20+ FUN Things to Do in Tampa Bay this Weekend

It's another busy weekend with tons of awesome things to do in Tampa Bay with the kids!

Happy February! Valentine's Day is coming up this weekend and we've got some Fun Ways to Celebrate Valentine's Day as A Family in Tampa Bay!

One of our favorite events is back – the Florida State Fair! And this Friday just happens to be Fair Day for Hillsborough County Public Schools, making it the perfect time to check out all the fair has to offer. From rides, to exhibits and food, check out our picks for The BEST Things to Do with Kids at the Florida State Fair

The weather is also perfect for getting outdoors and exploring some of the amazing events around town like Busch Gardens Sesame Kids Weekends and Mardi Gras! Or get the wiggles out with a day of play at one of the many awesome parks around Tampa Bay.

But, before we dive into our list of Weekend Top Picks of Things to Do in Tampa Bay This Weekend– here's how we've set it up to make it easier for you to find an event on a day that works best for your family: Featured Events that make this page possible, More Awesome Things to Do, What's on Exhibit, Save the Date, and more.

Happy weekend exploring!

A few new stories we think you'll LOVE:

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• “& Juliet’s” Kathryn Allison Dishes on Shakespeare, Pop Music, and Life After Romeo
• U-PICK IS BACK: Where to pick strawberries, citrus, and more in Tampa Bay!

Featured Things to Do in Tampa Bay this Weekend 

We're giving the following events an extra shout-out since their support helps us provide this amazing weekend guide to you for free!

2026 Florida State Fair

• Dates: February 5-16
• WEEKDAY Times: Monday – Thursday, from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m.
• WEEKEND Times: Friday – Sunday & President’s Day, from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m.
• Location: 4800 US Hwy. 301 North, Tampa FL 33610

Celebrate America at the Florida State Fair—America’s Sunniest Celebration—shining bright February 5–16 in Tampa! Enjoy 12 days of rides, classic fair food, live entertainment, creative competitions, agricultural showcases, and hands-on exhibits that highlight Florida’s talent and traditions. With red, white, and blue moments, photo-worthy spots, and fun for every age and vibe, it’s the perfect place to soak up the sunshine and celebrate it all.

Sips & Seals at Sunset

• Dates: February 13 from 5 pm-8 pm
• Location: Clearwater Marine Aquarium

Clearwater Marine Aquarium welcomes three harbor seals! Scallop, Pharaoh and Ocean are marking both a brand-new species and a newly-renovated seal habitat for CMA, just in time for Valentine’s Day weekend. CMA is hosting a special event to introduce the seals to the public with an evening of sunset views and full aquarium admission. CMA’s animal care team will offer an inside look at the seals’ behavior and the care that goes into welcoming these new residents. Dean Geyer, the South African singer/songwriter and actor known for “Glee” and “Australian Idol” will perform in a special concert that night as well.

The arrival of harbor seals expands CMA’s animal care family and reinforces its mission to inspire human connection to marine life through meaningful, conservation-based stories.

A Day on Ananda Farm in Terra Ceia

• Dates: Open Friday from 3 pm-7 pm and Saturday and Sunday from 10 am-7 pm
• Location: 579 Ken Hubbard Road, Terra Ceia

Enjoy the sunshine and explore our favorite family-friendly farm in Tampa Bay! Kids can play on the 15 different attractions, including a huge tree house, while adults enjoy delicious food and drinks. You can also pick pretty flowers, listen to live music, and more! As a bonus, get $10 admission on President's Day, Monday, February 16!

Mardi Gras at Busch Gardens Tampa Bay

• Date: Through March 1
• Location: Tampa

Get jazzed up with Mardi Gras-style entertainment, live music and catch some festival beads (after each parade). Feast like kings and queens on New classic Cajun cuisine as Busch Gardens brings the “Big Easy” to Tampa Bay.

LAST WEEKEND! LEGO NINJAGO Weekends at LEGOLAND Florida Resort

• Select dates: January 24, 31, and February 7, 14, 15
  
• Location: Winter Haven

Go full ninja! It's time to celebrate 15 years of LEGO NINJAGO and take on the ultimate mission of family fun as LEGO NINJAGO Weekends returns to LEGOLAND Florida Resort! Step into the world of LEGO NINJAGO with your favorite LEGO Ninjas, and reach your true Ninja potential with immersive, thrilling shows and action-packed activities that you can only find at LEGOLAND Florida.

Real Music Series at Busch Gardens Tampa Bay

• Date: Now through February 20, 2026
• Location: Busch Gardens Tampa Bay

MORE Awesome Things to Do in Tampa Bay this Weekend

& Juliet at The Straz Center

• Dates: Tuesday, February 10-Sunday, February 15
• Location: Tampa

Kids' Valentine Scavenger Hunt at Oldsmar Library

• Date: Friday, February 13 from 9 am-5 pm
• Location: Oldsmar

Mr. Anthony will be hiding Valentine images throughout the library! Stop by anytime to find them all and win a prize! For kids 12 and under. Each child may play and win once throughout the duration of the program.

