Plus, a USF stadium update.
 
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90º | 20% chance of precipitation
Sunrise 7:17 a.m. | Sunset 7:29 p.m.
Tides | Old Tampa Bay | High: 4:33 p.m. | Low: 10:07 a.m. + 10:27 p.m. | Clearwater Beach | High: 1:22 p.m. | Low: 6:59 a.m. + 7:19 p.m. | Full Weather Report | Traffic Report
 

Bring down the bill and the footprint too

How to get around Tampa Bay without using so much gas
The TECO Line Streetcar is directly ahead and is riding away from the camera. There is sunlight coming in from the left and a destination sign on the streetcar reads, "Downtown Tampa."
Maybe there is such thing as a free lunch | Photo by @visittampabay
Are you tired of filling up your tank every few days? Then we’ve got some ideas that can help you reduce your gas usage while still getting out of the house and enjoying the best of the Tampa Bay area.

In honor of World Car Free Day on Sunday, Sept. 22, here are a few ways to get around without using gas at all, or at least using less of the stuff.

There are public transit options in both Tampa and St. Pete. The TECO Line Streetcar runs between downtown Tampa and Ybor City. It runs on electricity and is free of charge to ride. Across the Bay, the SunRunner offers a comfy transport option between downtown St. Pete and St. Pete Beach. SunRunner vehicles are hybrid-electric and fares start at just $1.10 per ride.

A screenshot of a map of the SunRunner route. The map shows stops between downtown St Pete and Pinellas Co. beaches.

The SunRunner is operated by the Pinellas Suncoast Transit Authority.

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Screenshot via PSTA

DASH is also an option in Tampa, with all-electric bright yellow Tesla vehicles offering rideshare services for $2 per person. Like other similar companies, it works via an app.

If you want your environmentally-friendly travel with a spot of exercise, St. Pete’s partnership with Lime offers public e-bike rentals. The City of Tampa has similar partnerships in place, offering rules and guidance for renting bikes across its service area.

The Tampa Bay area is also blessed with several walkable neighborhoods, not only in the major downtowns. So if you want to take a drive, park up, and get your steps in, here are our recommendations
  • In Hillsborough County, head to Ybor City, Hyde Park Village, Water Street Tampa, the Channel District, or Midtown Tampa. Plus, you can look forward to Gasworx joining the list soon.
  • And in Pinellas County, Gulfport, Dunedin, Safety Harbor, Clearwater Beach, and Historic Old Northeast are all good options. For future planning, the Historic Gas Plant District is set to be walkable too.
 
Events
Thursday, Sept. 19
  • BV Georges De Latour Vertical Wine Dinner | Thursday, Sept. 19 | 6:30-8:30 p.m. | The Cork Room, Tampa | $117 | Indulge in a unique tasting experience alongside a selection of wines in intimate surroundings.
Friday, Sept. 20
  • Tampa Murder Mystery Dinner | Friday, Sept. 20 | 7-10 p.m. | Maggiano’s Little Italy, Tampa | $85 | Unleash your inner Sherlock Holmes to solve the mystery game while tucking into a family-style meal and drinks.
  • Tampa Bay Rays vs. Toronto Blue Jays | Friday, Sept. 20-Sunday, Sept. 22 | Times vary | Tropicana Field | $11+ | Winter is coming, so there’s no surprise to see Canadians back in TBAY for this clash.
Saturday, Sept. 21
  • Oktoberfest | Saturday, Sept. 21 | 11 a.m.-6 p.m. | Bayboro Brewing Co., St. Petersburg | Free entry | Get into the Oktoberfest spirit in the Burg with live music, German-inspired eats, and a beer or two.
  • “Landslide": A Tribute to the Music of Fleetwood Mac | Saturday, Sept. 21 | 8 p.m. | Mahaffey Theater | $23+ | Embrace nostalgia with the sounds of the legendary band.
  • DJ Pauly D | Saturday, Sept. 21 | 10 p.m. | The Ritz Ybor | $83+ | Oh yeah, let’s fist pump to the sounds of the “Jersey Shore” star’s beats.
Events calendar here
Click here to have your event featured.
 
Travel

✈️ 3 wildly cheap flights out of Tampa International in 2024
A plane flys over palm trees in a clear sky.
Pro tip: Set custom destination alerts as a Going Premium member. | Photo by Pexels
Great airfare deals do exist — and thanks to flight price tracking services like Going, you can save hundreds on your next trip. Sign up for Going’s Premium plan, and you’ll be emailed when international flights leaving our city are seriously discounted.

