Parking guide for Tampa Bay History Center during NCAA Women’s Final Four

Tampa is buzzing with excitement as we welcome the NCAA Women’s Final Four, April 4-6, 2025! Navigate easily to the information you need with this quick guide:

• Closest Parking Options
• Parking Rates for Final Four Weekend
• Easy Street Parking Payments
• Reserve Parking with ParkWhiz
• Travel and Event Tips
• Transportation Alternatives
• Accessibility

All regular parking facilities remain open and accessible throughout the weekend, ensuring your visit to the Tampa Bay History Center is smooth and stress-free despite the festive crowds and events happening nearby.

Closest Parking Options

• Garrison Parking Lot
  Address: 615 Channelside Drive
• East Cumberland Garage
  Address: 1045 E. Cumberland Ave.
• Channelside Parking Garage
  Address: 369 S. 12th St.

These parking facilities are just a short stroll away from the History Center and the festivities around Amalie Arena.

Parking Rates for Final Four Weekend

• Friday, April 4: Rates range from $10 at Poe Garage to $30 at Pam Iorio Garage. Fort Brooke, Whiting, TCC, and Selmon lots offer a $20 flat rate.
• Saturday, April 5: Rates range from $12 at Twiggs Garage (maximum) to $20 at Pam Iorio. Most lots average around $15.
• Sunday, April 6: Similar to Friday, expect rates of $10 to $30, with most facilities charging around $20.

Easy Street Parking Payments

Tampa’s downtown street parking can be quickly managed from your smartphone. Download your preferred app from the Apple App Store or Google Play, set up an account, and enjoy a seamless parking experience. Available apps include:

• ParkMobile
• Passport
• PayByPhone
• Flowbird

Reserve Parking with ParkWhiz

Avoid parking hassles by reserving your spot ahead of time through ParkWhiz:

• Reserve parking spaces online or via the app.
• Transparent pricing — no hidden fees.
• Save up to 50% compared to standard parking rates.
• Enter quickly using your mobile parking pass.

ParkWhiz provides access to the largest inventory of reserved parking spaces nationwide, making it easy and affordable to park near the Tampa Bay History Center.

Reserve your parking with ParkWhiz

Travel and Event Tips

Expect a festive atmosphere with significant pedestrian traffic and some road closures, notably Water Street, which will be accessible only on foot. Plan for extra travel time to accommodate traffic and enjoy the vibrant celebration atmosphere around the arena.

Highlights include:

• Friday’s Games: Tip-off at 7 p.m. and 9:30 p.m.
• Saturday’s Super Saturday Practice: Starts at noon.
• Sunday’s Championship Game: Tips off at 3 p.m.
• Party in the Park at Cotanchobee Park: Enjoy family-friendly activities throughout the weekend.
• Curtis Hixon Park Events: Don’t miss the free GloRilla concert and the exciting “Bounce” event, featuring thousands of kids dribbling basketballs down the Riverwalk!

Transportation Alternatives

Avoid traffic altogether with these excellent alternatives:

 

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• Coast Bike Share: Cycle conveniently through Tampa.
• Cross Bay Ferry: Enjoy scenic travel by water. Departures from St. Petersburg are at 10 a.m., 1:30 p.m., 4:45 p.m., and 9:30 p.m. (Friday and Saturday) or 9:45 p.m. (Sunday). Departures from Tampa are at 11:30 a.m., 3 p.m., 6:15 p.m., and 10:45 p.m. (Friday and Saturday) or 11 p.m. (Sunday).
• E-scooters (Bird, HOPR, Lime, Spin): Available throughout downtown Tampa.
• Pirate Water Taxi: Explore Tampa’s waterfront areas. Daily admission allows for unlimited hop-on, hop-off boarding all day from any of the stops conveniently located along the Hillsborough River and Tampa’s waterways. The History Center is located at Stop No. 3 on the Island Loop, a narrated port tour. Taxis arrive at 11:35 a.m., 12:35 p.m., 1:35 p.m., 2:35 p.m., 3:35 p.m., 4:35 p.m., 5:35 p.m., 6:35 p.m., and 7:35 p.m.
• TECO Line Streetcar: Connect to key downtown locations easily. The History Center is conveniently located at HSBC Station (No. 9) at Morgan Street and Water Street. The streetcar runs every 15 minutes, with service on Saturday from 9:18 a.m. to 1:58 a.m. and Sunday from 8:33 a.m. to 10:53 p.m.

Accessibility

ADA-accessible drop-off points are clearly marked near event venues, ensuring everyone can comfortably enjoy the excitement.

Whether you’re heading to the games, exploring downtown Tampa, or visiting our incredible exhibits at the Tampa Bay History Center, parking and transportation options this Final Four weekend make your visit easy, enjoyable, and stress-free!

We look forward to welcoming you to a fun-filled weekend in Tampa!

About the Tampa Bay History Center

Founded in 1989 by the Hillsborough County Board of County Commissioners, the History Center opened its 60,000-square-foot facility on Tampa’s Riverwalk in 2009. Accredited in 2015 by the American Alliance of Museums and a Smithsonian Affiliate since 2012, the History Center includes three floors of permanent and temporary exhibition galleries focusing on 12,000 years of Florida history.

Beginning with Florida’s first peoples, who inhabited the peninsula some 10,000 years ago, through the arrival of European explorers in the 1500s, to Tampa Bay’s modern role as a port city and industrial hub, the History Center tells the story of the region’s history, heritage and culture.

The museum is also home to the Touchton Map Library and the Florida Center for Cartographic Education.

Dine at Columbia Cafe

Visitors can dine at Columbia Cafe, a branch of the world-famous Columbia Restaurant, offering Spanish-Cuban cuisine that reflects Tampa’s iconic immigrant community of Ybor City. Columbia Cafe at the Tampa Bay History Center has partnered with OpenTable to provide free, secure, and instantly confirmed online reservations. The cafe recreates the charm and flavor of the original Columbia Restaurant in Ybor City and offers a sampling of the Spanish- and Cuban-inspired dishes that made the 118-year-old restaurant famous.

The History Center also features a museum store, classrooms, rotating exhibition spaces, and event rental facilities.