Pikachu Day at United Skates

• Date: Friday, February 13 from 12 pm-4 pm
• Location: Tampa

School’s-Out for Fair Day in Hillsborough County! Spend your day off rolling into fun at this special afternoon skate. And yes, Pikachu will be there! Enjoy a special visit from Pikachu and buy your ticket in advance and receive a FREE Pokémon card.

Valentine's Double Play Kids Happy Hour at 1983

• Date: Friday, February 13 from 3 pm-6 pm
• Location: Tampa

Enjoy double play credits at 1983's Kids Happy Hour. There will be face painting, kids Valentine's crafts, and more in the game room and lawn!

Sunset Zip Line Adventures at Empower Adventures Tampa Bay

• Date: Friday, February 13-Sunday, February 15
• Location: Oldsmar

Gain a new perspective on fun, beginning with a 60-foot tall start tower, 5 zip lines varying in length and totaling over 3,000′, a 200-foot suspension bridge along with an adventure course with log bridges, cable traverses, and poles!

Rock Cats Rescue Presents the Amazing Acro-Cats at Stageworks Theatre

• Date: Friday, February 13-Sunday, February 15
• Location: Tampa

The Amazing Acro-Cats, featured in the Netflix series Cat People, are coming to Tampa! This troupe of trained house cats, all former orphans, rescues, and strays, give a one-of-a-kind, 90 minute purrformance that includes cats riding skateboards, jumping through hoops, ringing bells, balancing on balls, and performing other feats of agility and acrobatics. The show finale is the only all-cat band in the world: Tuna and the Rock Cats! The Rock Cats play guitar, drums, and piano, and they’ve been joined by the Jazz Cats on saxophone, trumpet, and clarinet. The Acro-Cats tour to support Rock Cats Rescue, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization.

SkyWatch at MOSI

• Date: Saturday, February 13 from 7 pm-9 pm
• Location: MOSI/Tampa

Join MOSI astronomers for SkyWatch, an exciting evening stargazing event! Whether you’re a seasoned stargazer or just beginning to explore the wonders of the night sky, SkyWatch offers an unforgettable experience for everyone. Throughout the evening, their expert astronomers will guide you in viewing the stars, planets, and celestial wonders through telescopes. From the ground level of the outdoor Science Park to the top of the iconic MOSI Dome, they’ll have telescopes set up to give you the best view of the night sky. Take in the breathtaking beauty of constellations, distant galaxies, and more while astronomers provide fascinating insights about the cosmos.

Publix Too Good for Drugs Jr. Gasparilla Distance Classic 

• Date: Saturday, Feb. 14, from 8:30 a.m.-12 p.m. 
• Location: Jefferson High School, Tampa 

This is a great way to introduce kids to the fun of racing! It’s free for kids ages 2-10. Race day is divided up by age, so it’s fair. 2-year-olds start at 10 am, and it wraps with 9-10-year-olds racing at 11:45 am. Older kids and adults can get a race-day shirt for $5. 

Angry Lizard: An Experiment by Dr. Kramer

• Date: Saturday, February 14, 11:00 am & 3:00 pm 
• Location: Jimmie B. Keel Regional Library, Tampa

Angry Lizard: An Experiment by Dr. Kramer is a playful, imaginative show for all audiences that explores emotions, empathy, and self-control—with the help of dinosaurs. The story follows Dr. Kramer, a so-called “mad scientist,” as he tries to teach emotional awareness in the most unexpected way. Best for ages 4 and up. All performances are free and open to the public. Additional performances are on schedule through the month at libraries across Hillsborough County.

Weekend Workshop at Bricks 4 Kidz

• Date: Saturday, February 14 from 10 am-1 pm
• Location: Tampa

Take part in this 3 hour LEGO workshop full of LEGO robots, LEGO mosaic art, LEGO 3D art, and much more! Each week is a different theme and at the end of each workshop, every child will get to take home their every own Bricks 4 Kidz minifigure! All children ages 4.5 – 12 years old are welcome! Spots are limited to just 20 builders per workshop! This Saturday, participate in a LEGO Valentine Workshop!

I Love K-Pop Valentine Skate at United Skates

• Date: Saturday, February 14 from 10 am-12 pm
• Location: Tampa

Calling All K-Pop Fans! If you love K-Pop, this Valentine’s Skate Party is just for you! Event fun includes: Your favorite K-Pop hits, K-Pop trivia, costume contest, and more!

