Fly-in guide · 1 day, 1 campus

University of South Florida in 1 Day: A Fly-In Visit to Tampa

A parent-first plan for flying in to see the University of South Florida's Tampa campus: the official tour sign-up, visitor parking and daily permits, hotels in USF Research Park a short walk from campus, USF hotel rates and science and theme-park ideas for siblings.

The USF water tower seen from Simmons Park, Tampa campus (Oct 2024). Photo: Trevorrrrvalent · CC BY 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons · resized and cropped

Last checked Oct 28, 2026. Every fact comes from the pages listed in Sources at the bottom. Some hotel and tour links are affiliate links (disclosure).

The short version

Trip at a glance

School: University of South Florida, Tampa campus (Tampa, FL)
Days: 1 on campus, plus travel. Arrive the day before a morning tour.
Fly into: Tampa International (TPA), about 29 minutes and 17 miles from campus by car with no traffic.
Best base: Embassy Suites by Hilton Tampa USF Near Busch Gardens, which USF describes as on the Tampa campus, about a 10-minute walk to the Campus Information Center.
Car or no car: You can skip the rental car if you stay at the Embassy Suites or Home2 Suites. If you drive, buy a visitor daily permit; USF requires a permit 24/7.
Registration: Through USF's official campus tours page.

1. Who this guide is for

This plan is for parents flying in with a high schooler, and maybe younger siblings, to see the University of South Florida's Tampa campus, with an afternoon to see a bit of Tampa Bay.

USF offers guided, student-led tours on each of its campuses. This guide covers the main campus in Tampa, at 4202 E. Fowler Avenue.

Why this order

Arrive the day before and stay at the edge of campus in USF Research Park, so tour morning is a short walk instead of a parking hunt.
Tour day: the USF Tampa Campus Tour is a student-led tour of academic facilities, dining, a residence hall, student support offices and recreation spaces.
After the tour, MOSI (the Museum of Science & Industry) is about 3 minutes from the Campus Information Center by car, and Busch Gardens is nearby too.

Plan parking before tour day

USF requires a parking permit 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Visitors can buy a daily permit online (up to 14 days ahead), pay at a pay station or meter, or use the ParkMobile app.
The online daily visitor permit is good for one day in all "D" lots and includes a Bull Runner daily bus pass. Use USF's Visitor Parking Map to find visitor lots.

Tour availability varies by season.

USF lists campus tours, open houses and other visit events on its official visit portal. Many events are held on weekends.
Honors-minded students can also look at the Judy Genshaft Honors College tour of the Tampa campus on the same portal.
Popular tours fill up; when a tour is full, USF offers a waitlist. Can't travel yet? USF offers a virtual tour on YouVisit.

2. The suggested 1-day plan

Drive times are no-traffic estimates from OpenStreetMap routing, and walking times use OpenStreetMap foot routing, with addresses geocoded by OpenStreetMap Nominatim. Times are to the Campus Information Center at 11711 Leroy Collins Blvd; your registration confirms where your tour meets.

Arrival day: fly into TPA and check in by campus

TPA → Embassy Suites Tampa USF
Driving (no traffic)
~29 min, 17.4 mi
Walking
Rideshare, taxi or rental car
TPA → Tampa Marriott Water Street (alternate, downtown)
Driving (no traffic)
~16 min, 8.9 mi
Walking
Rideshare, taxi or rental car

At TPA, on-airport rental cars are in the Rental Car Center, reached by the SkyConnect train from the Main Terminal. Taxis wait curbside on the Baggage Claim Level.

