Three Summer Events At Busch Gardens That Will Cool You Down In The Heat

There are three events you can enjoy at Busch Gardens this summer. And the cool thing, literally “cool” thing, is that these events will help you manage your day or night so that you stay a little cooler during these hot Florida summer months.

You can’t miss the Rhythm of Nature Ice Show. It’s taking place at one of my favorite Busch Gardens venues, the Moroccan Palace Theater. When the days are long and hot, step into the air-conditioned theater. And it features ice skating, no less. It will make you forget about how hot it is outside…maybe. It’s a riveting show, as it features the heroics of the star character, named Dakari, on his adventure through an enchanted animal kingdom dream.

The best way to stay cool at Busch Gardens this summer is to enjoy the nights…Busch Gardens Summer Nights makes the nights magical. You can enjoy the amusement parks extended hours and the fact that the temperatures drop once the sun goes down. Plus, you can enjoy fireworks shows, laser light shows, and the nighttime magic of the park. The fireworks display, which is called, Summer Nights Fireworks Spectacular Presented by Bad Boy Mowers, happens on the weekends: Friday, Saturday and Sunday nights. The Gwazi Rocks performance is super cool with the high-energy dance routines and drumbeats. Feel free to dance along with the professionals. Show off your moves.

And what better way to cool down than sipping an ice-cold beer? Well, water works, too. Make sure you are hydrated. But the good news is that FREE BEER is back at Busch Gardens this summer.

As a bonus…we hear rumblings from the coaster track…Phoenix Rising roller coaster experience will be coming soon. The speeds of this ride will give you a nice windy way to cool down, as well.

USA Today released the Readers' Choice results for their theme park surveys for 2023. Busch Gardens in Tampa did very well in multiple categories against theme parks across the country.

Here are the accolades Tampa's theme park earned for each of the categories in USA Today:

USA Today asked which theme parks are their readers favorites. Busch Gardens Tampa Bay was voted 8th best in the USA. We all know the park well. The rides are world class. The animals are in the care of an organization that has been accredited by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums.

The survey asked readers to vote on the best entertainment offerings at theme parks in the USA. Busch Gardens earned two spots on the top 10 entertainment offerings.

The Animal Care Center gives an up-close look at some of the animals that live at Busch Gardens Tampa Bay. It was ranked at #5. There are scheduled demonstrations, or you can book behind-the-scenes tours to see what the handlers and veterinarians do.

Ranked as the #3 entertainment offering is Turn It Up! Remix. The show, located in the Moroccan Palace Theater, the ice skating, paired with video and projections, make it one of the top shows in the USA.

Fans of BBQ will be happy to know that the Zambia Smokehouse came in at #6 on the list of best restaurants in theme parks. Ribs, pulled pork, chicken, brisket, all the sides and of course, of the adults, beer, all appear on the menu. There's plenty of seating, which is a step up from its predecessor in its earlier years, the Stanleyville Smokehouse.

There are several beloved roller coasters at Busch Gardens Tampa Bay. Kumba, Cheetah Chase, SheiKra and Montu, for example, draw big crowds of coaster fans. However, the one that was ranked #4 in the USA Today for Best Roller Coaster is Iron Gwazi. Having replaced a wooden roller coaster, the hybrid iron/wood coaster stands by itself as a special attraction. Iron Gwazi stands 206 feet tall with a nearly straight drop and a top speed of 76 mph. It's a much smoother ride than the original Gwazi.

Along with Busch Gardens, it's water-park cousin across 40th Street earned a spot in the top 10 for favorite outdoor water park. Adventure Island was ranked #7. It has a wave pool, lazy river, splash and play zone, slides and waterfalls.