Moving to Bel Mar Gardens, Tampa: Neighborhood Guide

Bel Mar Gardens (the City of Tampa spells it Belmar Gardens) is a small residential neighborhood in the middle of South Tampa, within easy reach of Bayshore Boulevard, Hyde Park and MacDill Air Force Base. It is mostly single-family homes, and the range is wide: Redfin’s recent sales here run from modest three-bedroom houses to large five-bedroom homes.

That mix is exactly why people look here. Bel Mar Gardens suits families who want a South Tampa address and school options without paying waterfront prices, military families assigned to MacDill, and buyers who plan to renovate or build. It also suits commuters: Rome2Rio puts downtown and the airport each about 9 to 12 minutes away by car. Because it is small, homes don’t come up often, so it pays to be ready when one does.

Planning a move to Bel Mar Gardens? Call our Tampa team at 813-544-0048 or get your price online.

Where Is Bel Mar Gardens?

Bel Mar Gardens is inside the Tampa city limits on the Interbay Peninsula. The City of Tampa gives its boundaries as roughly W. Leona Street to the north, S. Westshore Boulevard to the west, W. Euclid Avenue to the south and S. Manhattan Avenue to the east. The ZIP codes serving the neighborhood are 33611 and 33629.

Approximate drive distances from Rome2Rio, measured from S. Manhattan Avenue on the neighborhood’s east side:

Downtown Tampa: about 5.4 miles, roughly 9 minutes without traffic
Tampa International Airport (TPA): about 6.3 miles, roughly 12 minutes

Westshore Boulevard and Manhattan Avenue run north-south along the neighborhood’s edges. El Prado Boulevard is a nearby east-west route that runs to Bayshore Boulevard, and Gandy Boulevard to the south leads to the Gandy Bridge and St. Petersburg. The Lee Roy Selmon Expressway, a toll road, links South Tampa near MacDill with downtown and Brandon.

Our Tampa office serves all of Hillsborough County, including our Bel Mar Gardens movers.

Bel Mar Gardens Population & Demographics

The Census Bureau does not publish data for Bel Mar Gardens itself, and we did not find a reliable neighborhood-level population count. The closest current data comes from the two ZIP codes that include the neighborhood. Each ZIP covers a much bigger slice of South Tampa, so treat these numbers as a description of the surrounding area.

Measure (ACS 2020–2024 5-year)	ZIP 33629	ZIP 33611	City of Tampa	Florida
Population	27,710	36,810	384,959 (2020 Census)	—
Median age	41.7	40.4	—	42.6
Median household income	$164,355	$90,910	$75,475	$74,568
Bachelor’s degree or higher (25+)	75.8%	55.9%	45.7%	34.1%
Persons per household	2.6	2.0	—	—
Foreign-born residents	8.0%	13.9%	—	21.9%
Mean travel time to work	21.3 min	23.4 min	24.8 min	28.0 min
Land area	4.8 sq mi	6.3 sq mi	—	—

Sources: Census Reporter ZIP code (ZCTA) profiles, ACS 2024 5-year; U.S. Census Bureau QuickFacts for Tampa and Florida; other Florida comparisons from Census Reporter.

Both ZIP codes are dense (roughly 5,800 people per square mile, per Census Reporter), well educated and close to work. ZIP 33611 has smaller households and more modest incomes than 33629, which fits the wide range of home prices around Bel Mar Gardens.

Is Bel Mar Gardens Safe?

We did not find crime statistics for Bel Mar Gardens by itself, so we won’t guess. Citywide, the Tampa Police Department reported a 21.3% overall drop in crime in 2025, with violent crime down 16.6%, according to FOX 13’s coverage.

To look up a specific block, use the Tampa Police Department’s crime data page and its calls-for-service map, and take a walk through the neighborhood in the evening before you commit.

Cost of Living in Bel Mar Gardens

Home Prices

Bel Mar Gardens is a small market, so a single quarter’s median can mislead. Redfin’s Bel Mar Gardens page showed a median sale price of about $509,000 over the three months ending August 2026, up 32.2% from a year earlier, at $392 per square foot, based on only a handful of sales. Homes took a median of 47 days to sell, and Redfin rated the market “somewhat competitive.” Recent sales Redfin listed in August and September 2026 ranged from $335,000 for a 3-bedroom, 1,199-square-foot home to $2.2 million for a 5-bedroom, 4,137-square-foot home.

ZIP-level numbers give a steadier picture. Redfin’s median sale price for the three months ending August 2026 was about $1.33 million in 33629 and about $700,000 in 33611. The Census Bureau’s median value of owner-occupied homes for 2020–2024 was $851,400 in 33629 and $479,800 in 33611, compared with $420,400 for the City of Tampa and $359,000 for Florida.

Rent

We did not find rent data for Bel Mar Gardens alone. Apartments.com’s September 2026 report put the average rent for South Tampa at $2,104 a month (average unit size 723 square feet). Citywide, Tampa averaged $1,605 for a studio, $1,651 for a one-bedroom, $1,986 for a two-bedroom and $2,397 for a three-bedroom, down 0.7% from the year before.

