American Victory Ship & Museum
American Victory Ship & Museum things to do, attractions, restaurants, events info and trip planning
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Tampa, Florida | Classic 3-Day Itinerary: Day 1️⃣
VinVin
1790
Wow, our visit to the American Victory Warship was absolutely incredible! I can’t recommend it enough, especially for families looking for an exciting and memorable experience. My son had an absolute blast, and we all had the best time ever! From the moment we stepped onboard, we were greeted with smiles and a warm welcome. The crew was so friendly and made us feel right at home. They were awesome with my son, patiently answering all his questions and sharing fascinating stories. It was clear they loved what they do and wanted us to have a fantastic time. The American Victory Warship itself is truly impressive. It’s a massive ship filled with history and adventure. Exploring its well-preserved interior and checking out the cool exhibits felt like stepping back in time. My son’s eyes lit up with excitement as he discovered each nook and cranny. What made the experience even more special was the interactive nature of the tour. We got to climb aboard, explore the different areas, and even pretend to be sailors for a while. It was like being part of a real-life adventure! I can’t stress enough how much fun we had at the American Victory Warship. It’s a must-visit for families seeking an awesome adventure. The ship and the crew create an atmosphere that’s both educational and entertaining. Trust me, you won’t be disappointed! Thank you to the amazing crew for providing an experience that my son will remember forever. We’re already planning our next visit!
Megan SummersMegan Summers
30
Very educational and a massive number of rooms and areas to explore. You can roam pretty much everywhere in the ship, so great option for physical/tactile education. By nature, the ship is very poorly ventilated so it's extremely inside. Like hotter than it is outside. They have several fans positioned throughout the ship and a "cool down room" that has air conditioning, but I would recommend bringing some sort of personal cooling devices and water if you really want to take your time to explore. We were so hot that we felt like we had to rush through and didn't get the full value of our entry ticket. Speaking of which, they offer lots of discounts (seniors, military, first responders, teachers, etc), but the standard ticket is $15 per person. With such a prime location (right next to the cruise ship terminal and the aquarium) and a relatively high ticket price for a self guided experience, I would have expected the ship to be maintained a bit better. Most of the military museums I've been to take a lot of pride in taking good care of the exhibits etc. This was not the case here. Lastly, this would be an extremely inaccessible activity for anyone with physical challenges. Lots of narrow spaces and steep stairways. Of course, that's no one's fault, just would advise that it is taken into consideration when planning your itinerary. Strollers and wheelchairs are not going to work well here.
E BE B
30
Visited 12/26/21 You have to go around the north of the Tampa Aquarium to find the ship. Not well labeled and very few signs until you get close to it. That said, once you find it the experience is amazing. The ship is huge and the main room upon entering is set up like a museum, while the rest of the ship is staged as it would have looked in WWII with an additional Christmas display set up for the holidays. Some rooms of the ship were blocked off as they were being restored, as well as a couple of areas that were for employees only. Otherwise, the majority of the ship and all decks were accessible to visitors. Many of the rooms had TVs playing documentary-like reels that further explained the purpose or usage of specific rooms, or provided other in-depth information. Despite having several designated 'cool down rooms' that were supposed to be air conditioned, none of them were running so it did get quite hot in the ~80 degree weather. Bring water, fans, and hats!
Phoenix HiraethPhoenix Hiraeth
170
First off, the staff were very friendly and welcoming. Be warned though, this ship is HOT. I barely sweat spending the previous day at Busch Gardens but was almost dripping here. However, there are several "cool down" rooms where you can get a reprieve from the sweltering Florida heat. You can tell the people really care about making this a great experience for visitors due to this and other reasons. For example, the ship has been updated to include like five bathrooms and there's even a handwashing station in the galley. Yes, the water in an 80-year-old ship's kitchen still works! They even let you ring the bell on the deck. I felt a bit like a kid again. I won't spoil too much with my photos and videos because you should see for yourself; it's a really interesting museum and living history.
JohnJohn
00
The museum is at first hard to find. You need to go through the Floroda Aquarium parking lot and keep heading towards the signs for the ship. They do have a few spots for parking out front but you feel like you are in the wrong area. You can pay for your tickets once you board the ship and do a self guided tour. Prepare when you go on a really hot day because, well... its hot. They do have a few stops along the ship rooms that are cooling spots which is nice so you can spend some extra time in there. The shop is worth the look to see if you want to take home a souvenir. You can spend a good 3 hours on the boat just looking around, probably more time if you decide to go through the videos and qr codes for all the different spots. Super cool ship and would highly recommend the stop!
Christine CurtisChristine Curtis
00
Nearby Attractions Of American Victory Ship & Museum
The Florida Aquarium
Amalie Arena
Sparkman Wharf
Channelside Bay Plaza
Port Tampa Bay Cruise Terminal 3
Tampa Bay History Center
Carnival Tampa Bay Port
JW Marriott Tampa Water Street
Port Tampa Bay Cruise Terminal - 2
Hampton Inn Tampa Downtown Channel District
The Florida Aquarium
4.5
(7.5K)Click for details
Amalie Arena
4.6
(6.1K)Click for details
Sparkman Wharf
4.6
(1.6K)Click for details
Channelside Bay Plaza
4.5
(1.3K)Click for details
Nearby Restaurants Of American Victory Ship & Museum
Columbia Cafe at the Tampa Bay History Center
Yacht StarShip Cruises & Events
Splitsville Tiki + Social
District Tavern
Fabrica Pizza
wagamama tampa
The Pearl Tampa
JOTORO Kitchen & Tequila Bar
Boulon Brasserie and Bakery
Naked Farmer
Columbia Cafe at the Tampa Bay History Center
4.4
(1.5K)Click for details
Yacht StarShip Cruises & Events
4.4
(948)$$
Click for details
Splitsville Tiki + Social
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District Tavern
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Learn more insights from Wanderboat AIBasic Info
Address
705 Channelside Dr, Tampa, FL 33602
Map
Phone
(813) 228-8766
Call
Website
americanvictory.org
Visit
Reviews
Overview
4.7
(834 reviews)
Ratings & Description
cultural
family friendly
accessibility
Description
SS American Victory is a Victory ship which saw brief service in the Pacific Theater of Operations during the final months of World War II, the Korean War from 1951–1954, and the Vietnam War from 1966–1969.
attractions: The Florida Aquarium, Amalie Arena, Sparkman Wharf, Channelside Bay Plaza, Port Tampa Bay Cruise Terminal 3, Tampa Bay History Center, Carnival Tampa Bay Port, JW Marriott Tampa Water Street, Port Tampa Bay Cruise Terminal - 2, Hampton Inn Tampa Downtown Channel District, restaurants: Columbia Cafe at the Tampa Bay History Center, Yacht StarShip Cruises & Events, Splitsville Tiki + Social, District Tavern, Fabrica Pizza, wagamama tampa, The Pearl Tampa, JOTORO Kitchen & Tequila Bar, Boulon Brasserie and Bakery, Naked Farmer