Tampa Bay Rays Fan Fest Block Party

• Date: Saturday, February 14 from 1 pm-5 pm
• Location: St. Petersburg

Join the Rays for a Fan Fest Block Party, presented by Visit St. Pete-Clearwater. This year’s event offers an exciting lineup of family-friendly activities, including: a community yard sale, benefiting the official charity of the Tampa Bay Rays, opportunities to interact with your favorite players, games, mascots, an entertaining stage show, and more!

Cyber Bowling Kids Matinee at Pin Chasers

• Date: Saturday, February 14 and Sunday, February 15
• Location: Tampa, Zephyrhills

Cyber Bowling is the fusion of high-energy entertainment and bowling where anything is possible! Bowling with kids? Enjoy special family matinees with family appropriate music so families can enjoy the fun together at an earlier time.

Esports Open Play at Northdale Rec Center

• Date: Saturday, February 14 from 1:30 pm-4:30 pm
• Location: Tampa

Esports lounges are staffed with Esports specialist who inspire and encourage new social skills, help develop gaming fundamentals, and set a safe, inclusive and positive social environment. Coaches are Esports competitors who have the skills and experience to help any player develop and grow their skills to perform better in competitions. In addition to developing Esports skills, participants socialize with like-minded competitors and make new friends in a high-energy environment.

Tampa Bay Sun Football Club Game

• Date: Saturday, February 14 at 7:30 pm
• Location: Tampa

Cheer on the Tampa Bay Sun as they take on the DC Power Football Club!

Spirit in the Sky Drone Show at Florida State Fairgrounds

• Date: Saturday, February 14 and Sunday, February 15 from 8 pm-8:30 pm
• Location: Tampa

At the 2026 Florida State Fair, 500 drones bring history to life in a narrated show by Sky Elements honoring America’s 250-year journey.

Day of Discovery at Florida Aquarium

• Date: Sunday, February 15 from 8 am-9 pm
• Location: Tampa

A Day of Discovery provides an Aquarium experience specifically tailored to individuals with sensory differences and their families. Days of Discovery are hosted by The Florida Aquarium in partnership with the Center for Autism & Related Disabilities (C.A.R.D.) at the University of South Florida. To address the needs of diverse audiences, Day of Discovery has limited capacity and is reserved for families and children with sensory differences and/or accessibility challenges. Special effects, lights and music will be adapted for those with sensory differences.

Sounds of the Ocean at MOSI

• Date: Sunday, February 15 from 6 pm-8:15 pm
• Location: Tampa

Prepare to dive into the wonders of the deep with Sounds of the Ocean, an award-winning immersive experience now playing at MOSI’s Saunders Planetarium and Digital Dome Theatre. From the moment it begins, this adventure unfolds through music, art, and mindfulness. It guides you and your family into the calm, enchanting world beneath the waves. Created by ocean artivist and composer Joshua Sam Miller, along with co-director and Expressive Arts Therapist Elise Lein, Sounds of the Ocean takes audiences on a meditative underwater journey. As whale and dolphin melodies meet original music and mesmerizing visuals, the result is a symphony of harmony. In turn, it helps you reconnect with nature and find inner calm.

MORE THINGS TO DO: See What’s on Exhibit in Tampa Bay

Leonardo da Vinci: Machines in Motion at MOSI

Step back into time and explore full-scale machines created from da Vinci's drawings. Ultimately, Leonardo da Vinci: Machines in Motion invites you to explore the mind of one of history’s greatest thinkers. Discover his ideas. Experience his creativity. And feel the impact of his genius. On display through May 26.

Lucy Sparrow's Quick Shop at FloridaRAMA

• Dates: Now until the exhibit sells out of the felt art creations
• Location: St. Pete

World-renowned artist Lucy Sparrow is bringing her incredible felt artwork back to Tampa Bay in a 700-square-foot exhibit at FloridaRAMA called Lucy Sparrow's Quick Shop. The whimsical exhibit is filled with thousands of handmade felt art creations inspired by the everyday items you would find at the market, including produce, seafood, laundry detergent, and more. And here's what's really cool–you can purchase the artwork, too. FloridaRAMA is also decorated for the holidays! They also just unveiled Lucy Sparrow's Sugar Rush, featuring favorite candies in felt form!

Feline Files: Fact or Fiction? at FloridaRAMA

Investigate strange occurrences around Mermaid Star Motel and discover a mysterious new feline species!

Science LIVE! All-New Science Demos at MOSI in Tampa | Daily at 2 p.m.

Watch a MOSI educator bring science to life with exciting, hands-on demos. Each show lasts about 15 minutes and features fun experiments in chemistry, physics, biology, and more. You’ll see colorful reactions, cool demos, and amazing science in action. MOSI makes science easy to understand, and even easier to get excited about!

