If you're looking for a little extra Christmas cheer, but you're worried about the health and safety of your family, see why Busch Gardens® Christmas Town™ in Tampa Bay, Florida may be the perfect choice for you. I've partnered with Busch Gardens to share their Christmas Town event with you.
With all of the social distancing guidelines and mask mandates in place, it's challenging to find traditional events to celebrate the Christmas season. Many of our favorite local and statewide events have been canceled this year so I was super excited to hear that Busch Gardens was carrying on with Christmas Town in a modified fashion.
Contact-free visits with Santa and Rudolph are available.
Until January 3, 2021, guests can enjoy millions of twinkling lights throughout the park, holiday fireworks, special culinary treats at the Christmas Town Village, and contact-free visits with Santa and Rudolph® the Red-Nosed Reindeer. To help ensure a safe experience at the park, all guests are required to make a reservation prior to visiting in order to manage park capacity and maintain physical distancing. Even guests with existing tickets, Fun Cards holders, Tampa Bay CityPASS users, or Annual Pass holders must make a reservation prior to heading to the park so don't forget to do that before you go.
Unlike other events around the state that require a separate ticket for admission, Christmas Town is included with daily admission, Fun Cards, and Annual Passes. That is a big value and I appreciate what a deal you can get if you're somewhat local.
When I arrived at the park, I was led to a temperature check tent where my temperature was taken with an infrared camera. Masks were required to enter the park and everyone I saw had one on unless they were eating or drinking. There were also several hand sanitizing stations throughout the park.
I was able to enjoy a Christmas Town Sampler Lanyard to enjoy festive flavors in the Christmas Town Village. You can buy these lanyards at different carts throughout the village to receive a sample size cocktail or special treat. You can purchase a lanyard with 5, 10, or 15 sample servings. This was such a great way to experience all of the seasonal offerings that they have to offer.
This frozen egg nog concoction was to die for!
You can even get a souvenir refillable hot chocolate mug to enjoy cocoa during your visit. You can refill your mug throughout the night using punches from your lanyard.
If you've visited Busch Gardens during the holidays in the past, you may remember that they put on quite the ice skating performances. This year, they're taking their skills outside with the first-ever outdoor production of Christmas on Ice. I caught one of the evening performances and it was fantastic. The performers skated on a real ice rink outside underneath the stars where everyone could spread out and enjoy the show in the open air.
In between the seasonal fare and shows (like Elmo’s Christmas Wish, which is perfect for little ones, and Three Kings Journey), I was able to walk right onto my favorite thrill rides like Montu, Sheikra, and Cheetah Hunt. The lines were very short and the crowds were minimal so it was really a perfect evening.
While making your way through Christmas Town, you can purchase fun seasonal decor and clothing at many of the kiosks and shops around the park. From themed ornaments to clothing to mugs, they've got everything that you need for festive celebrations and gifts.
Another thing I absolutely love about Busch Gardens during the holiday season is that they play the best Christmas music. I'm not just talking about Top 40 pop hits, although there is some of that. Busch Gardens plays the real deal worship music celebrating the true reason for the season.
I had a great evening at Busch Gardens this holiday season and I'd definitely recommend checking it out. I felt safe while visiting due to the low number of guests and safety precautions that I witnessed throughout my visit. Thank you, Busch Gardens, for a wonderful holiday event!
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