yummy lunch and then a night out at Tropicana Field to see the Rays. Tampa has plenty to offer groups looking for a family-friendly outing—here are some of our favorite ideas.
Thrills & Chills
Summertime in Tampa can be warm and humid, which means you might be looking to get out on the water to cool off a bit. Although a relaxing sail around Tampa Bay is always an option, why not kick it up a notch this Father’s Day with the Bay Rocket boat thrill ride.
The Bay Rocket experience lets you blast off on Tampa’s newest 50-minute jet boat adventure. Thrill-seekers can experience the power of Bay Rocket’s 2,800 horsepower with 180-degree spins, turns and bow dips. Bay Rocket departs from downtown Tampa near the convention center and slowly heads outbound on the Seddon Channel toward Hillsborough Bay.
“A 102-passenger, aluminum vessel weighing 54 gross tons with a length of 70 feet and a width of 20 feet, Bay Rocket is able to maneuver and turn so well because of the hull design and because its jet propulsion,” says Bay Rocket Captain Lantz. “It’s essentially a giant jet ski.”
Although getting wet on the boat really depends on sea conditions, Captain Lantz doesn’t make any promises about certain parts of the boat staying dry. Basically, if you don’t want to get wet, stay on dry land.
“We never tell anyone they will stay dry, and depending on the wind conditions, our typical ‘dryer area’ can end up being the wettest,” says Captain Lantz. “Each position on the boat is unique and equally good. If you sit in the back when Bay Rocket does 180-degree spins or zig-zags, you are traveling the full 180 degrees and feeling all the movement, versus the middle or front that settle or become pivot points.”
The typical cruise is about 50 minutes, and it takes about 15 minutes to get into the bay.
The crew provides narration pertaining to boat safety, Davis Islands, Harbor Island, Tampa and Ybor City during the outbound cruise. Once in the bay, expect five 180-degree spins, five sharp and hard zig-zags, two bow dips and one final stop forward motion for about 15 minutes. On the return trip back to the dock, the crew will tell the passengers about Peter O. Knight Airport and the Port of Tampa, while the mate will take photos of the passengers enjoying fun, interactive games and a dance party on deck.
“I personally enjoy watching the reaction of our passengers when they get wet,” says Captain Lantz. “It’s typically one side that gets wet first; therefore, the other side seems to taunt the wet side and people seem to liven up. Then once the other side gets wet, the banter and taunting and excitement increases. It’s the best feeling to witness the surprise and then the excitement of passengers. I’m always looking forward to making a memorable experience for all the guests that get on Bay Rocket.”
Bay Rocket Tampa
Admission: Adults start at $34.95, children (5-12) starts at $29.95
bayrockettampa.com
Lunch At The Wharf
Once you’re back from your trip around the bay, you’re probably going to be ready for some lunch. Hopefully you brought a change of dry clothes! If not, try a quick, 15-minute walk along the river to dry off. You’ll be heading toward Sparkman Wharf—the perfect destination for tons of dining options the whole family will enjoy.
Tampa’s newest outdoor dining and entertainment spot, Sparkman Wharf is an upcoming spot for small eateries, office space, retail shopping, along with an intimate dining garden, biergarten and recreational lawn. Located right next to the Florida Aquarium and the American Victory Ship and Museum, it’s the perfect stop for a day out in Tampa.
For outdoor dining and craft beer, we suggest LightHaus Beer Garden for a variety of wine, seltzers and beer and delicious New York City-style pizza. It’s the perfect place for a quick bite to eat right on the water. If you’re looking for something family friendly and fun, Splitsville Southern + Social has a menu inspired by two-time James Beard Award winner Chef Art Smith with classic Southern fare. Chef Art has brough his world-famous fried chicken, made from-scratch cheese biscuits, shrimp and grits, short rib sliders salads and signature flat breads to the menu, as well as hand-crafted cocktails, specialty cocktails on tap and 45 varieties of ice-cold canned beer. The coolest thing about dining at Splitsville? There are single-lane, 10-pin bowling lanes right in the restaurant, as well as Skee-Ball, ping pong, billiards, foosball, darts and shuffleboard. Bowling lanes are reservable, so make sure to check out splitsvillelanes.com when making dining plans.
Sparkman Wharf also offers a full lineup of special events, including live music and trivia nights. Check out the full directory of businesses and restaurants and see the calendar of events at sparkmanwharf.com.
Take Him Out To The Ballgame
If you’re looking to take your day trip into the evening or even make a weekend out of it, why not cross the bridge over to St. Pete and visit Tropicana Field, home of the Tampa Bay Rays baseball team. Here’s a list of the June home games, and you can see their full schedule at mlb.com/rays.