Tripadvisor‘s travel contributors have helped make J.C. Newman Cigar Co.’s El Reloj cigar factory as the top museum in Tampa, Florida. Based on visitor reviews, Tripadvisor has presented the factory with a “Travelers Choice” award for 2023.
Because J.C. Newman is a four-generation family business, many of its Tripadvisor reviews note that guided tours of El Reloj are both informative and personal.
“When we opened El Reloj as a tourist destination, my biggest surprise was that only half of our visitors regularly enjoy cigars,” fourth-generation owner Drew Newman said in a press release. “Although the other half of our visitors do not smoke cigars, they come to El Reloj because they are interested in Tampa’s history, old buildings, or historic manufacturing. Because of this, we are able to serve as ambassadors for the cigar industry and introduce new people to the history, culture, and tradition of handcrafted cigars.”El Reloj is the last large cigar factory still operating in the United States and features artifacts, guided tours, and cigar-rolling classes.



