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Hillsborough County · 33572

Apollo BeachVA Real Estate & MacDill AFB Commute Guide

Saltwater-canal lifestyle at a VA price. 55 miles of navigable canals into Tampa Bay. The flood-zone math you have to read first.

Photo · Famartin / Wikimedia · CC BY-SA 4.0

  • Median 3BR/2BA

    ~$485k

    All product types, 2026

  • MacDill commute

    35–45 min

    Selmon Expwy off-peak

  • Walk Score

    ~23

    Golf-cart culture

  • Days on market

    30–60

    Longer for storm-impacted

  • County

    Hillsborough

  • ZIP code

    33572

The look + feel

Apollo Beach, in pictures.

  • Apollo Beach manatee preserve

  • TECO Manatee Viewing Center

  • MiraBay clubhouse

  • Waterset entrance

  • Saltwater canal access

  • Apollo Beach Nature Preserve

The data

What the numbers say.

Real estate read

SFH
$485k
Townhome
$330k
Condo
varies
Days on market: 30–60 days

Wide range: $280k starter SFH to $3M+ Symphony Isles waterfront. 2024 storms (Helene, Milton) created post-storm volatility — pull live numbers.

Source · Zillow + Redfin, 2026

Top schools nearby

  • Lennard HS

    Public · High

    Waterset zone

    B

    Rating

  • East Bay HS

    Public · High

    Apollo Beach proper

    B-

    Rating

  • Waterset Charter K-8

    Charter · K-8

    On-site in Waterset

    B+

    Rating

  • Apollo Beach Elementary

    Public · Elementary

    B

    Rating

Source · Niche.com

Commute reality

  • MacDill AFB

    I-75 + Selmon Expwy

    35–45 min

  • Downtown Tampa

    30 min

  • AdventHealth Riverview

    Closest hospital

    12–15 min

  • Tampa Int'l

    35 min

  • Brandon Exchange

    20 min

  • James A. Haley VA

    I-75 + Bruce B. Downs

    40–55 min

Source · Google Maps drive-time, typical morning rush

Healthcare access

  • AdventHealth Riverview

    Hospital · Opened Oct 2024 · 82 beds

    12–15 min

  • James A. Haley VA

    Tampa, regional VA

    VA

    40–55 min

  • HCA Florida Brandon Hospital

    479-bed acute care

    20 min

  • BayCare St. Joseph's South

    Hospital · Riverview alt

    15 min

Read this first

Apollo Beach is a FEMA Special Flood Hazard Area.

Apollo Beach is one of the most flood-exposed ZIPs in Hillsborough County. Most of the developed footprint sits in FEMA Special Flood Hazard Areas (SFHA) — predominantly Zone AE along canals and inland flood paths, with Zone VE on direct bay frontage.

What that means for a VA loan: a VA loan cannot close on a property in an SFHA without flood insurance in place. Federal law applies — no carve-out for veterans. Flood insurance must be maintained for the life of the loan. Premiums on canal-front Apollo Beach homes can run several thousand dollars per year, sometimes more on older pre-FIRM construction. Underwrite this into the qualifying payment, not as a footnote.

Most of Apollo Beach is also Hurricane Evacuation Zone A — highest priority. Hillsborough issued mandatory Zone A + B evacuations during both Hurricane Helene (Sep 2024) and Hurricane Milton (Oct 2024). Helene pushed measurable storm surge into canal-front homes — multiple residents reported four feet of water inside ground floors. This is operational reality, not theoretical risk.

Always verify zone at the parcel level via the FEMA Flood Map Service Center (msc.fema.gov). Never trust a listing's claim. Newer master-planned construction in MiraBay, Waterset, and Marisol Pointe meets current Florida Building Code wind and elevation standards. Older Apollo Beach proper homes (1960s–80s) often sit at lower elevations and pre-date modern surge requirements — they typically carry the largest insurance hits.

Inside Apollo Beach

The sub-neighborhoods worth knowing.

  • Apollo Beach proper (1960s)

    The original Dickman/Corr buildout. Older 1960s–80s ranches on canal lots, mostly non-gated. Lower elevation, often pre-FIRM construction — heaviest 2024 storm damage. Authentic 'old Florida' feel, golf-cart culture, working sailboats.

