Skip to content
BusinessesGrow
Busch Gardens Tampa Bay, Tampa, FL

Photo: ClaudiaTampa39 at en.wikipedia, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons. Cropped and resized.

AttractionsFamily FavoriteOutdoor Adventure

Busch Gardens Tampa Bay

10165 N McKinley Dr · Tampa, FL

Why you should go…

Busch Gardens Tampa Bay is a 335-acre, Africa-themed park that opened in 1959 and pairs roller coasters with a zoo of more than 200 animal species. Coasters include Iron Gwazi, a hybrid wooden and steel ride, the 200-foot dive coaster SheiKra, and the launched Cheetah Hunt. On the Serengeti Plain you can see giraffes, zebras and antelopes, and the Edge of Africa area has lions, hyenas and hippos. Seasonal events include Howl-O-Scream and Christmas Town.

  • #theme park
  • #roller coasters
  • #zoo
  • #safari

Good to know

General attractions guidance

Habits that pay off across this whole category, not rules for this one venue. Always check the official site for the specifics.

  • Book the time slot, not just the ticket

    Timed entry is now the norm at big-draw attractions, and online tickets are often cheaper than the gate.

  • Grab the daily schedule on arrival

    Feeding times, keeper talks, and shows run on a posted timetable that changes day to day.

  • The first hour is the quietest

    Queues build through late morning and peak after lunch, so an early start buys you the shortest waits.

  • Budget past the ticket price

    Parking, lockers, strollers, and food inside the gates are common extras worth planning for.

What's around here?

The closest stops to Busch Gardens Tampa Bay, ordered by straight-line distance. A few more like it, plus some different kinds of fun so you can build a full day.

  • Attractions
    Family Favorite

    ZooTampa at Lowry Park

    $50+

    Meet manatees, elephants, giraffes and rhinos across a 63-acre zoo that also runs a hospital for injured manatees.

    3.3 mi awayMore like this

  • Sightseeing
    History Buff

    Ybor City

    Free

    Stroll 7th Avenue in Tampa's historic Latin Quarter for cigar shops, hand rollers, free-roaming chickens and the Columbia Restaurant.

    5.4 mi awaySwitch it up: Sightseeing

  • Attractions
    Family Favorite

    The Florida Aquarium

    $25–$50

    See a 500,000-gallon coral reef tank, loggerhead sea turtles, moon jellies, lemurs and stingrays in downtown Tampa.

    6.6 mi awayMore like this

  • Museums
    Iconic

    The Dalí Museum

    $25–$50

    See Salvador Dalí's paintings and drawings in a waterfront museum entered beside a 75-foot glass spiral.

    23 mi awaySwitch it up: Museums

  • Attractions
    Family Favorite

    Clearwater Marine Aquarium

    $25–$50

    See rescued dolphins, manatees, sea turtles, sharks and sea lions at a working marine animal hospital.

    25 mi awayMore like this

  • Sport & Outdoor
    Iconic

    Clearwater Beach

    Free

    Spread out on 2.5 miles of white Gulf sand, then join the nightly sunset gathering of performers at Pier 60.

    25 mi awaySwitch it up: Sport & Outdoor