Tampa

Understand

Tampa is on the north shore of Tampa Bay in West Central Florida. Saint Petersburg lies west of the bay, while Bradenton is on the southern shore. The downtown business center of the city is on the north shore of Hillsborough Bay (a small bay within Tampa Bay which is bordered by the eastern shore of Tampa Bay and the small peninsula of South Tampa) and Ybor City lies just to the east. MacDill Air Force Base is on the southern tip of South Tampa, while the city also extends to the north all the way to New Tampa.

Orientation

Tampa is divided into five main districts fanning out from Downtown in the south-center between the Hillsborough River and Ybor Channel. West Tampa, once a separate city, lies across the Hillsborough River to the west of Downtown. South Tampa, a large residential area, extends south along the Interbay Peninsula. Historic Ybor City (sometimes considered a part of Downtown) lies on the northeast side of downtown. East Tampa, the historically African-American side of the city, lies north of Ybor City. North Tampa forms the urban/suburban sprawl north of Busch Boulevard. The northernmost extremity of North Tampa, known as New Tampa due to its having been annexed to the city in 1988, is very suburban and somewhat isolated from the rest of Tampa.

Within Tampa proper, there are six official "historical districts" (Hampton Terrace, Hyde Park, Seminole Heights, Tampa Heights, Historic West Tampa, Ybor City) and at least 86 named neighborhoods.

History

The Tampa Bay area was visited by many Spanish explorers, beginning with Panfilo de Narvaez in 1528. However, no long term permanent settlements were created until 1824 when the US federal government created a reservation for north Florida Seminole Indians. At the same time, the US created Fort Brooke to oversee the reservation as well as protect the strategic harbor.

The town's first population boom occurred in the 1880s. In 1883, phosphate was discovered in the area, spurring the development of the mining and shipping industries in the area. Shortly after, Henry B. Plant completed work on his railroad linking Tampa to Jacksonville. He began promoting Tampa as a holiday spot and built the grand Plant Hotel as a luxury resort destination. In 1886, Vicente Martinez Ybor opened Tampa's first cigar factory in Ybor City which encouraged the immigration of many Spanish, Cuban and Italian (primarily Sicilian) workers.

During the Spanish American War of 1898, Tampa was the main port of departure for troops heading for Cuba. During this time, the Plant Hotel was converted into officers' accommodations, housing the Rough Riders and Teddy Roosevelt.

MacDill Air Force Base was created in 1939 and the University of South Florida in 1956. Over the course of the 20th century, Tampa has grown into the center of a large metropolitan area; it now hosts the regional headquarters of many international companies, has acquired numerous professional sports teams, and has even sought to bid for the summer Olympics.

People

Tampa is a very diverse city. The first residents were the members of the Seminole Indian tribe that was relocated there from northern Florida and the soldiers stationed at Fort Brook to control the reservation. The town remained a mostly military town until the 1880s when the first major waves of immigration arrived from Cuba, Spain and Sicily. The major growth of the area did not occur until air conditioning became common after World War II, but the region has been growing steadily since then. Tampa is now home to many native Floridians, including Seminoles, Cubans, Spaniards and Italians, as well the residence of many 'transplants' from the Northeast, Midwest and other areas of the states as well as new immigrants from the Caribbean and Latin America. Tampa's population swells during the winter months with the arrival of the 'snowbirds,' retired persons from the northern U.S. and Canada who come down for a few months to enjoy the relative warmth.

Economy

Tampa has a growing economy and serves as a major port. Among others, Raymond James, Home Shopping Network, Outback Steakhouse, and a major portion of Citigroup are headquartered in Tampa. Tampa's major industries today are tourism, phosphate mining, shipping, citrus processing, shrimping, and services.

Climate

Tampa has humid subtropical climate, with hot and humid summers with frequent thunderstorms, and dry and mild winters. While the average daytime summer temperature is around 90°F, average daytime heat indices are around 102°F and 79°F at night given the humidity in the summer months. It is not unheard of to have a heat index upwards of 110°F and 84°F at night, on some particularly hot and sweltering days in the summer months. Tropical systems and hurricanes may occasionally threaten the region in the late summer or fall.

