Miami is an obvious hotspot for the stars, as is Orlando. After all, both of those cities tend to have recording studios and major clubs. What many people don’t realize is that Tampa, too, tends to be a popular hotspot for celebrities.
Tampa has a little more of a low-key profile when compared to Miami. If you want to move to Tampa, you’ll enjoy the nightlife and amenities galore.
Most Famous Celebrities That Live in Tampa
- Derek Jeter
- Hulk Hogan
- Robin Zander
- Kirstie Alley
- Tom Cruise
- Dave Bautista
- Sara Blakely
- Vinny Lecavalier
- Chris Jericho
Derek Jeter
Derek Jeter is famous for being one of the hottest men to ever play baseball. Notorious for his oodles of female fans, the baseball player has since retired from the game. Since he no longer has to deal with the biting cold of New York’s winters, he decided to buy a home in Florida.
His 31,000-square-foot home can be found in the Davis Islands area of Tampa. It’s one of the largest houses in the area. Considering his MLB legend status, it’s safe to say that he could afford it.
Hulk Hogan
Hulk Hogan is another famous resident of Tampa. His family is often seen on the beaches nearby—when he’s not making a public appearance. The Hulkamaniac is also noted as a restaurant owner in the area.
The Hulkster has been buying and selling his properties in Florida for decades. He still owns a Belleair estate west of Tampa. Since he’s almost always in the area, we’re going to count him as a resident regardless.
Robin Zander
“I want you to want me,” he crooned. Since being the lead singer of Cheap Trick, the rockstar has been able to make a serious living doing everything from music cameos to, well, investing. Zander remains a lot more low-key than most other people in the area.
Zander and his wife currently live in Safety Harbor in a gorgeous home that has a solar setup. He’s fairly quiet, so we don’t know much about his day-to-day life here.
Kirstie Alley
Back in the 90s, Kirstie Alley was one of Hollywood’s hottest actresses to grace the screen. Though she had a fall from grace as a result of her political views and weight gain, it’d be a lie to say that she isn’t still a major celebrity. She has that level of clout—and she earned it.
Kirstie Alley has been enjoying her time in Clearwater, right near Tampa. She’s a prominent Scientologist, so it makes sense that she would want to be close to the religion’s headquarters.
Tom Cruise
Another major name in Scientology is Tom Cruise. In fact, he’s one of the names to help boost the religion into the public eye. Cruise, like Alley, chose to buy a Clearwater property as a way to stay close to Scientology’s headquarters.
His home is absolutely massive, topping the scales at $10 million. It’s got a gym, a game room, four bedrooms, penthouse views, and lord only knows what else. Like many other A-listers, this is just one of many homes he has.
Dave Bautista
Sports aficionado and Guardians of the Galaxy actor Dave Bautista makes no qualms about his love of Tampa. In fact, he had a full tour of his home in the area with the Tampa Bay Times. The quote describing it alone is surreal enough to be worth including:
“Bautista’s fortress-like house — gray, split-block, with actual flaming torches on the outer walls — is in the blue-collar neighborhood of Port Tampa, close enough to MacDill Air Force Base to hear the trumpets playing reveille each morning and the Star-Spangled Banner at night.”
Yeah, we weren’t expecting that, either.
Sara Blakely
Spanx founder and self-made billionaire Sara Blakely is not like others who live in the Clearwater Beach portion of Tampa. She is not a Scientologist—to the public’s knowledge, anyway. The truth is that she actually grew up in the area and wanted to return to her hometown.
Blakely, oddly enough, founded Spanx after she was rejected for a gig acting as Goofy. One can only imagine how different history would have been if she got the Disney gig instead. A true rags-to-riches story, it’s refreshing to hear about how self-made billionaires can return home.
Vinny Lecavalier
Hockey fans can recognize this name with ease. Vinny Lecavalier has a long history of playing (and scoring) with the NHL. The truth is, he might love the ice rink, but he doesn’t seem to love cold weather. He has not one but two properties in Tampa.
The first is a sprawling, multimillion-dollar mansion located in the heart of Davis Islands. It has two stories, six beds, and seven baths. Oddly enough, he chose to buy a condo in the Davis Islands area too. Why? I suppose it’s because he just can do whatever he pleases.
Chris Jericho
Are you a fan of wrestling? If so, you already know the blonde-haired, bulky dude known as Chris Jericho. He’s been famous for god knows how long and has also been an outspoken fan of Florida for ages.
He has been living in the Tampa area for almost 20 years. The family-oriented wrestler snapped up a $3.2-million-dollar home in a gated community in Odessa. He still lives there and remains as big a fan of Florida as ever.