Tampa has evolved into Florida’s shining example of how a city blessed with so much natural waterfront can intentionally reinvent its urban core in a way that improves the lifestyle of residents and attracts newcomers in equal measure.
Add to that neighboring St. Petersburg’s beautiful bayfront, beaches and canals, and the Tampa Bay region truly stands apart when it comes to on-the-water living. On any given day, you don’t have to look far to find people making the most of an active lifestyle surrounded by water in our beautiful home.
The Craft Tampa river cruiser glides along the Hillsborough River as guests clink Aperol spritzes over brunch. Nearby, the Pirate Water Taxi stays bustling with families and friends winding a route past the Tampa Riverwalk’s attractions, with stops at places such as Armature Works and Julian B. Lane Riverfront Park.
Joggers and walkers along Bayshore Boulevard soak up sweeping water views and fresh air — often with a glimpse of passing dolphins or rays. At waterfront restaurants like Columbia Cafe, Ulele and Salt Shack on the Bay, diners gather for sunset views and a relaxed sense of community.
When we go to unwind and live our best lives in Tampa, we go to the water.
In downtown Tampa, the Riverwalk and Water Street Tampa have fueled the renaissance that’s reshaped the urban core into one of the most desirable places to live, work and play in the Southeast.
As the city broke ground on the West Riverwalk expansion in late October 2025 — and with projects like Gasworx and ongoing growth in Water Street Tampa and Channelside — former Tampa Mayor Bob Buckhorn said the city’s best waterfront moments are still to come.
“I think the Riverwalk project, in the span of history, will be looked upon as the single most transformative project that has occurred in our downtown, ever,” he says.
“We still have more chapters to write on the waterfront and the Riverwalk and for our city,” he adds. “But we’re a lot closer to that than we’ve ever been before.”
Branded residences put the focus on waterfront lifestyle living
From Bayshore Boulevard — which stretches 4.5 miles along Tampa Bay as the longest continuous sidewalk in the world — to downtown Tampa, St. Petersburg and the Westshore Marina District, hotel-inspired condo living is defining the next wave of waterfront development.
In Water Street Tampa, the 38 residences at The Tampa EDITION were among the first to introduce luxury branded living to the region. This summer in downtown St. Petersburg, the 50-story Waldorf Astoria Residences shattered local real estate records when a penthouse sold for $27 million. Along Tampa’s Riverwalk, The Pendry Residences Tampa will open in 2027 with 200 condominiums and 222 guest rooms in a prime, walkable location for enjoying the downtown waterfront lifestyle.
Across from Curtis Hixon Park, Kolter Urban is developing the 42-story ONE Tampa, another luxury condo tower with sweeping water and skyline views.
Brian Van Slyke, president of Kolter Urban’s Florida West Coast Division, credits Water Street Tampa with “providing a tremendous spark and visibility for people to reimagine what Tampa could be.”
With amenities such as a golf simulator, rooftop pool, F1 simulator, theater and guest suites, ONE Tampa will feature 225 luxury residences overlooking the river and skyline. “Tampa has evolved from that traditional business center where everything closed at five to something really vibrant,” Slyke says. “There are lots of lifestyle offerings and opportunities, and people are drawn to that lifestyle.”
The branded-residence trend extends south along the peninsula, including at The Ritz-Carlton Residences, Tampa, rising above Bayshore Boulevard, and in Westshore Yacht Club.
In the latter, United Landmark Associates’ new AQUA Residences Tampa offers luxury living in three condo towers, each with private elevators. Resident amenities include a deep-water marina for personal boats — with downtown St. Petersburg just a short cruise across the bay — as well as private workspaces, guest suites, a full-service spa, Technogym and bayfront pool.
Developer Eddie Avila credits Tampa’s waterfront lifestyle and the property’s concierge amenities with attracting AQUA’s residents. “You’re minutes from downtown and the airport, but when you come home it’s peaceful and private,” he says.Buckhorn says what he’s most looking forward to is watching Tampa continue redefining its urban core with neighborhoods that are distinct, authentic, connected and centered on the waterfront — or close to it.
“That’s what I’m so excited about — not what our past has been, which we need to honor, but what the future looks like,” he says.
And more and more these days, Tampa’s future looks toward its gorgeous water views for lifestyle goals.
JW Marriott Clearwater Beach Resort & Spa
691 S. Gulfview Blvd., Clearwater Beach | (727) 677-6000 | @JWMarriottClearwaterBeach
Experience elevated family travel at the JW Marriott Clearwater Beach Resort & Spa. Enjoy exclusive beachfront access, a rooftop pool or one of three on-site restaurants, including The Deep End, which serves fresh coastal cuisine with stunning ocean views. Families will love the one-, two- and three-bedroom residences complete with kitchenettes, in-room washers and dryers, and floor-to-ceiling sliding glass doors. Rejuvenate at the full-service Spa by JW or explore nearby attractions. Whether you’re planning a weekend getaway or an extended stay, the resort blends luxury, comfort and convenience.
Looking for more Tampa Bay exclusives? Or if you’re looking to advertise with us, click here.
