Accéder à la navigation

Tampa and the Gulf Coast holidays

Front row seats on Florida’s best beaches

Spot wild dolphins

In the Gulf of Mexico

Number of shell species in Sanibel

250

Holidays in Tampa and the Gulf Coast

Introducing Tampa: an up-and-coming-city set on the waterside. A few days here will reveal its historic centre, newly-invigorated Riverwalk and growing gastronomic scene. If you’re looking for that authentic Florida beach holiday, head out of Tampa to discover the Gulf Coast, where you can get down on the sand for front-row seats to the area’s phenomenal sunsets.

The Gulf Coast is calmer than Florida’s Atlantic coast, with safe, family-friendly water. The beaches are stand-out beauties, with their trademark white quartz sand, and troves of shells sprinkled on the shore.

Before you set off on the hunt for Florida’s fastest thrills and biggest beaches, stop and appreciate Tampa. Florida’s third largest city has a lot going on. Visit the historic district of Ybor City. It’s famous for former cigar manufacturers and is now fit to bursting with local breweries. In fact, the whole Tampa Bay area is becoming more foodie than ever – a walk, Segway or cycle down the Riverwalk will reveal some lovely places to stop, eat, and drink in the scenery.

Then hire a car and be free to explore more of Florida’s warmth on a fly-drive holiday. Soar down south from Tampa and you’ll reach the shell-strewn islands at Sarasota and the charming waterside restaurants in Naples. This coast might be well-trodden, but you’ll still tread on virgin sands and feel as though every sunset has been personally painted for you. Plus, you can reach Orlando’s famous parks in under three hours. However, if you’re strapped for time and prefer to stay local, kids will love the rides at Busch Gardens, Tampa’s own thrilling theme park.

Enjoy the relaxing side of Florida. Book flights to Tampa for a Gulf Coast holiday – they’ve made the water just the way you like it.

Our recommended holidays in Tampa

Hôtels que nous recommandonsRésultats recherche

Great Tampa holidays

 

 

There are several distinct areas of the Gulf Coast around Tampa, each with fantastic hotels. You can stay in the Tampa Bay area, in Tampa, Clearwater or St Petersburg. Travel a little further south and you’ll wash up on the arty, beautiful shores of Sarasota and then arrive in upmarket Naples. Wherever you roam, British Airways has the Gulf Coast covered: our carefully-selected hotels suit every traveller. DoubleTree by Hilton Tampa Rocky Point Waterfront is a great place to stay on a budget in central Tampa. It has an attractive, fresh design and a small pool on the waterfront. For a mid-range beach hotel, stay at Sheraton Sand Key. If you’re looking for a glamorous spa hotel, you’ll adore Don Cesar in St Pete’s.

 


Check out our Tampa packages for the best prices.

 

There are several distinct areas of the Gulf Coast around Tampa, each with fantastic hotels. You can stay in the Tampa Bay area, in Tampa, Clearwater or St Petersburg. Travel a little further south and you’ll wash up on the arty, beautiful shores of Sarasota and then arrive in upmarket Naples. Wherever you roam, British Airways has the Gulf Coast covered: our carefully-selected hotels suit every traveller. DoubleTree by Hilton Tampa Rocky Point Waterfront is a great place to stay on a budget in central Tampa. It has an attractive, fresh design and a small pool on the waterfront. For a mid-range beach hotel, stay at Bellwether Beachfront Resort. If you’re looking for a glamorous spa hotel, you’ll adore Don Cesar in St Pete’s.

 

 

There are several distinct areas of the Gulf Coast around Tampa, each with fantastic hotels. You can stay in the Tampa Bay area, in Tampa, Clearwater or St Petersburg. Travel a little further south and you’ll wash up on the arty, beautiful shores of Sarasota and then arrive in upmarket Naples. Wherever you roam, British Airways has the Gulf Coast covered: our carefully-selected hotels suit every traveller. DoubleTree by Hilton Tampa Rocky Point Waterfront is a great place to stay on a budget in central Tampa. It has an attractive, fresh design and a small pool on the waterfront. For a mid-range beach hotel, stay at Sheraton Sand Key. If you’re looking for a glamorous spa hotel, you’ll adore Don Cesar in St Pete’s.

Check out our Tampa packages for the best prThere are several distinct areas of the Gulf Coast around Tampa, each with fantastic hotels. You can stay in the Tampa Bay area, in Tampa, Clearwater or St Petersburg. Travel a little further south and you’ll wash up on the arty, beautiful shores of Sarasota and then arrive in upmarket Naples. Wherever you roam, British Airways has the Gulf Coast covered: our carefully-selected hotels suit every traveller. DoubleTree by Hilton Tampa Rocky Point Waterfront is a great place to stay on a budget in central Tampa. It has an attractive, fresh design and a small pool on the waterfront. For a mid-range beach hotel, stay at Bellwether Beachfront Resort. If you’re looking for a glamorous spa hotel, you’ll adore Don Cesar in St Pete’s.

 

 

3 star Tampa holidays

For an overnight stop on a fly-drive holiday, or an inexpensive base if most of your days will be spent on the beach, pick one of our carefully selected three-star hotels. You can keep costs down and still enjoy a sunny Floridian holiday.

4 star Tampa holidays

Want a holiday that has everything, but can’t stretch to five star? Choose a resort that’s got all your family needs – plus fun extras, whether it’s a beachfront setting or water sports and sundowners at a four-star hotel.

5 star Tampa holidays

Pick a fancy hotel in Naples for a romantic stay with a touch of Old Florida charm, or pull out all the stops at a beachside resort on its own island. There are plenty of luxury hotels to choose on the Gulf Coast.

