Busch Gardens Tampa Bay Admission Ticket
Pick your date
Highlighted days have spots open. Grey days are sold out or not running.
September 2026
Loading live availability
Who is going?
Adults
Age 13 and over
Children
Age 12 and under
Select a highlighted day to see live departure times and the exact price for your group.
Non-refundable booking. Same price on Viator, Outty earns a commission.
Traveler rating
2.6/5
Based on 1,440 traveler reviews. Ratings and reviews provided by Viator and Tripadvisor.
Quick answer
Is Busch Gardens Tampa Bay Admission Ticket worth booking?
Busch Gardens Tampa Bay Admission Ticket is a 8-hour experience in Tampa, United States, from $45 per person. It scores 50 out of 100 on the Outty Ranking, which we label “Worth a Look”, based on a 2.6/5 rating across 1,440 reviews. This booking is non-refundable, so pick your date carefully. Same-day spots are currently showing.
- Outty Ranking
- 50 / 100
- Rating
- 2.6/5 (1,440)
- Duration
- 8 hours
- From
- $45 per person
Busch Gardens Africa in Tampa is the ultimate family adventure park, featuring an unparalleled combination of animal encounters, live entertainment and world-class thrill rides.
What you get
About this experience
Busch Gardens Africa in Tampa is the ultimate family adventure park, featuring an unparalleled combination of animal encounters, live entertainment and world-class thrill rides.
What's included
Included
- Admission Ticket
Not included
- Hotel pickup and drop-off
- Food and drinks (unless otherwise specified)
- Parking fees (unless option is selected)
What you'll see and do
Busch Gardens
One of the top zoos in North America, Busch Gardens brings you face-to-face with more exotic and endangered animals than any destination outside of Africa. Prepare yourself for heart-pounding excitement with SheiKra - America's first dive coaster. Discover a colorful village nestled among towering trees, explore a 3-story play land of climbing nets and exploration tunnels, soar above the treetops on a zip line adventure or launch into the sky from inside a 35-foot (10 meter) waterfall. Then, come face-to-face with orangutans and test your strength in a tug of war with a Bengal tiger, all in Jungala - the only jungle in the world that plays with you. For additional fun, choose from combo ticket options with SeaWorld Orlando, Adventure island Tampa and Aquatica Orlando! All-day parking and unlimited parking packages are also available.
480 minutes here · Admission included
Where it starts and ends
Meeting point
Busch Gardens
10165 McKinley Dr, Tampa, Florida, 33612, United States
Hotel pickup
No pickup: everyone meets at the start point.
Ends at
Busch Gardens · 10165 McKinley Dr, Tampa, Florida, 33612, United States
Options you can book
Howl-O-Scream Day and Night
Validity: Valid for a single day admission to Busch Gardens Tampa plus a single night admission to 2025 Howl-O-Scream on any schedule. Usage: Tickets must be used on the same day. Howl-O-Scream Day/Night Ticket: Brave 1 visit to Howl-O-Scream 2025 on select event nights between September 5 - November 2, 2025 at Busch Gardens Tampa Bay.
Busch Gardens Single Day
Valid for single day admission to Busch Gardens Tampa
Two Visit Ticket
Included Parks: Valid for use at Adventure Island Tampa, Busch Gardens Tampa, SeaWorld Orlando, Aquatica Orlando. Duration: 2 days Two Visits: 2nd visit to be used within 14 days from 1st use. Valid for up to one (1) year from date of purchase.
Three Park Ticket
Included Parks: Valid for use at Adventure Island Tampa, SeaWorld Orlando, Busch Gardens Tampa, Aquatica Orlando Duration: 3 days: All visits must be within 14 consecutive days from first use Entitlements: Valid for 3 single day admissions to your choice of valid parks.
3-Day, 3-Park w/ All Day Dine
Included Parks: Adventure Island Tampa Bay, SeaWorld Orlando, Busch Gardens Tampa Bay and Aquatica Orlando Duration: 3 days: All tickets must be used within 14 days of the first day of use All Day Dine Entitlements: Up to one entrée, one side item or dessert and 1 beverage each time through the line, once per hour (90 min at Chick-fil-A) 3-Park Ticket + 3 All Day Dine: Valid for 3 single day admission to choice of parks listed.
