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!

Fall is officially here and plenty of awesome Fall and Halloween events have already kicked off around town! If you need to know where to go, we've put together the best Halloween and Fall Festivals around Tampa Bay, including the best pics for kids of all ages and fright levels!

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, Save the Date, What's on Exhibit, and more.

Happy weekend exploring!

A few new stories we think you'll LOVE:

• FIRST LOOK: Check out the digital version of our October issue now!
• Your ULTIMATE Guide to Fall Family Fun in Tampa Bay
• Target's Car Seat Trade-In Program is Back!
• Dinner Date with the Kids at EPCOT's International Food & Wine Festival

Featured Things to Do in Tampa Bay this Weekend 

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

OPENING WEEKEND! A Pirate's Halloween on The Lost Pearl

• Dates: Select nights in October 2-31, 2026 on select days
• Location: 33 S Franklin St., Tampa

This October, set sail aboard The Lost Pearl Pirate Ship for a Halloween adventure! The 1.5-hour Halloween pirate cruise blends spooky fun with swashbuckling excitement. Costumes are encouraged for kids AND adults. Activities include Halloween and Pirate Games: Pumpkin Toss, Water Cannon Battles, Mummy Wrap, Spooky Dance Party, and Captain Patchy’s Pumpkin Patch. Teenagers will love a cruise on Pirate Water Taxi's Haunted River Tours, which are rated PG-13.

Sensory Saturday at MOSI

• Date: Saturday, October 3 from 8 am-10 am
• Location: Tampa

Experience MOSI’s Sensory Saturday, created in partnership with the Center for Autism & Related Disabilities (C.A.R.D.) at the University of South Florida. This event is designed this event to welcome individuals with sensory differences and their families to explore and connect in a supportive, engaging environment.

Minecraft Mania at MOSI

• Date: Saturday, October 3 from 1 pm-3 pm
• Location: Tampa

Calling all Minecraft fans! Minecraft Mania returns to MOSI! This event is designed specifically for children ages 7–12. Space is limited, and advance registration is required. Take your favorite game beyond the screen as you tackle hands-on challenges, learn basic coding, sharpen your computer skills, and work with teammates to defend your city from an alien invasion! Build incredible creations, learn coding and computer skills, and complete individual and team challenges. Same-day MOSI admission is included with registration.

Space Week at MOSI

• Date: Sunday, October 4-Saturday, October 10
• Location: Tampa

Launch into seven days of cosmic discovery during Space Week at MOSI! From October 4–10, each day features a different topic packed with hands-on activities and special planetarium shows that spark imagination, highlight real science, and celebrate humanity’s greatest space achievements. Because the topics change daily, every visit offers a fresh experience. This year’s overall theme is: Rocket Revolution! Daytime activities are included with MOSI admission, so you can dive right into the fun. See what's on schedule for World Space Week at MOSI in 2026!

Princess Cruise on Yacht Starship

• Date: Sunday, October 4 from 12 pm-2 pm
• Location: Tampa

You're invited to a princess cruise aboard the Yacht Starship! Princes and princesses of all ages are welcome to come aboard this magical cruise out of Tampa. This 2-hour cruise will include a boarding photo op with a princess followed by a lunch where Parties with Character Princesses will visit each table. After lunch, all guests are welcome to join the princesses for a sing-a-long and DJ dance party on the top deck.

Tampa Bay Bucs Game

• Date: Sunday, October 4 at 1 pm
• Location: Tampa

Cheer on the Bucs as they challenge the Green Bay Packers! And make sure to sign up for the Jr. Bucs Fan Club for even more team-building fun!

Creatures of the Night at ZooTampa at Lowry Park

• Dates: Select nights from September 25 to October 31, 2026 on select nights (Member Night is Sept. 25)
• Location: Tampa

Tampa Bay’s number-one family Halloween event returns in September with ALL-NEW experiences! Creatures of the Night at ZooTampa is full of eerie family fun for everyone! Ghouls and goblins of all ages can enjoy howling outdoor experiences, mischievous characters, creepy culinary treats, and much more! NEW this year: Enchanted Circle at the entrance, a NEW spooky trail, and more.  Head on over here to see what it was like at ZooTampa's Creatures of the Night .

Spooktacular at Busch Gardens Tampa Bay 

• Dates: Every Saturday & Sunday now through November 1, 2026
• Location: Busch Gardens Tampa

Join Kandy, Busch Gardens’ charming witch-in-training, for a brand-new family-friendly Halloween celebration full of fun and enchantment. Every Saturday and Sunday from 12 p.m.–4 p.m. on the Festival Pathway, little ghouls and goblins can explore Trick-or-Treating, Spooky Kooky Science, Magical Storytime, Kandy’s Costume Parade, and more! This event is included with park admission.

