Queer Girl City Guide: Tampa, Florida

I have lived in Tampa all of my 20 long years and have traveled a lot in my life, but still always classify Tampa as the best place to call home. When most people think of Florida cities, they seem to think Miami, but always seem to forget about Tampa who just sits up here located on the water like “hey guys I’m pretty fab too!” Tampa is totally fun and fierce and fabulous and is super gay and then there is the beach and you are located like an hour and a half away from Disney! In addition, people living in Tampa are often lovingly called Tampons which is amusing and also the perfect label for this lady-loving city.

Foxy Foxy: Lesbian Nightlife in Tampa

Not gonna lie, the first thing I check for when I am traveling to an unknown city is the club scene. Because come on people, dancing with the ladies is fun! Thankfully Tampa has a pretty good lesbian club scene, so your needs to get out and party are pretty much covered.

Gbar (1401 E 7th Ave.) Open: 9pm-3am – Gbar and Honeypot, two of Ybor’s main LGBT clubs, are under the same management and are the top spot for lesbians who are 18+ to club in Tampa. The clubs flip flop with who gets to host the gay boys and who gets to host the queer ladies which night. Friday nights at Gbar are Lesbian “tease” nights and is usually jam packed. Everyone from super femmes in pretty dresses to butches, bois, soft studs, punk rock girls, and everyone in between, all get hot and sweaty on the dance floor together where guest lady-DJ’s from Miami frequently spin awesome dance mixes. Gbar also tends to host a pretty good number of wet t-shirt contests where anyone can enter and the winner gets a $200 bar tab. These are my favorite nights because titties. Local tip: go before 11 and get free cover!

Honeypot (1507 E 7th Ave.) Open: 9pm-3am – Honeypot, sister club to Gbar, hosts their lesbian night on Saturday nights. I must say this club is my favorite. It is bigger than Gbar and hosts larger events such as glow, foam, pinup, and fetish parties. There is a drag show with both kings and queens at 12:30 am every Saturday and the casts are usually from Ru-Pauls Drag Race or other noteworthy competitions. Music is generally top 40’s with a focus on rap. After the drag show there is generally a bit more techno dance stuff as well. There are always tons of cute girls out in droves and it doesn’t hurt to strike up a conversation with that attractive queer leaning over the railing. Like Gbar, cover is free before 11pm.

Georgie’s Alibi (3100 3rd Ave North, Saint Petersburg) Open: 11am-3am – Known to natives as “the happiest place on earth,” Georgie’s Alibi has the best dance-techno music in the area. This club is 21 and up and mostly caters to gay men, but let me tell you, that sure as hell does not stop the ladies. I can safely say that pretty much every queer identified woman I know gets all giddy to go party at Georgie’s and come on, who doesn’t like a cute go go dancer and a good drag show?

The Ybor City Social Club (1909 North 15th St.) – The Social is usually where Tampa lesbians tend to hang out on Thursday nights. It is a two story club with one floor more dancey and one floor more rap. It’s a LGBT club with an emphasis on the boys, but the lesbians have no fear of going out and partying with other like-minded gals. It is 18 and up there’s no cover on Thursdays.

The Castle (2004 North 16th St.) – My analysis of the best Tampa clubs would not be complete without a mention of The Castle, which was my first club experience on the day I turned 18. Dark, punky, grunge, and just a little bit goth, The Castle has been a favorite club destination for lesbians in Tampa for years. 80’s night on Monday, Pop and Wave night on Thursday, and a variety of industrial themed nights the rest of the week, The Castle is awesome if you want to change up your dance music a little bit. They recently added Sundays as lesbian night although most of the girls I know get down on Thursdays. Thursdays are also the most crowded with the best chance of meeting people.

And the Best Place to get Shitfaced Award Goes to:

If dancing really isn’t what you do best and drinking is more your style, Tampa has something for you too.

Coyote Ugly Tampa (1722 East 7th Ave.) – Ladies drink free on Wednesdays which, as you can assume, draws a pretty good female crowd. Any other night of the week, girls who get up and dance on the bar get free drinks too. They play good music, the atmosphere is saloon style, you dance on the bar instead of the floor, and you can take body shots off of one of the hot bartenders.

The Dogs Bollocks (1704 East 7th Ave.) – An English style pub, The Dogs Bollocks is a popular drinking destination in Tampa and has hosted derby girl oil wresting in the past. Enough said.

