Downtown Tampa undoubtedly represents the commercial center of the city. Professionals who want an easy commute to work often choose apartments in Channelside or on Harbor Island, which are both minutes from the center of downtown. Downtown Tampa apartment living provides residents with easy access to the entire city, along with surrounding areas and Pinellas County. For those who truly want all of Tampa at their fingertips, apartments in downtown Tampa are the perfect choice.
Downtown Tampa Apartment Living
Downtown Tampa apartments are the single best choice for Tampa residents who want to skip the morning commute and embrace a distinctively urban atmosphere. The area boasts high-rise apartments with their own parking garages. Minutes from Bayshore Blvd, the country's longest linear park, apartments in downtown Tampa also delight fitness hounds who love a morning jog along the water.
The area mainly appeals to young professionals who seek an upscale atmosphere and proximity to some of Tampa's evening hotspots, such as Channelside, SoHo, and Ybor City. Students from the University of Tampa often also settle in downtown Tampa apartments, within easy reach of campus.
Community Culture in Downtown Tampa
During the day, downtown Tampa predictably bustles with the foot traffic and inviting lunch dining that characterize a commercial hub. Although the center of the city may seem to lose its flavor once the workforce goes home, downtown Tampa still delivers culture and activity. Because most of the neighborhood activities include bars and restaurants, the area tends to attract young professionals who enjoy heading out on the weekends for dinner, drinks, and dancing. Many residents take advantage of the trolley that runs from Channelside to Ybor City, eliminating the need to drive and giving residents the option of visiting multiple locations in one evening.
Things to Do in Downtown Tampa
Residents of downtown Tampa tend to congregate in the Channelside district, where they can enjoy restaurants, bars, and a movie theater. They may head to Ybor City or SoHo for even more opportunities to sample Tampa's nightlife. The St. Pete Times Forum, home to the Tampa Bay Lightning, is also located in Channelside. The venue hosts not only hockey games, but also numerous concerts and other events. Downtown Tampa residents can also wander to Harbor Island for dinner and drinks on the water.
For those who want something a little different, the downtown public library, the newly designed Riverfront Park, and the recently unveiled Glazer Children's Museum all reside along the Hillsborough River, just south of the Tampa Bay Performing Arts Center. A few blocks away, the Photography Museum offers a unique taste of culture.
Getting around Downtown Tampa
Most of the interstates and main roadways of Tampa converge downtown. Located immediately off I-275, downtown Tampa is the endpoint for I-4, which runs east to Orlando and beyond. Meanwhile the Crosstown Expressway connects downtown Tampa with the Brandon area. From downtown Tampa, the bridges to Clearwater and St. Petersburg are only a few minutes away, and residents can also pick up the Veteran's Expressway near Tampa Bay International Airport to head north to Town ‘n' Country, Lutz, and Land o' Lakes.
Closer to home, residents may walk or ride their bikes to work each day, although most who live on the outskirts of the downtown area still prefer to drive. Public transit serves the downtown area relatively regularly, but getting outside downtown Tampa can be a but cumbersome with the city public bus system. On evenings in the weekend, and during special events, a trolley runs from Channelside all the way to Ybor City, connecting two popular areas located on the outskirts of downtown Tampa.
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