You will find Busch Gardens in Florida a totally unique experience! It has beautiful landscaped grounds and gardens, roller coasters that will thrill the bravest riders, water rides, and an authentic re-creation of the Serengeti Plains of Africa, animals included. This Busch Gardens Tampa Bay Guide will give you an overview of the rides, dining, ticket options, park information, and animal tours. Now, let’s have a look at some fun Busch Gardens attractions for the family!
Where is busch gardens located?
The Busch Gardens Theme Park is located in Tampa Bay, 100 miles SW of Orlando, Florida. Busch Gardens address is 10165 N McKinley Dr. and the theme park is approximately 8 miles northeast of downtown Tampa. This is a unique location as it is very close to the beautiful beaches on the Gulf Coast of Florida and also just two hours away from Disney World, Sea World, and the other theme parks in Orlando.
The animal viewing opportunities
In the Serengeti Plains, you can view hippos, lions, rhinos, white Bengal tigers and more. There is also the Myombe Reserve’s Great Apes area, which has chimpanzees and gorillas. The African and North African architecture is superb, right down to the last detail. There are special tours that take you right among the animals, both on the Serengeti Plains and the Rhino Rally on the river. Here is a preview of the animals from the Busch Gardens Site.
A fun area for younger children is the Sesame Street Safari of Fun. This area has the furry stars of the well-known television program as well as a kiddie-sized coaster, jeep rides, interactive play areas, and a live show all geared for the preschool crowd. They can also join the Sesame characters at certain breakfast and lunch seatings.
Roller coasters rides at Busch Gardens
Your family will love these rides:
- The Busch Gardens Montu, an inverted coaster
- The Busch Gardens Kumba, a steel multi-element coaster
- The Busch Gardens SheiKra, a floorless diving coaster called one of the best steel coasters built
To preview the coaster rides as well as photos of various other elements of the park visit this Busch Gardens list of rides. To help conquer your fears of roller coasters, you need to read our article!
Busch gardens water park
Be prepared to get soaked at the Stanley Falls Flume. If you wish for something a bit less dousing there is the Congo River Rapids. If you prefer water slides, pools and lazy rivers, hop over to the Adventure Island!
Dining
Dining at Busch Gardens is said to be a step above the fare of the typical theme park. The 3 restaurants that I prefer are the famous Chick-fil-A®, the Zambia Smokehouse that offers barbecue ribs, brisket, and much more, as well as the Dragon Fire Grill & Pub that serves family-friendly menus with exciting live entertainment.
Busch Gardens All-Day Dining
An all-Day dining deal is available at Busch Gardens and includes 1 entrée platter, side or dessert and one fountain soft drink or 1 Dasani bottled water once every 90 minutes at any of the 5 following locations:
- Zagora Café
- Oasis Pizza at Serengeti Overlook
- Dragon Fire Grill
- Zambia Smokehouse
- Chick-fil-A®
Tickets to busch gardens
Busch Gardens is open year round, but operating days and hours vary. The park often has specials and discounted prices for advance on-line ticket purchases. This also includes special annual pass tiers. If you know you are going to be in the area for more than a weekend, you can purchase a Fun Card with unlimited visits to both Busch Gardens Tampa Bay and/or Adventure Island throughout the year. You can also purchase two, three or four park tickets at any combination of their theme parks: SeaWorld Orlando, Aquatica Orlando, Busch Gardens Tampa Bay, and Adventure Island. If you purchase a Busch Gardens ticket, there is also a complimentary shuttle service between Busch Gardens and SeaWorld.
Busch Gardens is definitely an ideal theme park for a family vacation in Florida. There are so many fun things to do that will keep the kids busy for days. May this Busch Gardens Tampa Bay Guide come in handy when preparing your trip!