3 Visit + 3 Meal Vouchers
Valid for 3 single day admissions to your choice of valid parks with 3 meal vouchers. Included Parks: Valid for use at Adventure Island Tampa and Busch Gardens Tampa Duration: 3 days: All visits must be within 14 consecutive days from first use.
Howl-O-Scream Any Night Ticket
Admission: This ticket does NOT include daytime admission to Busch Gardens Tampa Bay Hours: Event starts at 7:00pm but gates open at 5:00pm on the selected date. One Day Howl-O-Scream Ticket: Brave 1 visit to Howl-O-Scream 2025 on select event nights between September 5 - November 2, 2025 at Busch Gardens Tampa Bay.
Single Day Ticket + Eat FREE
Valid for single any day admission to Busch Gardens Tampa + EAT FREE
Howl-O-Scream Non-Peak Ticket
Admission: This ticket does NOT include daytime admission to Busch Gardens Tampa Bay Hours: Event starts at 7:00pm but gates open at 5:00pm on the selected date. One Day Howl-O-Scream Ticket: Brave 1 visit to Howl-O-Scream 2025 on select event nights between September 5 - November 2, 2025 at Busch Gardens Tampa Bay.
2 Visit + 2 Meal Vouchers
Valid for 2 single day admissions to your choice of valid parks with 2 meal vouchers. Included Parks: Valid for use at Adventure Island Tampa and Busch Gardens Tampa Duration: 2 days: All visits must be within 14 consecutive days from first use.
Two Park Ticket
Included Parks: Valid for use at Adventure Island Tampa, SeaWorld Orlando, Busch Gardens Tampa, Aquatica Orlando Duration: 2 days: Second day must be within 14 consecutive days from first use Entitlements: Valid for 2 single day admissions to your choice of valid parks.
Unlimited Visits plus Parking
Included Parks: Valid for use at Adventure Island Tampa, SeaWorld Orlando, Busch Gardens Tampa, Aquatica Orlando Duration: 14 days Entitlements: Unlimited admissions to your choice of valid parks for up to 14 consecutive days. Includes general parking per day
Before you book
- Cancellation
- All sales are final. No refund is available for cancellations.
- Ticket
- Mobile Only
- Runs on
- Every day
- Group size
- Up to 9 travelers per booking
- Operated by
- SeaWorld Parks and Entertainment
Know before you go
- Wheelchair accessible
- Infants and small children can ride in a pram or stroller
- Service animals allowed
- All areas and surfaces are wheelchair accessible
- Suitable for all physical fitness levels
- Infants under the age of 3 years (2 years and 11 months) do not require admission. Proof of age such as a birth certificate may be required.
- Wheelchairs are available for rental on a first come first serve basis.
- Please note: The date selected at the time of booking is for the intended date of travel. This ticket is only for U.S residents, proof of residency maybe checked at the gate.
Photos
What travelers are saying
Outty’s summary of the themes that recur across 1,440 traveler reviews. Written by us, not quoted from reviewers.
Good for families
7 mentionsReviewers traveling with kids report it landed well with their group.
Food and drink
4 mentionsThe tastings and food stops are a highlight for most reviewers.
Traveler reviews
1,440 verified traveler reviews for Busch Gardens Tampa Bay Admission Ticket. Ratings and reviews provided by Viator and Tripadvisor.
Awful experience
This park is a joke! Falcons Fury Shut, Cheetah Hunt Shunt, kumba Shut, Congo River Rapids Shut, Cobras Curse Shut. Half the park is shut, they charge $43 for parking! Want to charge $20 to go on the Skyride and Chic Filet has been removed from the all day dining. Complete rip off!! Only take 3 hours to do the whole park with what’s open. Waste of money and time!! Will never return
via Tripadvisor
Don't Ignore the Negative Reviews
You are going to find the occasional, "Ignore the negative reviews!" It's a lie. I didn't look at reviews because I didn't think I needed to. My parents brought me here 46 years ago when I was little and it was awesome. I wanted my kids to experience this. We went. Half the rides were closed. Most of the beverage stations were closed. Wanna know what was open? EVERY FEATURE THAT YOU CAN PAY TO EXPERIENCE. Yep, all that stuff was operational, including the lucrative locker system. The beverage stations that were open - bees. Yep, workers swatting away bees while trying to fill your cup, you swatting away bees while trying to pay. And they're looking for the first excuse, ANY excuse, to shut down the remaining rides - which they found. 3 hours into our day, an ominous announcement arrives over the speakers: "Due to dangerous inclement weather, all rides are closed and we advise all guests to seek immediate shelter!" It was sunny and 95 degrees. There was a small dark cloud off in the distance. That's it. We were there another hour, walking around a park operating zero rides, but fully serving those who wanted to spend money on food, alcohol, and souvenirs. It never did rain. Didn't even get windy either. But the rides remained closed. Seriously - DO NOT IGNORE THE NEGATIVE REVIEWS. I was so angry when we left the park (yesterday) that I told myself when we got back to the hotel, I was going to write a negative review. But then I slept on it, and it is now the next day. And I decided to write a positive review. This was the best I could do. We leave tomorrow morning. We drove here from Wisconsin. This was the only major theme park the trip was for. Whoever owns this park deserves to go out of business and lose everything. I know that doesn't happen to these kinds of people, but it doesn't mean they don't DESERVE it.
