With wintertime just around the corner, spending time with the family in a warm climate sounds great! Actually, many families take short vacations to Florida, California, or other warm spots to get away from the cold. After all, kids become antsy inside while parents also struggle with cabin fever. Although you might also consider a vacation during the summer, why not surprise the family with a miniature version during the winter!
If you head to Florida, you will have a ton of opportunities. You could visit Disney World, Epcot Center, or Universal Studios, but another great destination choice is to take a fun but relaxing trip to Busch Gardens. This Tampa Bay attraction is packed with adventure that the entire family will love. With a perfect balance of exciting rides, up-close encounters with animals, and delicious food, Busch Gardens is hard to beat.
While there are a number of favorite things to do in Busch Gardens, if you love the thrill of roller coasters, the Kumba will take you on loops and straightaways at 60 miles per hour. Of course, the Tanganyika Tidal Wave is a great way to cool off after walking around during the day. This water ride is spectacular and great for everyone. However, the newest ride, Gwazi, is the largest dueling wooden roller coaster in the southeast. In this case, two individual trains travel head on six times with a combined speed of 100 miles per hour.
Other exciting rides that we tried include the R. L. Stine’s Haunted Lighthouse, which offered a unique 4-D story. Then to educate the children about animals such as the hyena, lion, and hippopotamus in a natural environment, you can travel to the Edge of Africa. If the children want to experience animals up-close, a ride on the Serengeti Safari Tour will travel through plains where live zebra, rhino and giraffe live.
I think my kids were worried that they would miss something by visiting Busch Gardens but they were more than satisfied. The first thing we heard upon arriving home was, “When are we going back”? If you want to enjoy some of the excitement of Florida without as many people, then this destination is worth considering.