Area Information

Tampa is located on Florida?s west coast, on Tampa Bay and near the Gulf of Mexico. It?s received a large number of accolades, including being named the fifth most popular U.S. city (Pew Research Center, 2009) and the fifth best outdoor city (Forbes, 2009).

A bustling city, Tampa has plenty to offer by way of entertainment options and nightlife, including great restaurants and performing arts venues, and a happening club scene. There are also events galore here, including the annual Gasparilla celebration, which is the equivalent of Mardi Gras. As major tourist hub, Tampa also has its fair share of sun and surf for outdoor lovers.

Renting in Tampa gives you easy access to other cities in the Tampa Bay Area, including Clearwater. St. Petersburg and Bradenton. Commuters have access to several highways, including Interstate 275 and the Veterans Expressway. The Hillsborough Area Regional Transit (HART) system and the Pinellas Suncoast Transit Authority (PSTA) provide extensive bus service, including commuter express routes. For a more leisurely ride, residents heading to the Central Business District hop on TECO Line Streetcars.

Renting in Tampa, FL

Apartments for rent in Tampa are priced middle-of-the-road; you?ll get a decent amount of space for your money and will pay about the national average. The Downtown area of Tampa has experienced some development (and redevelopment) in recent years, resulting in more urban residential buildings, as well as an up-tick in the demand for higher-priced housing.

• Major sports teams: Tampa Bay Buccaneers (football), Tampa Bay Lightning (hockey), Tampa Bay Rays (baseball).
• Channelside Bay Plaza. An entertainment complex offering a lot of restaurants and bars (some upscale), a bowling alley and an IMAX theater.
• Tampa Theater. A national historic landmark, this movie palace has gorgeous architecture and shows an array of foreign, independent and documentary films.
• Tampa Museum of Art. This museum displays modern and contemporary art, as well as Greek and Roman antiquities.

University of South Florida Marching Band pre-game performance. Photo credit: Michel Curi / Flickr