When in Tampa, do as many Tampa residents do — enjoy a cruise along Bayshore Boulevard.
If you’re a newly arrived Tampa-area resident, getting to know Bayshore will help you and yours with your geographical bearings of the downtown area. Plus, it’s a gorgeous vista!
Running, walking, strolling, cycling and, of course, driving, all qualify as ways to cruise the city’s most iconic street. Think of it as a vertical hub for all the main residential districts south of downtown Tampa. But, Bayshore is more than a street on a map. It’s a magnet for solitary personal workouts, daily sunrise viewing and the Tampa Bay area’s rich history.
What makes Bayshore so special? We at ICI Homes gave you a few clues above. Read on for details of why the Tampa Bay area loves Bayshore Boulevard.
Where is Bayshore?
Bayshore is located just south of downtown Tampa. It begins where the Hillsborough River empties into greater Tampa Bay and and meanders south along the western edge of Hillsborough Bay, from downtown Tampa’s vibrant waterfront district.
What is Bayshore?
Technically, Bayshore is a multi-lane paved boulevard. It both widens and narrows at certain spots, and contains a three-mile-long bicycle lane on its northbound side, along its most iconic, best-known and photographic stretch.
What makes Bayshore unique?
It includes the Bayshore Boulevard Linear Park. The paved 10-foot-wide sidewalk on the east side of traffic, next to Bayshore’s trademark decorative and protective concrete balustrade, is 4.5 miles in length. Advertised as the “World’s Longest Continuous Sidewalk,” it runs from Platt Street as its northern boundary, to Gandy Boulevard as its southern boundary.
The aforementioned bicycle lane also exists within Bayshore Boulevard Linear Park, from Rome Avenue south to Gandy Boulevard.
But, the pure beauty of Bayshore — along with the admittedly awesome setup for a great workout — is what lures residents from the nearby historic Hyde Park neighborhood, and surrounding Tampa neighborhoods.
Many of the gorgeous homes you’ll see fronting Bayshore Boulevard date to the late 1880s to early 1900s, and are on the National Register of Historic Places. They’re living proof of Tampa’s westward expansion at the turn of the 20th century. So is Bayshore Boulevard, where streetcars ran in 1909!
Running, walking, cycling or driving with the top down along Bayshore all are perfect ways to enjoy this slice of Tampa life. Early-morning strolls with coffee were made for it. You’ll see folks of all ages catching the breeze and sunrise over Hillsborough Bay. And, it’s equally lovely in the evening, with a sunset gleaming over the rooftops of those historic homes.
How to enjoy Bayshore
If you’re using Bayshore’s sidewalk along the balustrade, look for embedded bronze trail markers that indicate half-miles, miles and kilometers as you head south.
Along the way you’ll find benches for a quick rest, racks to lodge your bicycle, a water fountain and fitness stops geared for certain workout moves.
You don’t have to live nearby to enjoy Bayshore, either. Load up the bikes or strollers and drive in from your new ICI Homes neighborhood. Look for public parking at one of three nearby parks — Fred Ball Park, Ballast Point Park and Bay to Bay Park — and use it as the jumping-off point for a Bayshore Boulevard excursion.
