Busch Gardens Europe - A Taste of the Old Country in Williamsburg, Virginia

Busch Gardens Europe is located off of interstate 64 right between Richmond and the Hampton Roads area. Nestled in a wooded area right off of route 60 in Williamsburg, Virginia, you will find a true theme park where the experiences of Old World Europe come to you. Busch Gardens Europe is a great addition to a family vacation to Colonial Williamsburg, Yorktown, and Jamestown and shouldn't be missed.

As you exit 64, you are dropped conveniently right into the Busch Gardens parking lot. It is evident immediately that your surroundings are slowly transforming as you park among the flags of Germany, Ireland, England, France, and Italy in parking lots named for those nations. You will pay $10.00 to park your car for the day and ride a tram to the front gate (you can leave and come back, but don't lose your receipt or you will pay again.) For a little more, you can park within walking distance to the front gate. Once you reach the front gate, you pay admission, which is to be expected. Busch Gardens is a bit highly priced compared to its competitors considering that there is no water park included in admission. There are several admission prices, but $54.95 is the one day, adult admission price. They also offer a "pay once, visit all summer" ticket that is $59.95 - obviously the better deal if you are a resident who lives close enough to go more than once in a season. Busch Gardens also offers a variety of park-hopper passes and multi-day tickets online, as well as season passes. Children and seniors get various discounted tickets as well.

Once you've paid for parking and admission, the fun can begin. Busch Gardens has been voted America's Most Beautiful Theme Park for many consecutive years and as soon as you enter the park (and even before that) it is easy to see why. The park is themed after Old World Europe and each section of the park is a different country. When you enter the park, you are in England where a replica of Big Ben is a favorite meeting spot (my advice is to choose a different one) and there are many shops and places to eat. In England, you will find both a train and a sky ride station. England connects to Scotland, where the world's first interlocking-looped steel roller coaster calls home. The Loch Ness Monster was built over 20 years ago and has carried over one million riders. It is still a park favorite today. From here, you can visit Ireland, Busch Garden's newest country and take a ride on Corkscrew Hill, a 4-D adventure ride, or see Irish Thunder, a river dance type show. Leaving Ireland, you will enter France where Busch Gardens newest and scariest roller coaster, Griffon, lives. This ride suspends willing riders 200 feet above a 90 degree drop before letting them plunge toward earth. France also houses a sky ride station. New France is a Canadian trappers village where you can get some of the best ribs and chicken you've ever tasted. You can also ride the log flume here or catch the train. Walk the bridge to Germany and you are in one of Busch Gardens largest countries. You will find Alpengeist, a chilling, suspended, floorless, coaster that simulates an out of control ski lift. Land of the Dragons is a huge play area for the little ones complete with kiddie rides. A second coaster, The Big Bad Wolf, is Busch Gardens first suspended coaster and carries passengers through a deserted village in search of the Big Bad Wolf (be warned the hill is at the end of this one.) Germany also houses a sky ride station, midway games, and the Fest Haus, one of the largest eating establishments in the USA. Lastly, we come to Italy. Italy is one of the stops on the train route and here you will find the raft ride Roman Rapids. You will also find Apollo's Chariot, one of the most amazing coasters on the planet. With over 825 feet of total drops (210 feet on the first drop) and top speeds of 73 mph no thrill seeker will be disappointed. Italy is also home to Escape from Pompeii where riders are immersed in special effects including real fire. These are some of the best rides found on the East Coast and Busch Gardens offers all the regulars too, such as tea cups, the carousel, the swings, bumper cars, and much more!

Busch Gardens truly delivers in every arena except one - it can be very expensive. You already know that you will have to pay for parking and admission, but what about food, games, and souvenirs? Well, Busch Gardens does offer some of the best food ever eaten at an amusement or theme park. Whether you want a quick corn dog or you are going to have a true German meal at the Fest Haus, the food is always amazing, but it is also amazingly expensive. The good thing is that there are quite a few places to go and eat if you choose to leave the park and get fast food. Also, picnic tables are provided in the parking lots if you choose to go that route. Playing games isn't necessary to enjoy your day, but if you do, you will pay quite a bit to do so (think $5 to shoot a basketball for a prize.) Any souvenirs that you want to bring home are going to cost you an arm and a leg too. If you want to buy something that is imported from Europe, you better have your no limit credit card with you and make sure you budget some souvenir money in for the kids - there are toy and magic shops throughout the park! Drink tons of water to avoid overheating and know that you can get free water (filtered tap) anywhere they serve fountain drinks. If you keep these things in mind, you should have a fabulous day!

So, plan a day (or two) at Busch Gardens with your friends and family and come experience all the thrills that Old World Europe has to offer!