The Hub (716 North Franklin St.) – The Hub is a super awesome local bar known for their triple pours and is a favorite hangout of bicyclists in the area. They also host a variety of local bands.

Dating Scene

Like anywhere, you will meet potential partners usually one of two ways. 1. Doing a lot of stuff and meeting tons of people and being generally friendly in public. 2. Dating websites! Make yourself visible. My suggestion would be to go to fun local events, join your local roller derby team, audition for theatre, host a cooking class, volunteer at an organization close to your heart, talk to people at clubs/bars etc. Or go stand on the Ybor City street corner and you may just end up meeting your girlfriend like I did. If you are more of a dating website kinda gal, plentyoffish.org and OKCupid are the most popular ones used by the lesbians in Tampa. I know a TON of lesbians who use dating websites and have met their friends/partners through them so I have proof that they work too. Not every method of dating is for everyone. Find yours and then run with it!

Lesbians Who Learn

USF P.R.I.D.E. Alliance – University of South Florida is home to the largest pride alliance in the area and is run by a personal friend of mine. Every day of the week, especially Thursdays, you can find a large group of LGBT students gathered together at the college. USF Pride hosts all sorts of awesome events such as a queer proms and formals, Trans* Day of Remembrance, National Coming Out Day parties, and a hate wall smashing on the day of silence.

University of Tampa, Hillsborough Community College, and Saint Petersburg College offer a friendly and safe environment for queer students as well but are a little less active in the pride department.

Let’s Play Ball! Or Roller Derby!

If professional sports are your thing, you may like to know that Tampa is home to the Tampa Bay Rays baseball team, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers football team, and the Tampa Bay Lighting hockey team. You can usually purchase tickets to any of these events for as low as $35.

If you are more of a grassroots lady-sport kind of person, then you must check out Tampa Roller Derby.

Hot girls, hard hits and fast skates? Check! I ref for this league and I must say that there is an epic amount of awesome, strong, and queer women who skate for Tampa Roller Derby. The Tampa Tantrums are Tampa’s travel team and they are ranked fourth in the region, Quad Killers are where all the new gurls start off (no experience necessary!), and Tampa has three interleague teams as well as a recreational league to boot! Bouts are the first Saturday of every month and perfect for a first date or a night out with friends. Make sure to sit trackside and risk a hot skater being thrown into your lap.

Where to Eat… Out

Tampa really does hold its own in the restaurant scene, and that is coming from me, a vegetarian. There are so many little awesome gems to check out in Tampa and there is no way I could list every single one but let me introduce you to a few of the most popular places around town.

Thai Temple (5306 Palm River Rd.) – There is really no way I can possibly describe to you what Thai Temple is until you go for yourself the first time. Thai Temple, in the simplest of terms, is a giant outdoor event held on every Sunday from 11-2ish (lunch hour). The proceeds go to benefit the real Thai Temple that is on the property. Served by the faithful of the temple, the food includes pretty much every Thai/Asian dish you love as well as a few things you didn’t even know existed. My girlfriend and I always get the Pad Thai and fried rice which is ah-mah-zing but there are so many options out there to please every dietary requirement from vegans to die-hard meat eaters. Hipsters, queers with kids, cute lesbian couples, and your mom are all frequently spotted eating lunch on the picnic tables of this riverfront event.

Café Hey (1540 North Franklin St.) – Owned and operated by a local roller derby league member, you know that Café Hey must be all kinds of special. Located in the heart of downtown, Café Hey offers breakfast, lunch, and dinner, as well as a variety of baked yummies and lots of soups. Check out their soup of the day and their giant chocolate chip muffins, which are almost enough for two people. Local activist groups and students meet here often and the wall displays are an ever-changing local art show.

The Bricks of Ybor (1327 East 7th Ave.) – Like to sip beer served by cute lesbian bartenders? Like some dinner or sliders prepared by local chefs to go along with that beer? Want to play games, dance, or jam out with a local band? You do? Well, The Bricks is perfect for you. Located in Ybor city right across the street from one of Tampa’s lovely gay clubs, the Bricks is a cute little local bar and restaurant that is housed in a brick building and filled with fun mood lighting. The menu is labeled with a multitude of vegetarian specific items and the friendly wait staff will cater to you vegans as well. While you are there, I would definitely recommend checking out the Bricks’ “Peanut Butter Specialty” section of the menu because come on, you don’t see stuff like this all the time, as well as the Portabelly burger, because Portobello mushroom burgers are awesome and yummy and should rock your world. The Bricks also have a huge beer, wine and cocktail selection for your sipping pleasure. Don’t forget to tip your bartender.

