Busch Gardens Williamsburg is one of my favorite theme parks for many reasons. The biggest reason is that Busch Gardens is the most family-friendly park on the east coast. I hope this article helps to showcase what the theme park has to offer and provides you with tips and tricks to better navigate and plan for your next visit.
THE BEAUTY OF BUSCH GARDENS
There is a reason that Busch Gardens has been voted “The World’s Most Beautiful Park” by the National Amusement Park Historical Association. The park is clean and well-kept, and the flowers are beautiful. There are times you step into a beautifully lush pathway and feel like you are in a garden rather than a theme park.
FAMILY ATTRACTIONS
One of my favorite features about Busch Gardens is all the family rides that everyone can go on together. No matter your height or age, you can always enjoy these three rides: Aeronaut Skyride, Rhine River Cruise, and Busch Gardens Railway.
- Aeronaut Skyride allows you to see beautiful Busch Gardens through a bird’s-eye view. This is a fun ride, and it also can work as transportation around the park so you don’t get exhausted from walking around the park.
- Rhine River Cruise is an actual river cruise on a boat where you can enjoy the remarkable landscape and other wonderful sites on a relaxing and scenic cruise that showcases the beauty of Busch Gardens.
- Busch Gardens Railway offers a wonderful tour of the park on a stunningly scenic twenty-minute train ride. This ride was easily my boy’s favorite ride when he was young because he is obsessed with trains and the park uses real working steam locomotives. There are three engines: red, blue, and green. My son gets most excited when the green engine is in operation because it has a caboose! There are three stops throughout the park, so you can use this as a fun ride or for easy transportation around the park.
- Don’t forget to go on the carousel. It’s a classic and traditional ride the entire family can enjoy.
- Catch a show! The shows are entertaining as well as a great way to cool off during hot summer days since the indoor theaters have air conditioning!
VISITING WITH LITTLES
This section of the article, I feel most qualified to write about. We’ve been coming to the park since my firstborn was a baby. Our family has grown since our first trip with a little one: we now have a kindergartner, a pre-teen, and a teen. This section is for little ones. Most rides for littles require that they can walk on their own. Some have a height restriction of at least 36 inches.
- One of the first things you need to do as you enter the park is check how tall your little one is. Right as you enter the park in England, look for the red phone booths on the right after Guest Services. Measure your child’s height to find out which rides they can go on. Each height level is associated with a color and has a list of rides they can go on. This will help you plan out which rides are suited for them.
- One place you will love if you have smaller children is Sesame Street Forest of Fun. A favorite ride here is Grover’s Alpine Express (a kiddie-sized roller coaster.) We always ride Grover’s Alpine Express together; it’s so much fun to see my boys put their hands in the air and scream as we whip around bends and soar over hills. They also love Prince Elmo’s Spire, a mini drop tower ride that gives you the best whirly loops! If it’s a hot day, you will want to pack a bathing suit so your little one can enjoy splashing around in the splash pad. They are sure to have lots of fun with the water features, making this ideal for hot days! I also want to point out that there is a comfortable nursing station right next to the bathrooms. If you forget any essentials such as diapers, wipes, swim diapers, or sunscreen, you can get those necessities in the gift shop located at the entrance to Sesame Forest of Fun.
- Don’t forget about Germany, where you will find the Swings, Red Baron, Bumper Cars, Carousel, and The Land of the Dragons!!! The Land of the Dragons is a really awesome giant tree house where the littles and the young at heart can explore the fort, climb nets, and go down slides. You will also find a small splash pad in this section, yet another spot to cool down on hot days. This activity is great for toddlers and young kids; parents are able to accompany their littles easily through the treehouse. There are also a bunch of small rides towards the back of Land of the Dragons. Lastly, I want to note that located at the entrance to the left is where you will find the first aid station should you need a band-aid or first aid assistance.
- Italy is another ideal spot for little ones! My one-year-old’s first ride was on the Gliders. Even the hot air balloons are perfect for the smallest of riders.
RIDES FOR BIG KIDS & ADULTS
There are so many great rides for the older kids, teens, and adults. Some of the big kid rides have a minimum height requirement of 42 inches with a chaperone. While some of the more advanced rides such as roller coasters usually have a requirement of 48 inches.
