A guide to Taylor Swift in Tampa: Parking, schedule, resale tickets and more

Swifties are making preparations for Taylor Swift’s first stadium tour in nearly five years.

Her three Tampa Eras tour dates on April 13, 14 and 15 — the only stops in Florida — will draw tens of thousands of fans from across the state and beyond. From transportation and merchandise to finding last-minute tickets, here are answers to the top questions.

How do I find last-minute Tampa Taylor Swift tickets?

StubHub is the tour’s official ticket reseller and has tickets available for all three tour dates. The cheapest tickets there start at $470 a pop.

Swifties in need may also have luck using social media. The fan-run Twitter account @ErasTourResell has been helping fans buy and sell tickets at face value. The New York Times reports that fans have also been using Tumblr, Facebook groups and TikTok.

Where do I park at Raymond James Stadium?

Expect up to three hours of traffic before the show, especially on Dale Mabry Highway, Himes Avenue, Columbus Drive and Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard. If you plan to park, spots in the lots are going fast, but fans can purchase parking through parkjockey.com, SpotHero and seatgeek.com. You can also bring cash and try to get a spot in the nearby neighborhoods.

Raymond James Stadium’s lots open at 3 p.m., and many fans are hoping to tailgate and trade friendship bracelets beforehand. Local officials urge fans not to arrive at the lots earlier than their opening time, since early access will not be granted and it will just add to the traffic.

HART bus routes 7, 15, 32, 36 and 45 service the stadium. Bus stops on Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard and Himes Avenue are about a 15-minute walk away. For more information, visit gohart.org.

You can also opt for Uber and Lyft, which will solve the parking problem. Just be aware that fans in other cities have endured two- to three-hour waits after the show. Surge pricing may also be an issue. Another solution is to have a friend or family member pick you up in the George M. Steinbrenner lot across the street, which can be accessed via a pedestrian bridge. For more information, visit raymondjamesstadium.com/gettinghere.

What is the Tampa Eras tour schedule?

The parking lot opens at 3 p.m., gates to the stadium open at 4:30 and the show starts at 6:30 p.m. Beabadoobee and GAYLE are opening the show.

Swift should go on around 8 p.m. Her set alone will last 44 songs, roughly three hours.

What can I bring to the Tampa Eras tour?

To bring:

• Your credit card. Raymond James Stadium is cashless.
• A tiny bag, or no bag at all: Raymond James Stadium has a no-bag policy for all events. Guests may bring one clutch purse no larger than 4.5 inches by 6.5 inches. Any other bag must be left in your vehicle or stowed in storage lockers, which are available to rent on Tom McEwen Boulevard (south of Gate C).
• For medical or diaper bags, you must fill out a special needs request form at least 72 hours before the event. The form can be found at raymondjamesstadium.com/rjsada.
• You can bring a sign, but it can be no larger than 11 inches by 17 inches and it cannot be on a stick.

To leave at home:

• Any costume or sign with a battery pack
• Cameras with detachable lenses, or with lenses that exceed 12 inches. (Point-and-shoot cameras are allowed.)
• Large electronic devices such as digital readers, iPads or laptops
• Aerosol or spray bottles of sunscreen
• Tobacco (including e-cigarettes and vaporizers)
• Food and drink
• Cans, bottles, glass and coolers
• Horns, lasers and artificial noisemakers
• Illegal drugs and weapons
• Recreational balls, seat cushions
• Selfie sticks, gimbals or extenders
• Strollers
• Umbrellas
• Unmanned aircraft systems and radio-controlled model aircraft-drones. (These are also prohibited on stadium property, including parking lots.)
• Video cameras and GoPros

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Why are Taylor Swift fans trading friendship bracelets at the Eras tour?

At her last stop in Tampa, fans brought single dollar bills to show support for Taylor during her Reputation tour on the anniversary of her lawsuit win. This time, Swifties are making friendship bracelets to trade. The project is inspired by her song “You’re On Your Own, Kid,” which features the lyric, “So make the friendship bracelets/Take the moment and taste it.”

Bracelet trading is allowed at Raymond James, but fans may not bring a separate bag to carry them. You can bring what will fit inside the approved clutch bag, stow them in pockets or wear them.

What to know about buying Taylor Swift tour merchandise

Fans in other cities on the tour have reported long merchandise lines with even longer waits. Some Swifties on Reddit urged others to get to the venue two to three hours early if they wanted to buy shirts and such. The Tampa merchandise stop will arrive a day early.

The tour has announced that fans can buy shirts, posters and more a day early — on Wednesday, April 12 — in Lot 2 of Raymond James Stadium from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Then when the tour arrives the following day, there will be merchandise trailers parked at the Ford Gate, Gate B and the South Plaza starting at 3 p.m. before the 6:30 p.m. show time.

Here’s how to save time and money: A lot of the merchandise for sale at the show is also available online via Swift’s official store. As a thank-you to fans, Swift has been sending coupon codes to the same email that was used to buy tickets within a few hours after each show.

Here are some more tips for the Tampa Eras tour dates

• As you plan that cute tour outfit, don’t forget comfortable shoes.
• Raymond James Stadium is an outdoor venue, so expect to sweat and maybe get wet. Thursday’s forecast calls for a 10% chance of rain, and also very slight chances Friday and Saturday. Temperatures will remain in the mid to high 80s during the day, but will cool to the mid 70s after sunset. Wear waterproof sunscreen and don’t forget to hydrate ahead of the performance.
• If you plan on purchasing a poncho, do so before heading to North Dale Mabry Highway. The stores near the venue sometimes sell out, and the road will be congested with traffic.
• If you’re parking a car, pack extra snacks and water for the drive back. It could take a while to escape.
• Plan ahead for the bathroom. TikTok user @haleybiemiller recommends going right after Swift finishes “Enchanted.” Based on other cities, there will be a long interlude before she begins her “Red” era.