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Opening Times
Normal opening times: Mon - Fri: 9am - 5:00pm
Sat, Sun: Closed
Outside of these hours Email: [email protected]
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Guide to Busch Gardens®

Busch Gardens is a huge African-themed animal park and thrill ride adventure park just outside of Orlando. It’s home to almost 3,000 animals and some of Florida’s most thrilling rollercoasters.

Take the incredible Serengeti Safari across the wild African plain where you’ll meet zebras and rhinos, and can even feed the friendly giraffes! This is one experience you definitely don’t want to miss out on.

Hand-feed tropical birds, kangaroos and more adorable animals, see spectacular Broadway quality shows and ride a 7-loop rollercoaster and lots more – all in the space of a day at Busch Gardens!

Book Busch Gardens tickets now!

Busch Gardens Rides

Cobra’s Curse

 
Fashion 3

Cobra’s Curse

This 16-minute ride takes you on a journey back over 40,000 years to see the landmark moments that made some of today’s amazing technology possible!

From the Stone Age to the computer age, you can see how early man painted his thoughts on cave walls, and the Phoenicians devised the alphabet, right up to the televised broadcast of the moon landing and beyond.

 Ride Type: Thrill Ride, Spinning

 Scary'o'metre: Moderate

  Min Height: 42”/3.5ft/1.07m

Busch Gardens Animal Experiences

The animals are the stars at Busch Gardens!

Serengeti Safari - family petting a giraffe

Serengeti Safari

The Serengeti Safari Tour takes you right to the centre of the action, where hundreds of animals roam free on Busch Gardens’ Serengeti Plain®.

Get ready for some amazing photo opportunities as you venture out into this enormous natural habitat on a 30-minute open-air safari truck expedition. Meet zebras, rhinos and antelopes and even feed a giraffe a leafy snack!

Your personal tour guide will entertain you with funny stories and fascinating information about the animals who live there.

Book Serengeti Safari tickets now!

Cheetah Run®

Fast, strong, beautiful and graceful – cheetahs are loved and admired by everyone! And here you can get just inches away from the world’s fastest land animals.

 Top Tip

When you arrive at the park, ask a Busch Gardens educator when the cheetahs will be running – it’s a sight you don't want to miss!

Animal Care centre and a girl with hippo

Animal Care Centre

Get a glimpse into what goes on behind the scenes at the state-of-the-art facility where Busch Gardens’ staff take care of their animals. Here you’ll find out about the X-rays, surgeries, nutrition, treatments and lots more!

Fast, strong, beautiful and graceful – cheetahs are loved and admired by everyone! And here you can get just inches away from the world’s fastest land animals.

 Top Tip

When you arrive at the park, ask a Busch Gardens educator when the cheetahs will be running – it’s a sight you don't want to miss!

Edge of Africa®

Take a walking safari through this attraction that’s themed around an abandoned African fishing village, and see all kinds of exotic African animals along the way!

You can take things at your own pace as you encounter hyenas, lemurs, vultures, meerkats, hippos, lions, crocodiles and more.

 Top Tip

The lions will be at their most active either early in the morning or at dusk.

Boy with white tiger and girl with a bird

Jungala®

Experience three storeys of jungle life at Jungala, from a tiger’s underground lair to an orangutan habitat in the treetops!

Get an incredible view into the middle of the tiger enclosure on the Tiger Trail, cool down on Wild Surge, a shot tower that launches you above a waterfall, and little ones can soar through the treetops on the Jungle Flyers zip line.

 Top Tip

Check the keeper times on the back of your park map for feedings, special moments and even a tiger test of strength!

Lory Landing™

Make some new feathered friends as the friendly, colourful Lorikeets glide down to say hello - and feast on the cup of fresh fruit nectar in your hand! You can also meet other birds like hornbills, pheasants and many more.

 Top Tip

Don’t forget to pick up a cup of nectar on your way in to hand-feed the lorikeets!

Busch Gardens Shows

Let’s Play Together

Let’s Play Together (Formerly A is for Africa)   Sunny Day Theater

Go on a musical Safari with Elmo and his Sesame Street friends!

This adventure with Elmo, Abby, Zoe, Grover and Cookie Monster will have your kids in stitches AND they’ll learn interesting facts too.

 Insider Tip

Arrive at theatre at least 15 minutes early to get better seats. Stay after the show to meet your favourite Sesame Street characters and take photos with them.

Turn it up dancer

Turn It Up!   Moroccan Palace

Experience a spectacular ice show…which celebrates summer!

Enjoy contemporary performances, breath-taking aerial stunts and vibrant eclectic pop music.

Opening Night Critters   Pantopia Theatre

Get ready for a wild animal extravaganza on stage! Witness over 100 rescued animals take over stage in a fun theatrical piece about humans and animals coming together in kindness, compassion and cooperation.

 Insider Tip

Stick around after the show if you want to meet the actors, trainers, and some of the furry cast members too!

Busch Gardens Restaurants

Dining at Zagora Café

Busch Gardens All-Day Dining Pass

Make your money go further with the Busch Gardens All-Day Dining pass! Eat and drink as much as you like all day in most of the eateries at Busch Gardens!

Where can I use my All-Day Dining Pass?

  • Dragon Fire Grill & Pub – family- friendly, market-style restaurant with awesome entertainment
  • Zambia Smokehouse – Cool BBQ joint right next to the Sheikra ride
  • Serengeti Overlook PubEnjoy an amazing view while you tuck into a rich selection of entrees, pub-style mains and homemade deserts
  • Zagora Café – feast on burgers & fajita wraps with spicy Moroccan flavours
  • Bengal Bistro – sandwiches burgers and wraps for the whole family
Book the All Day Dining Pass
Dining with Elmo and friends

More Dining at Busch Gardens

There’re a few more great places to eat at Busch Gardens. They don’t accept the All Day Dining Pass, so they might be a little less busy.

