Tampa Bay Lightning game guide: Best seats, where to eat and insider tips for Benchmark International Arena

Welcome to SeatGeek Front Row, where SeatGeek employees share their best tips for getting the most out of live events. For this edition, senior CRM associate Hannah Starr walks you through exactly how to experience a Tampa Bay Lightning game at Benchmark International Arena like a Tampa local, with insights ranging from where to sit to grabbing the perfect bite.

If you’re ever in Tampa, a Lightning game is a must-experience event. There are plenty of sporting events to choose from in the greater Tampa Bay area; however, none reach the level of the experience the Tampa Bay Lightning put on. From ease of transit to pregame experiences and surrounding hot spots to explore, an exciting hockey game is just one small part of the entire experience.

How to get to Benchmark International Arena

Whether you’re a local with a car or in town relying on other transit options, getting to Benchmark International Arena is pretty easy to do. The arena is conveniently located in the heart of downtown Tampa. 

If you are opting to rideshare, drop-off is conveniently located at the entrance to Thunder Alley, a must-experience pre-game spot. 

If you are choosing to drive, there are a plethora of parking options throughout downtown. Most are conveniently available on apps like ParkMobile making it a quick and easy process to purchase as you arrive. If you wish to plan ahead, most lots do offer prepaid parking reservations as well. 

Where to eat and drink before going to a Lightning game

The arena is directly next to Water Street—a bustling neighborhood of downtown with upscale restaurants, bars, and hotels. It is also walking distance to several more casual, sports bar-type options too. Below is a breakdown of various options based on the vibe of your evening. 

Upscale dining options

• Predalina - Best of Mediterranean seafood and more

• Small Giant - Upscale sports bar vibes featuring cocktails, craft-beers, and delicious eats

• Boulon Brasserie & Bakery - A French Bistro including a restaurant, cafe, bakery and full bar

• The Pearl - Features seasonal seafood, unique shareables, handcrafted cocktails and more

• Azure - Rooftop dining experience showcasing fresh Greek Cuisine, located inside The Tampa EDITION

• Lilac - A Michelin Star modern Mediterranean restaurant 

Casual sports bar favorites

• Hattricks Sports Bar - A local favorite! Many consider this the number one spot for Tampa Bay Lightning pre-game and post-game celebrations

• Yeoman’s - A classic sports bar and hot spot for both pre- and post-game drinks

• Yardhouse - Located directly across from Benchmark International Arena it is a popular destination for both a casual drink and a sit-down meal with both indoor and outdoor seating options

• 3 Corners Pizza - The ultimate destination for a taste of New York-style pizza

• Columbia Cafe - Similar to Yardhouse, Columbia Cafe is a popular destination for both a casual drink and a full sit-down meal depending on what you are in the mood for

• Sparkman Wharf - Outdoor dining, live music, casual walk-up bar, waterfront views and more

Top pre-game experiences to check out before a Lightning game

When I say there aren’t many teams that create the experience like the Lightning do, a lot of that has to do with the energy that is created in Thunder Alley before the game even starts. Thunder Alley is the main plaza you enter to make your way to the various arena gates. It is essentially one large tailgate party open to all fans to enjoy. It has a DJ, pre-game vendor activations, a variety of beer vendors and a large videoboard streaming pre-game warm-ups and the entire game too. 

Some other iconic Lightning-specific items to check out include the oversized lawn chairs with the signature lightning bolt on them and the city’s tallest sculpture: the 75-foot lightning bolt built by Jonathan Borofsky.

Entering Benchmark International Arena for a Lightning game

Once you are ready to make your way into the arena, the entrance is anything but painful. No matter the crowd size or how close you are to puck drop, the security and guest services team does a flawless job ushering people into the arena without creating a bottleneck or slowed line. All tickets are electronic and scanned digitally. 

Pro Tip: While the WiFi/service at the arena is by far the best I’ve experienced across multiple venues both in Tampa and throughout the country, it is still best practice to have your tickets saved to your Apple or Google Wallet to avoid technical difficulties like your app not loading or the tickets not populating. 

As far as bag policies go, Benchmark International Arena is one of the few event venues that does not require a clear bag, at least for the time being. If you choose to bring a bag you will be directed to a separate line and a team member will search your bag efficiently and have you moved to scan your ticket nearly as quickly as anyone without a bag. It is truly an impressive process. 

