Safest Places to Stay in Tampa for Visitors (And Where to Avoid)
Looking for the safest places to stay in Tampa? As a Tampa local, I know all about where to stay (and where not to stay) when visiting Tampa! So, I wrote this guide to cover the top safe neighborhoods in Tampa for tourists, families, and solo travelers—plus areas to avoid and essential safety tips.
The safest places to stay in Tampa include the neighborhoods of Downtown Tampa, South Tampa, Hyde Park, and Davis Island. These central neighborhoods are well-lit, walkable, and have lower crime rates.
In addition to covering all the safest neighborhoods in Tampa, I’ve added some local insights to help you choose the best area to stay—along with hotel recommendations in each area.
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Here are the top 3 safest places to stay in Tampa:
✅ Westin Tampa Waterside – Harbour Island
✅ JW Marriott Water Street – Downtown Tampa
✅ Epicurean Hotel – Hyde Park
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Map of Tampa’s Safest Neighborhoods
Safest Places to Stay in Tampa (with Hotel Picks)
Below are the top 3 safest places to stay in Tampa, along with hotel recommendations for each neighborhood. This guide specifically focuses on safety + the best areas to stay in Tampa for visitors.
1. Downtown Tampa & Channelside – Perfect for First Time Visitors
Downtown Tampa & the Channelside area are perfect for first time visitors, business travelers, or anyone who wants to experience the city.
As a local, I love staying downtown Tampa – especially for events like Gasparilla (which Tampa is famous for)!
Downtown is walkable, has lots of restaurants, bars, and unique eateries like Armature Works and Sparkman Warf. Plus, its near a ton of things to do – including the Florida Aquarium, Tampa Riverwalk, boat cruises, and more.
Why Downtown Tampa Is One of the Safest Areas to Stay
Downtown Tampa is a safe area to stay when visiting Tampa. Personally, I feel much more secure walking around downtown Tampa than I do in many other major cities.
It’s well-lit, well-patrolled, and easy to navigate — even at night. If you want a deeper dive into crime stats and safety tips, be sure to check out this Guide to Safety in Tampa for a breakdown of everything you need to know (written by me – a local).
The downtown area is also modern and clean, which again is an issue with most other cities. Keep in mind that you will want to follow common safety precautions (it is still a city afterall) but for the most part this is a great area to visit.
🏨 Best Hotels in Downtown Tampa:
There are many hotels in downtown Tampa, but here are a few of the best options.
📍 JW Marriott Tampa Water Street
⭐ Rating: 9.1/10 I ✅ Book Here
- BEST location – Central & directly on the Tampa Riverwalk
- Beautiful rooms, some with great views
- Rooftop bar, outdoor pool, & more
- One of the highest-rated hotels in Tampa
✅ Check Availability & Book the JW Marriott Tampa Water Street
⭐ Rating: 8.3/10 I ✅ Book Here
- The only 5 star hotel in downtown Tampa
- Insta-worthy rooftop pool & bar
- Perfect for a luxury stay or romantic weekend
✅ Check Availability & Book the Tampa EDITION
📍 Courtyard Marriott Downtown Tampa
⭐ Rating: 7.9/10 I ✅ Book Here
- Budget-friendly hotel option in downtown
- Close to several restaurants, bars, and food trucks!
- Walking distance to the Straz, Curtis Hixon Park, & the Riverwalk
✅ Check Availability & Book the Courtyard Marriott Downtown
2. Davis Island & Harbour Island – Very Safe, Upscale, & Quiet
Located just south of Downtown Tampa, you’ll find two islands: the smallest one is Harbour Island and the larger one is Davis Island.
Davis Island is mostly residential and is a very upscale neighborhood in Tampa. This is one of those areas that you’ll see beautiful waterfront homes.
The upside to staying on Davis Island is that its very quiet, very family-friendly, and super safe. There is a small beach, nice walking & bike paths, and a few restaurants along Davis Blvd.
The downside of staying on Davis Island is that you will need to drive or take Uber downtown for most things to do or to have a better variety of restaurant options.
Harbour Island is more convenient to downtown Tampa as you can simply walk across the bridge to get there. Harbour Island also is where you’ll find the highly rated Westin Tampa Waterside as well as the popular American Social & Jackson’s Bistro restaurants (both have great views).
Why are Harbour Island & Davis Island the Safest Areas in Tampa?
Davis Island is a very safe and family-friendly area to stay in Tampa. It has limited access points, extremely low crime rates, and a strong sense of local security. Harbour Island is also very safe and has low crime rates.
