TAMPA, Fla. — Gasparilla season is upon us, and avast! You need to know where to park and where you're allowed to go to the bathroom.
With more than 300,000 spectators expected, traffic and parking can be as nightmarish as expected.
The Gasparilla parade route will stretch from Bay to Bay Boulevard and Bayshore Boulevard and continue north along Bayshore, ending at Edison Avenue.
Things to know when parking:
The City of Tampa plans on placing temporary parking signs in nearby residential neighborhoods:
- No Parking and Parking by Permit Only signs will be placed ahead of the main Gasparilla parade. Illegally parked vehicles may be ticketed and/or towed during this time.
- One-way and Do Not Enter Signs will be placed the weekend of the pirate fest as well.
- Only drivers with ID verifying residence in nearby neighborhoods will be allowed access after the streets are closed.
Where you can park:
Let's start with docking your ship, or in this case, your car. The City of Tampa has provided handy-dandy parking maps for those who will need parking on the day of the parade.
The city has also included parking and viewing location details, along with handicap-accessible parking and viewing information for people with disabilities.
- Bayshore Beautiful and El Prado
- Bayshore Gardens
- Davis Islands
- Historic Hyde Park (North Side) and Hyde Park Spanishtown Creek (West Side)
- Historic Hyde Park (South Side)
- Hyde Park Spanishtown Creek (East Side)
- Hyde Park Preservation
- New Suburb Beautiful
- Palma Ceia (East Side)
- Palma Ceia (West Side)
- Parkland Estates
- Neighborhood Parking Rules
Downtown public parking facilities for the parade and pirate fest will also be available Saturday. The following parking garages will be available:
- Tampa Convention Center Garage (Tampa Street and Brorein Street) will open at 7 a.m., $10 per vehicle.
- Fort Brooke Garage (Witing Street between Franklin Street and Florida Avenue) will open at 7 a.m., $10 per vehicle.
- Poe Garage (Ashley Street, south of Cass Street) will open at 7 a.m., $10 per vehicle. Access to the William Poe Parking Garage will be closed from 1 p.m. until 6 p.m. during the parade.
- Twiggs Street Garage (Twiggs Street, west of Nebraska Avenue) will open at 7 a.m., hourly rate of $1.20/hour, with a $7 daily maximum. This will be an automated facility with a pay station collecting payment upon exit.
- Centro Ybor Garage (5th Avenue and 15th Street) will open at 6 a.m., standard hourly rate with a $9 maximum
- Palm Ave. Garage (13th Street and 9th Avenue) will be open at 6 a.m., standard hourly rate with $9 maximum
- Royal Regional Lot (Tampa Street and Fortune Street) will be open at 7 a.m., $10 per vehicle
- Scott Street Lot (Morgan Street and Scott Street) will be open at 7 a.m. at a rate of $5 per vehicle.
- Meters south of Kennedy Boulevard and on Kennedy Boulevard will be enforced from 8 a.m. until midnight.
Where restrooms will be available:
Port-o-lets will be located throughout the event site, parade route on both sides of the street, near all reserved seating sections, and downtown at the pirate street fest.
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