Brick or Treat at LEGOLAND Florida

• Dates: Weekends now through November 1
• Location: 1 Legoland Way, Winter Haven

Don’t miss this Halloween party built just for kids at LEGOLAND Florida Resort in Winter Haven. Kids can enjoy spooky LEGO building activities (they might even learn some cool LEGO building tricks from the pros!), trick-or-treating, the all-new Brick or Treat Street, and event-exclusive character meet-and-greets. Dance Party, and more! You can even climb aboard The Disco Dragon coaster and Galacticoaster for a Halloween twist. Read all about what to expect at Brick or Treat here.

Rep the Rays Postseason Rally

• • Date: Thursday, Oct. 1 at Midtown Tampa from 5-7 pm
  • Locations: St. Pete and Tampa

The Rays clinched their fifth American League East division title in franchise history on Sept. 22 and will host the events in advance of the first American League Division Series game on Oct. 3 at Tropicana Field. This is the Rays 10th trip to the Postseason and first since 2023. On Tuesday, Sept. 29 at Tropicana Field,  fans can choose between an in-ballpark experience or a convenient drive-thru option, both offering free Postseason items, including car flags, yard signs, and other giveaways. And then on Thursday, Oct. 1 from 5-7 p.m. at Midtown Tampa, fans can pick up free car flags, yard signs, and other giveaways as well as shop the Postseason merchandise collection at The Bay Republic Team Store pop-up.  Both event locations require a free ticket for entry: RaysBaseball.com/Postseason.

CLICK HERE TO EXPLORE ALL OF THE FALL FESTIVALS KICKING OFF THIS WEEKEND IN TAMPA BAY!

MORE Awesome Things to Do in Tampa Bay this Weekend

Fall Festival at Ananda Farm

• Date: Every Friday-Sunday through November 1!
• Location: Terra Ceia

Our favorite family farm is reopening for the season this Friday with the Ananda Farm Fall Festival! There is something for everyone here, including 15 attractions where kids can play and get their wiggles out, u-pick flowers, and yummy farm-to-table food! The festival runs every Friday through Sunday through November 1.

Empower Adventures Zip Line Adventures

• Date: Friday, October 2-Sunday, October 4
• Location: Oldsmar

Tour guides will lead you through a 2.5-hour unforgettable experience all while taking in the amazing Florida sunset! Gain a new perspective on fun, beginning with their 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!

Neon Halloween Painting at Painting with a Twist

• Date: Friday, October 2 from 5 pm-6:30 pm
• Location: Tampa

DIY a fun Halloween decoration! Choose from a witch cauldron, jack-o-lantern, ghost, or spider. Recommended minimum age is 7. You are welcome to bring your favorite snack to enjoy while you paint!

Friday Fun Night at the Farm at Licciardello Stables

• Date: Friday, October 2 from 5 pm-8 pm
• Location: Lutz

Enjoy some Friday fun on the farm with vendors, food trucks, petting farm, mini horseback rides, and more!

Mini Train Rides at Largo Central Park with a Halloween twist!

• Date: Saturday, October 3 and Sunday, October 4
• Location: Largo

Enjoy the miniature train ride through Largo Central Park on the Largo Central Railroad! The ride is available for anyone ages 1 and up (except for pregnant mothers). Please note that all participants must wear shoes. No pets allowed.

Kids Workshop at Home Depot

• Date: Saturday, October 3 from 9 am-12 pm
• Location: Various Locations

Head to your local Home Depot to make a free project! All supplies included (while supplies last). This month, make your own Witch Candy Box!

Pirates and Mermaids Takeover Day at Tarpon Springs Aquarium

• Date: Saturday, October 3 from 10 am-4 pm
• Location: Tarpon Springs

Ahoy matey! Head to Tarpon Springs Aquarium for a treasure hunt, face painting, mermaid karaoke, mermaid pictures, crafts, sword fights, a pirate coin dig, shell dig, and more!

Cyber Bowling Kids Matinee at Pin Chasers

• Date: Saturday, October 3 and Sunday, October 4
• 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, October 3, from 1:30 pm-4:30 pm
• Location: Tampa

Esports lounges are staffed with Esports specialists 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.

Sensory Sensitive Sunday at Chuck E. Cheese

• Date: Sunday, October 4 from 9 am-11 am
• Location: Various Locations

Chuck E Cheese is proud to support families of children with autism and other special needs. Through their Sensory Sensitive Sundays program, participating locations open two hours early on the first Sunday of the month. They offer a quieter environment, dimmed lighting, and a trained and caring staff to ensure each guest has a safe, fun-filled visit.

Sunday Breakfast Bowl at Pin Chasers

• Date: Sunday, October 4, from 9 am-11 am
• Location: Tampa, Zephyrhills

Bring the whole family to Pin Chasers for unlimited bowling plus breakfast! You get two hours of bowling, two eggs (your way), bacon, and toast.