Get in

By plane

Tampa International Airport

*Airside A: JetBlue, Silver Airways, United/United Express *Airside C: Alaska Airlines, Breeze Airways, Southwest, Sun Country *Airside E: Air Canada, Delta/Delta Connection, Frontier *Airside F: American Airlines/American Eagle, British Airways, Cayman Airways, Copa Airlines, Edelweiss, Lufthansa, Norwegian, Swift Air, Westjet, international arrivals

Car rental is located in a separate Rental Car Center located along Airport Service Rd, next to the economy parking buildings. It is accessible from the main terminal by the frequent SkyConnect train. Courtesy pick-up for off-airport car rental companies can be arranged at the red or blue luggage reclaim zones at the airport or at the "commercial curb" at the Car Rental Center. Bus stops for Hillsborough Area Transit (HART), to Tampa (Rt #10, 30, 32) and to St Petersburg & Clearwater with Pinellas Suncoast Transit Authority (PSTA)(Rt #300x) are next to the Rental Car Center. Follow signs to the "remote curbside" from the Rental Car Center to reach the bus stops. HART #10 and PSTA #300x buses connect the airport to downtown Tampa. Check Schedules.

Saint Petersburg-Clearwater International Airport (PIE) is an alternative 15 miles away, generally serving Allegiant Air, Sun Country and private VIP flights.

Sarasota-Bradenton International Airport (SRQ) is a bit further away, but it's in proximity to beautiful Gulf beaches to the south of Tampa.

By train

Amtrak runs its Silver Star daily train (#91, 92) from New York City and Miami to Tampa. The train journey through Florida offers great views, but be aware that, while Amtrak reports an 80% on-time rate, the scheduled times, particularly on the southbound trains, can be hours before the actual time of arrival, and there are limited options for rescheduling.

The Amtrak Thruway Motorcoach bus operates as a continuation of the Amtrak Silver Star towards Ft Myers via St Petersburg, Bradenton, Sarasota and Port Charlotte. There is also another Thruay Motocoach connection to the Silver Meteor train (#97, 98) in Kissimmee.

By car

Tampa is easily accessible via the major interstate highways, I-75 from north and south, and I-4 from the east. From either highway, exit onto I-275 to reach Tampa. However, be prepared for frequent traffic jams particularly when it rains; nearly all of Downtown and the airport area are under constant and complete construction.

By bus

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By boat

Cruise ships from five cruise lines operate from Tampa, mostly to Caribbean islands and Mexico. The Tampa cruise terminal is on the Ybor channel downtown.

Get around

By car

Car rentals are the most convenient form of transportation for visitors, with local companies offering better prices but national chains offering more convenience vis-a-vis return policies and times.

The main freeways in Tampa are Interstate 275, Interstate 4, the Veterans Expressway (toll FL 589), and the Lee Roy Selmon Crosstown Expressway (toll FL 618). Some of the main east-west roads through town are Kennedy Boulevard (SR 60), Gandy Boulevard (SR 694), Hillsborough Avenue (US 92) and Fowler Avenue (SR 582), while some of the north-south roads are Dale Mabry Highway (US 92) and Florida/Nebraska Avenue (US 41). Traffic is especially bad during the rush hours: from about 7:30AM to 9:30AM and 3:30PM to 7:30PM. During these times, try especially to avoid I-275 between I-4 and SR 60 (by the airport) as this section runs by downtown and is being rebuilt.

By bus

Hillsborough Area Regional Transit Authority (HART) provides extensive bus service throughout Hillsborough County. There are four types of routes offered: "local", "Commuter Express", "MetroRapid" (Bus Rapid Transit), and trolleys (see below). Local routes are ones which have many stops in a small region. Commuter Express lines are long-distance lines namely providing service from suburbs into Tampa. Only local to local & commuter express to local transfers are allowed. Fares are $1.75 for local routes and $2.75 for commuter express lines. Four small routes (83, 87, 88, & 89) have a 50¢ fare with no transfers. Riders over 65, 17 and under, on Medicare, or disabled are half-price: 85¢ for "local" routes and $1.35 for "commuter express" routes. Bus transportation in the Tampa area is not popular and one can expect plenty of room in buses. Marion Transit Center at 1211 N Marion St, just north of downtown is the hub for almost all local and regional buses.

PSTA offers service in Pinellas County (the county west of Tampa Bay, home to Clearwater and St. Petersburg) similar to what HART offers in Hillsborough.

