Two airports serve the Tampa Bay area, Tampa International (TPA) and St. Petersburg/Cleawater (PIE). Most flights arrive and depart Tampa International Airport which is a few miles West of downtown and Ybor City.
The most convenient way to arrive from Tampa International Airport to the Hyatt will be to take a taxi or airport limousine. The flat taxi rate to downtown Tampa is currently $22.00, with a shared car generally around $11.00 per person.
Public buses run from the East End of the red baggage claim terminal. Bus #30 to downtown Tampa is the one you need to catch; bus fare is currently $1.50.
St. Petersburg/Clearwater Airport is located across Tampa Bay in Pinellas County. It mostly serves charter and discount carriers. There are no direct public transport options from PIE to downtown Tampa. Plan on a taxi setting you back at least $40 each way. We recommend flying into TPA unless you plan on renting a car at the airport.
All of the major car rental agencies are represented in Tampa. Most have locations at both airports either on or off terminal. A car is recommended if you wish to visit St. Petersburg, the Beaches, or Orlando as part of your stay in the Tampa area.
Parking is readily available. The Ft. Brooke public garage is directly adjacent to the hotel. The Hyatt also offers valet parking if you prefer. In Ybor itself, there are 2 large parking garages. Rates are very reasonable and run around $10 a day. Check out the City of Tampa's website for specifics on hourly and daily parking rates.
There are two types of trolleys that serve downtown Tampa and the Ybor City district. The Hillsborough Area Regional Transit Authority (HART) operates streetcars in a loop in downtown proper and to Hyde Park. The TECO Line Streetcar runs from the Southern Transportation Center to Ybor City.
The TECO streetcar can be picked up at the Southern Transportation Center at Channelside Drive and Franklin Street. This is three blocks (six minute walk) South of the Hyatt. The ride to Ybor takes approximately twenty minutes. The streetcars are air-conditioned and quite comfortable.
During the hours when the in-town trolley is running, you may choose to board it directly in front of the Hyatt and ride the three blocks to the Southern Transportation Center rather than walk.
A 3-day unlimited pass for the trolley system is currently $9.75. Depending on interest, it is possible that a bulk-discount purchase of trolley passes for guests may be negotiated. We are arranging Sunday transportation to/from the evening venue as the trolley stops at 8:00 PM this information will be forthcoming.
Taxis are abundant and cheap in downtown Tampa and Ybor. If you?e planning to venture outside the immediate area, make sure to call ahead and schedule a taxi for your return trip.
While the Tampa Bay area was first surveyed by Spanish explorer Ponce de Leon in 1513, the area was not settled until the establishment of Fort Brooke in 1823, two years after Florida had been transferred to the United States by Spain. True development of the area did not occur until after the Civil War, when Tampa began to prosper after the development of commercial fishing and phosphate industries.
In 1885, Spanish-American industrialist Vincente Martinez Ybor moved his cigar manufacturing factories to Tampa from Key West. Fleeing from colonial repression in Cuba, Mr. Ybor had been searching for a better central location for the creation and distribution of his cigars. It was in Tampa that he found what he was looking for; a growing town with a new railroad connection and prospering industries. The Ybor City district was bought and built by Mr. Ybor to accommodate the factories and their workers.
Ybor City quickly became the center of Hispanic culture within Tampa. From the steps of Ybor's factory, Jos Marti, sometimes called the George Washington of Cuba, exhorted the cigar workers to take up arms against Spain in the late 1800's. Various mutual aid societies and social clubs, like the Centro Asturiano and Circulo Cubano, arose and benefited the community with services of free libraries, educational programs, restaurants, and medical services.
Though suffering an economic downturn after the introduction of cigar rolling machines after World War II, the Ybor City district has been revitalized as a historic neighborhood and nightlife district of the city of Tampa.
Downtown Tampa is undergoing a renaissance with a building boom and increased opportunities for art and nightlife. There are a number of excellent restaurants and other attractions right around the corner.
In downtown itself you?l find the Tampa Museum of Art and the Henry Plant Museum, which gives us our famous onion dome. Dining in downtown Tampa ranges from affordable Indian to a thatched Irish Pub to authentic Spanish cuisine.
Just down the trolley line from the Hyatt is Channelside. This is Tampa? Port district and has a number of restaurants, night spots, shopping, and the Florida Aquarium. It? also home to the Starship Yacht which offers fine dining and a chance to see Tampa from the water.
Our headquarters for C14 will be Ybor City. Within it? relatively small confines you?l find many excellent dining, shopping, and entertainment opportunities. There are also many historical places to visit, a museum, and informational walks. We?e listed only a sample of things to do, see, drink, and eat here.
Outside the immediate downtown area there are many popular attractions. Busch Gardens theme park is about 15 minutes North of downtown. The Lowry Park Zoo is even closer and has excellent animal exhibits and a boat ride on the Hillsborough River. The Dali Museum in St. Petersburg is 30 minutes west as are the beaches of Pinellas County. Orlando is roughly 90 minute East of Tampa depending on traffic.