Family-Fun Activities: Best Tampa Club Soccer Teams

When I moved to Florida in October of 2022, my priority was to find the best Tampa club soccer teams for my son.  Finding a club for my son superseded finding a permanent place to live. My wife and son planned to move down in August of 2023.  My son played competitive soccer in New Jersey and finding him a soccer home in the Tampa area would make his transition smoother and easier. 

The great thing about Tampa, besides the temperature and beaches, is that it is a hotbed of soccer and soccer clubs! As I researched, I was ecstatic to find so many options. 

Moving from NJ where most teams are competing for players in a condensed geographic area, the one thing I didn’t realize was how important geography was going to be in my search.  Tampa and Saint Pete are spread out and I didn’t factor in Driving from West Chase to Brandon in rush hour for practice. 

 Also, the share size of the state made our first year in club soccer very different for us.  Driving two hours from one end of New Jersey to the other is far different than traveling from Tampa to Jacksonville or Miami for a tournament. 

All in all, though, our first years' experience was fantastic. 

Florida Premier began in 1979 in Pasco County and has grown to have 9 campuses in Temple Terrace, Zephyrhills, Wesley Chapel, and Brookville.  Florida Premier offers many top-flight competitive teams with some top-notch coaches. One of the Coaches Florida Premier was also the Head Coach of the Carrollwood State Champions Varsity Soccer team. 

The West Florida Flames are even older than Premier and founded in 1975, The Flames have two-main campuses in Brandon and East Lake.  This club has 5000 players across the Tampa Bay according to its website. This is the team my son played for in 2023/2024 season. The Flames have great coaching, facilities and a family feel.  One of the coaches, Jorge YoYo Zavala even coached the Virgin Island National Team Soccer team. The parents on this team were fantastic and understood the place Youth Sports have in society. 

Tampa Bay United- TBU has three campuses, two in Tampa and Wesley Chapel.  This team, like the others, has a Boys and Girls program. TBU has several alumni playing in college and the Professional Ranks.  The club fields teams at many competitive levels but has a history of fielding top-level competitive players and teams. 

Chargers- The Chargers have three campuses in Clearwater, Lakewood Ranch, and Tampa.  The Chargers have over 3800 players on 90 competitive teams. The Chargers came out of a merger with several teams in the 1970s. 

There are many more teams in the Tampa Bay area and I urge you to find a team that best fits your family and child's needs.  Just like schools, every team isn't for everyone. 

Summer is almost here, don't let your kids waste away their vacation at home! We know it's hard to juggle working and making sure your little ones stay educated and entertained all summer. That's why we've made a list of the best 13 Tampa summer camps for kids of all ages.

From sports camps to STEM programs and field trip opportunities, Tampa Bay has so many summer camps to choose from. So we've made it easier for you to narrow down your choices by providing our favorites and we've got all the dates, times, ages, and rates listed right here.

Summer camps can be such an enriching experience for kids. They provide opportunities for children to learn new skills, make new friends, build self-confidence, and learn about independence. How do you choose the right one? Well, you want to make sure that it offers something your child is interested in.

It can be risky to sign them up for an expensive 5-6 week camp for a new experience they might lose interest in quickly. Then it becomes a fight to get your kid out the door during summer to a camp they hate. So if your kid loves soccer, maybe they can join a different sports summer camp to learn new skills that can ultimately help them with their main interests. But they might not have any interest whatsoever in an arts or STEM camp.

We get how expensive summer camps can be, so we also tried narrowing down our search to find the most affordable Tampa summer camps that still offer lots of fun activities.

Whichever camp you decide, register your kid as soon as possible. Some camps give discounts for early registration and you don't want summer vacation to sneak up on you. See a full list of Hillsborough, Pinellas, and Pasco camps here.

Pin Chasers day camp is catered to beginners and more advanced bowlers alike. BONUS: bowling camps keep kids active while staying inside safe from the heat and storms of summer. Camp includes: A FREE bowling ball, pin water bottle, and t-shirt for each child, daily snacks and lunch, bowling and competitions, indoor and outdoor games, arts and crafts, and other activities, arcade games and camp party.

Ages: 5 through 15
Where? Pin Chasers Midtown, East Pasco, or Veterans
When? June 3rd – July 26th (see specific dates below), 9:00 am through 3:30 pm
How much? $239
Early drop-off (7:30 am) and/or late pick-up (6:00 pm) are available for a flat rate of $30.

Register here

These themed art camps focus on the exploration of art material through hands-on guided learning.

