Some significant areas of Tampa Bay you will want to visit

Downtown Tampa is located on the banks of the Hillsborough River and is partially surrounded by a large bay that leads to the Gulf of Mexico.   Known for its picturesque beauty, Downtown Tampa offers many impressive buildings, hotels as well as arts and entertainment venues.  Located on the bank of the Hillsborough River is the University of Tampa with its large silver domes that reflect the bright Florida sun.  Directly across the river from the University is the Tampa Museum of Art and Glazer Children’s Museum.  Mixed within the cultural and entertainment attractions are luxury highrise condominiums such as Skypoint and The Element.  Buildings of this caliber make living in Downtown Tampa very comfortable and elegant.

Ybor City is situated just east of Downtown Tampa and is one of Tampa’s earliest neighborhoods.  Reminiscent of  New Orleans’ French Quarter in appearance and festive atmosphere, the Ybor City Historic District is loaded with many eclectic shops, restaurants and night clubs.  During the day Ybor is a fun family-oriented place to enjoy sight-seeing, shop at the outdoor Farmer’s Market and even take in a movie at the Centro Ybor entertainment complex.  By night Ybor City transforms into a haven for patrons of the many bars, clubs and restaurants.  Especially impressive is Ybor City’s ‘Guavaween’ festival that draws well over 100,000 people each October and is highlighted by the Night Parade.  The parade is pure Tampa and features pirates and their ‘krewes’ throwing beads to the crowds and causing much light-hearted mayhem.  Probably the most popular place to live in  Ybor City is The Quarter at Ybor, a modern community with interior courtyards and is located only three blocks from the heart of Ybor City’s most popular street; Seventh Avenue.

 Channelside District  was once a tired warehouse district that served the Port of Tampa.  Nowadays Channelside is much better-known for luxury lofts and condominiums for rent (and sale) and entertainment options.  The Florida Aquarium is located at the edge of the water and surrounded most days by the many large cruise ships that dock in and depart from Tampa.  The Channelside area features many fine, upscale restaurants and bars, an IMAX movie theater and some of the finest water and skyline views in all of Tampa Bay.  There are many attractive options for people who wish to live in the Channelside District with popular buildings like The Place, Grand Central, Victory Lofts, The Towers of Channelside and a few others.  Popular with professionals, artists and students, the Channelside area is a great place to visit or live.  Nobody has more Channelside rentals than Home Locators.

Hyde Park  is easily Tampa’s most well-known neighborhood.  Located on the edge of world-famous Bayshore Boulevard and bordered by Swann Avenue to the North, Hyde Park is filled with elegant homes from the early 20th century.  Architectural styles include  Craftsman bungalows, mid-century modern houses, elegant Victorians, Key-West cottages, Tudors, cottages and large waterfront mansions.  A walk down Hyde Park’s many tree-lined streets is a treat for the senses.  The neighborhood also includes an upscale outdoor mall with many fountains and a park-like setting to enjoy the incredible Tampa weather.  Speaking of parks, Hyde Park offers a wonderful public park that is popular year-round and is probably best known for its fountain splash pool guarded by statues of large lions and surrounded by benches and palm trees.  It is a perfect place to relax and watch the world go by.  

 Westchase is a popular community located in Northwest Tampa and is best-known for its very beautiful Westpark Village.  Westpark Village is comprised of traditional-style homes, condominiums and shops all designed in the ‘New Urbanism’ style.  This neighborhood is a great place to take a walk and enjoy the sights and sounds.  Small shops and restaurants in the Village are a great place to shop and dine.    All of the restaurants offer sidewalk seating and excellent cuisine options such as Itialian, fresh seafood, bagels, a coffee shop and a traditional pub.  One of the most endearing features of this neighborhood is that it was designed to get people out of their houses and interacting with one another.  Many residents enjoy time at home sitting on a porch swing and visiting with their neighbors.  Most of the houses here offer large, gracious front porches.  There are many wide sidewalks that cross the community and make it far easier to enjoy a walk to the shops and eateries than get in the car and drive.  Westchase offers old-fashioned wholesomeness with the convenience of contemporary amenities and inspiring design.   Home Locators offers many attractive homes for rent in Westchase but be warned; they rent very quickly!

There are many other wonderful neighborhoods located across Tampa Bay.  Please take the time to explore them all with the search tool (above).  

Vintage and Historic Neighborhoods:    Hyde Park, Old Northeast, Tampa Heights, Seminole Heights, Palma Ceia, 

New Urbanism Neighborhoods:    Westchase, Westpark Village, Longleaf, FishHawk Ranch, Connerton   

Urban Communities:  Madison SoHo, Quarter at Ybor, The Place, Skypoint

Luxury Planned Communities:   Westshore Yacht Club, Grand Hampton