Welcome to Tampa for the 2013 Outback Bowl!

Decorations will soon start coming down and holiday broadcasts are now returning to regularly scheduled programming. The holiday season is almost over. Keyword being, almost, because we're not done yet!

New Year's Eve is coming up and we've got a big time college football bonanza to bring in the New Year!

Welcome to Tampa for the Outback Bowl!

HART and the TECO Line Streetcar would like to welcome all the Michigan and South Carolina coaches, players and fans to Tampa for the 2013 Outback Bowl!

We understand the difficulties in attempting to navigate the local public transportation scene without an idea on what to see and do and how to get there. So, we created this guide that breaks down some of Tampa's best attractions and how to get there with HART and the TECO Line Streetcar!

Use HART to get to the following Tampa attractions and avoid the parking hassles:

• Busch Gardens - Routes 5, 18, 39
• Lowry Park Zoo - Routes 41, 45
• Florida Aquarium - Route 8, the TECO Line Streetcar
• Channelside Bay Plaza (Dining, retail, Splitsville) - Route 8, the TECO Line Streetcar
• Ybor City Historic District (Centro Ybor) - Routes 8, 12, the TECO Line Streetcar
• International Plaza (Shopping) - 15, 30, 59LX
• Lowry Park Zoo - Routes 41, 45
• Museum of Science and Industry (MOSI) - Route 6
• St. Pete Times Forum - Route 8, In-Town Trolley, TECO Line Streetcar
• David A. Straz Jr. Center - In-Town Trolley, TECO Line Streetcar
• Tampa Convention Center - Route 4, In-Town Trolley, TECO Line Streetcar
• Tampa Museum of Art - Routes 7, 10, In-Town Trolly
• Tampa Theatre - In-Town Trolley
• Glazer's Children Museum - Routes 7, 10, In-Town Trolley
• University of South Florida - Routes 5, 6, 18, 57
• Westshore Plaza (Shopping) - Routes 5, 30, 45, 89
• Raymond James Stadium (Home of the Outback Bowl) - Routes 7, 32, 36, 45

Only $2.00 for a one-way ride!

Flying out? Route 30 runs between downtown and Tampa International Airport every 30 minutes on weekdays and weekends. Service begins at 4:40 a.m. through midnight during the week and 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. on the weekends.

A 3-day Visitor Unlimited HARTride card is your best bet at only $11.75 and valid on all HART local buses, In-Town Trolley and the TECO Line Streetcar System.

Things to know about the In-Town Trolley and TECO Line Streetcar System:

• In-Town Trolley: The In-Town Trolley is a rubber-wheeled vehicle, that makes stops at popular locations in downtown Tampa weekdays, 6 - 9 a.m. and 3 - 6 p.m.  The line operate on a 15-minute frequency and costs only 25¢!

• TECO Line Streetcar Line: The streetcar line runs on rails that connects Ybor City, Channelside and Downtown Tampa. It operates 12 p.m. - 10 p.m. Monday - Thursday, 11 a.m. - 2 a.m. on Fridays and Saturdays and Noon - 8 p.m. on Sunday. Streetcar Operators do not provide change.

It's easy to plan your own trip! Visit www.goHART.org to use the Google Trip Planner feature or call 813-254-HART (4278).

Click here for a map of downtown Tampa's network of public transportation service, including streetcar stops, In-Town Trolley service and HART bus routes.

New Year's Eve Service

Spending the New Year in Tampa? The TECO Line Streetcar System will operate until 20 minutes after the Fireworks Display in Channelside, which is scheduled to start at 12:00 Midnight.

Have a great time watching the Michigan Wolverines take on the South Carolina Gamecocks in the New Year's Day showdown and enjoy all that Tampa has to offer!

Catch a Ride to the Airport with HART!

Route 30 provides service between downtown & TIA!

Making travel plans this holiday season? Here's a thought:  Catch a ride to the airport using HART!

Route 30 provides service between downtown Tampa and Tampa International Airport every 30 minutes weekdays and weekends. View schedule Please note holiday schedules in effect New Year's Day.

At only $2 each way, save enough to cover the holiday gift budget!

Route 30 runs from downtown Tampa along Kennedy Boulevard to Westshore and then to the airport, with many stops along the way. For those who work downtown, or anywhere else near the route, just park at the office and hop aboard at the nearest stop (call the HARTinfo Line at 813-254-HART to find it -- not all stops are published as timepoints).

For travelers who don't live or work close to Route 30, check for other routes that connect to Route 30. Many HART routes serve the Marion Transit Center in downtown and this makes it easy to transfer to Route 30. Just remember to check the schedules of these connecting routes. While many routes have extensive schedules, a few may not operate on weekends or as early or late as departing and arriving flight schedules.

HART buses are designed for the urban traveler, so there are no luggage racks or bins. Customers may hold a piece of luggage in front of their seats. And, always remember to bring the exact amount for bus fare (for return trips, too!), since HART drivers do not carry change.

HART buses drop airport customers right by the door of the Red Baggage Claim area. For the return trip, just follow the signs to Ground Transportation. Keep the HARTinfo Line number handy (813-254-4278) to use in case of any questions.

As with any travel plan, please build in enough time for traffic, lines at the airport, security measures and weather.

Once aboard the bus, HART will take it from there. Just think about all the holiday fun ahead!

Thanks for riding and safe travels!