Hamburger Mary’s (1600 East 7th Ave.) – Loud, proud, and pink, Hamburger Mary’s is about as gay as a restaurant as you have ever been to in your entire life. They have drag shows around dinner hour, drag queen bingo, talent shows, cabarets and all sorts of other events. It is definitely gay boy/drag queen oriented but an LGBT place is fun for everyone! Best item on the menu is the mac and cheese burger. Like, literally, a hamburger, with mac and cheese on it. You can also substitute the meat patty for a number of vegan patty options so yay! For dessert, make sure to order the DIY s’mores where the waiters bring you a little personal flame so you can roast your own marshmallows and build your own smores. Who needs a campfire and the great outdoors when you have Hamburger Marys?

Taco Bus (913 East Hillsbrough Ave.) – Any good Tampa citizen will stare at you in shock if you ever tell them you haven’t been to Taco Bus and then will volunteer to escort you on your virgin taco bus trip. The BEST Mexican/Spanish food ever ever ever in the entire area is served out of a legit bus and it is like a food orgasm. I have never met a person who hasn’t fallen in love with the place. They have vegan and vegetarian options such as tempeh and vegan steak strips and my favorite is a veggie and tempeh bean burrito. If you get a taco, make sure you get two because they are pretty small. This is THE place to go for late night eats when you’re all drunk.

Coffee, Tea, or Queer…err Me?

Sacred Grounds (4819 E. Busch Blvd.) – Sacred Grounds is Tampa’s oldest independently owned as well as its most queer friendly coffee and tea shop. This cozy nook of an establishment features some of the best local musicians in the area as well as one of the most extensive coffee and tea menus I have ever seen. What self-respecting queer boi or grrl doesn’t love to indulge in a steamy cup of coffee/tea goodness? Even better, all of the beverages are named after mythological gods, and Sacred offers an almost all vegetarian menu chock full of high quality food products. Located in central Tampa near USF, it is a frequent stop for many college students and is open late nights all week in case you didn’t want to study at Starbucks like all the other hipsters. Hours run generally 6pm – 2am.

Activism/Feminism

Tampa Food Not Bombs (Located everywhere hungry people are) – Is activism your thing? It sure is for this little group is made up of only 2 or 3 dedicated members who wish to remain anonymous. Food Not Bombs and volunteers from around the Bay Area salvage perfectly good food before it goes to waste and consistently prepare vegan meals to distribute to anyone in the Tampa community. It is refreshing to know that the level of awareness in this group is extremely high. From time to time, Food not Bombs puts on workshops in order to educate locals about trans feminism, women’s groups and the proportionally high number of queers in the working groups. The burgeoning avant-garde of Tampa’s underground youth is well cultured, well-educated and prepared to integrate the contributions of the queer community into the coming utopia they are building. Check out their Facebook page and website to see where the next Food Not Bombs gathering will take place and then go out and participate!

Gayborhoods

GaYbor – Short for “Gay Ybor,” GaYbor, is Tampa’s largest gayborhood. GaYbor’s website has a list of businesses and establishments that are queer friendly. Many shops and restaurants in downtown Ybor have a little rainbow “GaYbor” sticker in the window to show that they are LGBT friendly and therefore awesome.

Although not officially known as a gayborhood, the Seminole Heights area is majorly queer friendly and many lesbians I know call this area home.

Tampa Supports You! (METRO Center, 1315 East 7th Ave.) – Yay for awesome LGBT Centers! The METRO Center of Tampa is located in Ybor City next door to one of the largest queer night clubs and just blocks from MC Film Fest. Upstairs there is a free internet cafe called The Cyber Center, a counseling center and HIV testing for all of you lovelies to take advantage of. A large ballroom is available upon request to rent out for events or classes. (Queer ball anyone?!) Community events include a transgender support group, youth group for teens, a young adult group for college age and early twenties, dance classes, photography, yoga, meditation, creative writing, queer theory and pretty much every support group your queer little heart could imagine. Their services are always free and you can stop by anytime. For a complete list of events you should check out their calendar which is located on their website.

