What happens when you mix the adrenaline rush of an amusement park, the beauty of a tropical garden, and the excitement of wild animals? The result is Busch Gardens.
Busch Gardens opened in 1959 as an animal exhibit and gardens adjacent to Anheuser Busch's Tampa Brewery. It was later developed into a full theme park called Busch Gardens: The Dark Continent. The park has also been known as Busch Gardens Tampa Bay and Busch Gardens Africa. The Park is comprised of 8 themed areas including Morocco, Bird Gardens, Stanleyville, Congo, Jungala, Timbuktu, Nairobi and Egypt. The Park now has a total of 7 coasters, 3 water rides, 5 major live shows, and numerous animal exhibits.
The animal exhibits in Busch Gardens have an African theme and are divided into eight different areas, with 2,000 exotic and 
endangered animals living in natural environments. All are easily viewed from the Skyride cable car that crosses above the park or by railway, walkway, or Land Rover. The Edge of Africa exhibit has rhinos, hippos, and more. The Myombe Reserve's Great Ape Domain is a particular crowd pleaser as chimpanzees and gorillas frolic in their large enclosure.
Scattered throughout the park are world-class roller coasters, rides for very young children, Broadway-style live entertainment, and plenty of water rides to cool visitors down during the steamy summer months. The gardens have mature trees, beds thick with blooming flowers and shrubs, fountains, and plenty of benches in their many shady corners.