- Some of my favorite rides are in Italy and Fest Italia: Escape from Pompeii and Roman Rapids. They also provide a little splash to cool down on hot days. My kiddos love getting dizzy on the Turkish Delight tea cups and
- In Germany my husband’s all-time favorite ride is the Der Autobahn Bumper Cars; 42″ and above can ride, so all my kiddos are tall enough to ride along with him. Also in Germany you will find Verbolten and the newest family-friendly roller coaster, The Big Bad Wolf: The Wolf’s Revenge. This family-friendly inverted roller just opened in May 2025; those 42 inches and taller can ride this action-packed ride that reaches 40 mph!
- Don’t forget about the other roller coasters spread out throughout the park for the bigger kids’ height of 46-48″ or taller: Alpengeist, Apollo’s Chariot, DarkKoaaster, Griffon, Invadr, Loch Ness Monster, Pantheon, and Tempesto.
- Some additional rides for big kids include Finnegan’s Flyer, Battering Ram, La Catapult, and Le Scoot Log Flume.
MEAL PLANNING
- One of my biggest “foodie” suggestions is to come to the park during Food & Wine Festival! Tour the park while sampling food and beverage selections from around the world. This year’s Food and Wine Festival runs Thursday thru Sunday, now until June 21, 2026. With over 17 different food stops, your taste buds will thank you! Simply pick up a Food and Wine Festival Passport available online or in the park starting at $70. My favorite culinary delights from each stop were the following: Virginia – Chesapeake Style Cake Sliders; Highland Spirits – Bourbon Pecan Balls; Africa – Nigerian Chapman; Hawaii – Kahuku Garlic Shrimp and Frozen Blue Hawaiian; New Traveler’s Cafe – Limonada Cerezada; Margaritas – Passion Fruit Margarita; Mexico – Taco Trio; Poland – Kolaczki; Brazil – Churrasco; Puerto Rico – Tropical Sangria; Barkastle Spirits – Bourbon Chocolate Tart; Island Freeze – Pina Colada; Herbal Fusion – Lavender Lemonade; Italy – Giant Meatball; Turkiye – Beef & Lamb Doner Kebab; China – Pork Bao.
- My biggest suggestion for saving money on food and beverage is to get a souvenir cup. We bought two souvenir cups and are so glad we did. You purchase the cup, and the day you buy it, you get to fill it up for FREE!!! Then every time you return, it only costs only . 99 cents to refill it anywhere throughout the park! You are also welcome to have it filled with ice or water for FREE. Also, if you are looking for a cold treat, for $2.99 you can use your souvenir cup to fill it with a Slurpee.
- One way to save money is to get a meal deal pass online before you go. Meals include a drink, entree, and choice of two: side, salad, or dessert. One meal usually feeds two kids.
- Our two favorite places to eat are Trappers Smokehouse in New France and Das Fest Haus in Germany. The Fest Haus is great because it’s temperature controlled, has lots of food options, and puts on a great show to watch while you eat. At Trappers Smokehouse you can smell the food cooking on the grill from miles away. The aroma of BBQ is mouthwatering, and the rotisserie chicken and BBQ ribs are heavenly.
- One thing I have learned is that portions are huge at the park. There is no need for everyone to get their own. So share! Getting a “personal” pizza and a fruit cup is enough for 2 people.
- Don’t forget that if you have an annual pass member card, you receive discounts on purchases throughout the park, including food!
2026 SPECIAL EVENTS
- I already talked about the Food and Wine Festival available weekends & Memorial Day, April – June 21, 2026. Don’t miss this opportunity to sample food and beverages from around the world.
- • The Busch Gardens Concert Series will run April – September 5, 2026, and will showcase artists from different genres! Don’t miss Skillet, Flo Rida, NSYNC, LFO, and more.
- Summer Wonder runs June 26-July 30, 2026.
- Bier Fest! Brews and BBQs are held July 31-September 7, 2026. Explore a summer full of wonder and immerse yourself in the thrills of art, music, culinary delights, and world-class fun. Sip and savor seasonal brew offerings and new beer-inspired recipes at Bier Fest.
- Hollo-Scream and Halloween Spooktacular are back September 11-November 1, 2026. During the day, celebrate Halloween with your favorite Sesame Street® friends with trick-or-treating and more!. When the sun goes down, take on terrifying haunts and thrills.
