Reserve a picnic shelter today to enjoy Tampa's great outdoors and Florida's wonderful weather.
Reservations are not needed but shelters have limited availability during peak season times. Picnic shelters are on a first come, first serve basis, unless reserved. Reserve a shelter at least 3 business days in advance and up to 365 days in advance.
Picnic shelters are available throughout the city. You can make a reservation online, by phone or in person. Office hours are 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., Monday through Friday. To be sure the shelter meets your needs before making a reservation, we recommend you visit the park and find a shelter that will fit your group size. If you have any questions, please call the Shelter Reservation Office at 813-274-8184.
Below are maps of our most popular locations.
Rules & Regulations
Before renting a shelter or gazebo, please be aware that there are rules and regulations you must adhere to and therefore we recommend you spend a few minutes reviewing these.
Payment
You must pay in full at the time of the original rental request. Bring a valid photo ID for all in-person transactions. Pay for your permit with cash, check, money order or credit card. Checks and money orders are payable to the City of Tampa.
Bounce House and Inflatable Amusements
Bounce houses are allowed at designated shelters only. The bounce house company must provide a current certificate of insurance. Certificate must name the City as additionally insured. No more than one bounce house per shelter. Size may not exceed the following dimensions: 20' length, 20' width, 17' height.
Changing or Rescheduling
If you need to modify an existing reservation including changing the shelter, location, or date, it must be done at least seven (7) days prior to the scheduled reservation date. All modifications are subject to availability and a $15 rescheduling fee.
- You may decide to reschedule your event due to rain or bad weather. All rescheduled events are subject to availability.
- A reservation may only be rescheduled once.
Refunds
Cancellations with refunds may be requested up to 14 days prior to the reservation date. A $15 processing fee will be assessed for all customer-initiated refunds. No refunds will be provided within 14 days.
- If bad weather prevents the use of the shelter, you may reschedule your event or request a refund with proper notification by contacting the Tampa Parks and Recreation Department the first business day following your rental. Email your refund request to Park_Shelters@tampagov.net or call 813-274-8184.
- Refunds will only be given to the original applicant listed on the Permit. Refunds will be reimbursed to the credit card that was used. If payment was made by cash or check, a refund check will be mailed to the address of the person/organization paying the rental fee. Issuance of refund checks takes approximately 4-6 weeks.
- Once a shelter has been occupied, regardless of the length of time, there are no refunds due to rain or bad weather.
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The City reserves the right to cancel reservations at their discretion, for any reason, including maintenance, unsafe conditions, or declared emergency. Refunds will be provided without a fee for these instances.
Additional Helpful Tips
Regardless of what type of event you plan on having here are some helpful tips to make your event a success:
- Illegal substances, alcoholic beverages, and glass containers are prohibited.
- Nothing, including decorations, may be affixed to the shelter or tables.
- Vehicles may not drive on the turf/grass or in unauthorized areas.
- Fires are allowed in grills only.
- Petting zoos, amusement rides, water games/slide, horseshoes and paintball games are not allowed.
- Dogs must be on leashes at all times, except in designated dog parks. Pet owners are responsible for picking up after their pets.
- Groups of 301 or more anticipated attendees are considered a special event. Such event must go through the Special Event permitting process.