Here are some of Tampa Bay's best historical walking tours

Center for Architecture & Design Tampa Bay

This is the only tour in town that explores the unique history of West Tampa and is a great way to gain knowledge on one of our lesser known yet historically vital communities. Considered Ybor City’s sister city, West Tampa was founded in 1895 and once had more cigar factories than its counterpart, a fact that may have you scratching your head as to why it isn’t considered Cigar City instead. This tour is led by Manny Leto, a board member of the Center for Architecture & Design as well as the Executive Director of Preserve the ‘Burg, so it’s safe to say he knows his shit.

Leto brings years of expertise in the field to this enlightening tour that lasts no more than two hours and meets at 10 a.m. at the West Tampa Library on Nov. 18. Tickets are $25 and pre-registration on Eventbrite is required.
Photo by the Burgert Brothers via Tampa-Hillsborough County Public Library System

Tampa Bay History Center

Each docent-led Tampa Bay History Center (TBHC) tour costs $20 and lasts 90 minutes. While all tours below start on Saturdays at 10 a.m., they depart from various locations, so be sure to check where your specific tour is meeting. For a complete schedule of tours now through the end of the year, visit tampabayhistorycenter.org
Photo via Tampa Bay History Center/Facebook

Downtown Tampa

While it may seem like downtown Tampa is little more than a business hub these days, the area contains a storied past that doesn’t make the history books. Listed stops on this one-mile tour include City Hall, Sacred Heart Church, the Floridan Palace Hotel, and downtown’s infamous dive, The Hub. Just make sure you save your boozing for after the tour has finished.
Photo by Michael Johnson

Central Avenue

According to TBHC, this tour will show walkers “the Harlem of the South” and provide insight into the experiences of Tampa's African-American community from the 1890s to the 1960s. Listed stops on the route that stretches between Cass Street and I-275 include the Robert W. Saunders, Sr. Public Library, Jackson House, and Perry Harvey, Sr. Park.
Photo by Ray Roa

Ybor City

This tour highlights Tampa Bay’s only National Historic Landmark District and promises to be jam-packed with intriguing details about the early inhabitants of Cigar City. To further immerse themselves in the local culture post-tour, walkers can sample some traditional Cuban fare, enjoy a stogie on a patio or visit one of the area’s many specialty shops.
Photo by Keir Magoulas via Visit Tampa Bay

Preserve the ‘Burg

With a mission “to educate, advocate for, and celebrate St. Pete's historic built environment and landscapes of importance,” Preserve the ‘Burg (PTB) tours bring over 40 years of conservation efforts to a tangible form. Each of the listed tours is $10 for members and $20 for non-members and lasts 90-120 minutes.

If you’re looking for a more independent experience, Preserve the ‘Burg also offers a Self-Guided Tour Book for $10 with 48 pages of historic places to see as well as audio tours available via the “Florida Stories” app.

For more information on Preserve the ‘Burg’s tour schedule, visit preservetheburg.org/tours
Photo via cityofstpete/Flickr

Millionaires and Bootleggers: Old Southeast Walking Tour

For one night in December, Preserve The 'Burg brings back this popular tour that meets at the north end of Lassing Park. Tour goers can expect to explore brick streets lined with historic homes, as well as the Bayboro House, the Polish American Club, and the Coast Guard Station, among others.The next Millionaires and Bootleggers tour is on Saturday, Dec. 9, from10 a.m.-noon.
Photo via cityofstpete/Flickr

Historic Kenwood Tour

This tour is offered on the fourth Thursday of every month in conjunction with the Historic Kenwood Neighborhood Association and explores St. Pete’s first suburb. Expect to spend about two hours casually strolling past well-preserved bungalows after an initial start at the Craftsman House, a craft gallery and cafe that was the original model home for the Kenwood neighborhood.
Photo via cityofstpete/Flickr

Tampa Mafia Tour

This one’s for all of the Scarface and Godfather fans out there. It’s no secret that Ybor City is laden with a history of corruption and vice, but this tour promises to dig even deeper into the former cigar mecca’s infamous past. The tours are either led by Manny Leto or Scott Deitche, who both bring years of expertise to this roughly two hour tour that leads you to former gambling houses, restaurants where private matters were discussed and back alleys that were used for a good shakedown, among other things. Tours happen on select dates through the rest of the year and are offered at varying times to improve accessibility. For more information on the Tampa Mafia Tours, visit tampamafia.com.

