Car Hire Tampa

Parking in Tampa

• On-street parking (33602) is available throughout the downtown area every day until late. Prices are by the hour and vary depending on district.
• Fort Brooke Garage (33602) has 2,512 spaces and is open seven days a week. Parking is paid by the hour or at a flat rate for the day. There are also EV chargers available for electric vehicles.
• William F. Poe Garage (33602) is close to the Tampa Museum of Art and has 905 paid spaces. There are also electric chargers available for paid usage.

Main roads in Tampa

• Interstate 275 (I-275) runs through the centre of downtown Tampa, connecting the city with nearby Clearwater and St Petersburg across the Bay.
• Interstate 4 (I-4) connects downtown Tampa with the east of the Sunshine State, including major destinations like Orlando and Daytona Beach.
• US Route 92 (US-92) runs east to west through central Tampa, connecting Interstate 4 with key destinations like Tampa International Airport.  

How to get from Tampa to St Petersburg

St Petersburg is around 30 minutes from downtown Tampa and lies just over the Old Tampa Bay.

1. Leave the Hertz car hire office via the Selmon Expressway.
2. Take the Expressway and join Route 92 over the Bay.
3. Here, join Interstate 275 southbound into St Petersburg.

How to get from Tampa to Orlando

It takes around an hour and 45 minutes to get to Orlando and its famous resorts. Leave the car rental car park on Water Street, heading left onto Channelside Drive. Turn left onto S Jefferson Street then merge with the FL-618 Toll Road (this is a paid road). Follow the Toll Road for three miles, merging with Interstate 4. Follow Interstate 4 north-east towards Orlando.

Best hotels in Tampa

Hilton Tampa Florida

211 N Tampa Street, Tampa, FL 33602

Enjoy a rooftop view across the city as you swim at this trendy hotel’s sky-high pool. Rooms are well-furnished with modern fittings, and many overlook the Hillsborough River – the perfect opportunity for an after-dinner waterside stroll.

Emerald Greens Hotel Condo Resort

13941 Clubhouse Drive, Tampa, FL 33618

Practice your putting at Tampa’s only golf resort hotel. The main attraction is the 27-hole championship golf course, but even if you’d rather avoid picking up a five iron, there’s plenty to enjoy at the resort. Condos are fully equipped for self-sufficiency, with multiple bedrooms and a dining area. You can even get your holiday groceries delivered to your door.

DoubleTree by Hilton Tampa Rocky Point Waterfront

3050 N Rocky Point Drive W, Tampa, FL 33607

Gaze out over the sun-drenched Old Tampa Bay from the comfort of your private suite at the waterfront DoubleTree Hotel. Rooms are modern and well-furnished and there’s an outdoor pool to enjoy when you’re ready to cool down.

Best restaurants in Tampa

Yah Mon Caribbean Restaurant

301 W Platt Street Unit C, Tampa, FL 33606

Dive into the heart of Caribbean cuisine at Yah Mon, a friendly eatery in the Hyde Park district of downtown Tampa. Take your pick of Jamaican classics like rice and peas, plantain, and succulent jerk chicken platters.

Ulele

1810 N Highland Avenue, Tampa, FL 33602

If you’re hankering for some Floridian-inspired favorites, then head to Ulele, a firm fixture in the Tampa dining scene. Ulele draws on local ingredients and Floridian culture, infusing them with Native American heritage. It delivers a genre-defying menu packed with unique tastes, like corn beer muffins or grouper with smoked gouda ale bechamel.

Terra Gaucho Brazilian Steakhouse

1108 S Dale Mabry Highway, Tampa, FL 33629

For hefty portions and hearty plates, head to Terra Gaucho in South Tampa. This Brazilian steakhouse chain specialises in authentic Churrascaria cooking techniques, fire-roasting their meat alongside a wide selection of fresh salads and seafood dishes.

Best things to do in Tampa

Adventure Island

10001 McKinley Drive, Tampa, FL 33612

Splash down at Adventure Island for some real family fun in the sun. This 30-acre water park is packed with rides, slides and plenty of pools to swim and play in. You’ll find pools for all abilities and if you’d rather stay dry, there are plenty of dining spots in which to relax.

Tampa Riverwalk

Tampa, Florida

Enjoy a moonlit stroll along the Tampa Riverwalk for an atmospheric journey through the centre of this vibrant city. See the illuminated skyline or hop between hangout spots along the 2.6-mile waterfront walkway.

Manatee Viewing Center

6990 Dickman Road, Apollo Beach, FL 33572

If you’re visiting during November to April then you must swing by the Manatee Viewing Center, home to several of these iconic Floridian mammals. The peaceful manatee is a rare sight in the Everglades waterways these days, and this center rescues and rehabilitates injured specimens while educating the visiting public on how better to protect these elusive animals.