No matter if you’re six or 60, there are so many fun things to do when you live at our New Tampa apartments. Whether you’re into rides that get your adrenaline rushing or want to calm your mind with a tranquil, relaxing walk in nature—there is something for everyone nearby. Get up close with animals, test your car-racing skills, and experience everything Tampa has to offer at these awesome places near Mezzo at Tampa Palms.
New Tampa Nature Park
Take a quick 10-minute drive and you’ll find yourself at the New Tampa Nature Park. Open since 2012, this wooded park boasts both paved and unpaved trails for walking, hiking, and cycling, plus a zip-line and ropes course to get your heart pumping and to test your physical skills. Walk the trails to view wildlife, stop and have a picnic, or let the kiddos play on the playground—it’s the ideal spot to spend a Saturday afternoon. Learn more about the park on the official New Tampa Nature Park website.
Lettuce Lake Conservation Park
One of Hillsborough County’s most visited parks, the Lettuce Lake Conservation Park is just over five miles from Mezzo at Tampa Palms. The 240-acre park was opened in 1982 and features a 1.25-mile paved exercise trail, 3,500-foot boardwalk, observation tower, picnic areas, and playgrounds. Guests can rent kayaks or canoes to explore the wetlands and get up close with local wildlife and aquatic birds. View the trail map and learn more about the park on the Lettuce Lake Conservation Park website.
Busch Gardens
Are you a thrill-seeker or adrenaline junkie? Then you’ll love the fact that Busch Gardens is less than 15 minutes from our Tampa Palms apartments. This theme park not only has thrilling rollercoasters and extraordinary rides, but they also have animal exhibits, family-friendly live entertainment, a joined water park (Adventure Island), safari tours, and kid-friendly areas. Keep an eye out on their event calendar for concerts, holiday-themed events, and more. Head to the Busch Gardens website to buy tickets, learn about attractions, and more.
USF Botanical Gardens
Slow things down and take a stroll through the gorgeous and peaceful USF Botanical Gardens. Home to a collection of over 3,000 species of plants and animals, this stunning park is spread over 16-acres of gardens and greenbelt on the USF Tampa campus. Attracting thousands of visitors every year, these gardens draw everyone from the avid plant enthusiast and botanist to the average person looking to appreciate the rare and unusual plants and learn about sustainable gardening. See what’s in bloom, plan your visit, and get ticket information on the USF Botanical Gardens website.
The Florida Aquarium
Rated as one of the best aquariums in the country, The Florida Aquarium lets visitors experience the fascinating world of aquatic and terrestrial wildlife. Step inside animal habitats to learn about the life of otters, sharks, sea turtles, stingrays, lemurs, and lots more. Perfect for all ages, the aquarium also boasts exhibits that include a 4-D theater that incorporates wind and water mist, a splash pad, and more. Purchase tickets, learn about current habitats and become a member on The Florida Aquarium website.
ZooTampa at Lowry Park
For even more fun with animals, head over to ZooTampa at Lowry Park—a quick 15-minute drive from our Tampa Palms apartments. Come face-to-face with creatures from across the globe while learning about the fascinating world of the animal kingdom. Manatees, orangutans, tigers, elephants, koalas—name an animal, and you can get a glimpse of them as you wander the grounds where you can expect something fun around every turn. Visit the ZooTampa at Lowry Park website to see all the habitats, purchase tickets, and more.
Grand Prix Tampa
Round up your friends and family and head over to Grand Prix Tampa where you’ll find 15-acres of fun and friendly competition for all ages. Perfect during any season, guests can experience indoor and outdoor fun that includes The Big Track Go Kart Track, The Family Track, Castle Arcade, Ropes Adventure Dome, Miniature Golf, and more. There is no admission to enter the park and you’ll only pay for what activities you do, so you can customize your visit every time you come! The Grand Prix Tampa website has attraction info, tickets, and an events calendar.
Croc Encounters
If you’re looking for a different kind of thrill than rollercoasters or go-karts, you might want to pay a visit to Croc Encounters. Get up close and personal with reptiles and learn about their importance in the ecosystem. Choose to go on a guided or self-guided tour as you get close to crocodiles, snakes, lizards, tortoises, and even some amphibians—you can even experience a live feeding demo. Head to the Croc Encounters website to see a list of all the animals, tours, and events.
Did someone say “fun”? It’s not hard to find when you live at our New Tampa apartments. Stop by Mezzo at Tampa Palms today and tour our gorgeous floor plans.