Ages: K-5th grade
Where: Mitchell Elementary, 205 S Bungalow Park Ave, Tampa, FL 33609
How much: $139.99 per camper per session. $25 non refundable deposit to hold spot
When: June 3 - June 6th, June 10 -13th, June 17 -20th
Registration deadline: May 15, 2024

Register here

Come face to face with amazing wild animals, take on the newest thrill ride- Iron Gwazi- and learn what is takes to be a Zookeeper at a Busch Gardens Summer Camp, choose between day camps or resident camps.

Ages: Kindergareen-8th grade.
When: Select dates May-August, 2024
How much: $169-339. Prices vary for ages and the type of camp (Zoo-keeper, thrill seekers, water activites, etc)
Where: 10165 McKinley Dr, Tampa, FL 33612

Register here 

Your kids will love the hands-on STEAM activities at MOSI camp! Camp hours are 9 am – 4 pm. Extended hours are available from 7 am – 9 am and/or 4 pm – 6 pm for an additional fee.

When: May- August 2024
Ages: Kindergarten to 12th Grade
Where: 4801 E Fowler Ave, Tampa, Florida, United States, 33617
How much: Ranges from $132/week to $289/week

Become a MOSI Member today and save 25% on camp fees.

Register here

The Tampa YMCA Summer Camps are now ACA Accredited! This means the Tampa Y camps underwent a thorough review of our operations by the American Camp Association (ACA).

When: May – August, 2024
Ages: 6-14
Where: 16221 Compton Dr., Tampa, FL 33647
How Much: Ranges from camp type - $252 (non members)/$195
Prices vary based on membership, type and date of camps.

Register here

Kids can enjoy 7 weeks of fun with games, sports, arts and crafts, movies, guest speakers, field trips, and more!

When: June 10-July 26 (no camp July 4 & 5)
Ages: 5-13
Where: Pasco Middle School, J. Ben Harrill Recreation Complex, Land O' Lakes Recreation Complex, Veterans Memorial Park, Wesley Chapel District Park
How much: $325.00 per camper

Register here

ALM Sports Summer Camp is coming to Sky Zone this summer. They have activities such as swimming, Movies, Field Trips & MORE

Ages:5 - 14
Where: 10137 E Adamo Dr, Ste 800B, Tampa, FL, 33619
When: June 3rd - August 9

Register here 

Bricks 4 Kidz is back with a whole new summer of LEGO® camps. All of their camps are week-long camps that have full day and half day options. Pricing and discounts vary depending on location, length of camp, and when you register. 

Ages: 4.5 – 12 years old.
Where: Multiple locations
When: May 31 – August 13, 2022 (Varies by location) See all summer camp locations. 
How much: $160 – $260, Half and Full Day Camps

Register here

Led by our experienced and dynamic staff, this camp features daily field trips, along with a wide variety of exciting, hands-on activities, including sports, art, science, clubs and much more!

Ages: 5 and older
When:May 28 - August 9, 2024 (No camp week of July 4th)
Where:13303 W. Hillsborough Avenue, Tampa, FL, 33635
How much: Single half day $40/Full week $200. Single full day $80/full week $250

Register here

All summer camp registrations include a Busch Gardens and Adventure Island Pass used weekly during summer camp.

Ages: 3rd - 8th grade
When: May 29 - August 2
Where: 1511 US 301 South Tampa, FL
How much: Registration $150/ Weekly $150 (Early registration gets $50 off, ends 4/15)

Register here

This camp offers acting, arts & crafts, games, singing, drums, musical theatre, beginner guitar, ukulele, and other fun activities.

Ages: 5 - 17
When: June 3rd - August 2nd / 9 a.m. - 5 p.m.
Where: 402 Oakfield Dr., Brandon, FL, 33511
How much: $230 full day camp; $160 half day camp; $55 daily drop in rate

Register here

Your young chef will enjoy our fun, hands-on Culinary Camps while learning skills to last a lifetime: Cooking!

Ages: 8 and up
When: May 28 - August 5th (no camp week of July 4) 10 a.m. - 2 p.m.
Where: 13936 W Hillsborough ave Tampa, FL, 33635
How much: $250-$300/week

Register here

Science-themed AquaCamps feature hands-on learning, animal encounters and so much more.

Ages: 3-14
When: May 28 – August 2, 2024. 9 a.m. - 4 p.m.
Where: 701 Channelside Drive, Tampa, FL, 33602
How much: $160-$365 (Varies per summer program/age)

Register here.