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Follow the dark, clear waters of the Alafia River from the mouth of Hillsborough Bay, about five miles later you'll find yourself in Riverview, Florida, a small but growing community with only a little under 10-square-acres proper to call its own. Considered a suburb of its larger neighbor to the north, Brandon (itself considered a suburb of its larger neighbor Tampa), Riverview lies just east of Interstate 75 in Hillsborough County; as the crow flies, some 10 miles southeast of downtown Tampa. As its name implies, life in Riverview is about life on the river. The Alafia gently bisects the community from southwest to northeast; Alafia being an old Indian word meaning River of Fire, reflecting how the high phosphorus content of the water gave rise to strangely soothing shimmers of light beneath the surface.

The river's on everyone's minds these days. As new development spills in from all directions, community planners are working hard to protect and preserve the Alafia, which they see as their community's unique, natural gift. Riverview was first settled in 1840s; old-timers today still tell tales of a land that was once alive with red foxes, panthers, wildcats and bald eagles; with farming, fishing, and family bonfires right on the riverfront. But Riverview natives are hard to find these days; most folks who today call Riverview home have roots somewhere else. MacDill Air Force Base lies just across the Bay, 10 miles away, so lots of military families call Riverview home.

Riverview Schools

Eight elementary schools serve Riverview’s children; five of those schools received an “A” on their report cards. Riverview is also served by Guinta and Rodgers Middle schools, as well as Riverview High—also an “A” school. Riverview is also home to a highly acclaimed charter school for children in grades K-5. The charter, called Kids Community College, follows a collegiate model in offering electives, second languages, music and art. Children up to a year old are considered “freshman”; they progress through their education to earn various Master’s degrees (from first to fourth grades), and then finally to their “doctorate,” which they earn when they complete grade five.

Shopping and Dining in Riverview

Sleepy and quiet as it may be, Riverview is within easy reach of many major malls, including the popular Westfield Brandon Mall just minutes away and the Ellenton Outlet, about an hour’s drive south off Exit 224 on I-75. As evidence of growth, Riverview also boasts a new Super-Target. And new shopping centers sprout up all the time: a new Publix shopping plaza in the Summerfield area was born in 2005; it includes Hollywood Video, the UPS store, Papa John’s Pizza, a nail salon, dry cleaners…all the amenities city-dwellers turned rural expect.

Leisure and Play in Apollo Beach

Folks in Riverview don’t lack for leisure either: the town holds two golf courses, an annual Hog Roast and Silent Auction and a lighted boat parade each Christmas. If golf’s not your thing, try the river—there’s boating, fishing, water-skiing, canoeing, jet-skiing—or even just sunbathing at the park at Riverview Civic Center. Visit Steven J. Wortham Park, a hidden treasure for families: it offers well-kept picnic and playground facilities, a pond for public fishing, hiking trails, horse trails and more. If baseball’s your game, visit the recently renovated Vance V. Vogel Park off I-75: it boasts seven baseball fields with updated concessions, dugouts, lights and fencing. And just to the east is Lithia Springs, a popular swimming and diving destination where you can enjoy a crystal clear Florida aquifer teeming with diverse underwater life and cool, 68 degree waters all year long. And then there’s Tampa and the beaches of Pinellas County to the west; Orlando, Disney and Fort Lauderdale to the east. When Riverview is home, you’re never more than a few hours’ travel to some of the most popular tourist destinations in America.