Best Neighborhoods in and Around Bel Mar Gardens

Bel Mar Gardens Itself

Inside the neighborhood’s boundaries, between Westshore Boulevard and Manhattan Avenue, you will find streets such as W. Bay Villa, Bay Court, Bay Vista and Tambay Avenues, where Redfin recorded 2026 sales of 3-bedroom homes from about 1,200 to 1,600 square feet. Redfin’s recent sales on W. Vasconia and W. Corona Streets were larger homes that sold for $1.485 million and $2.2 million. It suits buyers who want South Tampa on a budget that doesn’t stretch to the bay, and people who want to renovate or build.

Nearby: Palma Ceia

Close by to the north and east, Palma Ceia is known for its brick streets, street names taken from old Havana, and the Palma Ceia Country Club. Wikipedia places it in the H.B. Plant High School district. Redfin’s median sale price there was about $1 million for the three months ending August 2026. It suits buyers who want a classic South Tampa neighborhood with a golf club at its center.

Nearby: Bayshore Beautiful

A little farther east, Bayshore Beautiful runs to Bayshore Boulevard and the water, with some of the city’s most stately homes. Redfin’s median there was about $1.31 million for the same period. It suits buyers who want to be on or near the Bayshore trail and are ready for waterfront prices and flood-zone homework.

Weather & Climate

Bel Mar Gardens has Tampa’s climate. Using NOAA’s 1991–2020 normals for Tampa International Airport, Current Results reports an average annual high of 83°F and low of 66°F. Mid-January averages 71°F for a high and 52°F for a low; July and August average highs of 91°F and lows of 77°F. Tampa averages 94 days a year at 90°F or above, 49.5 inches of precipitation, and 83 thunderstorm days, most of them in July and August.

Hurricane season runs June 1 through November 30. Hillsborough County changed its evacuation zones more than usual for 2026, so even if you have lived in Tampa before, look up your new address at HCFL.gov/HEAT and sign up for HCFL.gov/Alert. The City of Tampa also lists a flooding relief project on Manhattan Avenue between Vasconia and Obispo, a sign that heavy rain can pool on some streets here.

Best months to move: late October through April. In summer, start as early as you can.

Things to Do Near Bel Mar Gardens

Bayshore Boulevard

A few minutes east, Bayshore Boulevard’s 10-foot-wide sidewalk runs 4.5 miles along Hillsborough Bay, with a bike lane, a linear park, benches and workout stations. It is also the route of the Gasparilla parades every winter.

Picnic Island Park

At 7409 Picnic Island Boulevard on the west side of the peninsula, Picnic Island Park has a white-sand beach, a separate gated dog beach, a fishing pier, a boat ramp, sand volleyball and disc golf. It is open sunrise to sunset.

Ballast Point Park

Ballast Point Park, at 5300 Interbay Boulevard, has a splash pad, playground, picnic shelters, a boat ramp and sunrise views of downtown across the bay. Its 600-foot pier has been closed since spring 2025 for repairs from Hurricanes Helene and Milton, but the rest of the park is open 6 a.m. to 8 p.m.

Gadsden Park and the South Tampa Greenway

Gadsden Park sits on S. MacDill Avenue next to county-preserved land that is part of the South Tampa Greenway, and the City of Tampa lists the MacDill Trail at Gadsden Park among its greenway trails. It is a good option for a walk, run or ride off the main roads.

Hyde Park Village

Hyde Park Village is an open-air shopping district between Swann and Rome Avenues with national stores such as Anthropologie and Madewell, local boutiques and restaurants. It is the go-to for a South Tampa evening out.

Where to Eat Near Bel Mar Gardens

Wright’s Gourmet House (S. Dale Mabry)

Wright’s opened in April 1963 and now seats 225 at 1200 S. Dale Mabry Highway. Its sandwiches are built on round Bucket Bread, and its rum cake has a following of its own. Closed Sundays.

On Swann (Hyde Park)

On Swann, at 1501 W. Swann Avenue in Hyde Park, serves lunch and dinner during the week and brunch on weekends. It is a comfortable spot for a first dinner out once the boxes are unpacked.

Bayshore Mediterranean Grill (S. MacDill Avenue)

At 6102 S. MacDill Avenue, Bayshore Mediterranean Grill calls itself a 100% authentic Turkish restaurant, with chefs who have more than 30 years of experience. It is open daily from 11 a.m.

Jobs & Economy

Bel Mar Gardens is residential, but it is close to several of the region’s biggest employers:

MacDill Air Force Base, home of the 6th Air Refueling Wing and host to U.S. Central Command and U.S. Special Operations Command. If you are coming on orders, see our military moving page. Military families get 5% off.
Westshore District, which calls itself Tampa Bay’s largest employment center, with about 100,000 employees and 15.3 million square feet of office space.
Downtown Tampa and Tampa General Hospital, with approximately 15,000 team members and providers systemwide.
Port Tampa Bay, which Wikipedia describes as Florida’s largest port.