Wild Oasis at Busch Gardens Tampa Bay 

The Wild Oasis Realm is finally open at Busch Gardens Tampa Bay! There's a new ride, a splash pad, and so many ways to climb and play!

SEA LIFE Florida at LEGOLAND Florida Resort in Winter Haven

Get ready for this under-the-sea adventure at this all-new indoor attraction! You can expect to see more than 3,000 sea creatures and even walk through a 180-degree underwater tunnel! We'll be there for the official opening on Friday morning!

Forts Exhibit at Glazer Children's Museum in Tampa

The beloved FORTS exhibit returns to Glazer Children's Museum this weekend in its newly expanded and permanent home on the second floor, just in time for spring break! You'll find it on the second floor, where kids can use their imaginations to build an epic fort!

Let's See at Glazer Children's Museum in Tampa

This colorful, bilingual (English and Spanish) exhibit, created in partnership with the Glazer Vision Foundation, invites families to explore the science of vision through hands-on, mind-bending experiences. Discover how your eyes work with playful interactives that bring light, color, and perspective to life. Mix colors on spinning wheels, walk into a giant kaleidoscope, and cast dazzling colored shadows. Peer through a water sphere to see the world flipped upside down – just like your eyes do before your brain flips it back! Try on glasses, test for color blindness, and watch your pupils dilate as you explore how we see the world.

Wonders of Wetlands at Great Explorations Children's Museum in St. Pete

This new permanent exhibit, created in partnership with Tampa Bay Water, was designed to engage young minds and spark environmental curiosity. The immersive experience brings one of Florida’s most vital ecosystems to life inside the museum, and kids can even go face-to-face with some of the creatures that call our wetlands home, like turtles, lizards, and a snake!

See the World’s Largest Triceratops at Glazer Children’s Museum in Tampa

Big John, the world’s largest fossil triceratops, is now on display at the Glazer Children’s Museum for a three-year exhibition. For the first time, the museum is waiving its requirement that adults attend the museum with a child, to ensure everyone has a chance to see Big John nose to snout for themselves. While you do not need a reservation to go to the museum, you will need to book a timeslot to see Big John. This will eliminate crowds so you can make the most out of the experience.  Learn more about how to plan your day to see Big John the Triceratops here.

FloridaRAMA in St. Pete

FloridaRAMA (formerly Fairgrounds St. Pete) is an immersive art experience has made its mark in Tampa Bay! There are more than 70 artists featured. You can go and simply enjoy the whimsical art that celebrates weird, wacky, wonderful Florida or choose a different adventure and try to crack the codes and mysteries you’ll find throughout.

Paws for Literacy at Humane Society of Tampa Bay in Tampa | Tuesdays and Thursdays

The Humane Society of Tampa Bay gives children who love animals a chance to spend time with them while catching up on their reading or improving their reading skills. Children are paired with homeless pets who love to hear the stories and look at the pictures. The program is offered for children ages 5 and up. They’ll provide reading stools, books, and treats (for the animals), but children are welcome to bring their own books if they wish. Books provided include animal tales, stories of the animal-human bond, and books that teach empathy to young readers. Supervised by a Florida state certified teacher.

Ruskin Family Drive-In in Ruskin | Wednesdays-Sundays

The Ruskin Family Drive-In Theatre has over 50 years of continuous service to the Ruskin and South Hillsborough County. It’s been a community gathering place since its first movie, “Singing in the Rain” played in 1952. They offer great movies, good food, and peace and quiet on a continuous basis with a 2000 square foot screen, clean restrooms, snack bar, and clean parking lot. Please note: you must bring a portable radio with you or use the radio in your car to hear the movie. There will be no showings on Monday and Tuesday.

Save the Date for these Awesome Events in Tampa Bay:

Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg 

• Dates: Friday, Feb. 27 to Sunday, March 1 
• Location: Downtown St. Pete 

The 22nd annual running of the iconic event, the Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg, will bring fans three full days of family fun and nonstop racing action with eight total races from five different racing series. Three-day admission tickets start at $80 for adults and $70 for kids ages 12 and younger. For an extra $35, you can upgrade your kid’s day with Rookie Racers, which will get them up close to the cars and drivers, where they can give each driver a high-five at the starting grid. They’ll also receive a Rookies Racers Membership Kit.

Monster Jam  in Tampa 

• Dates: Saturday, Feb. 28 at 7 p.m. and Sunday, March 1 at 3 p.m.  
• Location: Raymond James Stadium, Tampa 

Monster Jam roars back to town for a high-octane competition by world-class drivers behind the wheel of some of the most legendary monster trucks, like Grave Digger, El Toro Loco, and Megalodon. Watch as they compete in thrilling races, jaw-dropping stunts, and freestyle competitions. You can also upgrade your day with the Pit Party, where you can see the trucks up close and even meet the drivers.