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90º | 20% chance of precipitation | Sunrise 7:17 a.m. | Sunset 7:28 p.m. | Tides | Old Tampa Bay | High: 6:01 p.m. | Low: 11:16 a.m. + 11:04 p.m. | Clearwater Beach | High: 2:15 p.m. | Low: 7:47 a.m. + 7:47 p.m. | Full Weather Report | Traffic Report
 

Hit up a Tampa Bay hike

Hit the trails with this guide to Tampa Bay area hikes
Tampa hike
Grab your hiking boots and discover TBAY’s most remote views. | Photo via Hillsborough County
From quick and easy loops around town to drives that take you to fantastic beaches and forests, our region has so many options to hit the trail. So lace up your hiking boots, because we’ve compiled a hiking guide for the Tampa Bay area with 16 routes and trails to help you plan your next adventure and experience breathtaking views.

Note: While parks and trails may be listed as open, we recommend checking park websites before visiting for further info, current trail conditions, and the safest practices for the area.

Key: Easy = 🥾| Moderate = 🥾🥾 | Hard = 🥾🥾🥾
(Spoiler alert, we don’t have any hard trails because most of Florida is flat.)

Hillsborough

Temple Terrace Riverfront Park Trail, Temple Terrace
  • Difficulty: 🥾🥾
  • Length: 1.6-mile
  • Pet friendly: Yes, leash required
Combine the Palmetto, Pavilion, and River Loop Trails for a leisurely — but slightly more difficult — hike exploring this Old Florida paradise. This trail can sometimes flood, so pick a sunny day for your hike.

Davis Island Trail, Tampa
  • Difficulty: 🥾
  • Length: 2.6-mile out-and-back
  • Pet friendly: Yes, leash required
The best part about Tampa Bay’s hikes? The views. This scenic trail winds past some of the exclusive area’s homes and offers top notch waterfront vistas.

Pinellas

Pinellas Trail, Pinellas County
  • Difficulty: 🥾
  • Length: 45.1-mile path
  • Pet friendly: Yes
It’s the best way to explore the county — in our opinion — from St. Pete all the way to Tarpon Springs. Do as much or as little of the paved trail as you like. Then stop off to try new eateries at one of the many businesses located off the trail.

Screen Shot 2023-02-28 at 10.52.30 AM.png

A more efficient way to get around, though, is on electric wheels.

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Photo via Pinellas County

Fort De Soto Park Nature Trail, Fort De Soto County Park
  • Difficulty: 🥾
  • Length: 1.4-mile loop
  • Pet friendly: Yes, leash required
This scenic trail offers breathtaking views of nature with a diverse range of wildlife, such as crabs and woodpeckers. Enjoy informational panels throughout the trail about the local flora and fauna.
City Guides are presented by Water Street Tampa.
12 more hikes
Asked

What is most important to you when choosing a hike?

A. Level of difficulty
B. Time to complete/number of miles
C. Unmatched views
D. It’s all about the hiking location
Let us know
6AM City In-House pt 2
 
Events
Friday, Sept. 20
  • Sunset Market | Friday, Sept. 20 | 5-10 p.m. | Imagine Museum | Free with reservation | Watch art come alive with demonstrations under the stars + chow down on eats from local food trucks at the monthly market.
  • Tampa Bay Fashion Week 2024: Designer Runway Show | Friday, Sept. 20 | 6-9 p.m. | The Motor Enclave, Tampa | $75+ | Embrace the stylish celebrations at this runway show featuring local designers’ work.
  • Wale | Friday, Sept. 20 | 7 p.m. | Jannus Live | $28+ | The American rapper is sure to bring together a crowd of “pretty young things” for his “Every Blue Moon Tour.”
Saturday, Sept. 21
  • Conservation Connections: International Primate Day | Saturday, Sept. 21 | 9:30 a.m.-2:30 p.m. | ZooTampa | $40 | Celebrate International Primate Day with interactive activities and educational fun centered around our closest living ancestors.
  • Ivy Fairbanks | Saturday, Sept. 21 | 12-12:30 p.m. | Oxford Exchange | Free with reservation | Lean into the fall season with book signing of the local author’s latest book, “Morbidly Yours,” a romantic dramedy that follows an Irish mortician’s search for a partner.
Sunday, Sept. 22
  • World Car-Free Day | Sunday, Sept. 22 | 10 a.m.-2 p.m. | Midtown Tampa | Free | Head to the hopping neighborhood for rooftop pickleball, games and raffles, and pick up a free bike rental to spend a car-free day around the city.
Events calendar here
Click here to have your event featured.
 