Average commutes in both local ZIP codes run between 21 and 24 minutes, shorter than the Florida average of 28.

Schools Near Bel Mar Gardens

Public schools are run by Hillsborough County Public Schools, which describes itself as the nation’s 7th largest school district. H.B. Plant High School, opened in 1927 between S. Himes Avenue and Dale Mabry Highway, is the best-known South Tampa high school and has more than 2,500 students. Zoning for elementary, middle and high school depends on the exact address, and the district also runs magnet and choice programs, so check the zoned schools for any house you are considering directly with the district.

The University of Tampa (more than 11,000 students) is next to downtown. Hillsborough College has five campuses, including its largest on Dale Mabry, plus an instructional center at MacDill Air Force Base.

Bel Mar Gardens Quick Facts

City / County	City of Tampa, Hillsborough County
Also spelled	Belmar Gardens (City of Tampa)
Boundaries	W. Leona St (north), S. Manhattan Ave (east), W. Euclid Ave (south), S. Westshore Blvd (west), roughly
ZIP codes	33611 and 33629
Area codes	813 and 656 (656 overlay added in 2022)
Nearest airport	Tampa International Airport (TPA), about 6.3 miles
Main roads	Westshore Blvd, Manhattan Ave, El Prado Blvd, Bay to Bay Blvd, Gandy Blvd
Public schools	Hillsborough County Public Schools

Moving to Bel Mar Gardens: Tips From Our Crew

Watch for city construction. The City of Tampa lists a water main replacement project in Belmar Gardens, a Complete Streets and sidewalk project on El Prado Boulevard, and flooding relief work on Manhattan Avenue. Torn-up streets can block a truck, so check the city’s neighborhood project page for your block a week before moving day.
Parking is on the street or the driveway. These are residential streets, and cars, trash bins and contractors’ trucks can crowd the curb. Let us know if a neighbor’s project or a dumpster is near your curb so we can plan where the truck goes.
Building or renovating? Use storage. A lot of buyers here renovate or build new. If your house isn’t ready when you close or your lease ends, we can hold your things in storage and deliver when the work is done.
Clear out before the move. Downsizing from a larger home or clearing a teardown? Our junk removal service can haul off what you don’t want to pay to move.
Know your evacuation zone. Hillsborough County expanded some zones for 2026. During hurricane season, keep important papers and medications with you and leave room in your plan for a storm delay.
Beat the heat and the storms. July and August highs average 91°F, and thunderstorms usually build in the afternoon. We like an 8 a.m. start.
Avoid Gasparilla weekends if your route uses Bayshore Boulevard, which closes for the parades.

Frequently Asked Questions About Moving to Bel Mar Gardens

How much does it cost to hire movers in Bel Mar Gardens?

It depends on how much you’re moving, how far, stairs, packing and the date. Moving a small bungalow a few blocks is a very different job from moving a large new build out of state. The best way to a real number is a free quote. Call 813-544-0048 and an owner will call you back within 15 minutes between 8 a.m. and 8 p.m.

Is it Bel Mar Gardens or Belmar Gardens?

You will see both. The City of Tampa’s neighborhood page uses “Belmar Gardens,” while Redfin and some other sites use “Bel Mar Gardens.” Either way, it is the South Tampa neighborhood roughly between Westshore Boulevard and Manhattan Avenue, south of Leona Street and north of Euclid Avenue.

Is Bel Mar Gardens a good place for military families?

MacDill Air Force Base is at the southern end of the same peninsula, so commutes to base are short. A & M offers 5% off military moves, and we can store your things if your report date and move-in date don’t match.

Are homes in Bel Mar Gardens expensive?

Prices vary widely. Redfin listed 2026 sales in the neighborhood from $335,000 to $2.2 million, depending on size and age. ZIP-level medians for the three months ending August 2026 were about $700,000 in 33611 and $1.33 million in 33629, both well above the Florida median home value.

Can A & M move me to Bel Mar Gardens from another state?

Yes. Long-distance moves come with a binding estimate, so the price never changes after booking, your own dedicated truck, the same W-2 crew door to door and a guaranteed delivery date. We never charge a rescheduling fee.

Move to Bel Mar Gardens With A & M Friendly Movers

A & M Friendly Movers has been family-owned since 2015. Owners Matthew Treharn and Amber Hallaman stand behind every job with the Owner’s Promise: you talk to an owner, not a call center. If anything is damaged, an owner calls you the same day, and claims are resolved in 60–90 days. Our crews are background-checked, drug-tested W-2 employees, never subcontractors.

Our Tampa office covers all of Hillsborough County for local moves, packing and unpacking, storage and more (FL Mover Reg. IM3566). Read our reviews, learn about moving with us in Bel Mar Gardens, or call 813-544-0048.

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Moving to Bel Mar Gardens, FL: Living in Bel Mar Gardens, Tampa Guide