Gasparilla Safety, Parking & Street Closures
Yo Ho, me hearties! Ready for the Gasparilla parade this weekend? Read part one of our Gasparilla Guide to get the details! In this part, we will tell you everything you need to know about street parking, road closures and staying safe on Gasparilla. Nearly half a million people are expected for the parade which can obviously create quite the congestion. Knowing ahead of time where you can park and what streets you can use is key to having a stress-free time.
Street Closures
The following are street closure times and locations for Friday night and Saturday according to the City of Tampa:
Friday, January 26, 2019- 10:00 PM
- Bayshore Blvd from Gandy Blvd to Platt St
- Bay to Bay from Bayshore Blvd to Ysabella St
- Davis Islands Bridge Off Ramp onto NB Bayshore Dr
Saturday, January 26, 2019- 3:00 AM
- Bayshore Blvd from Brorein St to Platt St
- Platt St/Channelside Dr from Plant Ave to Franklin St
Saturday, January 26, 2019 – 5:30 AM
- Crosstown- EB Willow Ave Off Ramp (Exit 4)
- Willow Ave from Platt St to Swann Ave (SB lanes closed only, 1-way NB)
Saturday, January 26, 2019- 7:00 AM
- Ashley Dr from Brorein St to Jackson St
- Brorein St from Florida Ave to Parker St
- Franklin St from Channelside Dr to Harbour Island Bridge
- Old Water St from Florida Ave to Franklin St
- Washington St from Ashley Dr to Tampa St
- Whiting St from Ashley Dr to Tampa St
- Whiting St from Florida Ave to Franklin St (WB)
Saturday, January 26, 2019- 9:00 AMFran
- Kennedy from Hyde Park Ave to Ashley Dr (EB)
- Ashley Dr from Cass St to Jackson St
- Jackson St from Ashley Dr to Tampa St
- Kennedy Blvd from Florida Ave to Plant Ave (WB)
- Madison St from Ashley Dr to Tampa St
- Madison St from Florida Ave to Tampa St (WB)
- Twiggs St from Florida Ave to Tampa St (WB)
- Zack St from Ashley Dr to Tampa St
- Zack St from Florida Ave to Tampa St (WB)
- Polk St from Ashley Dr to Tampa St
- Polk St from Florida Ave to Tampa St (WB)
- Tyler St from Florida Ave to Tampa St (WB)
Saturday, January 26, 2019- 11:00 AM
- Cass St from Willow Ave to N Blvd
- North A St from Willow Ave to Newport Ave
- North B St from Willow Ave to Newport Ave
- Fig St from Willow Ave to Gilchrist Ave
- Carmen St from Willow Ave to Delaware Ave
- Newport Ave from Cass St to North A St
- Gilchrist Ave from Cass St to Fig St
- Cass St from N Blvd to Ashley Dr (EB)
Saturday, January 26, 2019- 1:30 PM
- Cass St from N Blvd to Tampa St
- Tyler St from Tampa St to Cass St
Saturday, January 26, 2019- 3:00 PM
- Bay-to-Bay Blvd from MacDill Ave to Ysabella Ave (EB)
- Swann Ave from MacDill Ave to Armenia Ave (EB lanes closed only, 1-way WB)
- Platt St at Howard Ave (EB)
- Platt St at S Blvd (EB)
- Willow Ave from Kennedy Blvd to Cleveland St
- Willow Ave from Cleveland St to Platt St (SB)
- South Blvd from Kennedy Blvd to Cleveland St
- South Blvd from Cleveland St to Platt St (SB)
- Whiting St from Tampa St to Franklin St
Saturday, January 26, 2019- 4:30 PM
- Kennedy Blvd at Himes Ave (EB)
- Kennedy Blvd at MacDill Ave (EB)
- Kennedy Blvd at Howard Ave (EB)
- Kennedy Blvd at Willow Ave (EB)
- Kennedy Blvd at Blvd (EB)
For all street closure maps and visualization aids, click here.
Parking
The City of Tampa has set out very specific guidelines in regards to parking. Cars parked in designated “No Parking” zones will be cited and towed at the owner’s expense. Here are maps of all the different neighborhoods surrounding the parade and street closure information. In terms or parking downtown, here is what the City of Tampa suggests these locations:
- Tampa Convention Center Garage (Tampa St. & Brorein St.), will open at 7:00 am at a rate of $10 per vehicle entry.
- Ft. Brooke Garage (Whiting St., between Franklin St. & Florida Ave.) will open at 7:00 am at a rate of $10 per vehicle entry.
- Jackson St. Parking Lot (Florida Ave., between Jackson St. & Kennedy Blvd) will open at 7:00 am at a normal hourly rate of $1.60/hour, with a $9.50 daily maximum. This will be an automated facility with a pay station collecting payment on the exit.
- Poe Garage (Ashley St., south of Cass St.) At 9:30 am at a rate of $10 per vehicle entry. (Due to the parade route this garage will be closed from 1:00 pm until 6:00 pm. Customers will not be able to enter or exit this garage until after 6:00 pm.)
- Twiggs St. Garage (Twiggs St., west of Nebraska Ave.) will be open at 7:00 am at normal hourly rates of $1.20/hour, with a $7 daily maximum. This will be an automated facility with a pay station collecting payment on the exit.
- Centro Ybor Garage (5 th Ave and 15th St) will be open at 6 am at the standard hourly rate with a $9.00 maximum.
- Palm Ave Garage (13th St and 9th Ave) will be open at 6 am at the standard hourly rate with a $9.00 maximum.
- Royal Regional Lot (Tampa St. & Fortune St.) will be open at 7:00 am at a rate of $10 per vehicle.
- Meters south of Kennedy Blvd. and on Kennedy Blvd will be enforced from 8:00 am until midnight.
Alternative routes to hospitals and other detours around Tampa, check here.
Safety
While you have many options for parking, there will still be tons of traffic in the area. You also should not even think about driving unless there is a designated driver in your group committed to not drinking. Tampa has many options in terms of transportation to get to the parade. This includes Uber, Lyft, Taxis, Streetcars, HART Buses and trolley services. If you are drinking at all, DO NOT DRIVE. The consequences are too high.
The Tampa Police Department would also like to remind all patrons of the parade to report any suspicious activity. If you see something, say something. No tip is too small.
With the increased concentration of cars in one area, make sure to use designated crosswalks and be aware of your surroundings at all times.