Honestly, if safety is your main concern than Harbour Island or Davis Island is going to be the best and safest options for where to stay in Tampa.
🏨 Best Places to Stay on Harbour Island & Davis Island
One thing to know about Davis Island is that there aren’t hotels here, so instead I’ve recommended some highly rated VBROs.
I also HIGHLY recommend the Westin Tampa Waterside on Harbour Island. I’ve stayed here personally and the location is superb!
⭐ Rating: 4.3/5 I ✅ Book Here
- Perfect location – Safe + walking distance to downtown Tampa
- Beautiful views of Tampa
- Spacious, comfortable rooms
- Ideal for families due to the safe, yet convenient location
✅ Check Availability & Book the Westin Tampa Waterside!
⭐ Rating: 10/10 I ✅ Book Here
- Cute bungalow style rental home
- 3 bedrooms – perfect for a family
- Quiet & safe residential area
✅ Check Availability & Book the Davis Island Bungalow!
3. Hyde Park & South Tampa – Historic, Family-Friendly, & Walkable
If you are looking for a safe place to stay in Tampa that also has a lot of character & historic charm – look no further than Hyde Park!
I love this part of Tampa. It’s a pretty area and has a lot of unique places, like Oxford Exchange – which I highly recommend for brunch.
Hyde Park is home to the walkable and charming Hyde Park Village, filled with restaurants, boutique shops, cocktail bars, and coffee shops. This part of the city also has a very upscale feel to it.
Along South Howard (SoHo) you’ll find plenty of bars and nightlife. It’s a pretty lively area on the weekends along South Howard but still very safe.
Outside of South Howard street, Hyde Park is a very family-friendly area and much of the surrounding area is residential and quieter at night time.
Why Hyde Park is one of the safest neighborhoods to stay at:
Hyde Park is one of the safest neighborhoods in all of Tampa. It’s an upscale area, its well-patrolled, and well lit at night, especially around Hyde Park Village. The area of Hyde Park also has lower crime rates compared to other areas of Tampa.
🏨 Best Hotels in Hyde Park & South Tampa:
⭐ Rating: 9/10 I ✅ Book Here
- Luxurious rooms with modern charm
- Perfect location near South Howard & Hyde Park Village
- Full service spa & outdoor pool
- Highly-rated hotel – perfect for a couples weekend getaway
✅ Check Availability & Book the Epicurean Hotel
Where to Avoid Staying in Tampa
While Tampa is a safe city to visit, there are a few areas that have higher crime rates and are therefore less safe (especially for visitors).
Most of these areas wouldn’t be places that tourists would travel to anyways. However, there are a few places that as a local I would recommend to avoid staying in.
Ybor
Ybor is Tampa’s historic district, and is known for its Cuban history and for its role in cigar production. Ybor is a unique & historic Tampa neighborhood that is worth checking out.
However, Ybor does have significantly higher crime rates compared to other Tampa neighborhoods. Most of this crime occurs at night, which is why I would not recommend staying in Ybor.
This is especially true if you are visiting Tampa with kids, as Ybor is more of a party spot at night time. In fact, if I were planning a family trip to Tampa – I’d probably skip visiting Ybor. It isn’t as safe and its more of an area for adults rather than young kids.
If you aren’t visiting with kids and enjoy history & culture – than I’d recommend checking out Ybor during the day and early evening. Most of the things to do in Ybor are on 7th Avenue, which is one of the safer parts of Ybor.
FAQs on the Safest Places to Stay in Tampa
The safest part of Tampa is Davis Island. Davis Island has a low crime rate and a very low risk for violent crime. Davis Island, along with the nearby Harbour Island rank as the safest neighborhoods in all of Tampa.
Downtown Tampa, Channelside, and Hyde Park are the best place to stay in Tampa due to its easy access to all the downtown attractions including the Tampa Riverwalk. These areas are also walkable, safe, and perfect areas to stay for visitors.
Downtown Tampa and Channelside are the most walkable areas of Tampa. These neighborhoods are right along the Tampa Riverwalk and surrounded by things to do, restaurants, museums, and more.
Final Thoughts on the Safest Places to Stay in Tampa
Booking your trip in one of the safest places to stay in Tampa means more than just peace of mind—it ensures you can explore the city without worry.
From Hyde Park’s charm to Davis Islands’ waterfront views and the energy of Channelside and Downtown, these are the safest and most convenient places to stay in Tampa!
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