The 20 worst places to park your car in Tampa Bay

Target at Walter’s Crossing

1544 N Dale Mabry Hwy., Tampa
The swarm of Karens looking to shop at Target, Whole Foods and Home Goods is just too much for this parking garage. With limited access points, relatively tight parking spots and an influx of minivans, this parking garage is overall just not a fun experience.
Photo via Google Maps

The roundabout lot at Clearwater Beach

160 S Gulfview Blvd., Clearwater Beach
Expect more “LOT FULL” signs when trying to park at Clearwater Beach during the summer. This tourist trap might be one of the worst places to park in the world, let alone Tampa Bay. If you do end up finding a spot, you're going to have to earn it by navigating that traffic circle (and pay a pretty penny, too).
Photo via Google Maps

The city lot by Eddie and Sam’s

610 N Franklin St., Tampa
It’s a guaranteed ticket here if you don’t get back within minutes after your parking spot expires. It also always seems to be under construction, with scattered traffic cones getting in your way as you try to navigate around. Getting some pizza shouldn’t be this stressful.
Photo via Google Maps

Any street parking in Ybor City

E 7th Ave., Tampa
Ybor on a Saturday night is basically only accessible via Uber. On March 1, the City of Tampa slashed free parking spots in Ybor by 26%, making it more expensive for people to enjoy the historic district. The city plans to create 100 new street parking spots in the traffic-congested district, but all will require payment. Not only that, but the curbs are like two feet tall, and if you open your door into one, it will be dented.
Photo via Google Maps

Busch Gardens’ general parking lot

10165 McKinley Dr., Tampa
Not only does it cost around $20 to park, but then you have to walk (sometimes from Mel's hot Dogs) all the way to a tram, sweat in the heat while waiting to board, and then ride the tram for about a mile before arriving at the park’s entrance. Oh, and expect it to be packed in the summer. *See photo for reference*
Photo via Google Maps

Sparkman Wharf surface lot

615 Channelside Dr., Tampa
Try parking here during a Lightning playoff watch party and you probably won’t catch the game until halfway through the second period. Not only does it cost money on the weekends, but it fills up in no time. Sparkman Wharf is simply too popular for this little parking lot.
Photo via Google Maps

Beach access parking at Indian Rocks Beach

Indian Rocks Beach
It used to be manageable, but the more popular that IRB has grown, the harder it has been to find decent parking. Most of the spots are tight squeezes too, so if you have a lifted F-150, forget it. Nowadays, lots of people just park in the neighborhoods across the street, but even those spots are getting clogged up pretty quickly.
Photo via Google Maps

Anywhere along the Courtney Campbell Causeway

Tampa Bay
It can be difficult to find a good spot alongside the bridge, and it doesn't help that people often don't read the signs and end up watching their car float away at high tide. You’ll have to pay at one of the stations after parking in the lots, but at least they have porta-potties.
Photo via Clearwater Police Department

Armature Works on the weekends

1910 N Ola Ave., Tampa
With very limited free street parking, you’ll most likely have to pay around $10 if you want to park here on the weekends—and get here early as it will fill up quickly. You’ll probably have to get a car wash the next day too as your car will get dusty in this open field.
Photo via Google Maps

Seminole Heights Publix on Nebraska Ave

6001 N Nebraska Ave., Tampa
Shopping may be a pleasure here, but parking isn't. The lot is simply too small for the store, and with no cart corrals, expect self-driving shopping carts dangerously rolling around or hanging out in the spot you want to park in.
Photo via Google Maps

Hyde Park Village parking garage

816 S Rome Ave., Tampa
Another parking garage that fills up fast on the weekends, but this one has a dead end at the top. Don’t be the guy that gets stuck at the top and needs to reverse, but has a line of cars waiting behind you. Arrive early to get a spot so you’re not late for your movie at CinéBistro.
Photo via Google Maps

Beach access parking at Pass-a-Grille Beach

St. Pete Beach
Another skinny beach that struggles to offer enough parking for its increasing influx of tourists. Most of the beachside spots require payment, but that doesn't make it easier to find an open one. And don’t mistake restaurant parking for beach parking or you’ll get towed.
Photo via Google Maps

South Tampa Trader Joe’s parking lot

3808 W Swann Ave., Tampa
At one point, parking got so bad here that Trader Joe’s had to hire employees just to direct traffic and limit fender benders. And beware Suburban drivers, nearly half of the parking lot has “compact car only” signs.
Photo via Google Maps

Free parking in downtown St. Pete

Central Ave., St. Petersburg
If you're DD’ing your friends for a night on the town, good luck. Free street parking is so limited on a weekend night that if you do miraculously find a spot, the entire car will most likely cheer in celebration. If you can’t find a spot, there are a few parking garages near the action, but you’ll have to pay around $10.
Photo via Google Maps

South Tampa Panera Bread's parking lot

701 S Howard Ave., Tampa
Whether it’s all Panera customers or people who park here simply to walk around town, this lot fills up pretty quickly on a busy afternoon and can be bothersome to navigate. A good amount of the spots are marked as reserved, so you might have to circle around a few times—which requires you to get back on Swann—before a spot opens up.
Photo via Google Maps

Walmart Supercenter on Fletcher

2701 E Fletcher Ave., Tampa
Parking at a Walmart can always be an interesting experience, especially at a Supercenter. Be prepared to have to fight for a good spot, and for some reason people always seem to be extra angry here.
Photo via Google Maps

Parking at John’s Pass

12901 Gulf Blvd., Madeira Beach
On a sunny summer day, trying to find parking at John’s Pass can take an hour—especially when the bridge is up and traffic gets backed up. Despite a parking garage, two lots and street parking, it’s still a struggle to find a spot. Plus, all the parking spaces cost payment.
Photo via Google Maps

Seminole Heights Starbucks

502 E Hillsborough Ave., Tampa
Because it’s located at the intersection of Hillsborough and I-275, this Starbucks sees some serious action in the morning. It’s small drive-thru isn’t designed for the masses of zombie-like drivers looking to get their Frappuccinos, and the line always blocks you from getting out of your spot as it spills onto Central Avenue.
Photo via Google Maps

Angry Chair Brewing

6401 N Florida Ave., Tampa
This brewery used to post ”Don’t Park on Fern” signs outside because customers would pile onto the curbs of the nearby street after struggling to find spots out back. Angry Chair is moving into a new location down the street, hopefully this spot will have enough parking spaces to fit its rabid fanbase.
Photo via Google Maps

The Home Depot on Florida Ave

8815 N Florida Ave, Tampa
You could argue that most Home Depot parking lots are awful, but for whatever reason this one is exceptionally bad. Maybe it's the fact it's always extremely busy, or maybe it's the fact the sheds and hot stand take up prime parking real estate. Either way, you earned that glizzy if you survive this lot.
Screen grab via They Live/YouTube