via Tripadvisor
NOT FRIENDLY FOR KIDS! ADULTS WEREN’T HAPPY EITHER!
Mom of children under 5. I was very disappointed to discover the state in which they have the Sesame Street Safari of Fun area, the whole place looks like an abandoned fair. Only three people running around 10 attractions and the staff had to change from one to the other so you could ride it. The show at the Sunny day Theater was really really bad, only two characters came out and it lasted 10 minutes. We also stayed for the story time and it was worse, they read a board book and that was it. My kids were hoping we would see a lot more characters, that wasn’t the case. It seemed that they were improvising most of the time, I thought it was appalling to have that kind of low quality standard for live entertainment. Most of the food stands were closed, we had to walk for 10 minutes to get some snacks for my kids. In this heat!!! There were literally no dining options on the Sesame Street area or on the Jungala area. There is NO 4D theatre playing a Sesame Street movie. I would not recommend this place to go with small children, they haven’t upgraded it in the past 15 years or more. It is not friendly for kids, the distances are too long with almost no attractions or dining options indoors. We didn’t ride any of the roller coasters or other attractions, but I made a list of which ones were closed: Congo River Rapids Cheetah Hunt Falcon’s Fury Most of the stations for the Serengeti Train were closed, you could only ride it from the Africa station. I’ve seen other reviews and it seems some of them have been closed for OVER A YEAR!
via Tripadvisor
Busch gardens and SeaWorld.
We went here on the 5th of August as part of a three park ticket purchase and were really looking forward to the experience. It was the 1st time back since the 1990s when I was a child, now wanting to share the experience with my children. The only rides we got on were Iron Gwazi and Montu. The rest either kept breaking down (having waited for them in line for a while which frustrated everyone ) or were closed for unknown reasons. There was a storm which closed rides understandably; however most rides remained closed even after the storm had passed. Surely these rides have been designed to take the weather? We also arrived a few days after the Kumba closed which was a sad farewell and one less ride to go on. Overall it felt like a waste of money as we couldn’t return due to flying home . The kids did see the animals and it was brilliant to see them well cared for and in good facilities. SeaWorld also seems to suffer from a lot of ride technical issues, both parks belong to the same company and it seems to be a running theme at both parks. Compared to Universal there is no comparison for reliability. Food was ok, though not easy to navigate with a dairy allergy. Staff just were not interested and didn’t seem to care about helping. They seemed genuinely unhappy and worried about making mistakes with food bills which paints a grim picture of the company as an employer. To me this is sad. They also seem to have problems with bees at drinking dispensers which is not good for people with bee sting allergies. I had them floating in my pop because they had crawled up the nozzles which made me concerned about my kids swallowing one. The dispensers could really do with being indoors. Overall not impressed with the parks for rides and food, but a decent zoo for welfare and education.
via Tripadvisor
Awful
Awful awful value Most rides shut all day and labelled as ‘temporarily closed’ A clear tactic to prevent customers being fully aware of the limited ride availability when booking My two children were stuck on cheetah when it broke down in the blazing sun after queuing for an hour and had to be ‘evacuated’ off the ride . All they were given was a bottle of water. It took me going to guest services and complaining for any kind of compensation to be issued. We were then given fast passes and dining passes. Parking is also now 37 dollars which is more expensive than Disney. Majority of staff looked thoroughly miserable as did we after ride after ride closed, broke down or didn’t open. Plese save your money and go elsewhere.
via Tripadvisor
Good to know
- Duration
- 8 hours
- Free cancellation
- Non-refundable
- Minimum age to book
- All ages
- Availability
- Bookable today
- Runs on
- Every day
- Price range
- $45 to $235
- Hotel pickup
- No pickup, meet at start point
- Booked in 30 days
- 504
- Verdict
- Worth a Look
Why this scores 50
The Outty Ranking is a weighted composite. Here is how this experience performed on each component.