  • Garden Gate Café – fresh sandwiches and craft beer with a stunning view to the lake
  • Serengeti Overlook Restaurants – the only full-service restaurant in the park and it has a view of the Serengeti Plain and the Cobra’s Curse
  • Dine with Elmo & Friends in Sesame Street Safari of Fun – have lunch with your favourite Sesame Street characters and get lots of hugs!

 Insider Tip

If you have any special dietary requirements, contact Guest Relations when you arrive at the park to find out which places you can eat.

Busch Gardens Facts

Busch Gardens Opening Times

 Opens: 9.30am-10am
Closes: 5pm-9pm

Busch Gardens’ opening hours can vary depending on the season. We recommend checking with the park before you visit if you need to know the opening times on a specific date.

Busch Gardens Parking

Busch Gardens has almost 5,000 parking spaces!

Parking Prices:

Car or Motorcycle

  $20

Preferred Parking

  $26

Valet Parking

  $33

 Parking Tip 1

Preferred & valet parking are subject to availability

Disabled Parking

Disabled parking spaces are available in Lot A near the main entrance. Please note that you must have a legal parking permit.

Accessibility

Ride Accessibility

Guests with physical conditions that would prevent normal seating or use of safety restraints should not board the following rides:

  • SheiKra
  • Cheetah Hunt
  • Stanley Falls Log Flume
  • Congo River Rapids
  • Kumba
  • Tanganyika Tidal Wave
  • Montu
  • Phoenix
  • Scorpion
  • Ubanga-Banga Bumper Cars
  • Sand Serpent

Casts

Guests with hard casts cannot ride Kumba, Montu or SheiKra.

Wheelchair & Stroller Rental

  • Wheelchairs and Electric Convenience Vehicles (ECVs) can be rented at Stroller Rental near the front gate of the park in Morocco
  • Wheelchairs and ECVs are available on a first-come first served basis to guests with disabilities
  • Guests may also use their own wheelchairs in the park

Deaf & hard of hearing

  • Scripts for all shows are available at Guest Relations
  • A sign-language interpreter may be available for your day at Busch Gardens, with advance notice. Please contact Guest Relations at [email protected] to ask about scheduling an interpreter at least two weeks prior to your visit
  • Assistive Listening Devices are available at Guest Relations and most theatres. These amplify the volume of the performance for guests who have difficulty hearing

Vision Disabilities

Guests with visual impairments must have someone (a companion or park team member) read the ride restrictions to them prior to boarding.

What can I bring into Busch Gardens?

Prohibited items include:

  • Coolers
  • Glass containers
  • Any food such as sandwiches, meals, snacks etc.
  • Flavoured drinks

Acceptable items include:

You are allowed to bring water bottles into Busch Gardens.

Directions to Busch Gardens

Busch Gardens Tampa Bay is located at the corner of Busch Boulevard and 40th Street.

 Address: 10165 N McKinley Drive,Tampa, FL 33612

Free Busch Gardens Shuttle

Free round-trip transport to Busch Gardens from several convenient Orlando area locations is included with your Busch Gardens tickets when you book with FloridaTix!

You will need to reserve your transport in advance by calling Mears Destination Services on 1-800-221-1339. Please also call this number for any additional information, including pick-up times and locations.

Getting there

Busch Gardens is easy to find, wherever you’re travelling from:

  • About 1 hour from Orlando via Interstate 4
  • 8 miles North-East of downtown Tampa
  • 2 miles West of Interstate 75 at exit 265
  • 2 miles East of Interstate 275 (Busch Boulevard exit)
  • 30 minutes East of area beaches and Tampa International Airport

Directions from Orlando

  • Travel WEST on I-4 to I-75
  • Head NORTH on I-75 to the FOWLER AVENUE exit #265 (the exit for the University of South Florida)
  • Bear left on the exit ramp, and proceed onto Fowler Avenue
  • Head WEST on Fowler Avenue to McKinley Drive. (the first junction past the main entrance to the University)
  • Turn left onto McKinley Drive
  • Keep going on McKinley Drive until you reach the car park and main entrance to Busch Gardens

Directions from St. Petersburg

  • Travel NORTH on I-275 to the FOWLER AVENUE exit. (Exit # 51, Exit # 34)
  • Turn right onto Fowler Avenue and proceed 2.5 miles to McKinley Drive
  • Turn right onto McKinley Drive
  • Keep going on McKinley Drive until you reach the main car park entrance

Directions from the North

  • Travel SOUTH on I-75 to FOWLER AVENUE exit #265. (the exit for the University of South Florida)
  • Bear right on the exit ramp, and proceed onto Fowler Avenue
  • Head WEST on Fowler Avenue to McKinley Drive. (the first junction past the main entrance to the University)
  • Turn left onto McKinley Drive
  • Keep going on McKinley Drive until you reach the car park and main entrance to Busch Gardens

Directions from the South

  • Travel NORTH on I-75, past the intersection of I-4, to the FOWLER AVENUE exit #265 (the exit for the University of South Florida)
  • Bear left on the exit ramp, and proceed onto Fowler Avenue
  • Head WEST on Fowler Avenue to McKinley Drive. (the first junction past the main entrance to the University)
  • Turn left onto McKinley Drive
  • Keep going on McKinley Drive until you reach the car park and main entrance to Busch Gardens