Kids Day Out: Dance Party at Shanna and Bryan Glazer JCC

• Date: Sunday, October 4 from 12 pm-4 pm
• Location: Tampa

Calling all children ages 4-12 for a fun Sunday filled with dancing! Join the JCC for a day of karaoke, dancing, crafts and swimming!

Dueling Pianos for Kids at Treble Makers Dueling Piano Bar and Restaurant

• Date: Sunday, October 4 from 4 pm-6 pm
• Location: Wesley Chapel

Fun for the whole family! Bring the kids out to dance, sing, and request all their favorite tunes! Movie Songs, TV Shows, and pop music are all on the table! Yes, the adults can request songs too! Reserver your seat now for this free event!

Tampa Bay Sun Football Club Game

• Date: Sunday, October 4 at 5 pm
• Location: Tampa

Come cheer on the Tampa Bay Sun FC as they take on Lexington!

SAVE THE DATE: For these Awesome Events!

Bishop McLaughlin Catholic High School Open House

• Date: Wednesday, October 21, 2026 6:00–8:00 p.m.
• Location: 13651 Hays Road Spring Hill, FL 34610, Bishop McLaughlin Catholic High

Discover Bishop McLaughlin Catholic High School at our Open House on Wednesday, October 21, from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m. Tour campus, meet students and faculty, and explore our faith-centered, college-preparatory experience. Learn about scholarships and discover the value and affordability of a Catholic education, along with transportation options available across the region. At Bishop, students are known, supported, challenged, and given opportunities to shine. Applications are now open for 2027–2028 and the Class of 2031.

Disney's Beauty and the Beast

• Dates: May 4-16, 2027
• Location: Straz Center, downtown Tampa

This enchanting and timeless tale is filled with the romance, and grandeur audiences know and love. Be our guest, Tampa!

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

NOW OPEN: Lion & Hyena Ridge at Busch Gardens Tampa Bay!

• Date: Now Open!
• Location: Tampa

Get ready to come face to face with two of Africa's most legendary predators at Busch Gardens Tampa Bay! Lion & Hyena Ridge is an extraordinary new addition to the park's award-winning animal care portfolio and one of the most immersive wildlife experiences in North America. Included with general admission.

Play at MOSI's NEW SciLinx Cretaceous Course

• Dates: NOW OPEN
• Location: Tampa

Dinosaurs are taking over the SciLinx mini golf course at MOSI! You can now putt putt your way millions of years back in time alongside five massive dinosaurs! The debut of the Cretaceous Course marks the first step in a larger dinosaur transformation taking place across the museum as MOSI prepares for the arrival of SUE The T. rex Experience in January 2027.

NOW OPEN: Pinniped Pier at Clearwater Marine Aquarium

• Date: Now open!
• Location: Clearwater

Meet CMA's newest residents–Wahoo and Tuna, the sea lions, in their new home at Pinniped Pier! Be among the first to meet these sweet animals in their new habitat, along with more new animals that have recently joined the CMA family! We're sharing more about what's new at Clearwater Marine Aquarium here.

Mysteries of the Nile: Ancient Egypt at Tampa Museum of Art

• Date: Now Open!
• Location: Downtown Tampa

The Tampa Museum of Art has just unveiled a first-of-its-kind exhibit for the Tampa Bay area featuring art and artifacts of ancient Egypt. The exhibit features pieces on loan from the Royal Ontario Museum in Toronto and from private collections of owners, along with works from TMA's collection. The exhibit is an exploration of the everyday life of ancient Egyptian people, the power of the pharaohs and priests, the worship of the gods, and the afterlife. Mysteries of the Nile: Ancient Egypt will be on display for two years.

Go check out the NEW Magic Grasshopper at the Museum of Fine Arts in St. Pete

• Date: on display now
• Location: St. Pete

The MFA just unveiled Magic Grasshopper, a pink-hued fantastical art sculpture by a renowned artist, Yvette Mayorga. It's the first in a series of public art displays the museum will showcase outside of its gallery walls for all to enjoy. No admission is required to experience it!

Galacticoaster at LEGOLAND Florida Resort

• NOW OPEN! 
• Location: LEGOLAND Florida, Winter Haven

Be one of the first to experience LEGOLAND Florida Resort's awesome new indoor family coaster, Galacticoaster! You'll find it in the new LEGO Galaxy, where you can immerse yourself in 40+ years of LEGO space history. The ride is a first of its kind, and we're sharing all of the details about Galacticoaster here!

Above & Beyond exhibit at MOSI 

• Dates: Now Open!
• Location: Tampa

From the earliest dreams of the Wright brothers to the future of space exploration, this immersive exhibit lets you design, test, and experience flight firsthand through cutting-edge, hands-on technology. Step into the action as you build your own aircraft, explore the forces of flight, and push the limits of what’s possible.

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.

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.