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What is Tampa like to visit by train (with no car)? Where is the train station in relation to the downtown/sites? Where is Ybor City? I have heard the area around Ybor City is not so safe--is that true in the day? Where would you stay, hotelwise?
I am considering stopping there some time for a day, or possibly Lakeland. Lakeland looks appealing from the train, though I suppose there isn't too much to do!
Thanks so much for any tips.
notelvis Member # 3071
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The Tampa train station is just east of downtown, north of the harbor area and kind of west of the Ybor City area. It's near an expressway overpass and in an area that is trying (with limited success) to not become seedy.
The Ybor City area is pretty historic with a number of interesting buildings.... it's got some popular restaurants and bars etc. and seemed reasonably safe by day when I was in Tampa for a couple of days in March 2009.
One feature which I used is the TECO Line streetcar..... aimed at tourists and thus not running until 11:00am or so..... which operates from Ybor City down to the Harbor Area. Here is a link -
If you will look at the second of the two maps (the downtown one) on the TECO website, you can locate the Amtrak station in the upper right. It's marked by a 'T' sitting inside the 'Y' of railroad tracks...... just above the green expressway #618. Here is a link directly to that map (aren't computers great - what did we do without them?)
I was staying on the outskirts and driving in to a public parking lot near the TECO stop #1 and then using the streetcars to get to and from downtown.
Hotels - there is a Marriot near TECO stop #5 and the Ybor City Hampton Inn is at TECO stop #4. Both of these hotels are a short cab ride from the Amtrak station..... and I would recommend a cab. Safety near the station might be questionable and even if not, the route from Union Station to these hotels is not pedestrian friendly.
Lakeland looks very nice from the train but having never been off the train at Lakeland, I'm not able to give you much feedback about that area.
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