Bush Gardens in Tampa is a bit of an anomaly. Tucked away near a nondescript industrial estate at the back of Tampa, Busch Gardens Tampa is home to some of the biggest, tallest, and fastest roller coasters in the southeastern US, not to mention much of the world. Busch Gardens is also one of the leading zoological parks in the world, home to over 2,700 animals covering 200 species in its care. Yet it is still regarded very much as a regional park.

Opened originally as a 160-acre brewery by Anheuser Busch of Budweiser fame, the initial build included a $500,000 15-acre area of landscaped gardens to complement the local area and grow the brand that was facing competition from another brewery in the neighbouring industrial area.

Today Busch Gardens Tampa spans 335 acres. The brewery closed in 1995 and Busch Gardens ownership was transferred to Blackstone Group under their Seaworld Parks and Resorts brand in 2009 following the takeover of Anheuser Bush by Belgian brewing giant InBev creating Anheauser Busch InBev.

Themed to various African countries, the park compliments a sister park in Williamsburg Virginia that is themed to European countries. The runaway success of Busch Gardens prompted aggressive expansion through the intervening years and today Busch Gardens Tampa is home to the largest collection of roller coasters in the southeastern US. If you like your white knuckle rides you need to visit Busch Gardens!

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