Tampa Optional Tours
Get a taste of Tampa, Florida with one of the local tours. These tours can be added at the time of registration.
Foodie Tour of Ybor City
Sunday, October 6, 2024
11:30 AM – Meet in the front lobby
Get the taste of Historic Ybor City on this foodie tour with the classic food of the city and a stop in front of the cigar factory that is ubiquitous of Ybor City. Many of the buildings echo the charming brick exteriors of the converted cigar factories, in homage to the area’s celebrated history as the Cigar Capital of the World. You’ll visit the original baker in Ybor City that was started in 1915 by a Spanish transplant who longed for good Cuban break. Along the way, enjoy a guided history tour and learn why Tampa Bay’s historical and cultural roots lie in Ybor City.
Raymond James Stadium Tour
Wednesday, October 9, 2024
1:45 PM – Meet in front lobby
Raymond James Stadium first broke ground in 1996. The 65,000-seat stadium (expandable to 75,00) hosted its first game on September 20, 1998, when the Tampa Bay Buccaneers hosted the Chicago Bears. Raymond James Stadium is home to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, University of South Florida Bulls Football, Outback Bowl, Monster Jam, Gasparilla, and the Sunset Music Festival.
This tour offers behind the scenes to see the stadium where these two teams and other events take place. Tour may include the playing field, locker room, club lounge, suites, and the pirate ship. The tour also discusses the history of the stadium, the stadium jail, the pirate ship, and many fascinating fun facts.
Cigar Factory Tour
Wednesday, October 9, 2024
1:45 PM – Meet in front lobby
For four generations and 126 years, J.C. Newman has been handcrafting many of the world’s finest cigars. J.C. Newman is headquartered in an iconic 111-year-old cigar factory in Ybor City National Historic Landmark District in Tampa. At this factory, known as “El Reloj”, employees roll premium cigars both by hand and by hand-operated, antique cigar machines.
Of Tampa’s 150 cigar factories, El Reloj is the last one still operating. Visiting El Reloj today is like walking back in time. Inside its iconic red brick exterior, the Newman family rolls cigars just like they have been doing for more than a century, using traditional handcrafted techniques and antique hand-operated machines. Experience this process for yourself in this self-guided tour of the factory.