The Orlando area is world renowned for its theme parks, and there area plenty to choose from between SeaWorld, Universal Studios and Walt Disney World Resort.

But you don’t have to travel far from Orlando to find even more theme park adventure, including Busch Gardens Tampa just a short drive along I-4 through central Florida.

With an amazing collection of roller coasters, family oriented rides and attractions, and even some up close encounters with wild animals, Busch Gardens has plenty to offer.

Sesame Street Safari of Fun is a perfect spot for the youngest in the family to enjoy some time with their favorite Muppets. The Safari area offers up a variety of adventure such as water splash zones, the Air Grover kids’ roller coaster, a number of additional perfect-for-the-kids rides and a live show featuring the Sesame Street characters.

Busch Gardens offers up several distinct spots for viewing an abundance of wild animals, including the Serengeti Plain, Edge of Africa and Walkabout Way which features a special kangaroo feeding area.

Busch Gardens’ newest roller coaster, currently under construction, features both thrills and wild animals. The Cheetah Hunt, set to open in late May, will offer an exhibit of live cheetahs adjacent to the ride.

For information and discount ticket options to Busch Gardens Tampa as well as discount Orlando vacation packages, visit www.westgatereservations.com.

One of the most anticipated moments at Busch Gardens Williamsburg is the spring 2011 grand opening of the new ride, Mach Tower.

As you enter the park’s Oktoberfest area and pass by of Das Festhaus, you can see the ride pointing high into the sky. The massive spire will lift you 240-feet into the stratosphere, offering a spectacular view of the park and surrounding countryside. But don’t get too caught up in the scenery before, suddenly, in a rush of wind and screams, you’ll drop with adrenaline-pulsing thrills.

It’s all part of the 2011 fun at Busch Gardens Williamsburg, voted the world’s most beautiful theme park for 20 consecutive years for its European themes and lush landscaping. You can enjoy dozens of rides and attractions, live shows, special events and even animal interactions.

For a complete list of fun at Busch Gardens Williamsburg, visit http://www.buschgardens.com/Bgw/. Or go to http://www.westgatereservations.com/ for details on discount Williamsburg vacation packages and theme park tickets.

They’re working at mach speed to get the newest thrill ride ready for a scheduled late spring opening at Busch Gardens Williamsburg theme park.Mäch Tower is destined to be Busch Gardens’ newest and tallest ride. Upon completion, the ride will stand taller than any other attraction in the park. It will take taking riders approximately 240 feet above the Oktoberfest Village, then drop them at breathtaking speed.

Currently closed for the season, Busch Gardens officially opens on March 26. Voted the most beautiful theme park in the world for each of the last 20 years, Busch Gardens will again be in full bloom with hundreds of thousands of flowers. But guests will also enjoy an entirely new Oktoberfest village, complete with a delicious new baked pretzel shop and a beer garden.

For complete details on Busch Gardens Williamsburg, including open dates and operating hours, visit www.buschgardens.com/bgw/

For more on discount Williamsburg, VA vacation packages and resort accommodations such as Westgate Colonial Williamsburg Resort, go to http://www.westgatereservations.com/.

Christmas Town: A Busch Gardens Celebration returns to the Williamsburg, VA theme park this week. The special Christmas theme offers up holiday shows, unique dining and gifts, a 50-foot tall Christmas tree, millions of twinkling lights, a dazzling fireworks show and a variety of Christmas happenings throughout the park’s European zones.

In Scotland, you’ll find the Highland Stables where you can travel back to simpler times and explore the Scottish countryside under a star-filled winter sky and come face-to-face with Scottish blackface sheep, border collies and Clydesdale horses.

In the Germany area, you can visit Mistletoe Marketplace to find holiday cheer and merriment amidst the busy local artisans and craft makers in a traditional outdoor German market. There’s no better place to find unique hand-made gifts. You’ll also find a great live show in Germany… O’Tannenbaum. This spectacular light show features a 50-foot Christmas tree lighting up the night and dancing to a holiday musical score. Meanwhile, in Germany’s Das Festhaus, there’s a live musical tribute to Christmas traditions called Deck the Halls.

Wander over to France and you’ll find an enhanced ice-themed world featuring sparkling lights, snow and even an up-close encounter with live penguins along the Polar Pathway.

