Celebrate the Season: Christmas in Tampa Bay

Discover Christmas in Tampa Bay exploring its rich history at the History Center and Ybor City, explore circus heritage, and visiting a big cat rescue.

I will always remember my trip to Tampa Bay. It was a Wednesday, just a week before Christmas. As I left New England, I was wearing shorts and a fleece pullover. Am I a little crazy? Maybe. But I was on my way to Florida! The weather at my airport was cold but pleasant and sunny, with no significant winter storms in sight. Upon arriving in Tampa Bay, it felt like I had stepped into a summer day back home, with a warm, sunny temperature of 85 degrees! During my drive to the hotel in this heat, I noticed Christmas lights and trees decorating people's yards, which felt quite surreal compared to my usual chilly December experiences. It would cool off to more "fall-like" temperatures later that week but nonetheless, it was a welcome breather from the cold winter that was now firmly established up north. Christmas can be celebrated in so many different ways—whether it’s snowy or on a sunny beach. As for me, I chose to spend Christmas in Tampa Bay exploring its rich history at the Tampa Bay …