HotelChannelside / Water Street
The Tampa EDITION
💲💲💲💲 · $400-700/night
🏟️ 0.1 miles — 2 min walk
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Tampa, FL
Amalie Arena
Cuban sandwiches, Gulf seafood, and rooftop cocktails in the Florida sun.
HotelWater Street
JW Marriott Tampa Water Street
💲💲💲💲 · $300-550/night
🏟️ 0.1 miles — 3 min walk
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HotelHarbour Island
The Westin Tampa Waterside
💲💲 · $200-350/night
🏟️ 0.3 miles — 7 min walk
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HotelDowntown / Riverwalk
Hotel Tampa Riverwalk
💲💲 · $150-250/night
🏟️ 0.7 miles — 12 min walk
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HotelDowntown
Embassy Suites Tampa Downtown Convention Center
💲 · $150-220/night
🏟️ 0.4 miles — 10 min walk
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HotelChannel District
Hampton Inn Tampa Downtown Channel District
💲 · $130-200/night
🏟️ 0.5 miles — 8 min walk
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Channelside / Water Street
0-0.3 miles from Amalie ArenaTampa's newest and most polished district. The arena campus itself — gleaming hotels, upscale restaurants, and waterfront dining. This is where tournament action lives.
Areas: Channelside Drive, Water Street, Sparkman Wharf
Best For: Maximum convenience — walk to every game, eat and drink without needing a car or rideshare.
💡 Pro Tip: Sparkman Wharf is the move for pre-game — open-air food hall with big screens, cold beer, and a straight shot to the arena entrance.
Downtown / Riverwalk
0.5-1 mile from Amalie ArenaTampa's cultural core. The 2.6-mile Riverwalk connects museums, parks, restaurants, and bars along the Hillsborough River. Walkable, scenic, and full of energy on game weekends.
Areas: Tampa Riverwalk, Franklin Street, Harbour Island
Best For: A mix of culture and food — walk the Riverwalk, grab dinner, then stroll to the game.
💡 Pro Tip: The Riverwalk is stunning at sunset. Start at Armature Works for drinks at M.Bird, walk south along the river, and you'll end up near the arena.
Ybor City
1.5 miles from Amalie ArenaTampa's historic Latin quarter. Founded by Cuban cigar manufacturers in the 1880s, now the city's nightlife capital. Brick streets, wrought-iron balconies, and the best late-night scene in Tampa.
Areas: 7th Avenue (La Séptima), Centro Ybor
Best For: Nightlife, history, Cuban culture, and the best post-game bar scene. The streetcar makes it easy.
💡 Pro Tip: Take the FREE TECO Streetcar from Channelside to Ybor City — it runs until 2 AM on Friday and Saturday nights. 7th Avenue on weekend nights is electric.
SoHo / Hyde Park
2-3 miles from Amalie ArenaTampa's most upscale neighborhood. Tree-lined streets, boutique shopping at Hyde Park Village, and some of the city's best restaurants. Bayshore Boulevard — the world's longest continuous sidewalk — is here.
Areas: South Howard Avenue, Hyde Park Village, Bayshore Boulevard, Swann Avenue
Best For: Upscale dining, a quieter evening out, morning runs along Bayshore Boulevard.
💡 Pro Tip: Bayshore Boulevard at sunrise or sunset is one of Tampa's most beautiful experiences. Run, walk, or just sit on the seawall and watch the water.
Night Before Games
Splurge: Bern's Steak House for a dry-aged Delmonico, then upstairs to the legendary Harry Waugh Dessert Room. Upscale: Rocca for Michelin One Star handmade pasta and the tableside mozzarella cart. Casual: Columbia Restaurant in Ybor City for the 1905 Salad, Cuban sandwich, and nightly flamenco show, then bar-hop 7th Avenue. Nightcap: Jekyll in Hyde Park Village for molecular cocktails and vintage spirits.
