Tampa has a walk that tells its own story. Soulwalk, the arts and heritage trail unveiled by the City of Tampa in February 2023, links nearly 100 unique destinations across 46 miles and 26 neighborhoods, celebrating the rich history of the city’s Black communities and the creative energy that defines Tampa today.
The route, created with the Tampa Bay History Center, the University of South Florida and other community partners, connects powerful public art installations — more than 50 of them — with historic landmarks, museums and sacred spaces that hold generations of stories. A perfect place to start is Leaders’ Row by Mike Parker at Perry Harvey Sr. Park, on the ground of the old Central Avenue business district, once the thriving heart of The Scrub, Tampa’s oldest Black neighborhood.
Along the way, the official Soulwalk map points you to stops such as Union Station, the historic Jackson House at 851 East Zack Street, the Tampa Bay History Center and the Henry B. Plant Museum. The trail keeps growing, too: the city notes that eleven new historical markers are planned for installation in 2026, each honoring the people, places and events that shaped these communities.
Exploring is easy and free: download the Bloomberg Connects app for a mobile guide, pick a neighborhood, and let the markers and murals lead the way. Whether you walk a single stretch or plan a full day across several neighborhoods, Soulwalk turns a Tampa outing into a joyful journey through living history.
Photo: Wikimedia Commons