Tour day: USF Tampa Campus Tour

Embassy Suites → Campus Information Center
Driving (no traffic)
~2 min, 0.5 mi
Walking
~10 min, 0.5 mi
Home2 Suites → Campus Information Center
Driving (no traffic)
~2 min
Walking
~8 min, 0.4 mi
Holiday Inn Express & Suites → Campus Information Center
Driving (no traffic)
~5 min, 2.5 mi
Walking
Drive
Tampa Marriott Water Street → Campus Information Center
Driving (no traffic)
~18 min, 10.7 mi
Walking
Drive
Campus Information Center → MOSI (optional)
Driving (no traffic)
~3 min, 0.9 mi
Walking
~13 min, 0.6 mi

Tours are largely outdoors in a subtropical climate: wear comfortable shoes, sunscreen, a hat and sunglasses, and bring a water bottle.
Driving? The Campus Information Center sells visitor daily permits and campus tour permits.

3. Campus by campus

Campus

University of South Florida (Tampa, FL)

Where visits start: The USF Tampa Campus Tour is led by current students and covers academic facilities, dining, a residence hall, student support offices and recreation spaces.
A recent Tampa tour listing gave the meeting point as 12100 Leroy Collins Blvd., ALN 185. Check your registration for your tour's location.
Group tours are for groups of 10 or more students, and accommodation requests need at least 10 days' notice.
Visitor parking: A permit is required 24/7. Options include the online daily visitor permit (good in all "D" lots, with a Bull Runner pass), pay stations with timed spaces from 30 minutes to 8 hours, meters and ParkMobile.
Scratch-off permits are sold at the Parking Services Building (USF Plum Dr and West Holly Dr) and the Campus Information Center at 11711 Leroy Collins Blvd, at the corner of E. Fowler Ave.
Getting there: Staying at the Embassy Suites or Home2 Suites? The Campus Information Center is about an 8- to 10-minute walk.
On campus, visitors can ride the Bull Runner bus with a USFCard holder or with a USF bus pass from Parking & Transportation Services; the online daily permit includes one.
What to know: Tours are held largely outdoors, so dress for the heat and bring water.
Interested in the honors college? Book the Judy Genshaft Honors College tour of the Tampa campus.
Contact: USF Campus Visitation Office (Tampa): visitation@usf.edu, 813-974-7878. Admissions: admissions@usf.edu, 813-974-3350.

Last checked Oct 28, 2026. Tour and admissions details change often, so confirm them on the school's official visit page before you go.

Official pages: USF Admissions: Visit USF · USF: Visitor Parking · USF: Visitor Daily Permits

4. Where to stay: hotels at the edge of campus

Price tiers (Budget, Mid-range, Upscale) follow each hotel's star class on Expedia. Rates vary by date, so check your dates on Expedia.

Hotel · Our pickMid-range

Embassy Suites by Hilton Tampa USF Near Busch Gardens

3705 Spectrum Blvd, Tampa, FL

Why here

Expedia lists this hotel as a 3.5-star property, so we place it in the Mid-range tier. Rates vary by date, so check your dates on Expedia.
USF describes it as on the USF Tampa campus. It's about a 10-minute walk (0.5 miles) to the Campus Information Center, and a USF page lists an on-demand shuttle from the hotel to the Marshall Student Center.

Good to know

Expedia lists free cooked-to-order breakfast, an outdoor pool, a free theme park shuttle and self parking for a fee.
Confirm the shuttle, parking and amenities before you book.

Check rates on Expedia →

Expedia link is an affiliate link

Hotel · AlternateBudget

Holiday Inn Express & Suites Tampa USF Busch Gardens

2807 E Busch Blvd, Tampa, FL

Why here

Expedia lists this hotel as a 2.5-star property, so we place it in the Budget tier. Rates vary by date, so check your dates on Expedia.
About 5 minutes (2.5 miles) by car from the Campus Information Center with no traffic. USF lists it among hotels that may offer a USF rate.

Good to know

Expedia lists a free breakfast buffet, free self parking and a free local area shuttle. Confirm them on the Expedia listing before you book.

Check rates on Expedia →

Expedia link is an affiliate link

Hotel · AlternateMid-range

Home2 Suites by Hilton Tampa USF Near Busch Gardens

11606 N McKinley Dr, Tampa, FL

Why here

Expedia lists this hotel as a 3-star property, so we place it in the Mid-range tier. Rates vary by date, so check your dates on Expedia.
USF lists it 0.4 miles from campus; it's about an 8-minute walk to the Campus Information Center.