Best seats for experiencing a Lightning game

The arena is incredibly easy to navigate. You can conveniently get to whatever section you need from any entrance point because the entire circle connects unlike some other venues where the circle is not actually complete or certain sections are cut off from the rest of the concourse. 

The main level concourse can get a bit busy just before puck drop and in-between periods as people refill on drinks and snacks not wanting to miss out on any of the action on the ice, but overall even with high traffic, it is still rarely a bottleneck situation. If your seats are in the lower level, that is the main concourse you enter on. 

If you have Club Level seats, there are dedicated elevators or exclusive stairs available to you for access to the club level. Personally, this is my husband’s and my favorite place to sit. The seats are cushioned, the concourse has a more luxurious and exclusive feel to it, and the view of the ice is elite in our opinion. If you want to get even more specific, center ice at the club level is our absolute go-to spot. 

A close second is the lower level behind the net. However, that being said, the terrace level is often a common spot for us if we just want to get into the game for the best value. When sitting at the terrace level, we opt for center ice to have a bird’s-eye view of the entire game. If you are on the terrace level all of the escalators are set to go up until the end of the first period to allow for optimal egress flow. 

Once again, I have to shout out the amazing guest services crew. They are always friendly, willing to help and extremely knowledgeable about all aspects of the arena. They also do a great job of managing traffic during the game to ensure no one is walking in the aisle or creating a blocked view while the puck is in play. 

Top concession options at Benchmark International Arena 

There are strategically placed beverage vendors on the concourse between nearly every section and an assortment of sporting event staples and local Tampa favorites. The concession process is optimized with technological advancements to create a smooth, efficient process once inside the arena. 

My husband and I are suckers for a classic hot dog and beer combo, so we went to the Grab N Go Market right behind our section where we were able to grab a couple hot dogs and a pretzel, and then scan the items ourselves and pay all within less than 3 minutes. We wanted craft draft beer so we went to the Bud Light Lounge right upon entry to grab those. It is a nice area with seats where fans can hangout in between periods or before the game starts. Some other favorite spots to try are highlighted below: 

• Bowl’d Over - Bold Asian-inspired flavors

• Bull Market - Fusion Asian-American creations like sandwiches, bowls, spring rolls, dumplings and more

• Glory Days Grill - A must for all burger lovers

• Lolis Tacos - Authentic Mexican with a variety of tacos, quesadillas, salads and more

• The Melt Away - Homestyle grilled cheese and Tampa-style Cuban sandwiches 

• Moschella’s Italian Eatery - A collection of Italian classics including pastas, sandwiches, salads, and of course, desserts

• Wicked Oak Barbeque - My husband’s personal favorite! The loaded mac and cheese is incredible.

Insider Tip: Check out the Michelob Ultra Sky Deck at some point during your event for a unique concession experience. It is located on the 300-level terrace and it is actually outdoors providing a scenic view of Thunder Alley and downtown Tampa.

It’s a popular destination in between periods as well as pre- and post-game gatherings. It doesn’t feel like you are in an arena, but instead feels like you escaped to a local bar with friends to grab a drink mid-game. I’ve never experienced anything like it at other arenas. 

Best places to go after a Lightning game

Just because the game has ended doesn’t mean your night has to end. While many of the above mentioned pre-game food and drink spots are always a great option to hit up following a Bolts win, there are a few others to note that fit more of a late-night vibe if that is what you are looking for specifically. 

• Ybor City - A popular nightlife spot you can reach via the Trolley. Ybor City offers everything from pubs, restaurants, dance clubs, speakeasies and more. 

• Alter Ego - A music-forward cocktail lounge, including small bites, and offers an energetic vibe and proper, soulful hospitality.

• Arts Club - Tableside cocktail service, light bites, and curated entertainment all located inside The Tampa EDITION.

• Punch Room - Also located in The Tampa EDITION known for creative cocktails and tasty Caribbean-flavor inspired punches.

Whatever gameday outing you are looking to create, I guarantee a night spent at Benchmark International Arena cheering on the Tampa Bay Lightning will be a night well spent—once you buy your tickets on SeatGeek, of course.

Hannah Starr is a Senior CRM Associate with SeatGeek and a Tampa transplant. When she’s not helping drive Lightning-fast CRM campaigns, she can be found attending live events spanning from concerts and comedy shows to all the local sports games her schedule allows.