Celebrating the Holidays at Busch Gardens
Once inside, the first store you see is Santa’s Toy Shop! It’s filled with brightly colored Christmas decorations and toys. I especially noted the beautiful variety of nutcrackers! There were many different kinds. They were all so colorful and different. They even offered themed nutcrackers, in Safari outfits! It was a fun and festive way to start off the day.
One very unusual thing for this Midwesterner, was seeing outside windows draped with white garlands and blue holiday decorations, looking snowy and cold against nestled against blooming orchids!. Orchids blossoms in pink, white with dabs of purple. Interesting also was seeing the park guests dressed in shorts and sneakers instead of parkas and boots as I would see In the colder months up north. It takes a little getting used to!
As we traveled around the park each entrance had it’s own themed trees. Some decorated in very bright colors like India and others with a safari theme. Each gate had a tree on either side and garlands over the gates as you moved from each designated area. There was also a huge decorated tree in the center of that area. For example, Nairobi had a center tree that was as tall as a two story building with animal print ornament balls larger than watermelons! There were tufts of serengeti grasses and dried branches tied with black ribbons. Very unusual and beautiful!
We saw exciting features such as Gumdrop trees and holiday vignettes tucked here and there. Lights were strung throughout every decoration and only awaited the the dusk to be turned on to magically light up the night. As the year draws to a close they will be able to be turned on earlier and earlier. There will be Christmas Town in December. Special evenings of holiday fun.
Today there were new large topiaries of animals featured, not in florals but in greenery. We saw a lion, a giraffe and a tiger. There were others in different parts of the park. that I didn’t venture into this visit. The different colors of the grasses and greenery make the patterns like the tiger stripes, the lion’s mane and the spots on the giraffe. I observed many people taking photographs, they were so impressive. I have one for you in my pictures.
The whole park was in a holiday mood and it was delightful to be there early in the holiday season. I’m looking forward to another visit closer to Christmas when we will stay late enough to see all the lights on. It will complete the festive atmosphere to have everything lit up. It may not be frosty darkness down here in semi tropical Tampa, but it’s Christmas time nevertheless, and very much like it would be in Africa.
Busch Gardens is located in the heart of Tampa Florida!
Busch Gardens
10165 N. Malcolm McKinley Dr
Tampa, FL 33612
888 800 5447
Hours change but currently are 10:0 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. 7 days a week. Call for current hours.