Busch Gardens Tampa Bay Admission Ticket: questions travelers ask
Practical detail on this experience, plus the wider planning questions for Tampa.
How much does Busch Gardens Tampa Bay Admission Ticket cost?
+
Prices start at $45 per person. The final price depends on the date, the time slot and the number of travelers, and peak weekends in Tampa usually price higher than midweek mornings. Live pricing and remaining availability are confirmed on the booking screen before you pay.
How long does Busch Gardens Tampa Bay Admission Ticket take?
+
Plan for about 8 hours from start to finish, not counting travel to the meeting point. Most travelers leave another 30 minutes on either side so the rest of the day in Tampa is not rushed.
Is Busch Gardens Tampa Bay Admission Ticket worth it?
+
It holds an Outty Ranking of 50 out of 100, which we label "Worth a Look". That score blends traveler sentiment (2.6/5 across 1,440 reviews), the depth of that review evidence, recent booking momentum, value for money against comparable most popular in Tampa, and how flexible the cancellation terms are.
Can I cancel or reschedule Busch Gardens Tampa Bay Admission Ticket?
+
No. This experience is sold on a non-refundable basis, so only book a date you are confident about. Similar experiences in the city do offer free cancellation if flexibility matters more than price.
Is Busch Gardens Tampa Bay Admission Ticket suitable for kids and families?
+
Yes, all ages are welcome. Families should still weigh the 8-hour running time, and strollers are easier on the earlier, quieter departures.
How far in advance should I book Busch Gardens Tampa Bay Admission Ticket?
+
Around 504 people booked this in the last 30 days, so popular slots go early. Two to three weeks ahead is comfortable in shoulder season, while summer weekends and holidays in Tampa can sell out a month out. Same-day spots do open up when other travelers cancel, so it is worth checking if you are already in town.
What should I bring or wear?
+
Bring photo ID, your booking confirmation on your phone, a refillable water bottle and comfortable shoes. Dress for the weather in Tampa and add a light layer if any part of the 8-hour experience runs outdoors or after sunset.
Where does Busch Gardens Tampa Bay Admission Ticket start and how do I get there?
+
The exact meeting point and directions are on your voucher once you book, and they sit in central Tampa within reach of public transport. Arrive 15 minutes early: late arrivals are treated as no-shows by most operators.
What are the best things to do in Tampa?
+
Tampa covers Busch Gardens, Ybor City food and cigar history walks, manatee snorkelling at Crystal River, dolphin cruises on the bay and Clearwater beach days. Manatee tours are seasonal and heavily regulated, so operator conduct matters. On Outty we rank every Tampa experience on the same 0 to 100 scale, and alongside this one the highest scorers right now include Guided Tampa Sightseeing Tour in a Deluxe Street Legal Golf Cart, Shared Ybor City Historic Walking Tour, Escape Game at Midtown Tampa. The city page groups everything into most popular, highest reviewed, last minute and family-friendly so you can build a day around what actually delivers.
When is the best time to visit Tampa?
+
November to April, with manatee season from November to March. Booking patterns follow the same curve: prices and queues climb in peak weeks, while shoulder season gives you better availability on the top-ranked experiences and more room to change plans.
How many days do you need in Tampa?
+
Three full days covers the headline sights without sprinting. A workable rhythm is one anchor experience each morning, such as this one, an unhurried afternoon in a single neighborhood, then a food or nightlife booking in the evening. Five days lets you add a day trip outside the city.
Do I book through Outty or through the operator?
+
Outty ranks and explains the experiences, then hands you to Viator to complete the booking with the operator directly. The price is the same as booking on Viator yourself, and Outty earns an affiliate commission on the referral, which is how the rankings stay free to read.
Ready to lock in your spot?
Pick a date, choose your group, and see the exact price for Busch Gardens Tampa Bay Admission Ticket.
Pick your date
