How To Get to Big Cat Rescue
Big Cat Rescue is located in sunny, Tampa, Florida on the central West coast. We are 15 minutes from Tampa International Airport and 25 minutes from the St. Petersburg Municipal Airport. We are approximately one hour and 15 minutes from Orlando and Disney World and are only 9 miles from Busch Gardens. People tell us all the time that they had more fun here than at either of the before mentioned attractions. Most people who have visited here say it is the "best time we ever had!".
We are within walking distance of Florida's largest and newest mall, called the Citrus Park Westfield Shopping Center and are one half mile from good restaurants, like Olive Garden, Chilies, Smokey Bones and Longhorn. We are 10 minutes from Ben T. Davis Beach on the bay and are 45 minutes from the world renown Clearwater and St. Pete Beaches.
Getting here just got easier! Howard Baskin, our Advisory Board Chairman was successful in purr-sueding the county to erect 5 green directional signs directing visitors to Big Cat Rescue. Now the tours can start on time because you will be able to find us much more easily.
Thanks to Dennis Mitchell, Big Cat Rescue finally has a sign at the entrance on Citrus Park Drive! Seeing the need, Hero Level Denny took it upon himself to negotiate with TECO and Smokey Bones to allow us to post a sign on their property.
Now tour guests can find us more easily and we will have the benefit of all
the exposure to drive by traffic from the mall. Be sure and say thanks
Susan and Denny Mitchell for donating the cost of the sign and for getting it
done.
From I-275 in Tampa, get off on the Busch Boulevard exit and go West (away from Busch Gardens) 9 miles. Busch Blvd. will become Gunn Highway. After you pass under the big green overpass of the Veteran's Expressway you will see a McDonald's on the left. We are the little dirt road, just the other side of McDonald's on the South side of the road. You will have to pass us and make a U-turn to access Easy Street as there is no cut through.
From Tampa International Airport: Take Veteran’s Expressway north, exit at Gunn and go left.
You will see the new walking bridge and immediately on your
left you will see a McDonalds. Easy Street is a dirt road on the left just past
the McDonalds. However, there is no cut in the median. So proceed west past Easy
Street to the cut at the Ross Shopping Center, do a U turn, then turn right onto
Easy Street. It is immediately past the Smokey Bones Restaurant. You will see
the sign with three cat faces.
Go SLOWLY, like 15mph, on Easy Street due to potholes
(and neighbors who get upset). Go the very end where you will see a large gate.
From Orlando- Kissimmee St. Cloud take I-4 West toward Tampa. 1-4 will dead end into I-275, go North on I-275 and then follow directions above for 1-275.
Print these directions by clicking HERE GPS: Lat:28.061125 Long:-82.571387
Be sure to book mark us, or use your browser's back button to return. If no map below, click on X to see it.
For detailed maps bookmark this site and then go to
12802 Easy St, Tampa, FL, 33625Keep in mind that the East-West portion of Sheldon Road had a recent name change to Citrus Park Dr. and most of the maps do not reflect this yet.
Closest hotel:
Holiday Inn Express
9402 Corporate Lake Dr, Tampa, FL 33634
(813) 885-5896 Across the street from lots of dining and movie theaters.
From Holiday Inn's parking lot, go right (north) to Gunn Highway, turn left
(west), go under green over pass to first cut in the median, make a U turn to
Easy St. (dirt road) go right (south) to our gate. About 7 minutes.
For bus schedules see Hartline's
Rapid Transit System.
For Tampa Weather go to: http://weathercenter.com/
For a taste of our local flavour, check out cool things to do while you are here at: Our Partners or www.neighborhoodfind.com and www.TBO.com
If you are traveling with pets, you cannot bring them onto the property. Florida law (and common sense) prohibit you from leaving them in your car, even with the A/C running.