By streetcar

Tampa's TECO Line Streetcar runs from Whiting and Franklin Streets downtown to Centennial Park in Ybor City with 9 stops along the way (11 total stops). The line is useful for tourists and convention-goers. The line runs by many local shops, restaurants, and attractions including the convention center, Embassy Suites, the Tampa Bay Times Forum, Channelside, the Florida Aquarium, and through Ybor City. There are 3 types of streetcars in operation: 9 "Birney Safety" replicas (picture, right), one "Breezer" open-air replica (picture, left), and one original "Birney" car (#163, not pictured) which operated in Tampa from 1923-1946 and went through 10,000 man-hours of restoration. Even if you're not using it for transportation, the streetcars are a fun way to see some of the city's historic and cultural sights. Each station is covered and offers benches, ticket vending machines, and information kiosks. Dick Greco Plaza in downtown serves as an intermodal station, offering connections to HART buses, taxis, and easy pedestrian access to the surrounding area.

As of January 2019, the streetcar is fare free, simply board at any stop. Formerly, a one-way fare was $2.50. A 1-day, unlimited ride pass for streetcars, trolleys, and local HART buses are available for $5. Riders over 65, disabled, on Medicare, or 17 and under are discounted to $1.25 per trip or $2.50 for 1-day unlimited, with appropriate ID. A "Family All Day Ticket" is also available, allowing 2 adults plus 3 children or 1 adult and 4 children to ride streetcars only for only $12.50. Children under 4 are free, but if taller than the fare box ID is required. Exact change is required when purchasing on board, streetcar drivers do not provide change.

Additionally, automated Ticket Vending Machines (TVMs) are installed at all streetcar stations and accept cash or credit cards and can provide change when paying cash. Three-day and one year passes are available from TVMs and authorized sales outlets. Sales outlets along the line are located at Bank of America building's concierge (downtown), Grand Central at Kennedy (Channelside), Wine Design (Channelside), Tampa Bay Convention & Visitors Bureau Visitor Center (Channelside), Centro Ybor Visitor Information Center (Ybor City), and the HART Administrative Office (1201 E. 7th Ave in Ybor City). Tickets and passes for the streetcar and all HART lines can be purchased online. For more information about the streetcar line, tickets, or HART services, call +1 813 254-4278.

Service is available M-Th 7AM-11PM, F Sa 11AM-2AM, and Su noon-8PM. Streetcars arrive every 20 minutes, except every 30 minutes on Friday/Saturday from 1AM-2AM. Service is extended when the Tampa Bay Lightning play at the Tampa Bay Times Forum, allowing spectators to park in Ybor City and avoid the end-of-game traffic encountered when parking near the Forum.

By trolley

Tampa also a rubber-wheel trolley system serving the Central Business District. Unlike the streetcars, which are electric and run on a fixed track, the trollies are simply small, diesel buses styled to look like a streetcar. The In-Towner Trolley (Route 96) runs north-south from I-275, through downtown to the northern end of Harbor Island. It has service every 15 minutes at 17 stops , M-F 6-8:30AM and 3:30-6PM. On Saturday, the In-Towner Route 97 loop runs through Downtown and to the Channel District every 30 minutes 11AM-7PM. As of June 2018, rides are $0.25 (no transfers), $3.75 for a 1-day pass, and $5 for a 1-day streetcar/trolley pass. Riders over 65, 17 and under, on Medicare, or disabled are discounted to $1.85 for a 1-day trolley pass or $2.50 for a 1-day trolley/streetcar pass. Children under 4 are free, but if taller than the fare box ID is required. Only $1 bills are accepted.

By ferry

Stay safe

Be aware while in Suitcase City, the part of town surrounding Busch Gardens, USF and University Square Mall. Hitchhiking is also prevalent in this area, but do not stop! However, few tourists or visitors would find their way to this area of the city or have much a reason to be walking about in it; driving through is perfectly safe.

Go next

• Disney World in Orlando.
• Gulf Beaches - Take State Route 60 or I-275 west towards Clearwater or St. Petersburg and follow signs. 45 minutes to an hour drive. There are many beaches towns to choose from including the world famous Clearwater Beach, but also smaller places such as Madeira Beach with the Johns Pass shopping/ entertaining complex. Filled with shops, restaurants, and bars, is a very pleasant way to spend an afternoon or, better yet, evening.
• Sarasota - About an hour south off of I-75. Home to the John Ringling Museum (house, circus exhibit and art museum).
• Crystal River - Dive with manatees in a natural spring
• Tarpon Springs - An authentic Greek town along the Anclote River in Pinellas County. Fabulous restaurants with alfresco seating along Dodecanese Boulevard and the historic Sponge Docks. Nearby and still in Tarpon Springs is Fred Howard Park, a great place to watch the sunset. About 45 minutes to an hour from Tampa.
• Titusville