Gasparilla Guide 2023: Everything You Need To Know

  I t's that time of year! Gasparilla season. The pirates have taken over.  Me and another pirate, 2017 Another year has come and that means it's time for another season of Gasparilla. Lets get some of the more important questions out of the way real quick: How much does it cost? Nothing. Gasparilla is a free event. They do offer paid upgrades, but the parade itself is free. Where is it? The Children's parade and Day parade are off of Bayshore Ave in South Tampa into the Channel District in Downtown Tampa. The Knight Parade is on 7th Ave in Ybor City. Where do we park? I've found that the easiest place to park is the parking garages in Ybor. They offer parking + a bus into Downtown for a reasonable price (note: This has not been announced for 2023 as of now. This will change as the event draws nearer.).  You can also park on neighborhood streets. You'll get a few individuals who will try to scare you away. Keep in mind that they do not own the road and you are free

Weekly Picks: Parks

"Mark, you don't post enough family stuff." Well....

Weekly Picks, 4/26/18

How about the best parks to take your kids to? Tampa has a ton of parks. Some more well known than others. If you have kids who like to get out and do different things, these parks should provide exactly what you're looking for! Lets get started.

Curtis Hixon Park, 2018

Location: 600 N Ashley Dr, Tampa, FL 33602

Sitting directly on the Hillsborough River, Curtis Hixon Waterfront Park offers a playground, a water feature, a large field, and resides the Glazer Children's Museum. This park also houses Fur Green Fields and sits on the Riverwalk. Around the corner, on the Riverwalk, also sits a dog park so you can let your fur babies run free. You'll know Curtis Hixon for all of the events that they seemingly hold. The first Thursday of the month hosts Rock The Park, there are tons of yoga and other fitness events weekly, Margarita Fest, Lights On Tampa, and a myriad of other events.

 







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Waterworks Park, 2018

Location: 1710 N Highland Ave, Tampa, FL 33602

If you're taking a tour of the Riverwalk and are determined to walk the entire thing, then Waterworks will either be the first place you stop, or the last. Located on the northern end of the Riverwalk, Waterworks Park offers a playground, a waterpark, a dog park, a stage, a giant grassy field, and a restaurant in the form of Ulele. I personally find the view of the Hillsborough River much more appealing over here, and I've taken many pictures around this park. It has the history, the springs, the food... And even hosts a few events (Best Florida Beer, anyone?). This is one of the most aesthetically pleasing parks in Tampa.

 























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Perry Harvey, Sr. Park, 2018

Location: 1000 E Harrison St, Tampa, FL 33602

I'm sure you all remember the drama surrounding the Bro Bowl skatepark a few years back. "You can't tear it down! It's history." The City of Tampa came to an agreement and recreated the Bro Bowl, to the exact specs, about a block away from where it originally was. It wasn't just the bowl that was recreated, though. An entire skatepark was erected next to it. Now skaters have an awesome, free, place to skateboard, BMX, roller blade, or scooter... Or whatever else you guys are doing. And it would be so easy for me to stop at the skatepark, but this park offers so much more than that. For starters, there are two huge grassy fields that can be used for a multitude of activities (I saw some group there using one for a giant game of tag). There are basketball courts (which are unique to the parks on this list). There's a water feature (which has become Mayor Buckhorn's signature on his parks). The only thing seemingly missing from this park is an actual playground. Outside of that, this park has everything you could ask for. It also pays homage to the history of Central Ave, a prominent African American business district the 70's when the properties were bought up and the people displaced. This is, easily, the nicest park that Tampa currently has!





 


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And those are our picks for the week! Do you have a suggestion for next week's picks? What's your favorite park in Tampa? Leave it down in the comments! If you'd like more information on Tampa, check out our YouTube Channel and if you'd like to support our efforts, don't hesitate to buy a shirt from our Spreadshirt or become a donor at our Patreon.. Also, don't be afraid to click subscribe and you'll instantly be notified whenever a new entry is posted. If you'd like to meet other people who love Tampa, consider joining our Facebook Group. Thank you all and I will see you next time!

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