Riverwalk fireworks, then a St. Pete Jan 1
This is leg 1 of 1, the opening leg.
Travel leg · Tampa New Year's Eve
Downtown Tampa & the Riverwalk to Downtown St. Petersburg
Downtown Tampa & the Riverwalk and Downtown St. Petersburg sit about 25 km (16 mi) apart in a straight line, with Downtown St. Petersburg to the south-west. It is leg 1 of 1 on our Tampa New Year's Eve itinerary, a 3-day trip. Here is how long it takes by car, what to see on the way and where it fits in a real itinerary.
- Straight-line distance
- 25 km · 16 mi
- Est. road distance
- 30–35 km
- Est. drive time
- 25–40 min
- Direction
- Heading south-west
- Curated routes
- 1 itinerary
Road distance is estimated as 1.2–1.4× the straight line; drive time assumes average speeds of 50–80 km/h with no stops or traffic. These are rough estimates — check a maps app for the actual route.
Ways to get there
We don't have live routing data, so the figures below are labelled estimates built from the straight-line distance. Use them to plan the day, then confirm in a maps app.
By car
Most travelers on our Tampa New Year's Eve itinerary do this leg by car. We estimate 30–35 km (19–22 mi) of road and 25–40 min behind the wheel, so check live traffic before you set off.
Fly into Tampa International (TPA), 15 minutes from downtown. The TECO Line Streetcar is fare-free and links downtown, Channelside and Ybor City; the Pirate Water Taxi stops along the Riverwalk. Roads near Curtis Hixon Park and Harbour Island get congested after 11 p.m., and rideshare surges after midnight, so stay within walking distance of the river. On Jan 1, St. Petersburg is about 30 minutes across the Howard Frankland Bridge; Fort De Soto is 30 more minutes south and charges a small parking fee.
Open Downtown Tampa → Downtown St. Petersburg directions in Google Maps ↗
Worth stopping for
Picks from our curated guides at both ends.
When you arrive in Downtown St. Petersburg
A slow Jan 1 across the bay: brunch, Dali, the pier and a Gulf beach.
The Vinoy
Pink 1925 Mediterranean Revival resort on the waterfront, with a brunch dining room overlooking Vinoy Park.
Salvador Dali Museum
The largest Dali collection outside Europe, in a concrete box wrapped by a glass bubble on the bay.
Fort De Soto Park
County park on five keys at the mouth of Tampa Bay, with white-sand beaches, a 1898 fort and fishing piers.
St. Pete Pier
Quarter-mile pier into Tampa Bay with parks, restaurants, a splash pad and a rooftop deck at its head.
Sunken Gardens
Century-old botanical garden in a sinkhole, with waterfalls, flamingos and thousands of tropical plants.
Ted Peters Famous Smoked Fish
Roadside smokehouse since 1951 serving mullet and mackerel smoked over red oak, with smoked-fish spread.
Before you leave Downtown Tampa & the Riverwalk
Two nights by the river for classic dinners and midnight fireworks.
Tampa Riverwalk
2.6-mile path along the Hillsborough River through downtown, the free viewing area for the midnight fireworks over the water.
Columbia Restaurant
Florida's oldest restaurant, opened in Ybor City in 1905, with tiled dining rooms, the 1905 salad and flamenco shows.
Jackson's Bistro
Waterfront restaurant on Harbour Island with a big deck facing downtown, host of a ticketed New Year's Eve party.
On this curated route
Where Downtown Tampa → Downtown St. Petersburg sits in the full itinerary. Highlighted stops are this leg.
Going the other way? Downtown St. Petersburg to Downtown Tampa & the Riverwalk is the same 25 km in a straight line, heading north-east. Reverse directions in Google Maps ↗
Downtown Tampa to Downtown St. Petersburg: questions travelers ask
How far is Downtown Tampa & the Riverwalk from Downtown St. Petersburg?
Downtown Tampa & the Riverwalk is about 25 km (16 mi) from Downtown St. Petersburg in a straight line, with Downtown St. Petersburg to the south-west. By road, we estimate 30–35 km (19–22 mi), or 1.2–1.4 times the straight line. Check a maps app for the exact route.
How long does it take to drive from Downtown Tampa & the Riverwalk to Downtown St. Petersburg?
An estimated 25–40 min, assuming 30–35 km of road at average speeds of 50–80 km/h with no stops or traffic. It is not a routed time, so check a maps app on the day.
Which itineraries include the trip from Downtown Tampa & the Riverwalk to Downtown St. Petersburg?
Our Tampa New Year's Eve itinerary includes this leg. Tampa New Year's Eve runs about 3 days across 2 stops, best in Dec 30 – Jan 1.
Guides for both ends
- Downtown Tampa & the Riverwalk travel guide
- Downtown Tampa & the Riverwalk weather best time to visit
- Downtown St. Petersburg travel guide
- Downtown St. Petersburg weather best time to visit
Downtown St. Petersburg by month
- Downtown St. Petersburg in January
- Downtown St. Petersburg in February
- Downtown St. Petersburg in March
- Downtown St. Petersburg in April
- Downtown St. Petersburg in May
- Downtown St. Petersburg in June
- Downtown St. Petersburg in July
- Downtown St. Petersburg in August
- Downtown St. Petersburg in September
- Downtown St. Petersburg in October
- Downtown St. Petersburg in November
- Downtown St. Petersburg in December
Plan Downtown Tampa → Downtown St. Petersburg with your crew
Add this leg to a shared itinerary, poll the group on where to stop, split fuel and tickets, and keep everyone's packing list in one place in TripsCircle.