Green Day may have the Boulevard of Broken dreams, but we’ve got something better — Bayshore Boulevard.
Also known as: South Tampa’s unofficial gym, Gasparilla Pirate Parade and Festival venue, the longest continuous sidewalk in the US, and the literal “Boulevard of Dreams” (nothing broken here, thank you very much).
A brief history
The boulevard was originally built as a one-mile brick drive back in 1914, but it’s undergone several changes since then; In fact, the iconic balustrade wasn’t completed until 1926 and received repairs later on.
Over the years, the boulevard has been home to a variety of homes, businesses, and attractions, some of which still stand: hospitals like Centro Español, which is now just a fountain, or the Hyde Park Historic District, for instance.
Explore along Bayshore
The 4.5-mile sidewalk that runs uninterrupted from Columbus Statue Park to Gandy Boulevard features multiple fun stops. Here are our recommendations:
- The Bayshore Fitness Trail, a one mile section of the sidewalk that features fitness stations, like a pull-up bar + sit-up bench.
- ~2.5 miles in, make a detour to Bloom Garden Shop to pick up a plant.
- Hyde Park Village, with beautiful historic homes and plenty to eat, drink, and do.
- Fred Ball Park, where you can check out Palma Ceia Springs, which was once known for its healing powers.
- Towards the end of the sidewalk, take in The Stovall House, a members-only social club.
Pro tip: The uninterrupted sidewalk ends at Gandy Boulevard, but if you continue (even as the road changes from Bayshore Boulevard to Interbay Boulevard) for roughly .5 miles, you’ll reach Ballast Point Park. If you make it by sunset, grab ice cream from Taste of Boston + head to the pier.
Looking forward
National trail experts recently took part in a Walkable Communities Workshop about the section of Bayshore Boulevard between Gandy Boulevard and Ballast Point Park.
The experts made recommendations to improve trail accessibility to the Bayshore Linear Park Trail, which are being evaluated for feasibility, possible funding, and implementation.