You’ll find the jolly one himself - Santa - in the country of Ireland. Santa’s Fireside Feast is held in the grand dining room of Castle O’Sullivan as Santa and Mrs. Clause host a special meal. Guests gather around the castle as Santa offers up a classic Christmas story which is followed by a buffet prepared by expert elves and Mrs. Clause.

Meanwhile, at the North Pole, you’ll find Santa’s Workshop. Get a sneak peek of Santa through the snow covered windows of the workshop or peer through a paned window into Santa’s study situated between reindeer stables. Children will be greeted by elves and led inside for a chance to sit on Santa’s lap and pose for a special photo.

In Ireland, the holidays are celebrated with a live show, Rejoice, an emotional Christmas performance told through moving imagery, choral harmonies and a full, live orchestra delivering classic Christmas tunes in an age-old form of Gregorian music with a modern and contemporary flair.

Children will love, A Sesame Street Christmas, performing in the England section of the park. Head to the Globe Theatre and see Abby Cadabby as she learns about giving and sharing with friends and family during the holidays. The show is filled with high-energy song and dance and even Santa makes an appearance.

Busch Gardens will be open Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays throughout December. The last day of Christmas Town will be Friday, December 31, 2010. Christmas Town will also be open Monday, December 20 through Friday, December 31, 2010. Christmas Town will be closed on Christmas Day.

The park will be open for Christmas Town from 3 pm through 10 pm on most days. However, on Sundays through December 12, 2010 and on Christmas Eve, the park will close at 9 pm instead of 10 pm.

For information about Williamsburg discount vacation packages, please visit http://www.historicwilliamsburgusa.com/ or http://www.westgatereservations.com/.

Central Florida theme parks continue to announce new attractions. While the Wizarding World of Harry Potter is still grabbing plenty of attention at Universal’s Islands of Adventure, SeaWorld Parks & Entertainment has announced planned new additions for two of its Florida parks.Busch Gardens Tampa will be adding a launch-style roller coaster called “Cheetah Hunt” in spring 2011. The new thrill ride will propel riders from zero to 60 mph and the 4,429-foot track will include a 130-foot drop. A mid-ride parabola will offer riders a three second sensation of weightlessness.

As part of the expansion, Busch Gardens will also add a new animal encounter named “Cheetah Run.” This unique cheetah habitat will be built alongside the coaster and provide up-close views of the animals thanks to oversized windows. The exhibit will also feature touch screen computer terminals providing cheetah information. Meanwhile, animal trainers will host sprints with the cheetahs on a daily basis, showing off their speed. As the world’s fastest land animals, cheetahs can run up to 70 mph.

Another SeaWorld Park - Discovery Cove in Orlando - is adding a new saltwater environment to its high end environment that offers up personal dolphin swim encounters.

Slated to open June 2011, the new addition, called “Grand Reef” is an interactive exhibit with a white sand beach, palm-lined island and a series of underwater grottos filled with moray eels, reef sharks and tropical fish. Guests will be able to snorkel with eagle rays and cross a rope bridge over a lagoon filled with sharks.

Another component that will be added is an underwater walking tour called “SeaVenture.” For an added cost, and wearing special dive helmets, guests can walk submerged paths with views of lion fish and sharks, visible through panoramic windows.

For more information on Discovery Cove, Busch Gardens and other Orlando attractions, visit www.OrlandoThemeParkVacations.com. Or go to www.WestgateReservations for details on discount theme park tickets and Orlando vacation packages.

Busch Gardens & Water Country USA Announce ExpansionBigger is better when it comes to Williamsburg’s two major theme parks - Busch Gardens and Water Country USA.

The parks recently announced plans for a two-year, multi-million dollar expansion that represents the largest investment in the parks’ 35-year history. The expansion project is slated to include new rides as well as an enhanced Oktoberfest village.

A new thrill ride, Mach Tower, is scheduled to open at Busch Gardens Williamsburg in spring 2011. The exciting 246-foot drop tower will be the highest ride at Busch Gardens and offer a combination of adrenaline-pulsing thrills and spectacular bird’s eye views.