Rechercher davantage d'offres de vacances
Explorer
Cliquez ici pour afficher la carte en plein écran

Les meilleurs road trips en Floride

Pour mieux découvrir l'État du soleil, optez pour une formule vol + voiture en Floride. Créez un road trip sur mesure pour faire le tour des parcs à thème d'Orlando ou explorer la ville très décontractée de Miami. Découvrez les plages envoûtantes de Clearwater et les extraordinaires îles tropicales des Keys. Organisez votre séjour grâce à notre guide sur la Floride.

Amy Rosoman

pour British Airways

Pourquoi choisir British Airways Holidays ?

Profitez de tous ces excellents avantages :

  Ajoutez des hôtels ou une voiture de location à votre vol pour économiser

  Hôtels soigneusement sélectionnés

  Numéro d'assistance disponible 24h/24 pendant votre voyage

 Acomptes modiques en ligne

  92 % de nos clients seraient prêts à effectuer une nouvelle réservation

 

 

 

En savoir davantage

Tampa fly-drive holidays

Réservez votre voiture et partez à la découverte.

Location de voiture avec British Airways

Récupérez votre voiture dans plus de 5 000 agences avec Avis et Budget, nos partenaires privilégiés de location de véhicules

Assistance 24 h/24

Assistance 24 h/24, service client et protection ATOL systématiquement fournis

Pas de frais cachés

Tous les frais obligatoires sont inclus et les membres de l'Executive Club cumulent des Avios à chaque location.

Kia Rio ou similaire
  Vols +   7 jours de location de voiture
Kia Soul ou similaire
  Vols +   7 jours de location de voiture
Toyota Corolla ou similaire
  Vols +   7 jours de location de voiture
Voir toutes les offres

Make the most of your Tampa and Gulf Coast holiday

Where are the best places to stay in Tampa?

If you’re staying in Tampa city to explore the local sights, Downtown Tampa and the Channel District are popular places to stay. From here it’s just a short bus to Ybor City, Tampa’s most historic area, and one of the most characterful parts of town.

In the wider Tampa Bay area, check out Gulfport for a touch of Florida Keys weirdness on the mainland.

If you stay in nearby Clearwater, you can also visit Caladesi Island State Park, a beautiful barrier island only accessible by boat. St Pete’s Beach and St Petersburg are also popular areas to visit, thanks to a Dali Museum, a Chihuly museum, and yet more fantastic beaches.

Sarasota and Bradenton are a short hop across the bay from St Petersburg. Stay near Bradenton Beach and Anna Maria Island for the most stupendous sunsets from City Pier. Stay near St Armand’s Circle for charming restaurants. Further out, the city of Fort Myers is known for its water sports. Stay on Fort Myers Beach to try them out.

Naples is a small and elegant city with an abundance of beautiful, but challenging, golf courses. Look for Naples hotels near Fifth Avenue South if you’re planning to spend time sampling the city’s famous shopping district. Below Naples, Marco Island is considered the gateway to the Everglades. Luxury resorts have sprouted all along the fantastically long beach on the west coast of the barrier island. With the nearby nature reserves, it’s a great place to watch and photograph wildlife.

Siesta Beach, Sarasota. ©Julen Garces Carro/EyeEm.

Top five things to see in Tampa and the Gulf Coast

• Party during sunset at Pier 60

• Dine al fresco at Tampa Riverwalk

• Get back to nature at the Hillsborough River State Park

• Catch a streetcar to the Tampa Bay Brewing Company, Ybor City

• Visit The John and Mable Ringling Museum of Art

 

Best beaches to visit from Tampa

With so many beaches nearby, you can afford to be choosy. From north to south, try out these blonde beauties:

  1. Caladesi Island State Park in Dunedin – accessible by ferry – or even by kayak rental, this quiet beach is very beautiful.
  2. Clearwater Beach – right in front of the town, this lively beach hosts daily sunset celebrations at Pier 60.
  3. Fort De Soto Park, Tierra Verde – set in a county park, this beach has a safe tidal pool that’s perfect for kids.
  4. Siesta Key Beach – one of the whitest beaches around, thanks to the high quartz content in the sand. This quartz also helps keep the sand cool even in hot weather. 
  5. Sanibel Island – famous, alongside its sister island, Captiva, for being the best place in Florida for shelling.
  6. Fort Myers Beach – a popular area with a set of great hotels, Fort Myers Beach is famous for water sports and presents an annual sand sculpture competition.
  7. Naples Beach – this seven-mile beach in Naples resort is absolutely beautiful. Take a fantastic sunset photograph of Naples Pier at the southern end of the beach.
Kayaking in the Everglades. ©RHZ

Tampa fly-drive holidays

Tampa, and the twin cities of Clearwater and St Petersburg sit on the northern end of Florida’s popular Gulf Coast region. Drive south from here, crossing the Sunshine Skyway Bridge to reach Bradenton and Sarasota next, then Fort Myers, and finally the so-called ‘Paradise Coast’ around Naples. Don’t forget to look inland from the beaches when you travel. You can find plenty of Florida’s signature wildlife, from gators to egrets, just off the back roads. Why not drive to Cape Coral, near Fort Myers, to look out for Florida’s unique Burrowing Owls?

Personnalisez votre voyage

En savoir plus...

The Florida Gulf coast is burstingwith charm and energy.Soak up every sensational moment.

Amy Rosoman,  British Airways Holidays
Vacances à Cancún
Vacances aux Bahamas
Voyages à Miami
Vacances à Orlando
Plan your trip to Tampa

Conditions générales