    Range: $400k–$1.5M+Known for: Original canal-front

  • MiraBay (Minto, 2003)

    Flagship gated waterfront. ~1,700 homes. 24-hour staffed gatehouse. Private beach on Tampa Bay. Full marina. The MiraBay Club is among the best amenity centers in the region — pool with water slide, day spa, fitness, tennis, basketball, sand volleyball.

    Range: $280k townhomes – $1.2M+ estatesKnown for: Resort-style amenities + marina

  • Waterset (Newland)

    1,319-acre master-plan, ~2,900 SFH + ~900 multi-family at full buildout. Seven builders. 12+ miles trails, 10+ parks, three clubhouses, splash pad, dog parks. On-site Waterset Charter K-8. The family/non-waterfront play — interior lots clear of VE zones.

    Range: high $300s–$1M+Known for: Family + non-waterfront option

  • Harbour Isles

    Gated. Mix of single-family, condos, townhomes. Clubhouse, pool, spa, fitness, tennis, basketball, community park, walking trails, fishing pier. Solid value tier with resort amenity package.

    Range: $170k–$670kKnown for: Resort amenities at value

  • Symphony Isles

    Gated, 24-hour security. 314 properties on wide deep-water canals straight to Tampa Bay. Private Symphony Beach Park. Established luxury gated waterfront.

    Range: $700k–$3M+Known for: Established luxury gated

  • Andalucia

    Luxury gated waterfront directly on Tampa Bay. Marina with rentable slips. Resort-style amenities. Very tight inventory.

    Range: $1M+Known for: Tampa Bay direct frontage

  • Southshore Falls (Del Webb 55+)

    866 homes, gated, staffed 24/7. HOA ~$320/month, no CDD fees — unusually clean structure. Three heated pools, fitness, pickleball, tennis, bocce, ~5 miles walking trails. Resale-only (built out). The retirement option for VA buyers aging in.

    Range: $300k–$500kKnown for: 55+ active adult, no CDD

Why vets pick it

Saltwater-canal lifestyle at a price VA buyers can actually reach.

55 miles of interconnected navigable canals with ~7-foot center depths feed directly into Tampa Bay. Owning a deep-water lot here costs a fraction of equivalent access in Davis Islands or south Pinellas. That's the whole pitch.

Master-planned community density. MiraBay (Minto, ~1,700 homes), Waterset (Newland, ~2,900 SFH + 900 multi-family), Harbour Isles, Andalucia, Symphony Isles, Southshore Falls. If you want HOA-managed lifestyle with pool/gym/trails baked in, the ZIP delivers it at scale.

TECO Manatee Viewing Center.Free attraction, peak season Nov 1 – Apr 15. A real "kids will love this" draw, not a brochure line. Boardwalks over the warm-water discharge channel where manatees gather in winter. Cownose rays touch tank.

Family-heavy demographics. 63.6% married-couple households per 2020 Census. Median age 44.8.

Willing-commute zone for MacDill. 27 miles, ~40 minutes off-peak via Selmon. Not a daily-grind dealbreaker if the lifestyle math works. Gulf access without buying on the Gulf — Tampa Bay opens to the Gulf via Egmont, sailable and motorable.

Heritage

A 1923 mangrove-and-grazing concept that took 80 years to finish.

1923–1958 — The Dickman concept becomes Apollo Beach

The development concept began in 1923 on Dickman family land — originally mangrove and grazing pasture, considered uninhabitable. In the 1930s, Paul Dickman conceived a waterfront community and engaged Radar Engineering (Miami) to design a subdivision with roads, canals, schools, recreation. This is the master-planned origin DNA. In the 1950s, New York developers bought the parcel, briefly named it "Tampa Beach," then abandoned the project in 1956. Francis Corr acquired the property in 1957. In 1958, it was renamed Apollo Beach— legend credits Corr's wife Dorothy. The name nods both to the sun god and to the U.S. space program just then heating up at Cape Canaveral. 50 homes broke ground.

1960s–1990s — Bankruptcy, regulation, slow buildout

In the 1960s, the property was sold to Flora Sun Corporation (Miami) and entered bankruptcy. Permits expired. The 1970s–80s Florida growth-management era created regulatory hurdles that slowed buildout further. Apollo Beach remained a small canal community through the 1990s.

