We took a trip to Ireland last year, but it was just us. We knew immediately the kids would love it, so this time we brought the kids to Ireland! Day 1 We left the house Monday, August 14th about noon and arrived at Newark International Airport at about 2:30, breezed through security, and sat […]
What to Do with Little Kids at Busch Gardens Williamsburg and Water Country USA
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This post is brought to you by Busch Gardens Williamsburg. While this was a sponsored opportunity, all content and opinions expressed here are my own.
Seven years ago this month, Tom and I drove down to Williamsburg, VA for our honeymoon. Last weekend, we were able to take our kids on the same adventure. Of course, doing it with kids is definitely different!
Of course, while in Williamsburg, we spent a day at Busch Gardens Williamsburg! Busch Gardens has dozens of rides, incredible shows, and fantastic food and drinks! The park is divided into different European country-themed areas, and each section has great food and rides. It’s no wonder the park is voted the World’s Most Beautiful Theme Park year after year since 1990. Water Country USA is just a few miles down the road from Busch Gardens Williamsburg and these two parks, paired together are perfect for a getaway with little kids!
If you didn’t know, Water Country USA is the sister park of Busch Gardens Williamsburg. Water Country USA offers fun for the entire family in a cool beach vibe, with resort-style amenities and a great selection of water rides and attractions. We spent our second day in Williamsburg, VA here. This was actually a first time visit for our whole family to this awesome water park.
24 THINGS TO DO WITH LITTLE KIDS AT BUSCH GARDENS WILLIAMSBURG AND WATER COUNTRY USA
1. Get the kids measured – Be sure to stop at the phone booths on the right at the park entrance of Busch Gardens VA to get the kids measured. They’ll receive arm bands with the corresponding category for their height. This makes checking which rides they can enjoy super easy.
2. Meet Elmo – Okay, you can actually meet several characters, but Elmo is Owen’s favorite! You can find the characters at the Sesame Street® Forest of Fun™.
3. Pet Clydesdales – At Highland Stables, you can visit with the clydesdale horses, snap a pic, and even pet them!
4. Eat Lunch Inside – There are a ton of amazing eateries at Busch Gardens Williamsburg, but I think it’s best to pick one with inside seating. We opted to eat lunch in Oktoberfest at Das Festhaus. With the cafeteria style eatery, we were able to find something for everyone and relax in air-conditioning while watching a show!
5. See everything from the sky – On Aeronaut Skyride, you can enjoy views of all six European countries while relaxing 80 feet in the air! The skyride stops in England, France and Germany.
6. Dance-a-long with Sesame Street friends – During the Sunny Days Celebration at the Sesame Street Forest of Fun, kids dance and sing-a-long with Elmo, Abby Cadabby, Grover, Cookie Monster and Zoe.
7. Get soaked on Roman Rapids – Kids need to be at least 42″ to ride, so my 6 year old could ride and my 3 year old couldn’t. We took turns riding with our 6 year old and had a blast!
8. See the Bald Eagles – At Eagle Ridge, kids can take a look at the American Bald eagles that were injured and are now unable to survive on their own in the wild.
9. Ride a Coaster with the Kids – In Sesame Street Forest of Fun, you’ll be able to ride the best kid’s coaster we’ve done to date – Grover’s Alpine Express.
10. Eat your way across Europe – Busch Gardens Williamsburg offers an array of dishes that are a representation of the different countries including: Irish nachos, crepes, German sausages, gelato, and hand-battered fish and chips.
11. Watch a show – Busch Gardens Williamsburg is about so much more than rides! The shows are entertaining and there’s something for everyone. The kids can use the time to take a rest and enjoy a cold drink.
12. Splash Around – There are actually two splash areas for little kids to enjoy at Busch Gardens Williamsburg. You’ll find one in the Land of Dragons and one in Sesame Street Forest of Fun.
13. Take a train ride – The Busch Gardens Railway is a scenic twenty-minute train ride around the entire park. It’s a great way to take a break or get a good feel for the park’s layout.
14. Climb and Explore the Tree House – In the Land of Dragons, there is a HUGE interactive tree house with slides, nets to climb and a ropes obstacle course. Seriously, the kids would probably play here all day.
15. Talk about other cultures – While walking around and exploring Busch Gardens Williamsburg, this is a great way to talk to the kids about other cultures – what they eat, where they are, their music, the clothing, etc.
The rest of our list is things to do with little kids at Water Country USA
16. Get life vests – Start your day at Water Country USA by selecting a proper-fitting life vest for your kids at one of the many stations available throughout the park. Once the boys had them on, they didn’t take them off until we were leaving.
17. Ride a Tube Slide – I was super excited to see the scaled-down water slide in Cow-A-Bunga. My 6 year old rode by himself and with a parent. It’s a double tube slide that drops into a three-foot-deep splash pool.
18. Eat at Hot Spot Cafe – Tom and I split a huge rice bowl topped with all of our favorite toppings, while the kids enjoyed a kids meal with chicken nuggets, french fries, applesauce and a juice pouch! Other items on the all-new Tex-Mex menu include made-to-order burritos, salads, and nachos.
19. Be lazy on the river – Hop on an inner tube and float around the 700-foot Rambling River. This travels at a slow pace, making it perfect for little ones (and mom and dad) to relax and cool down.
20. Get soaked as a family – The whole family (yes, even babies so long as they have control of their upper torso, head, and neck) can ride Big Daddy Falls! With 670 feet of flumes and tunnels, it’s a river-rafting adventure that lives up to its name. Our 3 year old was scared for about the first 15 seconds of the ride, then immediately insisted we “do it again”!
21. Have a Blast at H2O UFO – Water Country USA’s largest children’s water playground is an out-of-this-world adventure filled with slides, spray jets, and a cool waterfall. There’s even a water slide that kids and parents can ride together.
22. Relax at Surfer’s Bay Wave Pool – Just like at a beach, kids can walk right into the water. The pool gradually increases to reach 8 feet deep. There are a ton of chairs in the area facing the pool if you just need some downtime.
23. Slide at Kritters Korral – Kritter Korral is definitely a place the little kids love! The pool has a series of small animal slides including a shark, pelican, whale, seal, and frog.
24. Take a family picture – I’m awful at remembering to do this. But try to take at least one picture of the whole family on your trip to these awesome parks!
Even though we spent over 8 hours at Busch Gardens Williamsburg and about 5 hours at Water Country USA, we still did not do and see everything. If you’re wondering if either park has enough to entertain your little kids, the answer is YES!
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