Tampa Neighbourhood Recommendations

[Shady Insights]

Hi everyone - 

I am relocating to Tampa (i have never been) by end of January for work and was wondering if you guys who currently live or have lived there have suggestions as to neighborhoods. Ideally, it would be:

• Relatively good commute (~30 minutes max) to (in the morning) and from (after 5p) my new job at East Lake Orient Park neighborhood
• Great place for someone who is a single, adult gay male. 
• In a safe neighborhood

Your recommendations would be greatly appreciated.

[TampaGuy]

Check out The Heights (Tampa Heights, Seminole Heights, Riverside Heights). They are all centrally located and would work for that commute.   The neighborhoods in South Tampa and Westshore areas are nice too.  Feel free to contact me directly if you have any questions! 

[TallMuscl37]

Tampa is my hometown and former stomping grounds (though I always had a a greater preference for Miami, Fort Lauderdale and Orlando). I admire you being willing to move to a city without any prior visiting. Back in the 90s and early 2000s, Tampa was very racist and homophobic. Since then they’ve cleaned up a bit but…there’s still pockets of intolerance. And I would ONLY go there as a single male because, the schools there were rough. My parents moved us to the suburbs halfway thru middle school.

That said: Idk a whole lot about Tampa scene since it’s changed a lot over the years with gentrification. However last time I was there 2020 and 2022, some areas have still remained the same.

The area you working at, you may want to consider also Brandon area. It’s only 10 miles approximate from the Ybor area, and it’s also tends to be newer homes. There’s some gay activity but mostly online. However I used to have friends there I met all the time. 
 

There’s also New/North Tampa which is growing and newer homes but: even if you find what you like, 275 traffic can be a B-itch. 75 not too bad but, 75 is one of those “thru ways” that can have traffic from travelers going to Sarasota/SW Florida from Canada and every other state in the country. All my classmates were from Massachusetts, NY, Michigan, Ohio, Illinois, Kentucky, Connecticut, etc etc lol.

I wouldn’t recommend St. Pete/Clearwater unless you don’t mind the drive, however if only have to go into the office a couple days a week: that area is actually more gay friendly than Tampa. Also keep in mind: westshore area is nice but it’s a flood prone area. With the increasing hurricane intensity, as I’ve said in previous threads: you may want to consider area away from water and not under large oak trees. Unfortunately Tampa is notorious for large oak trees, but a newer home you may not have that issue. Here’s a little helper map pointing out the areas I suggested:

Edited December 17, 2024 by TallMuscl37

[+ Charlie]

I can't claim any intimate knowledge of the Tampa area, but I have old friends, a gay couple, who have lived for many years in Palm Harbor and have been very happy there. Another old female friend, who is very gay-friendly (she took care of her gay brother when he was dying of AIDS, and later took care of his boyfriend when he was dying), has lived in Brandon for twenty years and is very comfortable there.

[Jlcsam]

Depends on the kind of neighborhood you are looking for.

Ive lived here my entire life, 33 years.

New Tampa/Tampa Palms is great suburbs area. Would be about 30 min commute to that location for you but its a nice quiet peaceful area.

If you are looking more in the city there is Channelside. Very walk able area and would be about a 15-20 minute commute.

Brandon would be nice too. Depending how deep into Brandon you go would be a 15 - 20 minutes commute to there too. Its a good medium ground between Channelside and New Tampa.

 

Feel free to reach out if you want more info.

[curt gregory]

I’m surprised no one has mentioned Hyde Park.  Is it not the beautiful, walkable neighborhood that I remember?  Or did the hurricane really ruin it?  

[Jlcsam]

Hyde Park is really nice too. Commuting to East Lake area would be 30+ mins with the traffic so I didnt mention that one.