North Bon Air is one of those South Tampa neighborhoods that feels connected to everything while still holding onto its own neighborhood identity.
Located just west of downtown Tampa and southeast of Tampa International Airport, North Bon Air sits near major roads like West Kennedy Boulevard and North Dale Mabry Highway. Its streets are filled with classic Florida bungalows, postwar ranch homes, longtime residents, new neighbors, and the everyday places that give this part of Tampa its energy.
This Fourth of July, we are celebrating that feeling with a new neighborhood pride song: "North Bon Air, Let Freedom Ring."
The Story Behind the Name
The name North Bon Air comes from the French phrase bon air, meaning "good air." The neighborhood was previously known as Broadmoor Park before adopting the North Bon Air name. Today, the phrase still fits: it is a community where neighbors can step outside, catch a summer breeze, talk across the driveway, and feel part of something bigger than their own block.
The song celebrates the streets that make up the neighborhood, including West Lemon Street, West Carmen Street, West Gray Street, West Fig Street, West North B Street, and West Horatio Street. These are more than road names. They are the paths people take home, the streets where kids ride bikes, the places where flags go up in July and families gather when the sky starts to turn dark.
A Crossroads of Tampa Life
North Bon Air also sits near some well-known Tampa favorites. Donatello Italian Restaurant has been part of the area's dining history for decades and remains a special-occasion destination known for classic Italian hospitality. Its recent 40th anniversary was officially recognized by the City of Tampa, a reminder of the lasting businesses and traditions that surround this neighborhood.
The area also has neighborhood flavor close by, from Sarione Korean Restaurant and Yummy House South China Bistro to Mr. Empanada, Jimbo's Pit Bar-B-Q, and more. These places help make North Bon Air feel like a crossroads of Tampa life, where local history and everyday community come together.
Fourth of July in North Bon Air
The chorus of the new song says it best:
"North Bon Air, let freedom ring, Fireworks rise and the whole block sings. North Bon Air, put your hands up high, We come together on the Fourth of July."
Fourth of July is about more than fireworks. It is about the shared moments that turn a neighborhood into a community: a flag waving from a front porch, music playing from a backyard, familiar faces gathering outside, and children looking toward the sky as the first fireworks begin.
From West Lemon to West Horatio, North Bon Air has a story worth celebrating. Turn up the song, wave the red, white, and blue, and let the neighborhood shine. Happy Fourth of July, North Bon Air. 🇺🇸