Day of — Morning
Breakfast at La Segunda Central Bakery — Cuban bread since 1915, guava pastries, and the best café con leche in Tampa. Or Oxford Exchange for a stunning brunch experience (part restaurant, part bookstore, part conservatory). Coffee at Oxford Exchange or La Segunda with a Cuban pastelito.
Pre-Game
Start at Sparkman Wharf for the open-air food hall and beer garden with big screens. Walk to Cigar City Brewing Taproom for a Jai Alai IPA — it's on the arena campus. For a sports bar vibe, Hattricks is THE Lightning pregame bar with 48+ screens and Shake n' Bake wings. Walk to the arena from any of these in under 10 minutes.
Post-Game
Take the FREE TECO Streetcar to Ybor City for late-night on 7th Avenue. Gaspar's Grotto for pirate-themed live music. Copper Shaker for well-crafted cocktails. District Tavern stays open late on weekends. Or stay in Channelside at Beacon rooftop for panoramic bay views with a cocktail.
⏱️ If You Only Have Time for One Thing
🍽️ Food: Bern's Steak House — the dry-aged steaks and 6,800-label wine cellar are legendary, but the real magic is the Harry Waugh Dessert Room upstairs. It's a Tampa institution.
🍺 Bar: Jekyll — find the speakeasy-vibed bar in Hyde Park Village for molecular cocktails and rare vintage spirits. One of the most unique drinking experiences in Florida.
✨ Experience: Ride the FREE TECO Streetcar from Channelside through downtown to Ybor City. Walk the brick streets of Tampa's historic Latin quarter, grab a Cuban sandwich, and soak in 140+ years of cigar-making history.
☕ Breakfast: La Segunda Central Bakery. Cuban bread since 1915, guava pastries, café con leche. This is Tampa in a bite.
🌙 Late Night: Ybor City, 7th Avenue. Gaspar's Grotto for pirate-themed live music, Copper Shaker for cocktails, or just wander the brick streets and see where the night takes you.
Getting There
- 🚗 From Orlando: ~1.5 hours via I-4 West. Straightforward drive, no tolls on I-4.
- 🚗 From Miami: ~4 hours via I-75 North or Florida's Turnpike. Budget for tolls on the Turnpike.
- 🚗 From Jacksonville: ~3.5 hours via I-75 South to I-275.
- ✈️ Tampa International Airport (TPA): Just 7 miles from Amalie Arena — one of the best airports in America. Consistently ranked #1 for ease and efficiency. Ride-share to the arena runs $15-22, about 15 minutes.
🅿️ Parking Strategy
Multiple garages near Amalie Arena ($15-35, all CASHLESS). Pam Iorio Garage is adjacent to the arena. Pre-purchase via ParkWhiz or SpotHero to save money and guarantee a spot. Rideshare pickup/drop-off is on Channelside Drive. For a free option, park at a TECO Streetcar stop and ride in.
At the Arena
- 🚇 TECO Line Streetcar (FREE!) connects Channelside (arena), downtown, and Ybor City. Runs until 11:00 PM Sunday–Thursday, 2:00 AM Friday & Saturday. It's free, scenic, and the best way to get between the arena and Ybor City nightlife.
- 📱 Designated rideshare pickup/drop-off on Channelside Drive, right next to the arena. Surge pricing after games — walk a block or two toward Water Street before requesting.
- 🏟️ Gates open 1.5-2 hours before the first game of each session. Amalie Arena is fully CASHLESS — bring a card or Apple Pay for everything inside.
- 👜 Clear bags only (12"x12"x6" maximum). No backpacks of any kind. Small clutch purses (4.5"x6.5") are allowed.
- ✓March in Tampa: Expect mid-70s during the day, low 60s at night. Light layers are all you need — you're in Florida, not fighting a Midwestern March.
- ✓The Cuban sandwich debate: Tampa claims to have invented it (not Miami). Try one at Columbia Restaurant in Ybor City and decide for yourself.
