A taste of Tampa pre & post cruise

[suzies29]

Hi All,

 

So we have our cruise booked and we leave for Tampa in December. We are flying out a day early (AM arrival) and be leaving the day after our cruise (evening departure). Since we basically have 2 full days in Tampa I would like to explore a bit. We will not have a car and be depending on either hotel shuttle or taxi. Can anyone recommend a good hotel with stuff to actually do nearby or within walking distance that is SAFE? I was considering town/shopping one day and beach for our return? Any suggestions? It doesn't necessarily have to be a cruise package hotel if the taxi fare would be reasonable from hotel to port and vice versa. Any recommendations and help are greatly appreciated! Thank you!

[FlaGrl4Evr]

There are no beaches to speak of in Tampa, so without a car to get to St.Pete beach, Redington bch or Clearwater beach you wil be at a loss.

 

The Westin @ Rocky Point in Tampa is about the closest that you will get to a sandy beach area on the bay with beautiful pool area. This is Tampa Bay not the Gulf of Mexico. From the hotel, a cab ride to the upscale International Plaza would be just a few dollars as it is very close. http://www.westintampabay.com/ I believe that the hotel may have a shuttle to the port for a fee but not positive.

 

 

The Alden all suites beach resort on St.Pete beach has a discount with Super Shuttle for their guests. This is the beach hotel that we usually stay at. It's clean, all suites, right on the beach and has plenty of shopping and restaurats within walking distance. The discounted shuttle will then take you back to TIA. The hotel is very good at getting you in your room if you arrive before check-in time. If not. they will hold your luggage and have nice/clean changing-restroom areas near the pools.

www.aldenbeachresort.com

 

 

If you want a day of good shopping in a nice,safe area then I would go for the LaQuinta Tampa Airport. They have a port shuttle albeit a few $ pp. It is directly across from the International Plaza Mall. http://www.shopinternationalplaza.com/

 

If you want to be downtown Tampa, near the trolley, aquarium and Channelside area then check out the Embassay Suites, Marriott Waterside, Residence Inn or Howard Johnson Plaza Downtown Tampa. Here is a list of a few other downtown Tampa hotels.

 

http://www.downtowntampahotels.com

 

 

Good luck to you.

 

:)

[makentake]

On the day before your cruise it might be a good option to stay downtown so you could take the trolley to Ybor and have a fantastic meal at The Columbia. It is a very popular Cuban restaurant. Food is great and make sure to celebrate with a pitcher of their white sangria, it is made with champagne and is wonderful. You could go to the Aquarium and Channelside. Aquarium isn't large but it is very nice. Channelside has a movie theater, restaurants, and bars. If there is a ship is departing that day it is a great place to watch it leave. Downtown Tampa isn't really lively unless there is a game or event going on down there. Not like being in a downtown like Chicago.

 

Your cruise gets back early and you're off the ship very early it might be worth it to bid for a rental car on Priceline. (When we do that they are very inexpensive, last one was in Denver for $13 a day total!) It would give you freedom to get a really good look at the area. We live here and the weather can be pretty cool in December so you probably won't be doing any swimming in the Gulf! Have fun.