Where to stay in Tampa Bay to visit Steinbrenner Field

Downtown/Channel District

Distance to TPA: 7 miles
Distance to Steinbrenner Field: 6 miles
What’s there: restaurants, bars, museums, Amalie Arena 

The energy here has been on the upswing in recent years with the expansion of the Tampa RiverWalk and new entertainment options like Sparkman Wharf, a new development with a mix of restaurants, food trucks, and a stage with live entertainment overlooking the river. 

If you happen to be in town during hockey season, Tampa’s downtown has a ton of sports energy for Lightning home games at Amalie Arena. Plus, there are attractions like the Florida Aquarium and multiple museums.

There are also plenty of hotel options to choose from across the price and quality spectrum, and many will be within walking distance of most of the attractions we mentioned above. 

Ybor City, Tampa’s version of New Orleans’ Bourbon Street, is easily accessible from downtown via the free TECO Streetcar, which runs every 15 minutes into the late night. And if you happen to be combining a baseball game with a cruise from Tampa, you’re also walkable to the Port of Tampa cruise terminal.

Since you won’t find any pre-game locations right near Steinbrenner Field, downtown Tampa may be a good place to start your tailgating day, with options including Hattrick’s Sports Bar, where you can pre-game before calling for your rideshare to the stadium. 

Unfortunately, you won’t find any reasonable public transit options from Downtown to Steinbrenner Field. It would take you at least an hour, and we think that time commitment is simply not appropriate given the typically modest cost of a rideshare.

Hyde Park

Distance to TPA: 8 miles
Distance to Steinbrenner Field: 6 miles
What’s there: High-end restaurants, boutiques, and mansions

If your tastes are more high-end, you’ll love walkable Hyde Park, with its historic mansions, boutiques, and upscale dining options. Swann Avenue features some renowned eateries, including one of our favorites – On Swann – but just south of there is the legendary Bern’s Steak House. Reservations are a must, but if you’re not looking to drop a couple of big bills on a grass-fed steak, consider going to Bern’s also-famous Dessert Room, which features decadent sweet treats and a fantastic wine and cocktail list.

Lodging is much more high-scale in Hyde Park, with only a few, but very nice, hotels to choose from. You may want to explore Airbnb to find a carriage house or private room in a mansion in this upscale community.

Staying in Hyde Park will put you slightly closer to Steinbrenner Field than you would be downtown, but still far enough away to budget at least 30 minutes by car. And forget public transportation – it’s not appropriate from here either.

Ybor City

Distance to TPA: 9 miles
Distance to Steinbrenner Field: 6 miles
What’s there: Historic brick streets and some fantastic eateries. Once the sun goes down, a pretty raging party scene, too.

If you’re looking for Tampa’s version of New Orleans’ Bourbon Street, Ybor City is where you want to be as it has similar architecture and a party-hard vibe. During the day, it’s much quieter and a good time to grab a meal at the historic original Columbia Restaurant, but at night, be ready for a party or don’t bother coming. 

You’ll only find a few hotel options in Ybor City, but one acceptable option is all you need. And from Ybor City you can take the free TECO Streetcar to downtown, which runs every 15 minutes until late evening.

If you can handle the late-night partying, one significant advantage of choosing Ybor City is that, even though it is about the same distance to Steinbrenner Field as most of the other lodging options we’ve highlighted, its proximity to Interstates 4 and 275 will get you to the stadium quicker and cheaper. Expect a rideshare to be about $20 and a 20-minute ride.

Once again, there’s no acceptable public transportation here, so stick to cars.

Clearwater Beach

Distance to TPA: 20 miles
Distance to Steinbrenner Field: 23 miles
What’s there: white sand beaches, breathtaking sunsets, boats of all kinds, and everything you’d expect from a beach that is annually judged as one of the best in America.

Pinellas County, the half of the Tampa Bay metro area on the Gulf of Mexico, has several beach towns, all with their own personality. You really can’t go wrong with any of them, as they all have great beach bars, fresh seafood restaurants, and plenty of lodging choices at all price points on the beach or a short walk from it. 

But for proximity to Steinbrenner Field, as well as the variety of beach activities to enjoy and the quantity of lodging options, we’d suggest focusing your search on Clearwater Beach.

The variety of hotel choices includes “old Florida” mom-and-pop motels if that’s your thing, including some that have had recent and modern renovations, but also mega resorts and top-line hotels for those seeking more luxury accommodations. And, of course, plenty of options in between. 

Clearwater Beach has not only great restaurants and beach bars, but a wide variety of things to do as well. You’ll want to make time to catch a sunset at Pier 60, always with a host of street performers, and across the street from Pier 60 at the harbor, you’ll have your choice of boating options, from speed boats to pirate boats to fishing charters. 

But do keep in mind that staying on Clearwater Beach means a lengthy drive to Steinbrenner Field when you’re ready for baseball. It’ll be a congested 45-minute or longer drive (at least), so we strongly suggest you choose the beach only if you plan on getting a rental car.

The Opal Sands Resort & Spa and the Sandpearl Resort are great options if money is no object. If you want to be close to Clearwater Beach’s energy and enjoy a quieter beach experience, the Sheraton Sand Key Resort is a great choice.

Close to the ballpark / Tampa airport

Distance to TPA: 0-4.5 miles
Distance to Steinbrenner Field: 0.5-1.5 miles
What’s there: Wide selection of chain hotels, lots of restaurants and bars, and a pretty large shopping mall

We do the same thing you probably did – immediately look for the closest hotels to the stadium. Well, if you’re looking to stay as close to Steinbrenner Field as possible, you can choose from a Country Inn & Suites or the less expensive Econo Lodge and be a 12-minute uninspiring walk from the ballpark through an industrial park. But we think you’d enjoy your stay more at the hotels between the airport and Steinbrenner than these two options.

Between Tampa International Airport and Steinbrenner Field is a wide swath of chain hotels, chain restaurants, and International Plaza, one of Tampa Bay’s best-known shopping centers. Your lodging options here will be a cheap and quick rideshare from the airport, though many hotels here likely have a free shuttle. 

Technically Steinbrenner Field could be “walkable,” but it’s really not something we’d recommend. Easternmost hotels in this bloc will be a 30-minute walk to the stadium, while the westernmost might take you close to an hour. But again, this is a driving city, and rideshares will be considerably quicker and cheaper from these hotels than from elsewhere in Tampa.

If you do really want to save money, you can take the Hillsborough Area Transit Authority (HART) bus. The #32, which begins at the rental car center at Tampa International Airport, makes stops at International Mall and Boy Scout Boulevard/Jim Walter Boulevard right in the middle of all of these chain hotels and restaurants, and will get you near the stadium in just a few minutes and for just $2. (You’ll want to get off at Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard/Himes Avenue, where the team-controlled parking lots are, and you’ll be roughly a half-mile walk to the stadium.) Keep in mind that the last bus leaves King/Himes at 10:30 p.m., so you won’t want to dawdle after the game. 

Also, if you’re trying to catch a game soon after landing or flying out following an afternoon game, staying near the airport will give you a place to stash your luggage without having to travel back downtown (or elsewhere) to pick it up. This can easily save you an hour, which could be the difference between making or missing that flight home.

If you want to push the convenience even higher, consider staying at the Tampa Airport Marriott. The hotel is connected to the airport terminal, so you can take a rideshare from the ballpark, grab your bags from the Bell Desk, and walk to the airside tram that will take you to your gate. You’d also have easy access to all of the restaurants and shopping in the central terminal, so you’re not limited to the usual hotel offerings for those things.