Hotels in Tampa

Tampa: Gulf Coast Gateway on Hillsborough Bay

Tampa sits on the eastern shore of Tampa Bay, roughly 200 miles south of Jacksonville and 60 miles north of Fort Myers along Florida's Gulf Coast. The city blends a working port — one of the busiest in the southeastern US — with a compact downtown anchored by the Tampa Riverwalk, a 2.6-mile waterfront promenade. The Ybor City district, developed in the 1880s by Cuban and Spanish cigar manufacturers, retains its brick streets and historic social clubs, and today hosts a concentrated dining and nightlife corridor along 7th Avenue.

Where to Stay

Hotels cluster in three main zones: Downtown/Channelside for convention travelers and cruise passengers using the Port of Tampa; Westshore near Tampa International Airport (TPA), roughly 5 miles from downtown; and Ybor City for visitors prioritizing walkable dining. The Amalie Arena, home to the NHL's Tampa Bay Lightning, draws sports crowds to the Channelside corridor. Busch Gardens Tampa Bay, a combined theme and animal park, pulls family visitors toward the New Tampa corridor to the northeast.

Practical Tips

• Getting around: A car is practical; the free Teco streetcar links Ybor City to Channelside but covers limited ground.
• Weather: June–September brings near-daily afternoon thunderstorms and high humidity; October–April offers drier, cooler conditions.
• Airport: TPA sits 5 miles west of downtown; the drive averages 15–20 minutes outside peak hours.
• Cruise access: Port Tampa Bay is a major embarkation point — book hotels with shuttle access if arriving by ship.