Busch Gardens Tampa

Last weekend we took a tour around Busch Gardens Tampa! The weather was very overcast and cool and we were worried about getting rained on but thankfully, we managed over two hours in the park and were on our way out before it started to actually drizzle.

Open a whopping 54 years ago in March 1959, Busch Gardens started off as a free small garden, bird show and hospitality center for the Anheuser-Busch brewery in Tampa and has grown to a 335 acre African themed theme park complete with animals and coasters. It's now in the top 20 most visited theme parks in America and top 25 in the world. You can see historic info and pictures HERE.

Don't have to go far to find gators around here. But since they were nice enough to lounge around behind the fence, figured I'd get a shot. ;)

Cheetah!

Hippo!

Two lionesses cat napping.

Male lion with giraffe off in the background.

Flamingos

One of many coasters as it rushes by

Elephants!

Tigers snoozing

Stanleyville Log Flume ride. (You can see a photo of the same ride from back in 1973 here!)

Dolphin topiary. In the background is the old hospitality house where once upon a time they used to give free beer samples.

One of many coasters. Willow didn't meet the height requirement though so he couldn't ride. LOL

Took this shot because it shows the combination of large, older growth foliage with the newer coasters right in the middle of the grounds. You walk next to, below and around the coasters in the park.

It was a fun day and we got to see a lot of animals!