News Notes
Number
  • $6.57 million. That’s at least how much Port Tampa Bay plans to spend on its new resiliency project on Hookers Point. Leaders plan to add a 5-mile underground channel for electricity upgrades, so fueling areas are less likely to lose power during storms. (Tampa Bay Business Journal)
Weather
  • Speaking of storms, Tampa Bay meteorologists are keeping an eye on tropical activity in the Caribbean. A potential storm could go toward Florida or Texas sometime next week, but it’s too early to tell. (Tampa Bay Times)
Health
  • Meet The Orlando Health Neuroscience Institute – Bayfront. Orlando Health, which operates the Burg’s Bayfront Hospital, plans to open the new center next year in the St. Pete Innovation District. The facility will house epilepsy + stroke centers, a new neuro ICU facility, plus more resources. (St. Pete Catalyst)
Ranked
  • No. 2. That’s where Tampa International Airport ranked on JD Power’s 2024 North America Airport Satisfaction Study. Our beloved airport was evaluated on factors like ease of travel, food options, and airport staff. Use our guide to make your trip even more seamless. (That’s So Tampa)
Show
  • Calling all metalheads — and those that love them. Metallica is bringing their “M72 World Tour” to Ray Jay on Friday, June 6 + Sunday, June 8, 2025. Both concerts will feature a unique set list with no repeats. Tickets hit the market Friday, Sept. 27. (That’s So Tampa)
Announced
  • What’s a zoomer boomtown? Both St. Pete and Tampa, apparently. Both cities were named to Commerical Cafe’s list of “Mid-Sized US Cities Drawing Graduating Gen Zers.” The Burg came in at No. 14, and the Cigar City followed at No. 18.
Giveaway
Announced
  • Introducing Jobs, our new virtual bulletin board featuring local job openings in all industries. It’s simple: Post your listing (it’s free for a limited time), and watch those applications roll in.
Sports
  • What will it take to beat the Broncos this weekend? Get game coverage, analysis, insights, interviews, and more from local experts of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers with Locked On’s daily podcasts.
    Finance
    • Rates just dropped. Now could be the perfect time for you to tap into your home equity — calculate your payment.*
     
    Music

    🤠 Dream lineup loading

    What artists should play Tampa’s new country music festival?
    Country artist Chris Stapleton dons a hat and black suit while singing into a microphone and playing a guitar at a show.
    Chris Stapleton could serenade us from the Ray Jay stage. | Photo via Wikimedia Commons
    The news about Tampa scoring “one of North America’s most beloved music festival brands” kind of broke the internet last week. That can only mean one thing: Our readers really love their country bops.

    We’re still waiting on more news about the incoming festival — which is slated for May 2025. But in the meantime, we’re sharing some of the superstars our readers want to take the stage.

    The most popular suggestions on the list were:
    • Chris Stapleton
    • Kacey Musgraves
    • Morgan Wallen
    • Zach Bryan
    • Lainey Wilson
    • Post Malone
    • Luke Combs
    And, in case you’d prefer to listen along, we created a playlist of what the rockin’ Ray Jay show could sound like if our readers crafted the lineup.
      The Buy

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      More worth The Buy
      Answered

      Earlier this week we asked “How often do you head to a theme park?”
      The rendering of the Busch Gardens' new realm: Wild Oasis, a leafy, jungle-inspired area with a drop tower, fake mountain, and mist.

      We’re already dreaming of that drop.

      |

      Rendering via Busch Gardens

      It seems a Busch Gardens visit may be in the cards. About 45% of our readers said they rarely head to the theme park. But we do have a good chunk of thrill seekers among the class — with 31% of folks saying they go a few times a year.

      The rest of our readers are split. About 12% hit up our theme parks all the time, and about 12% rarely seek out a theme park adventure.
       
      The Wrap
       
      Bailey Lefever in a park near a pond

      Today’s edition by:
      Bailey
      From the editor
      Speaking of thrill seekers, I have one for those who prefer their adventures on the water (that’s me). Right now the Bay Rocket is offering BOGO tickets. So you can experience the 180° spins and speedy ride while holding your bestie’s hand. Or not.
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