Routes
Six walking routes have been developed for your walking and running pleasure. Sometimes they feature shady and quiet streets, sometimes historical thoroughfares, and other times busy and vital industrial areas. But whichever route you choose, you’re sure to find interesting vistas at every turn.
Are the walks perfect promenades? Certainly not. Tampa is a city in the midst of change, but it is committed to becoming what it’s citizens say they want. By walking, you are saying you want a walkable city.
We invite you to explore these six routes, either using maps or podcasts, and then give us your evaluation about what you found. We encourage you to use the assessment form provided in this section. We’ll make sure your findings and suggestions get in the hands of our city leaders and urban planners. Become part of the city you want to live in.
Downtown West: University of Tampa’s Picturesque Plant Park
Roundtrip: 1.5 miles
Begin At: The northwest corner of Tampa St. & Kennedy Blvd.
This route takes you by Tampa’s most recognizable symbol: the Plant Park Hotel which today houses the University of Tampa. It’s elegant spires and beautiful park along the Hillsborough River are a jewel in the city’s crown. This walk is a definite “must see” for locals and tourists alike.
Downtown East: Trains, Boats & Trolleys
Roundtrip: 2.1 miles
Begin At: Lykes Gaslight Square, Madison & Franklin Streets
Tampa grew because it was at the end of so many important transportation hubs. This route will take you through several areas still in transition giving you chance to see urban renewal in action. The historic Union Station and Jackson House recall a special time in our African American history. The exploding Channel District features new urbanism beside an expanding Port. Don’t miss the opportunity to treat yourself with a streetcar ride to Ybor or Channelside shopping before returning along one of the city’s most well-known thoroughfares, Kennedy Blvd. OPTION: Return via the TECOline Streetcar. Call 254-4278 for more information.
Hyde Park: A Classic Victorian Stroll
Roundtrip: 4.3 miles
Begin At: Main entrance of University of Tampa, intersection of Kennedy Blvd. & Hyde Park Ave.
This walk to Hyde Park begins by cutting through a developing professional district along Hyde Park Ave., before arriving in the beautiful, shaded residential section. Enjoy some of the most beautiful, historic homes in Tampa, dating back to the mid-1800s. Ancient trees, shady streets and Victorian architecture characterize this charming community that grew up around the shoreline of Hillsborough Bay. OPTION: To shorten the walk, we recommend you make it one-way, ending up at quaint Hyde Park Village. There you’ll find lovely restaurants & shops, and return via HART’s bus route #19. Call 254-4278 for more information.
Bayshore Boulevard: The World’s Longest Unbroken Sidewalk by the Bay
Roundtrip: 3.8 miles
Begin At: Tampa Convention Center, South side of Platt Street Bridge
This promenade is revered by many as the longest, unbroken sidewalk in the world, stretching more than 5 miles from downtown Tampa to MacDill Airforce Base. We won’t take you that far on this route. You begin and end at the Convention Center. Your trip takes you along the waterside sidewalk Hillsborough Bay as far as Rome Ave. The return shows off the other side of the Bayshore Blvd. and cuts through Hyde Park beautiful, shaded neighborhoods. OPTION: You can shorten the walk easily by turning around early, and you’ll still see of some of Tampa’s most lovely waterfront views.
Downtown North: Art, Architecture and Immortality:
Roundtrip: 1.8 miles
Begin At: Bank of America Plaza, corner of Tampa St. & Kennedy Blvd.
Here’s a walk that shows off some of Tampa’s latest urban renewal projects and community public art projects. Brick-lined Franklin Street features a variety of history-laden locations that are coming back to life, amid the growth of architecture. The big pay-off on this route is the arrival at Oak Lawn Cemetery, the final resting place for famous (and infamous) Tampans, going back six wars and two centuries.
Downtown South: City History & Riverwalk
Roundtrip: 2.1 miles
Begin At: Lykes Gaslight Square, Madison & Franklin Streets
As you head south along the pedestrian mall of Franklin Street, you’ll be moving along the original sites of the City of Tampa, when it was still a military installation in at the turn of the 19th century. Look for numerous historic markers. At Channelside Drive you’ll see the new look of Tampa, from the high-energy St. Pete Times Forum, to the new History Center, to a the first portion of Tampa’s exciting Riverwalk project. Changes are happening here daily, so if you find some return sidewalks underdeveloped – just wait a little while – this area is being transformed daily.