MCC Tampa (408 E. Cayuga St.) Sunday 10:30 – Want a house of worship that caters to your awesome side? Founded in 1971 and the 3rd church to enter the Universal Fellowship of international ‘gay’ churches MCC Tampa is located in historic (and queer!) Seminole Heights area .The Reverend Phyllis Hunt is currently presiding as minister. Educated in Berkeley California, Hunt has a distinctly progressive tone. The sermons are lively. The music ranges everywhere from classical to contemporary often with a Latin flare. Reverend Hunt made a mark on the Tampa community in early 2000’s when she spearheaded a political campaign to further the gay rights movement. Reminiscent of the civil rights era, Hunt delivered several inspiring speeches often at the court house steps, at town hall meetings and from her own pulpit. She held debates and called vigils. The Tampa queer community owes her a debt of gratitude for her tireless efforts in leading the Tampa queer community.

MC Film Fest (Historic Ybor City, 1901 N 15th St.) – While you are in GaYbor, check out MC Film Fest which could basically be considered the queer visitor center of the Tampa area. Check out MC Film Fest and the friendly gay owners will furnish you with a map of all the family-friendly establishments within walking distance. At least five queer dance clubs and a restaurant or two will be on the tour. Although this little gem mainly caters to our gay brothers, ladies are always welcome to come in and pick out a new pair of designer underwear, naughty lingerie and funny inappropriate T-shirts. Like any gay store, they sell porn too, if you are interested.

Hair and Tats, Hair and Tats!

Paul Mitchell The School Tampa (14210 North Nebraska Ave.) – My (queer) best friend went here so I can tell you 100% certified that this place is awesomesauce. I would have to say that about 85% of the students are queer women and gay boys. Phase 2 Students are allowed to cut public hair and since it is a school and these peeps are learning, the price is super cheap [usually $10 for a cut.] It is safe to say that a large majority of the female students here have awesome alternative lifestyle haircuts given to them by a fellow student who can also give you an alternative lifestyle haircut for half the price of normal. Don’t be afraid by the fact that the stylists are students, each student is partnered with a mentor that he or she can ask for advice at any time. I bet you a dollar that you will be hitting on your cute queer stylist with purple hair the second you sit in her chair.

Tribeca Color Salon (920 West Kennedy Blvd.) – Tribeca is much more pricey than seeing a student at Paul Mitchell (many recent Paul Mitchell graduates start off with assistant jobs here), but their professionalism and atmosphere is worth the price. (Just ask my girlfriend who goes here] Once again, the queer stylists and clientele are abundant. They specialize in off-beat, modern, and alternative lifestyle haircuts. The salon is edgy and contemporary with a black and white industrial theme throughout. What more do you need to be comfortable at the salon?

Atomic Tattoos (Locations in Tampa, Brandon, Clearwater, and Saint Petersburg) – Atomic Tattoos is a local chain company that is spread throughout the Tampa Bay area. This place boasts an extremely clean facility, high quality tattoos and piercings, and friendly staff. I was super scared to get my tragus pierced at a tattoo shop for the first time and these peeps did a great job calming me down and shoving a needle through my ear.

Yay Theatre!

Straz Center  – Straz Center is located right in the heart of downtown Tampa on Hillsborough River and is the place to go see all sorts of talented goodness. Straz Center hosts pretty much all of the big Broadway shows (Wicked is my favorite!), ballet companies, operas and symphonies in the area. You can purchase student rush tickets the day of show as well as seating in a “limited view” section, for a discounted price.

The Tampa community theatre circle is also extremely vibrant. Check out an awesome show put on by awesome locals or be awesome yourself and audition! Community theatre is particularly welcoming to queer folk.

Events!

Rock the Park Tampa (Curtis Hixon Park, 600 Ashley Drive) First Thursday of the Month 6-10pm Rain or Shine people! – Rock the Park is held on the first Thursday of every month and features a concert in the park complete with awesome local bands, food trucks, a vegan popsicle stand, free burritos from Chipotle, and, most especially, you. Although not a queer specific event, you can find the ladies and their dogs (and children) out at Rock the Park every Thursday of the year. We go in heat, we go in rain, and we especially like going in chilly weather. (Hey, it’s rare for Floridians!) Come out and lay your blanket down next to that cute hipster chick and strike up a conversation about how much you loved that song that that one band played that one time. You girls can thank me later.

