By Certified Travel Consultant Dawn Webb
Wondering what tips for Gasparilla are most worth your time?
Tampa, located on the West Coast, is recognized as one of the third largest cities to visit in Florida, and it lives up to its strong reputation- offering arts, culture, attractions, parks, sports, and events.
One of the most popular events is the Gasparilla Pirate Fest, which has been a tradition in Tampa since 1904. Hosted by the Seminole Hard Rock, over 350,000 spectators line the streets. Pirates invade and take the key to the city, followed by a pirate parade celebration.
If It’s your first time attending Gasparilla, there are several tips that will help your experience be amazing.
1. Attend a VIP Party
The most exclusive way to attend Gasparilla is to purchase VIP tickets to a party along the parade route. There are a vast number of attendees, so unless you want to get to the parade route early and skip the invasion, the streets and best views fill up quickly.
2. Purchase a Bleacher Seat
At the Gasparilla parade route, from 2:00 – 5:30 PM, you will find merry pirates celebrating on floats, handing out beads down Bayshore Blvd., following a 4.5-mile celebration along the bay. With a massive number of spectators, it can be challenging to get a good view or be in the front lines to collect multiple pounds of beads, so I recommend if you aren’t going to attend a VIP party and you want to watch the invasion which takes place 11:30 AM – 1:00 PM, to purchase a bleacher seat. Get to the route as early as the parade starts. If your seat is near Barcelona and Bayshore Blvd, it’s time-consuming trying to cross the street to take your seat. Also, know the exact address of where your seat is located as tickets don’t always provide it.
3. Pre-order Transportation
With hundreds of thousands of parade attendees, pre-ordering transportation is a must or you could be waiting hours. I found Lyft to be the most reasonable but it’s important to know your location ahead of time and consider street closures.
4. Bring a Backpack
Collecting nearly 100 strands of beads at a parade route can be exciting but carrying them later can become a challenge. There is the weight to consider along with maneuvering through crowds. I recommend bringing a backpack to store your pirate booty and treasures.
5. Pack Water and Snacks
- With a vast number of attendees having supplies on hand is essential. I recommend packing some protein snacks, multiple bottles of water, hand wipes, and extra tissue as porta potties are the means for excretion. Supplies provided by the city can run out quickly. Lines for food and water tents are long and not always easily accessible. Also, double-pack portable phone charges as batteries don’t last as long as expected, and portable charges drain quickly.
6. Partake in The Dress Up
When you think of a pirate invasion, you may envision pirates from the boat, but it’s the actual Gasparilla spectators who are dressed as pirates taking over the city of Tampa. Check weather conditions ahead of time to ensure that you wear the correct attire, and comfortable shoes are a must as you will likely be walking miles throughout the day.
7. Accommodations
If you are going to consume alcohol or live a considerable distance from downtown Tampa, I would recommend booking accommodations. The best location is the waterfront, but hotels fill up quickly, so advance bookings are a must. If downtown Tampa is not an option, know your true distance from downtown to your hotel, and don’t rely on the hotel sites to calculate the actual distance for you. What says 3.6 miles away could actually be 9 miles away from the parade route.
8. Have a After Party in Place
With over 1/3 of one million attendees on the move, it’s important to have a plan in place for when the parade finishes. Bars and restaurants have long weight lists and can be overcrowded. It’s essential to book restaurant reservations way in advance if you are looking for entertainment and don’t have tickets to an after-party. You can head over to the Pirate Fest stage and dance along to live music at Curtis Hixon Waterfront Park (at Ashley Drive and Twiggs Street) and MacDill Park (at Ashley Drive and Whiting Street).
The Wrap-Up
And there you have it, a complete list of the best tips for Gasparilla Pirate Fest.
While Gasparilla is an incredible event to attend, it can be overwhelming if you don’t have the best plan in place.
Whether you plan to stay in the city or leave after the parade, you’re guaranteed to have a fantastic day out if you follow the 7 valuable Gasparilla Pirate Fest Tips.
