Everything you need to know about short-term rentals in the Tampa Bay area
Ever think about buying a house and renting it out? | Photo via Airbnb
The Tampa Bay area is no stranger to short-term rentals (STR). According to a recent report by the ChamberofCommerce.org, St. Pete and Tampa are among the top 10 American cities with the highest number of Airbnb listings.
The Burg ranked No. 3 overall with 3,379 listings + Cigar City ranked No. 9 overall with 3,434.
Whether you’re planning a summer getaway, plan to work remotely on a workcation, or get into the rental arbitrage business yourself — we’re diving into everything you need to know about short-term rentals in TBAY.
What are short-term rentals?
The Florida Department of Business & Professional Regulation (also the resource to find the right applications and licenses) defines a short-term rental as:
“Any unit or group of units in a condominium or cooperative or any individually or collectively owned single-family, two-family, or four-family house or dwelling unit that is also a transient public lodging establishment but that is not a timeshare project.”
About the ordinances
Take in the breathtaking skyline views of Downtown Tampa while chilling in your next STR.
In Hillsborough, Airbnb and Vrbo are legal at the state + county levels. Right now, the county does not have any official short-term rental laws of its own set in stone.
It’s worth noting ordinances and rules are subject to change at any time. For the most recent information, we suggest reaching out to your city/county supervisor.
Eating Healthy for a Longer Life | Wednesday, June 21 | 10-11 a.m. | Florida Blue Center, 3758 Park Blvd., Ste. #5, Pinellas Park | Free | Learn how to navigate recipes, restaurant menus and websites, and select healthier food options — reserve your seat online.
Go Skateboarding Day | Wednesday, June 21 | 4 p.m. | Skatepark of Tampa, 4215 E. Columbus Dr., Tampa + The Bricks, 1327 E. 7th Ave., Tampa | Free | Celebrate with free skateboarding, then catch the Cash for Tricks Opening Jam and the high ollie contest.
Thursday, June 22
Garbage & Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds | Thursday, June 22 | 7 p.m. | MidFlorida Credit Union Amphitheatre, 4801 US Hwy. 301 N., Tampa | $14-$467 | Catch Noel Gallagher, the former songwriter and lead guitarist of Oasis, as he performs live with his band.
Royals vs. Rays | Thursday, June 22-Saturday, June 24 | Times vary | Tropicana Field, 1 Tropicana Dr., St. Petersburg | $37-$164 | Watch our hometown, MLB-leading heroes as they wear their retro Devil Rays jerseys and face off against Kansas City.
Friday, June 23
Pride Shabbat | Friday, June 23 | 6 p.m. | Congregation B’nai Israel, 300 58th St. N., St. Petersburg | Free | Enjoy prayer services, a cocktail reception, lunch, and guest speakers in collaboration with the St. Pete Pride Parade.
Saturday, June 24
Florida American Sign Language Festival + ASL Slam Social Night | Saturday, June 24 | 9 a.m.-11:59 p.m. | Coastal Creative, 2201 1st Ave. S., St. Petersburg | $0-$10 | Learn more about deaf culture while enjoying barbecue food, a cash bar, poker, and music — perfect for new signers who want to learn ASL.
The Midsummer Night Fae Cabaret | Saturday, June 24 | 9 p.m.-3 a.m. | The Brass Mug, 1450 Skipper Rd., Tampa | $20 | Experience an evening filled with burlesque, dance, circus, comedy, tarot reading, and maple bacon waffles.
Talks about rezoning the Hillsborough County School District are back on the table tonight. The school board could approve a plan to close down five schools + shift where 15,000 students attend school in 2024. (WFLA)
Civic
Call Superman; Clearwater is getting a new hall of justice. Clearwater’s new city hall will cost $31.5 million. Plus, the Municipal Services Building will get a $13.3 million upgrade. Final designs are still in the works. The former city hall will be knocked down. (Tampa Bay Business Journal)
Film
Zachary Levi is starring in “Not Without Hope,” the based-on-real-life story of a former USF football player who survived 43 hours in the Gulf of Mexico after his boat capsized. The accident occurred back in 2009. (Tampa Bay Times)
Transit
Need a ride to Pride? The Pinellas Suncoast Transit Authority is celebrating by offering free travel to and from the St. Petersburg Pride Parade on Saturday, June 24 (and free fare all day).
Eat
Looking for Trinidadian delights? Pepper’s Island (1701 E. 4th Ave.) will bring that Caribbean flair to Ybor City. The spot will feature food like roti and curry. It is slated to open next month. (Creative Loafing Tampa Bay)
Sunshine City Popcorn Co. (2533 Central Ave.)is bringing small-batch gourmet kernels to the Grand Central District. The spot should popup in mid-August with flavors that range from Key lime pie to cinnamon roll. (St. Pete Rising)
Arts
Wondering what that giant white dome is at The Dalí Museum? It’s the host of Dalí Alive 360° — the museum’s latest addition. The exhibit focuses on flooding people’s senses with booming sounds + mind-bending illusions. Sign up to get alerts about the opening date. (I Love the Burg)
Try This
Your next trip is to the first place this random map generator lands. Where are you going? Let us know, and we might just map out how to get there from TPA.
Shop
It’s officially summer. To celebrate, shop our online store (Six & Main), where you’ll find many summer essentials such as new patio furniture by Palmetto Craft and delicious cocktail mixers by Simple Time Mixers. Now, that’s how you start the summer.
Outdoors
The perfect outdoor string lights do exist, and they’ve got a secret weapon: solar power. Light up your yard with a 50-ft strand.*
Finance
Work smarter, not harder, by hiring an investment advisor. These are the top five firms in the US.*
Seasonal
🪣 Bucket list mode: engaged
The 2023 summer bucket list for Tampa Bay, FL
Bring your tissues for Goo Goo Dolls’ “Iris.” | Photo via Wikimedia Commons
Summer is about two things: getting your tan on + jamming out(doors).
Today is the first day of the season, and if you’re anything like us — there are no days off. Here’s our roundup of top spots to lay out/take a stroll + outdoor concerts you could listen to before the season ends.
☀️ Catch some rays
Don’t take the warm weather for granted — get out and enjoy it.
Did you know besides the new Zachary Levi movie, this is the second movie in the last year to re-create Pinellas County in a different part of the world?
Last October, “Suncoast,” featuring Woody Harrelson and Laura Linney, was filmed in Georgia.
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