- Christmas Town will be celebrated Nov 13-Jan 3, 2026. Celebrate the holidays with millions of twinkling lights, festive shows, and holiday-inspired culinary delights.
TIPS
- When in tow with toddlers and a small infant, my stroller was my locker on wheels. If you have little ones, I highly recommend loading up the stroller with everything we will need. During hot days, consider a stroller fan! When my youngest was an infant, it was nice for him to have a place he could comfortably nap. Even once my kids were in pre-K, we still traveled with a stroller so we would have a locker on wheels and a place for the little one to go when they got tired of walking.
- There are a great deal of attractions in which you get wet; I suggest bringing a towel, wearing a swimsuit under your clothing, or even bringing an extra change of clothes. Also, be sure to bring a wet bag, or Ziploc bag, to keep wet clothes in.
- Don’t forget sunscreen! Even though there are a lot of shaded areas, the sun can be quite harsh in the summer. You can, however, forgo the bug spray; we have yet to be bitten.
- You don’t need to purchase VIP parking. Don’t fear parking far away from the entrance; riding on the tram is half the fun!
- Take a picture of where you parked with your cell phone in case you forget.
- Also take a picture of your family before entering the park while everyone is excited. This serves two purposes: one to capture fond memories, but more importantly, to remember what your little one is wearing should you get separated.
- Consider writing your name and cell phone number in the tag of your little one’s shirt in case of the rare chance they get lost.
- If you need a quiet place to nurse or nap with the baby, don’t forget about the lovely nursing station and First Aid house located in the Land of the Dragon.
- Looking for a family bathroom? There are few throughout the park. My favorite is in New France; it is spacious and kept well-maintained. It is located near the entrance to Invader.
- If you have a small infant or toddler, picky eater, or child with allergies, it’s a good idea to keep small prepackaged snacks on hand.
- If you don’t have room in the trunk for a stroller or even forgot to bring one. Use the park strollers! They are spacious and can fit two kids! They even have cup holders and an area for storage. They are available to rent at the main gate. When you ride the train or skyride, you can leave the stroller there and pick up a new one when you arrive at your destination.
- When it comes to navigating the park with kids of all ages, we take two approaches. One is making a circle and stopping at rides of interest along the way. This means that some ride while others wait and requires being patient and taking turns. The other way is to split up amongst height groups and meet back up. We have done it both ways. On less crowded days, option one is great. On days where it is crowded, splitting up helps to make the most use of our time when lines are longer.
- Weekdays tend to be less crowded than weekends, especially Tuesday, Wednesday, or Thursday. If you go on a weekend during the summer, try going on a Sunday earlier in the morning. Most season pass holders will go to Water Country USA to beat the heat during the day and then hop over to Busch Gardens in the evening once things cool down a bit.
- If you have wee ones, you will definitely want to get a preschool pass. The Preschool Pass is a FREE pass for kids ages 5 and under, good for both Busch Gardens Williamsburg and Water Country USA.
- Another great program is Waves of Honor, a FREE single-day admission for active duty members and up to 3 dependents. Be sure to check out this program early in the season, as there is a time limit to this deal.
- Get your passes in advance at a discounted price by going to your local parks and recreation office, or if you are military, getting passes on base is super cheap! If you are a Virginia resident, try visiting the Williamsburg Library; they have had discounted tickets in the past.
PARK INFO
BUSCH GARDENS WILLIAMSBURG
Address: 1 Busch Gardens Blvd, Williamsburg, VA 23185
Phone: (757) 229-4386
Website: Link
Hours: Vary depending on date see calendar for hours. The park is open most days at 10AM and closes between 8PM -10PM depending on the day.
***The Playful Parent does not receive payment for featuring attractions. All opinions are my own; I like to share experiences and information so that parents have resources on fun family outings. Discounted or complimentary tickets are an advantage but not a requirement. The Playful Parent is a 501(c)(3) non-profit that advocates learning through play and promotes family bonding, all information and photographs are intellectual property of TPP. I hope that these tips help with your planning so that you have a great time during your next Busch Gardens Williamsburg Visit! Thank you for reading…Play, Learn, Grow!***
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