2003–today — The modern master-planned-waterfront era

In 2003, MiraBay (Minto Communities) broke ground — and the modern Apollo Beach was born. Through the 2010s and 2020s, Waterset (Newland), Marisol Pointe, Southshore Falls, and other large-scale communities built out. Apollo Beach completed the transition from rural fishing/grazing land to dense master-planned suburbia. The 2020 Census recorded 26,002 residents.

2024 — The benchmark hurricane season

Hurricane Helene (September 2024) and Hurricane Milton (October 2024) inflicted significant flood damage on canal-front and low-elevation Apollo Beach proper. This is the operational benchmark for any future flood and insurance discussion in Apollo Beach. The 55-mile canal network with ~7-foot center depths remains the defining physical feature — engineered, not natural.

Daily life

Where to eat, where to shop.

Restaurants — waterfront-led

  • Circles Waterfront at Lands End Marina · Fine dining seafood/steaks, $$$ · 1212 Apollo Beach Blvd. Indoor + outdoor waterfront. The signature Apollo Beach dinner spot.
  • Finn's Dockside Bar & Grill · Casual seafood, $$ · 1112 Apollo Beach Blvd. Sister to Circles, more casual. Dock seating.
  • Sunset Bar & Grill at Little Harbor · Waterfront, $$ · Tampa Bay sunset views built into the name.
  • Apollo Beach Diner · Breakfast all-day, $ · Country fried steak, biscuits, grits.
  • The Vineyards Trattoria & Pizzeria · Italian, $$ · Brick-oven pizza.
  • Sol Mexican Restaurante · Tex-Mex / Mexican, $ · Local.
  • Latitudes Apollo · Casual American, $$.

Where to shop

In-town retail is limited and intentional — Apollo Beach is residential-first.

  • Publix at Paradise Shoppes · 6434 N US Hwy 41. Anchor grocery, ~4 mi west of I-75.
  • Second Publix on US-41 · 5052 N US-41.
  • Brandon Exchange · ~13 miles north. Full mall + surrounding big-box corridor.
  • South Shore Town Center · Growing retail node south on US-41 in Ruskin.
  • US-41 corridor · Ruskin/Apollo Beach/Gibsonton — strip retail, restaurants, services.

The honest take: if you want walkable boutique shopping, Apollo Beach isn't it. You drive to Brandon or Riverview, or you golf-cart to Publix.

Within reach

The manatees are the signature.

  • TECO Manatee Viewing Center ⭐ · 6990 Dickman Rd. Free admission, free parking. Open daily Nov 1 – Apr 15, 10am–5pm. Boardwalks over the warm-water discharge channel where manatees gather in winter. Cownose rays touch tank. Educational center. Genuine signature attraction.
  • Apollo Beach Nature Preserve · 6760 Surfside Blvd. 63 acres, 7 acres of nature-based recreation, 2-acre sandy beach for picnicking. Free. No swimming (rip-tide warnings). Leashed pets welcome.
  • E.G. Simmons Conservation Park · Just south on the Ruskin border. 700 ft of Tampa Bay beach, kayak-rentable mangrove waterways, fishing pier, two playgrounds, 110-site campground.
  • Apollo Beach Golf & Sea Club · 18-hole semi-private course.
  • MiraBay Lagoon and private beach · Resident-only, inside the gates.
  • Symphony Beach Park · Private beach for Symphony Isles residents — grills, gazebo, horseshoe pit, volleyball.

Be honest about it

Apollo Beach runs on golf carts and cars.

Walk Score 23 ("Car-Dependent") for the ZIP overall. Bike Score ~34. Transit Score 0 — effectively no fixed-route public transit.

Specific addresses near Apollo Beach Boulevard score higher (49–52, "Somewhat Walkable") because of clustered restaurants and the marina. But MiraBay, Waterset, and Symphony Isles are golf-cart-friendly internally— that's the local mobility culture.

Hillsborough County is currently running an Apollo Beach Boulevard Traffic Safety Study to add sidewalks, mid-block crossings, and a possible repurposed lane for bikes/golf carts. Pedestrian infrastructure is a known gap that the county is working.

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