Flicks and Food Trucks (1208 East Kennedy Blvd.) – Let me just begin to describe to you how much I love Flicks and Food trucks! This event is held outdoors every third Thursday of the month and basically around ten to fifteen food trucks gather to serve dinner to everyone while a local band plays and then a (usually local) indie film is shown to the public. People walk around and talk to their friends, talk to cute lesbian women and their dogs, and bring their lawn chairs to watch movies under the stars. All this goodness happening once a month!

Zendah Grotto (4402 West Ohio Ave.) – 8pm-12am Sundays – Although many often define partner dancing as a “straight” activity, there is absolutely no reason why girls can’t dance with girls, and at Zendah Grotto, it is not a rare sight to see two females dancing with each other. It is also awesome vintage music with lots of pinup styled ladies lindy hopping all night. Can’t dance? Don’t worry! Come from 7-8 and the lesson is included in the $7 cover you pay for the night. I dance, my best friend dances, a bunch of other lesbians I know swing dance, and I am finally attempting to teach my girlfriend too. Bring a date. Bring friends. Go solo. There is no reason why you shouldn’t make it out too.

If you really wanna be up-to-the-minute about what is going on locally in Tampa you should check out the “Events in Downtown Tampa” Facebook page because it is literally updated every other day with different funsies.

Saint Pete Pride

Saint Pete Pride is a HUGE deal in the bay area! The festivities last practically a week long and start on Tuesday or Wednesday with a different event every night leading up to pride on Saturday which is located in downtown Saint Petersburg (about 20 minutes away from Tampa but still in “The Tampa Bay Area”). There is a pre-party for the parade participants at Georgie’s Alibi ; the parade usually starts at 10 and runs until 12. A good 12 blocks of main roads in downtown St. Pete are blocked off specifically for pride and are filled with thousands of LGBT people, food and booths. At the end of the parade route there is a stage where a different performer goes on many times throughout the day. People are usually pretty drained/dehydrated by 3pm (it is hot as living hell in Florida in the summer!) and most start to leave the parade/street fair area around then, go home and sleep/fuck their newfound friends, and then get all dressed up and go out to party by 6ish. All the gay and lesbian bars/clubs are hopping the entire day and various drag shows and themed parties (hello glow party at Honeypot last year!) keep you going all night. Newspapers, local news, and internet blogs, as well as thousands of people have made St. Pete pride well known in the area. Definitely a tremendous celebration for the LGBT set and friends.

So You Like The Beach?

Sunset Beach, also known as “The Gay Beach” (Treasure Island) – Queers in Tampa just don’t “go to the beach.” They go to their beach. Yes, autostraddlers, Tampa has its very own gay beach. Okay okay, the real name is Sunset Beach, but it is lovingly known by the Bay Area LGBT community as “the gay beach.” Even Foursquare says so! From time to time I see a gay boy couple, but this beach is usually populated with the queer bois and gurrls of the area. Come out on Sundays and you will see clusters of ladies sipping beer on the beach (Yes! You’re allowed to have alcohol on the beach!), two mothers splashing in the water with their kids, and a whole lot of queers surfing. Yes, girls with surfboards while you sip a beer from the beach. Need I say more?

Safety

Anywhere on Nebraska Avenue I really wouldn’t recommend taking an evening stroll as people usually lock their cars when driving around this area and many shop windows are accessorized by lovely burglar bars. As for queer safety in particular, I don’t have any anecdotal evidence of anti-queer violence in the area.

Cost of Living

If you want a location in downtown Tampa in a new apartment complex, you’re looking at around $1,500 a month. Other places it is $500 a month with water included. It all depends on what your circumstance is, if you want roommates, or what part of town you feel like living in. There are plenty of bank owned houses, so getting a house for less than half the price it is worth usually isn’t an issue.

Laws/Regulations Affecting Queers

Sorry ladies, but marriage or civil unions are not legal, or even recognized, in the state of Florida…. yet. On the other hand, in 2010 Florida overturned its ban on gay adoption so now LGBT people can *gasp* legally parent/foster children.