Tampa Bay experiences a subtropical to tropical climate with warm, wet weather during the summer months and cooler, dry conditions during winter (from October to February). Temperatures remain pleasant during the winter months, hovering around 65°F (18°C).

Like in most American cities, a hire car is the easiest way to get around Tampa, because public transport is limited. The HARTline provides local and express bus services for the Tampa area, serving all the major malls and attractions and connecting to nearby beaches. Gray Line motor coaches and minibuses also serve the entire area, operating out of Orlando, St Petersburg and Sarasota. The Tampa Tours transport company offers charter trips, tours and hotel and airport shuttles in and around the city. Tampa is served by several taxi and limousine hire companies. The TECO Line streetcar system operates in Tampa's historic district, connecting the downtown area, Channelside, and Ybor City.

English is the most common language but Spanish is often spoken in south-western states.

The US Dollar (USD) is the unit of currency and is divided into 100 cents. Only major banks exchange foreign currency. ATMs are widespread and credit cards and travellers cheques are widely accepted. Travellers cheques should be taken in US Dollars to avoid hassles. Banking hours are Monday to Friday 9am to 3pm.