Cool off this summer at one of the many water parks, pools, and splash pads available around Tampa Bay. Help your kids stay active, all while having fun. Slather on the sunscreen and take a refreshing swim or sunbathe on the beach for a few hours.
NOTE: Please double check local county website and business pages to verify hours during this COVID-19 time.
Beaches
1. The biggest and the most visited Tampa Bay area attraction is our beautiful beaches. They are free to visit. You may need to pay for parking though.
Some of our favorite beaches include:
- At the top of our list is Honeymoon Island beach, it is a perfect way to spend the summer days.
- Pass-A-Grille Beach is another one of our favorite beaches to visit.
- Swim at the beautiful Treasure Island Beach.
- Sand Key Park has playgrounds, grills, and a dog park for the whole family to enjoy.
- Take a ferry to visit the beautiful Caladesi Island State Park and lounge on the beach. Kids 5 and under ride for free on ferry.
Pools
2. Don’t have your own personal pool? No worries. Many Tampa Bay Metropolitan YMCA & Suncoast YMCA offer free or affordable admission for non-members at their pool or water slide parks during the summer. Make sure to call your local YMCA to see if they are participating and dates and times for admission.
Make it a family pool day at some of these family-friendly locations:
Hillsborough County
- Large tube slides and a zero depth entry into Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Pool. $2 entry fee for kids. See the full list of pools.
- Located on Davis Islands near downtown Tampa, Roy Jenkins Pool is a great family pool that has five lap lanes and a fun children’s activity pool. See the full list of pools.
- South Tampa Family YMCA
- The Campo Family YMCA in Valrico, FL.
- Bob Sierra North Tampa Family YMCA
Pasco County
- Visit the Epperson Lagoon near Wesley Chapel for some local fun. It’s a little higher priced then other attractions, but an available option.
- The Lift Adventure Park operates the aquatic attractions, including the wakeboard cable, the Aqua Park, and paddlesport rentals in Sunwest Park in northwest Pasco, just off of Hwy 19 in Hudson.
Pinellas County
- Take a dip at the large pool at the City of Dunedin Highlander Pool for $3 admission. The Sprayground is in the same park which doubles the fun.
- The St. Pete Beach Family Aquatic Center has a six-lane Junior Olympic swimming pool with an attached children’s play area for the little ones.
- 214 foot corkscrew water slide and 3-story speed slide is all the rage at Highland Family Aquatic Center in Largo.
- The North Shore Aquatic Complex in St. Pete is another local favorite that includes a 50 meter pool with a diving board.
- Evalyn Sadlier Jones Branch YMCA in Sarasota offers $7 admission for non-members.
Splash Pads/ Sprinkler Parks
Admission or Membership Based
1. Splash Pads can be found in all the major Tampa area attractions like. So if you’re a member, then there is no additional fee,
- Busch Gardens, 10165 McKinley Drive, Tampa
- ZooTampa at Lowry Park, 1101 Sligh Ave, Tampa
- Adventure Island Water Park, 10001 McKinley Dr, Tampa
- Florida Aquarium, 701 Channelside Drive, Tampa, Florida 33602
Free Entrance Splash Parks
2. If you don’t have a membership to a Tampa Attraction, check out these free or low cost splash parks below. These are a few of our favorites:
- Check out the beautiful Julian B Lane Waterfront Park in Tampa on 1001 North Boulevard.
- The Curtis Hixon Park has two spray fountains in between their spacious field.
- The lion themed splash pad at Anderson Park (Kate Jackson Community Center). The beautiful park that has a playground and a Little Free Library where you can get a free book or drop one off.
- Great splash pad at Dell Homes Park in St. Petersburg. Shaded picnic shelters offers a great place for parents to watch the kids. Playground is super interactive and fun.
- Visit the Tarpon Springs Splash Pad 508 Live Oak, Tarpon Springs, Florida 34689
- The Water Works Park in downtown Tampa has a huge water bucket, scenic view, walking paths and close proximity to downtown attractions.
- Colorful water fixtures at the splash pad at the Ballast Point Park in Tampa. It has an amazing view of the bay and multiple playgrounds makes this a fun family spot.
- The interactive Waterplay Sprayground at Zephyr Park in Zephyrhills has water cannons and dumping buckets to keep the kids cool and entertained.
- All Person’s Rotary Park has a great playground area tucked into the Brandon community, in addition to their splash pad area.
- The Cypress Forest Park Rec Center in Oldsmar has a fun and interactive splash area for the kids. Parking is $5 per day.
These are just some of the deals that we’ve found. Want to be apart of our deals group on Facebook so you’ll always be in the know?
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