Moving to Tampa - Advice Please!

[MilitaryMouse]

Call the relocation assistance help at MacDill. The office is within the Airman and Family Services Building. They typically can send you relocation packet and give you some tips where not to rent or if some business is on the black list for off base housing.

Oh awesome idea! I didn't even know that existed!

 

[MilitaryMouse]

There are some lovely neighborhoods near McDill - definitely look in South Tampa. Old, established, beautiful homes and tons of growth. Being in that area can get you other places pretty quickly, not during rush hour of course And his commute will be very short.

My DH works near McDill but we live in St Pete. He can get to work in 15 minutes (just over the bridge!) but works 7am-4pm, so he misses all the backup. Depending on his hours, might be worth considering St Pete. We LOOOOVE it here.

The most it's taken us to get to Disney is 2 hours and that was when we realized that going after work is a no-go. You'll learn the best times to travel there - it's 1hr 15min from our house. 20 minutes to the (best) beach

Good luck in your research!

That sounds amazing. Several people have recommended South Tampa and St. Pete. Definitely will look there first.

2 hours to Disney sounds...like an amazing dream 20 minutes to the beach isn't too shabby either! We probably wouldn't go in the evenings - do you know how the morning drive to Disney is? Best times to leave?

 

[MilitaryMouse]

We have lived in Tampa since 2003. My husband still Works on MacDill (I use to). If you can afford the rent in South Tampa that would be the way to go for just 9 months. Look around the Hyde park area.

If your husband is open to taking the MacDill Express Bus, you will probably want Brandon/Valrico area. Brandon is also called “MacDill East” because of all the military families living there. Tampa Bay covers many areas so you will have lots of options. Many folks are going North to Wesley Chapel, Lutz, Land O Lakes, but that’s makes for a longer commute in heavy traffic. If you were moving permanently and were also looking at schools, it would change my recommendation. Nine months will go by very quickly.

Thank you! I'll check out those neighborhoods. I don't think DH knows about the express bus, so I'll let him know, he'd probably love it.

I'll be very sad to move across the country from beaches and Disney after nine months

 

[4kids4karen]

Thank you! I'll check out those neighborhoods. I don't think DH knows about the express bus, so I'll let him know, he'd probably love it.

I'll be very sad to move across the country from beaches and Disney after nine months

I googled and found an older article. https://www.macdill.af.mil/News/Art...13/macdills-transportation-incentive-program/

The bus company is HART. The express bus does not stop at the public stops, it goes directly onto the base. The last I recall there are 3 or 4 stops on MacDill so he can get on/off at the closest one to his office. The "free pass" applies to the four categories listed in the article. If he doesn't fall under one of those four categories, he will have to inquire on how much it cost. I know Colonels who take the express bus so they can "read the paper" on the bus instead of being frustrated in traffic. A lot of officers and senior enlisted do live in Fishhawk Ranch (mentioned in the article). Fishhawk Ranch probably offers some town homes that might be available for rent.

There is a bus stop they recently added in Land o' Lakes that goes express to MacDill. It would still be a 20 minute drive for me to take my husband to that stop, so he just drives. The is a Hart bus stop at our nearby hospital but he would have to transfer buses at them main bus terminal and that is just a pain to have to wait for another bus.

They also use to pay for a taxi (limited number of times per month) if for some reason you had to stay at work (for mission reasons) and missed the bus.

We love Tampa but hate the traffic. There is a ton of things to do with younger kids as well.

 

[4kids4karen]

Fishhawk actually talks about the express bus on their website: https://www.fishhawkranch.com/whats-here/

It is a great neighborhood, but since you are only renting, I am not sure what they can offer for a short term lease. If you see a rental listing for Fishhawk, it would be worth considering.

 

[4kids4karen]

Another area very close to MacDill you might be interested in is the residential area surrounding Ballast Point Park. It's very close to the base so a short drive, the park is nice, and you can grocery shop on base, use the base pool, etc. The negative about being in this part of South Tampa is during hurricane season, this area is in the mandatory flood evacuation area. Actually the entire military base is in the flood evacuation zone. Other than when a hurricane is approaching, it is a very nice, quaint area to live.

The absolute closest apartments to the base are on Bayshore Trail Drive. You can walk or ride a bike to work. Literally, leave the apartment complex and make a right and you are being asked for a military ID as you will be at the Bayshore Drive gate for MacDill.

https://www.apartments.com/2885-bayshore-trails-dr-tampa-fl/f9cn8xt/


https://www.google.com/maps/place/2...9c7fd9c4899e11b6!8m2!3d27.865679!4d-82.493208