A few weeks ago, we headed down to Tampa to see some family and friends. We took the opportunity to make a little family double date to Busch Gardens with My Lifeline, Callie.
Moms of littles, if you don’t have someone you text and Marco Polo 35x a day, I don’t know how you are surviving.
I hadn’t been to Busch Gardens since I was in high school, so let’s just say the experience was different. I didn’t do any roller coasters (my husband did), but watching my daughter go on her first ride EVER was pretty thrilling…
I did however learn a few tips from My Lifeline and family, who regular Busch Gardens and wanted to pass them along.
- Stroller Parking!!!!! We got there before opening to beat the heat and attempt to avoid naptime meltdowns. When you pull into parking you can let them know you have babies with you and they’ll direct you to stroller parking which is right up at the entrance to the park. It was amazing. If you don’t ask, they don’t offer. So ask!
- Bring a Reusable Straw! Busch Gardens is straw free, which is AMAZING. But also means there are no straws for you or our little one. With stroller cup holders, I find that difficult. So grab a few and put them in a Ziploc in your diaper bag. You can rinse them out if need be, but you might want it.
- Bring a Yeti or Swell Bottle. There is never enough water at a theme park. Bringing your own bottle means you can refill at water fountains and restaurants. I’ve heard that if you buy a souvenir cup you get free refills all day, even for frozen drinks. But no one I know has actually purchased one. It’s worth asking!
- Coozies! If you plan on drinking beer (it is owned by Anheuser Busch after all) bring a coozie! Bring one for a friend too.
- Ask for a second cup! It was HOT so we decided to grab frozen smoothies. They don’t have kids sizes, but if you ask for a second cup they will happily hand you one.
- Bring a Fan! We were at Busch Gardens in mid-September, but it was the face of the sun hot. I love this fan we purchased, that is USB chargable. You can charge it in your car and it even works as a portable phone charger in desperate times. There are battery options available too, but I never have batteries when I need them.
- Lather that SPF on. Make sure everyone has on sunscreen. Julia was only 4.5 months old so I went with a mineral sunscreen option. While your makeup may have spf, you would need a full coverage for it to be effective. Don’t rely solely on that or your AM cream. SPF up! Mineral sunscreens are great because they stick. We used the in The Bahamas all the time with out fail. Reapply if you are sweating. You may be wiping off all your protection. I suggest hats too.
- Sunnies for the Kiddos. We always think of sunglasses for us, but think they are just cute on kids. Nope. Their eyes hurt too. Protect your kiddos eyes with hats and sunnies.
- Snap Towel. These are fantastic for kids and nursing. I never cover up, but putting bodies next to each other when it feels like 103 is brutal. All you have to do is wet it with your water bottle, in a sink, or at a water fountain and snap it. They feel cool to the touch and help immensely.
- Bring snacks that don’t melt. While the food at Busch Gardens is top notch, kids are kids and sometimes you need Gold Fish on hand. Same goes for while you are waiting in a long line. Snacks are always good to have.
Clearly these two toddlers enjoyed their day at Busch Gardens!
You guys. How freaking cute are our kids? I’m biased but… Really cute.
Other things to note:
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- The ostrich eggs are fake. My MIL told us the funniest story about how she kept bring our niece back to see the egg hatch, and they told her several trips in that the egg was wooden. If you have any questions about the animals find a keeper!
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- The tigers have the best viewing areas in my opinion. One of the areas is in part of an air conditioned store! We brought the kids in there for a snack and a cool down while we watched one of the tigers wander a river. Another tiger viewing area has a little circular viewing pod that you can put your head in like you are in the cage with them. When we were there, one of the tigers was sitting on it. It was incredible to see her fur up close.
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- Do the animals first! They get hot too. They are most active in the mornings. So head on over.
- The pretzel with beer dip is amazing. They are between the Carousel and the Kids Airplane ride. Don’t skip it. I believe it opening up a little later than the rides.
- The kids area is sponsored by PBS Sesame Street and characters are everywhere. Reegan was deeply entertained by the ropes course, so we didn’t meet them personally, but I saw several.
- When events are not going on (check the calendar), you get two mini beers free at the Pavillon in the back of the park.
If you are traveling without kids check the tips HERE
The kids playground area was incredible, and we could’ve spent our entire day there. If you live in the Tampa area, I highly suggest an annual pass! We even consider it just visiting a few times a year. Annual passes come with discounts for friends, so thats always a bonus. And kids under 3 are FREE!
We were also there during their first annual Bier Fest, and it was fantastic. I’d like to go back there alone for a Date Night, but we just couldn’t swing it this time with nursing. In the back of the park they set up beer and wine tastings, as well as food tasting along the gardens. There was a fantastic live music duo and the kids were in heaven. It is loud though.
Saturday morning/afternoon wasn’t too crowded but we left around 4:30pm.
If you have kids with you, go early.
Usually you get two little beers free, but not during the Bier Fest. You can purchase things a la carte, or grab hang tags of 6 or 12 at a discounts. We got the hang tags of 12 and split them. An Annual Pass also gives you discounts on these. So, if you plan on going it’s worth the annual pass.
Jeff and I split a set of 12, and our friends split a set of 12.
It was the perfect amount. A few beers and bites each.
My favorites from our tastings were the Funky Brewery Floridian Hefeweizen, the frozen wine, and the duck lollipops with a peach summer salad (picture right. The lamb meatballs were meh).
Even outside of Bier Fest, Busch Gardens is known for their food. Every person I talked to before going told me I had to tried the Zambia Smokehouse. Unfortunately, we didn’t because it was 103 degree outside and smoked anything was the last thing I want.
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