Busch Gardens, Tampa, Florida

My family and I thought that Busch Gardens was great we went two days in a row the shows were awesome we loved the walk through with the birds it was totally cool. We also walked through with the walabyes they were cool also. All the animals were well taken care of and seemed happy. The shows were all great my daughter loved them. The riding attractions were great also.

This park has tons of rides, shows, and animals. You will need at least two days to see everything. Be prepared that the straws are paper. We thought that was the coolest thing. This is for the animals' safety. Be prepared to walk because you will do a lot of it. Try out Kumba for a thrill. I loved rhino ralley, we got really close to the rhino and I got some great pics. Try your hand at the games, we won a HUGE scooby doo. This park is about conservation. They give you a glimpse at the way the animals live so you will want to put forth effort to keep them on the planet. I love the tiger area its just so pretty. There is something here for everyone! This park is about 2 hours away from orlando so I suggest doing it at the begining or end and staying over night in Tampa.

I had visited Busch Gardens Tampa in 2007 pre-kids, but had not been since having kids. We visited twice last month, once for Christmas Town (after hours separate ticketed holiday event), and again during regular park operating hours. I will include reviews of both, since there is not a separate entry for Christmas Town at this time. Busch Gardens Tampa The most impressive thing to me about BG Tampa is that is combines a zoo and an amusement park into one! It also features gorgeous landscaping. Both Busch Gardens parks (Williamsburg, VA, and Tampa, FL) feature some of of the most beautiful and well-manicured plant life, plus lots of shade and places to rest. There are lots of rides coasters that big kids, teens and adults will love. My favorite is SheiKra, a coaster with a 90 degree drop. You get a great view of Tampa before you are plunged, screaming, down the 200-foot drop. The coaster features a second underground plunge and a huge splash at the end. There are lots of rides for the little ones too! I went there with my three-year-old, and we were able to spend a full day at the park and actually ran out of time to do and see everything. A favorite was the Sesame Street Safari of Fun. This area features rides, a Sesame Street store, and "A is for Africa" - a show featuring your kids' favorite characters from the popular show. There is even Air Grover, a coaster just for kids! There are also kiddie rides interspersed throughout the park, including a carousel, Jungle Flyers, a kids' train, motorcycles, and airplanes. There are several good shows at Busch Gardens, which change seasonally. Check the park's website (http://seaworldparks.com/buschgardens-tampa) for current showtimes and information. The animal exhibits at Busch Gardens are great. The park features cheetahs; birds; tigers; primates including gorillas, chimpanzees, and orangutans; rhinos; giraffes; elephants; kangaroos; wallabies; lions; hippos; meerkats; lemurs; crocodiles; hyenas; zebra; antelope; lorikeets; and more! There is an animal care center where visitors can watch animals receiving care from park vets up close (through viewing windows). There are many opportunities to learn more about the animals from the keepers! We really enjoyed watching the elephants eat. Busch Gardens offers a variety of dining options, from snacks and desserts to full meals. My favorite entree is the Alpine sandwich from the Desert Grill. If you buy a Busch Gardens refillable cup, you can get inexpensive refills even on a return visit. The park also has a variety of shops. the prices are typical for amusement parks. If you collect mold-a-rama figurines, Busch Gardens has them throughout the park, for $3 each. The machines only accept $1 bills. There are also a large number of carnival style games where you can try your hand at winning a stuffed animal. Christmas Town This year (2012) was the inaugural season for Christmas Town at Busch Gardens Tampa. It has been running since 2010 at Busch Gardens Williamsburg. We actually visited Christmas Town in Williamsburg on Christmas Eve 2010, so we were really looking forward to seeing what Tampa had to offer. Most of the rides were open for this event, with little to no line. That was awesome! We were able to see Santa up close! Santa's house takes you first into a room where kids get to help the elves decorate Santa's tree. Next guests are led into Mrs. Claus' kitchen. She shared a cookie with each of us! After that, we went into a hallway full of mirrors with an elf who admonished the kids to look their very best. Then we went through a magic door to see Santa! The park made a concerted effort to make it a memorable experience! We were very pleased. The area outside of Santa's house features a sleigh for photos, as well as a special seasonal penguin exhibit. The Christmas shows were great! There was one with the Wise Men, one with some of the Osmonds, one with Grammy-award winning Christian rock group Jars of Clay performed holiday favorites, and there was an ice-skating show. We got to meet Jars of Clay after the concert, which was pretty cool! The lights were just gorgeous. They were something you would have to see to believe! Christmas Town exclusive attractions included a Christmas artisan village, Santa's House, the penguins, a Christmas sing-along train, a kiddie train (aside from the other kiddie train), Snow World, and the lights. It was a fun experience, and we plan to go again next year!

The rides and animals alone are worth a visit. Animal exhibits unlike any other. Especially love the tiger dome. We were right next to Siberian Tigers! Amazing!

As a military family, we have been blessed to participate in the Anhueser Busch "Here's to the Heroes" program every year since it began in 2005. This program gives free admission to active duty military families. We use ours every year and while we were in Tampa in 2010 we used it at Busch Gardens. We really enjoyed the one in Tampa. It is such a fun place for the entire family. There are plenty of rides for all ages, from the youngest to the young at heart. I was actually able to convince my 7 year old to try her first roller coaster here and she loved it..There is definitely enough to do for a full day, so plan on staying from opening till close.