Another highlight of the expansion is the creation of a rejuvenated Oktoberfest village featuring a new beer garden set amid canopies of colored maypoles and festive banners.

Longer term plans at Busch Gardens include a new world-class coaster experience. The sleek multi-launch coaster design will feature many “firsts” when it debuts in spring of 2012.

Meanwhile, at Water Country USA, expansion plans include an adrenaline pumping new drop slide called Vanish Point. The water slide is scheduled to open spring, 2011.

For information on both theme parks as well as Historic Williamsburg, please visit http://www.historicwilliamsburgusa.com/ or http://www.westgatereservations.com/.

It’s getting closer to “back to school” time, but there’s still ample opportunity to get back to Busch Gardens Williamsburg, as well!From high flying roller coasters and refreshing roaring rapids to great family shows and massive Clydesdale horses, there’s something for everyone waiting at Busch Gardens. And if you really want to enjoy some cool fun before the end of summer, there’s also time to get back to Water Country USA before the mid-Atlantic’s largest water park closes for the season on Sept. 6, 2010.

These two great theme parks are only part of the fun near Williamsburg. You’ll also want to check out the world’s largest living history museum by visiting the Colonial Williamsburg colonial area. From the earliest days of America to the modern wonders of today’s theme park technology, it’s all waiting for you in Williamsburg.

Discover more to do in Williamsburg, VA today or year round by visiting http://www.historicwilliamsburgusa.com/ or http://www.westgatereservations.com/.

Music is in the air at Busch Gardens Williamsburg this summer. Every weekend, the popular theme park presents a special concert presentation called Illuminights: A Busch Gardens Encore.The 6 pm concerts take place in the park’s Festhaus Park. The concert series started with shows by The B-52s and Creedence Clearwater Revisited. And the music continues this weekend with two shows by the powerhouse female rockers, The Bangles. 

Additional concert series performers include The Fixx, August July 31 & August 1; American Idol David Cook on August 7 & 8; Grand Funk Railroad on August 14 & 15; and finally, Emily Osment on August 21 & 22.

For more on the summer entertainment at Busch Gardens Williamsburg, go to http://www.historicwilliamsburgusa.com/. Or visit http://www.westgatereservations.com/ for discount Williamsburg hotel and resort accommodations.

 SeaWorld Orlando is ready to put a little more flare into its Independence Day events.

The theme park will add more live music to its SeaWorld AfterDark events in honor of America’s birthday celebration. Prior to the July 4 showing of “Reflections,” a fireworks-and-fountains presentation, the 13th Army Band of the Florida National Guard will perform on the stage at Bayside Stadium. The 40-piece band is expected to provide both classic and contemporary musical selections.

After the music, the park’s traditional fireworks show will be extended for the evening and include a patriotic stretch.

In addition to fireworks, SeaWorld offers lots of other “AfterDark” fun, including the “Shamu Rocks” killer whale show and the comedic “Sea Lions Tonite” show. It’s all part of SeaWorld’s summer fun and it’s all included with regular SeaWorld admission. For more park details, please visit www.seaworldorlando.com.

SeaWorld’s sister park, Tampa’s Busch Gardens, also offers up some Independence Day extras. Fireworks will go up on both July 3 and July 4, and the park will remain open until 10 p.m. See www.buschgardens.com for more information.

Or go to www.OrlandoThemeParkVacations.com for discount theme park tickets and discount Orlando vacation package options.

 A little taste of the outback is coming to central Florida. It’s all part of a new Australian-themed area at Busch Gardens theme park in Tampa.Opening June 14, 2010, Walkabout Way features a number of Australian animals including kangaroos which can be hand-fed by guests aged 5 or older. The kangaroo exhibit, called Kangaloom, includes both red and grey kangaroos as well as Bennett’s wallabies. Park visitors can purchase a cup of kangaroo food for $5 during scheduled feeding times.

Another new area, called The Kookaburra’s Nest, includes a free-flight aviary. Other Australian species such as cockatoos and Australian parrots, can be found at Aussie Station.

The new Walkabout Way exhibit is part of regular admission at Busch Gardens. For details, visit www.buschgardens.com. For information on theme parks and discount Orlando vacation packages, go to www.OrlandoThemeParkVacations.com.