Exploring the Area: 5 Fun Day Trips From Tampa

Are you a new resident of the 53rd largest city in the US—also known as Tampa, Florida?

That’s right! If you’ve touched down here, you’re one of the 392,890 people who chose this hustling, bustling city in the sunshine state as their home. Luckily for you, there’s not only plenty to do in Tampa, but there are several day trips from Tampa worth your time and gas money.

Here are five of our favorite destinations. You can get there, enjoy your day, and drive back—all before the sun sets. No need to pack an overnight bag or fill your tank more than once!

1. The Dalí Museum 

The Salvador Dalí Museum in St. Petersburg, Florida, is less than an hour away from Tampa. It features an “unparalleled collection” of Dalí’s most notable paintings, all housed in a beautifully-designed building.

The museum features a longstanding collection as well as rotating exhibits. Peruse the walls of artwork, and be sure to add your wish to the Wish Tree in the Avant-garden. 

2. Clearwater Beach

Grab all your favorite beach supplies and make your way to Clearwater Beach, where you’ll find soft, white sand, and plenty of shopping, restaurants, and fun attractions.

Take a walk down Pier 60, dine at any of the famous beach-side spots, or pay a visit to the Clearwater Marine Aquarium and see Winter—the dolphin with a prosthetic tail!

3. Rainbow River

Located about two hours north of Tampa is Rainbow River, where you can enjoy kayaking, canoeing, or tubing down the long, winding, relaxing river.

The river is about 6 miles long and takes up to four hours to do entirely. Or, you can get off at their halfway point and make it a shorter day. There are also plenty of swimming and snorkeling options for those who don’t feel like riding the river.

4. The Wizarding World of Harry Potter

For all you theme park lovers out there, you’ve got to pay a visit to Universal Parks & Resorts’ Wizarding World of Harry Potter in Orlando.

Located in the aptly-named Diagon Alley, this part of the adventure park is a wonderland for fans of the J.K. Rowling series. Enjoy Hagrid’s Magical Creatures Motorbike Adventure, make your own custom wand, sip on some Butterbeer, and visit the whimsical village of Hogsmeade. 

5. Devil’s Den

Devil’s Den Prehistoric Spring is located in Levy County, about 2 hours north of Tampa.

Walk down a small flight of wooden stairs into a den and snorkel or scuba dive in the crystal-clear spring water. The area is well-lit by a hole in its ceiling that provides natural light, offering just the exposure you need to see everything around you in the water. 

Which Day Trips From Tampa Will You Take?

If you made a move to the Tampa area, you’re a lucky one.

Tampa, Florida, is full of amazing things to do, and there are countless day trips from Tampa that make your new hometown that much better. In the meantime, we can help you adjust to your new home even more. Click here to check out our short- and long-term storage options. We offer immaculate, convenient storage solutions for new and established residents.

Finding the Best Storage Companies in Tampa FL

Finding a storage facility is easy. Finding a good storage facility requires more effort and consideration. 

Whether you want to store your items at a full-service storage facility or use self-storage, there are essential criteria your storage company should meet. 

Storage Facility Security

Of course, most facilities will profess to have security, but too often, customers find out too late that security is lacking. At a minimum, storage locations should have 24-hour camera coverage inside and out (recorded), an alarm system, and fully monitored keyed access. In addition, grounds fully enclosed by a security fence provide further protection.

Absent the minimum security precautions, customers may not know they’ve been a victim until they retrieve and unpack their belongings. This disconnect between items going missing and the realization of it makes it impossible to recover items and difficult to file a claim with insurance. Selecting a facility with well-implemented security precautions will prevent the loss in the first place.

Protection From the Elements

A well-maintained and climate-controlled storage facility will protect your belonging from the elements. Florida weather can be extreme. High temperatures, high humidity, and heavy rains are the norm. Absent the proper protection, these conditions can quickly ruin your belonging.

Storage buildings must be well maintained. Before signing an agreement, inspect the building where your items will be stored. From inside, look for daylight where there should be none, and look for evidence of standing or running water on the ceiling, walls, and floor.  “Feel” the air. Is it too humid and stale due to no/low ventilation? Is the temperature acceptable? Failure to maintain proper conditions can lead to warping, mold, and mildew. 

Check for a fire suppression system. Today, there are minimum requirements for fire protection, so you should be able to see it. Ask if you are unsure. All reputable facilities will be protected.

From the outside, walk around the building if possible. Look for evidence of standing water around the base of the building. Be sure the ground is graded to slope away from the facility. Look at the wall and the roof line for any gaps that may let rain through. It is difficult to recover from water damage, so minimizing the chance of it occurring is best.

Accessibility/Flexibility for storage

For short-term storage, you will likely not need access to your items. However, for longer-term or in an emergency, you may need access. Be sure you understand how the storage company can facilitate access to your items. For self-storage, it is easy enough. But, in warehouse storage, the facility personnel will need to assist you. Understanding the process beforehand will help things go more smoothly if you need access.

Beyond the storage facility itself, there are a few things to consider.

Properly Insure Stored Items

Even with the best precautions, things can happen. From mother nature to honest accidents, belongings can be damaged. Typically, homeowner insurance policies will cover off-premise items in a storage facility. But don’t assume. Talk with your insurance company if you have a homeowners policy. If you are between homes with no policy in place, you can purchase insurance for the stored items.  

Where to store your belongings

When you are moving, several options may be available for storing your belongings if you cannot move directly between your old and new homes. 

While self-storage may be an option, it is usually impractical. Both in terms of the logistics and the physical effort, using self-storage between homes is beyond what most people should try to handle.  

Full-service moving companies offer all the moving services and provide short to long-term storage options. The storage can be arranged near your origin address or destination, even in long-distance travel. Deciding where to store your belongings will be influenced by cost and convenience should you need access. Discuss the options with your moving company.


To work with a mover that also provides best-in-class storage facilities, contact our office at Community Moving & Storage.