Good to know

Expedia lists kitchens in every room, a free breakfast buffet and self parking for a fee, handy for families staying more than a night.

Check rates on Expedia →

Expedia link is an affiliate link

Hotel · AlternateUpscale

Tampa Marriott Water Street

505 Water St, Tampa, FL

Why here

Expedia lists this hotel as a 4-star property, so we place it in the Upscale tier. Rates vary by date, so check your dates on Expedia.
Downtown near the Florida Aquarium, about 16 minutes from TPA and 18 minutes (10.7 miles) from the Campus Information Center by car with no traffic. Pick it if you'd rather spend your free time downtown.

Good to know

Expedia lists valet parking for a fee. Confirm parking and amenities on the Expedia listing before you book.

Check rates on Expedia →

Expedia link is an affiliate link

Flying in for a morning tour? Stay at the Embassy Suites or Home2 Suites and walk to the Campus Information Center, so you skip the parking permit altogether.

5. Meals between tours

Hours change, so check before you go.

At the hotels

Eat

Embassy Suites Tampa USF

3705 Spectrum Blvd

Expedia lists free cooked-to-order breakfast and an on-site restaurant, Mangroves Grille, for breakfast and dinner.

Around Tampa Bay

USF's Guide to Tampa Bay, written for prospective students, covers neighborhoods, food and things to do around the region.

6. Things for siblings along the route

With siblings

MOSI (Museum of Science & Industry)

4801 E Fowler Ave, Tampa, FL

Hands-on science museum about 3 minutes by car from the Campus Information Center. MOSI lists daily hours of 10 am to 5 pm; check its site before you go.

Official page →

With siblings

Busch Gardens Tampa Bay

Tampa, FL

USF's Tampa Bay guide points to Busch Gardens for some of the fastest and tallest roller coasters in the U.S. It's a full-day park, so plan it as an extra day.

Official page →

With siblings

A USF Bulls game

Tampa, FL

Check the USF athletics calendar for a home game on your dates.

Official page →

7. Practical tips

Driving and parking

If you rent a car, buy a visitor daily permit online up to 14 days ahead, or use a pay station, meter or ParkMobile on tour day. A permit is required 24/7.
TPA to campus is about 29 minutes and 17 miles by car with no traffic.

Without a car

From the Embassy Suites or Home2 Suites, the Campus Information Center is about an 8- to 10-minute walk. Use rideshare or a taxi from TPA.

Weather by season (1991–2020 NOAA normals: Tampa International Airport)

Spring: April averages a high of 83°F and a low of 65°F.
Summer: July averages 91°F/77°F, and June through September is the rainy season, with 6 to 9 inches of rain a month. Tours are largely outdoors, so bring water and sun protection.
Fall: October averages 86°F/69°F; November is 79°F/61°F and the driest month.
Winter: January averages 71°F/53°F.

Parent checklist

Register for the USF Tampa Campus Tour on USF's official tours page and check your registration for the meeting point.
Driving? Buy a visitor daily permit online ahead of time; it includes a Bull Runner pass.
Pack comfortable shoes, sunscreen, a hat, sunglasses and a water bottle for the outdoor tour.
After the visit, take five minutes to jot down what stood out to your student.

8. Student-athlete recruiting visits

For families whose student hopes to play a college sport. Rules below are the NCAA's; each school's links were checked Oct 26, 2026.

Coaches arrange the recruiting part of a visit, not the admissions office. The tour sign-ups in this guide are for the regular family visit. An official (school-paid) visit is offered by the school, and contact with coaches follows NCAA rules that vary by division, sport and grade level.

Start with your sport's questionnaire, then email the coaches. The NCAA suggests emailing coaches with your achievements, highlight videos and interest in their program, including your name, position, NCAA ID and graduation year.

1 Division I

Athletics