Photo via Google Maps

Gulfport Historical Society

Gulfport may seem like a sleepy little town, but it’s full of history that extends well beyond the beachy bars and locally owned restaurants that line Beach and Shore Boulevards. The Gulfport Historical Society is a great resource for those wanting to further their knowledge of what makes this city tick, and the following walking tours are a fun way to support the cause.
Photo via mygulfport.us

The Original Gulfport Walking Tour

This tour is offered on the third Saturday of every month and is led by Gulfport locals who are filled to the brim with knowledge of little-known tidbits and spirited stories of the past. The 90-minute tour starts at the Gulfport History Museum (5301 28th Ave. S, Gulfport, FL 33707), which gives you a chance to look at some historic photos beforehand. The tour is free for Gulfport Historical Society Members and $15 for non-members.
Photo courtesy Gulfport Historical Society

Tampa Bay Tours

This tour company was founded in 2005 by Lonnie Herman, a longtime Tampa resident who eventually enlisted his son Max to help with the tour’s growing popularity. Trip Advisor has named Tampa Bay Tours as the “Top Tour in Florida,” and visitors routinely name the event as the best part of their trip to Tampa.
Photo by Keir Magoulas via Visit Tampa Bay

The Official Ybor City Ghost Tour

This two-hour, award-winning tour and is the only tour in town with access to the Cuban Club, which the Travel Channel called one of the 10 Most Haunted Places in the U.S. Expect to hear stories of immigrants who paved the way for this historic landmark as your guide takes you through some of the area’s most haunted sites. The Official Ybor City Ghost Tour runs seven nights a week year round, making it easily accessible to all who dare to attend. The cost is $30 for adults and $10 for children 12 and under.
Photo by Ray Roa

The Official Downtown Tampa Ghost Tour

This is another nightly year-round tour (certain dates excluded, check website for details) filled with nightmarish tales of spirits that have chosen downtown Tampa as their forever home. The purported blessing from the Tocobaga tribe may help Tampa Bay escape a direct hit from hurricanes, but can it save residents from the souls that inhabit the mass graves of the yellow fever pandemic? This tour starts at the Tampa Theatre and ends at Sacred Heart Church, two hauntingly beautiful institutions.
Photo via TampaTheatre / Facebook

Ybor City Historical Walking Tour

Among the growing list of Ybor City walking tours, this daily event takes attendees down Seventh Avenue and promises “encyclopedic knowledge of Ybor City.” If you’ve not been to the Cuban-owned Parque Jose Marti, this is an opportune time to do so. You can also expect to hear about Teddy Roosevelt and his Rough Riders, as well as the corrupt past of the mobsters that called this area home. The Ybor City Historical Walking Tour is $30 for adults and $10 for kids 12 and under.
Photo via Visit Tampa Bay

Downtown Tampa Historic Walking Tour

Some Tampeno’s may not know about Tampa’s industrial past, but it was in fact one of the fastest growing cities at the beginning of the 20th century. This tour offers insight into the city’s previous inhabitants, from Native Americans and Spanish settlers to mobsters and Henry Plant. Tour-goers should plan to hear secrets about downtown Tampa’s history that will shed new light on how it came to be the booming place it is today. This 90-minute tour is offered six days a week and costs $25 for adults and $10 for children.
Photo via Adobe

I Love the Burg

All tours are led by longtime local historian Monica Kile and start at $25. Since 2009, I Love the Burg has offered comprehensive resources to help residents discover relevant opportunities and events. The historic tours offered promise to give special insight into how urban planning has shaped St Pete.
Photo via cityofstpete/Flickr

The Grand Tour of Downtown St. Pete

This tour promises to “visit the most beautiful building,” as well as the St. Petersburg Shuffleboard Club and hidden arcades, among other sites. Walkers will hear about the influence that former African-American residents had on the area’s modern urban design and infrastructure. The two-hour tour is offered at 10 a.m. on select dates in November and December and covers roughly two miles.
Photo via St. Pete Shuffle/Facebook

The Wonderful Waterfront

This tour, which meets at Demens Landing Historical Landmark, is great for individuals who are interested in learning about how St. Pete’s coastline has evolved to become the beautiful and well-preserved sanctuary it is today. Sports fans will also like this particular tour, as the history of Spring Training is one of the talking points on the roughly 90-minute tour that covers about 1.5 miles.
Photo via cityofstpete/Flickr

Beyond Downtown: The EDGE and More

Walkers will meet at Green Bench Brewing Co. (1133 Baum Ave. N) before embarking on this illuminating historical tour that delves into some of the city’s lesser known areas, such as Methodist Town and the Gas Plant District. Attendees will also learn about both the African-American and Jewish histories of St. Pete’s past, as well as visit what landmarks remain of this former industrial hub. All three remaining dates for this tour begin at 1:30 p.m. and will last 90 minutes and cover 1.5-miles of terrain.
Photo by Ilan Averbuch via cityofstpete/Flickr