Tampa Riverwalk named second best in nation

Hot on the heels of news that Tampa’s beloved Riverwalk will be expanded by five miles thanks to a $24 million grant from the U.S. Department of Transportation, the amenity has been named the nation’s second-best riverwalk by USA Today’s Reader’s Choice Travel Awards competition.

The Tampa Riverwalk ranks behind only Detroit’s International RiverWalk, and it edged out Waterfront Park in Louisville, Kentucky. It also supplanted Cincinnati’s Smale Riverfront Park, which nabbed the No. 2 spot last year.

According to a news release, a panel of travel editors and experts in January selected 20 riverwalks around the country. Online voters then cast their ballots, which determined the top 10.

“We're grateful to everyone who voted and it was truly an honor to be nominated alongside some amazing cities and riverwalks,” states MaryBeth Williams, executive director of Friends of the Riverwalk, the privately funded non-profit organization that helps develop, activate and promote the Tampa Riverwalk, in the release. “Our vision is for the Tampa Riverwalk to be America’s iconic riverwalk, and we are on our way to seeing that vision materialize. We hope this inspires people from all over the United States to include the Tampa Riverwalk in their travel plans and see for themselves what our amazing our city has to offer.”

In selecting the Tampa Riverwalk, the release states, travel editors and experts noted its outstanding scenery and how it effectively links businesses, parks and museums while serving as a central location for community activities.