Here are real flight deals out of Tampa International the Going team found this year:
  • $204 to Hawaii
  • $899 to Fiji
  • $453 to Rome
Sign up + get local flight deals
News Notes
Gallery
  • The University of South Florida’s new football stadium is coming into focus. USF just released a shiny new rendering of the proposed venue’s student section. Bulls fans can look forward to cheering on the team from the sparkling new stands starting in 2027.
Announced
  • The lineup is out for St. Pete’s biggest annual music festival. Reggae Rise Up is celebrating its 10th year, and will be in Vinoy Park in March. Sting & Shaggy, Slightly Stoopid, and Collie Budz are among those playing, plus a few TBD artists. Get your tickets.
Development
  • Tampa International Airport is getting over $5 million in grants for infrastructure projects. The money is coming from federal funds and will go toward taxiway and runway upgrades, and will also be used for a $2.8 million temporary flood barrier. (Tampa Bay Business Journal)
Real Estate
  • An assisted living facility in St. Pete’s Historic Kenwood neighborhood will soon be replaced by modern Craftsman-style townhomes. The development at 2168 9th Ave. N. will see five homes built, with prices starting around $900,000. (St. Pete Rising)
Civic
  • The City of St. Pete has launched a new tool to help homeowners with accessory dwelling unit zoning permits. To translate, that means it’s now easier to know if you need permission from the city to add a fully functional secondary living quarters like a mother-in-law suite, or tiny home.
Number
  • 5,263. That’s how many days in a row Tampa’s so-called “Bayshore Walker” took a stroll of at least five miles before doctors told him to take a break for his health. The Tampa Bay Times covered the remarkable story of Adam Brown’s 14-year feat. (Tampa Bay Times)
Sports
  • There’s a new man leading the Tampa Bay Lightning in 2024-2025. Defenseman Victor Hedman is now the 11th captain in club history after the departure of he who shall not be named. For those keeping count, there are only 22 days until the Bolts’ home opener.
Ranked
  • Tampa is the No. 6 best city for coffee lovers in the country, according to WalletHub. The Cigar City ranked highly on metrics like number of coffee shops, affordability, Wi-Fi access, and localized Google searches for “coffee.” There’s no shortage of good joe here.
Listen
  • People are starting to pay attention to the Bucs. Get game coverage, analysis, insights, interviews, and more from local experts of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers with Locked On’s daily podcasts.
    Trending
     
    Trending

    Forget Moo Deng

    Forget Moo Deng: Tampa has its own baby pygmy hippo
    An up-close shot of Ruka, the baby pgymy hippo at ZooTampa. Her head emerges from murky water and she appears to be feeding on her mother who is mostly off-screen. Her brownish skin is wet, and looks slimy with light reflected off it.
    It’s time to pay your friends at ZooTampa a visit. | Photo via ZooTampa at Lowry Park
    Have you heard of Moo Deng? The world’s most famous pygmy hippo is going viral on social media, with millions across the globe enamored by her antics at Thailand’s Khao Kheow Open Zoo. And yes, she’s very cute.

    But you don’t need to board a flight to Bangkok to see the slimy cuteness of a pygmy hippo calf — we’ve got one of our own in the Tampa Bay area. Ruka was born at ZooTampa at Lowry Park earlier this year, and the zoo says she loves playing with her ball.

    Back in April, the zoo posted the first video of Ruka when she weighed ~10 lbs, soon after she was born as part of the Species Survival Plan to ensure the protection of threatened and endangered species.

    Get tickets to see her for yourself.
    The Buy

    The Buy 9.19.24 (Affiliate)
    L.L. Bean’s customer-favorite flannel blanket — perfect for camping trips, picnics, and staying cozy this autumn.
    More worth The Buy
    Answered

    We asked what your favorite Floridian tree is

    Purple flowers — called Queen's Wreath Vine — are close to the camera. Their petals hang down in front of tropical green leaves.

    Check out Queen’s Wreath Vine at the Florida Botanical Gardens.

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    Photo by @flbotanicalgardens

    And the palm tree got the most votes, with 41%. Next up, the sprawling banyan tree got 25% of votes — those must be from fans of St. Pete’s waterfront parks.

    For 17% of you, anything with Spanish moss is your favorite, before mangroves and fig trees came No. 4 and 5 respectively.
     
    The Wrap
     
    Patrick Sidwell.jpeg

    Today’s edition by:
    Patrick
    From the editor
    I’ve got a fun fact to impress your friends with this NFL Sunday. If the Bucs win, the team will move to 3-0 (three wins and zero losses) — that hasn’t happened since 2005.

    Or watch the game in-person at Raymond James Stadium, where Baker Mayfield and company play the Denver Broncos on Sunday, Sept. 22. Tickets start around $50.
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