- ✓Cigar City Jai Alai IPA is the local beer. Order it at any bar and you'll look like you've been here before.
- ✓The TECO Line Streetcar is FREE and connects the arena (Channelside), downtown, and Ybor City. It runs until 2 AM on weekends — use it.
- ✓Amalie Arena is 100% CASHLESS. Cards and mobile pay only. This applies to parking garages too.
- ✓Book Bern's Steak House and Rocca at least 2 weeks ahead — tournament weekends will be packed.
- ✓TPA (Tampa International Airport) is consistently rated one of the best airports in America. 7 miles from the arena, 15-minute ride.
- ✓Pre-purchase parking via ParkWhiz or SpotHero. Pam Iorio Garage is adjacent to Amalie Arena. All garages are cashless.
- ✓Must-try Tampa foods: Cuban sandwich, deviled crab (a Tampa original), guava pastries from La Segunda Central Bakery, chargrilled oysters at Ulele.
- ✓Download the Resy app (for Rocca, Olivia), and OpenTable (for Bern's, Columbia, Ulele, On Swann) for reservations. Noble Rice books through Tock or Resy — check their website for the current platform.
What are the best restaurants near Amalie Arena?+
Channelside and Water Street are right at the arena — Noble Rice (Michelin-recognized Japanese) and Sparkman Wharf food hall are within a 2-minute walk. Rocca (Tampa's only Michelin One Star) is 0.7 miles away downtown. For the full Tampa experience, take the TECO Streetcar to Columbia Restaurant in Ybor City (1.5 miles).
Where should I go before a game at Amalie Arena?+
The classic Tampa pre-game: Cigar City Brewing Taproom for a Jai Alai IPA (on the arena campus), Sparkman Wharf for open-air food and beer with big screens, or Hattricks for 48+ TVs and Shake n' Bake wings. All are within a 10-minute walk of the arena entrance.
How do I get to Amalie Arena without driving?+
The FREE TECO Line Streetcar connects Channelside (arena), downtown, and Ybor City. Rideshare pickup/drop-off is on Channelside Drive. From TPA airport, it's a 15-minute, $15-22 rideshare. There's no heavy rail to the arena, but the streetcar and rideshare cover everything you need.
Is Amalie Arena cashless?+
Yes — 100% cashless for everything inside the arena including concessions, merchandise, and parking garages. Bring a credit/debit card or use Apple Pay/Google Pay.
What food is Tampa known for?+
Tampa is the birthplace of the Cuban sandwich (yes, Tampa claims it, not Miami) — try one at Columbia Restaurant. La Segunda Central Bakery has been making Cuban bread since 1915. Deviled crab is a Tampa original. The city also has a Michelin scene now: Rocca (One Star) and Noble Rice and Rooster & the Till are both Michelin Guide selected.
What drinks is Tampa known for?+
Cigar City Jai Alai IPA is THE Tampa beer — brewed locally and available everywhere. Tampa's cocktail scene is growing fast, with Jekyll doing molecular cocktails and Copper Shaker offering $6 happy hour pours. For a unique experience, Bern's Steak House has a wine cellar with 6,800+ labels.
What's the deal with the TECO Streetcar?+
The TECO Line Streetcar is a FREE historic streetcar that runs from Channelside (right at the arena) through downtown to Ybor City. It runs until 11:00 PM Sunday–Thursday and 2:00 AM on Friday and Saturday. It's the best way to get between the arena and Ybor City nightlife without a car.
How far is the airport from Amalie Arena?+
Tampa International Airport (TPA) is just 7 miles from the arena — about 15 minutes by car. TPA is consistently ranked one of the best airports in America for ease and efficiency. Rideshare runs $15-22.
Got a Spot We Missed?
Know a restaurant, bar, or hidden gem in Tampa? We're always looking for local recommendations.