Located in James City County near Williamsburg, Virginia, approximately 60 miles northwest of Virginia Beach, Busch Gardens Williamsburg opened on May 16, 1975. Developed by Anheuser-Busch adjacent to its brewery and near the Kingsmill Resort, the 422-acre amusement park was originally named Busch Gardens: The Old Country. Today, the park is owned and operated by United Parks & Resorts, having previously been acquired by The Blackstone Group in late 2009. The destination operates year-round, drawing millions of visitors to eastern Virginia.
Spanning 422 acres, the park is organized into ten distinct hamlets styled as traditional European villages representing England, France, Germany, Italy, Scotland, and Ireland. Guests navigate the grounds in a counter-clockwise path around the park or utilize main transportation options including the Aeronaut Skyride gondola lift and the Busch Gardens Railway steam train replica. These themed lands offer authentic regional architecture, specialized food, music, live entertainment shows, and dedicated animal habitats such as Jack Hanna's Wild Reserve and Highland Stables.
Busch Gardens Williamsburg is renowned for its thrilling combination of Broadway-style theatrical shows, family rides, and world-class roller coasters like Loch Ness Monster, Griffon, Verbolten, Pantheon, Alpengeist, and Apollo's Chariot. Thrill-seekers and families can enjoy water attractions such as Roman Rapids and Escape from Pompeii, along with major seasonal festivals including Howl-O-Scream and Christmas Town. Whether exploring themed hamlets or riding record-breaking coasters, the park provides an engaging, multi-day experience tailored for visitors of all ages.
01 Signature rides & attractions
The park’s headline rides across its themed areas. Confirm heights and any single-rider lines on the day.
Compiled from Wikipedia · a full ride-by-ride list per themed area is on the way.
Park map
The free OpenStreetMap layer below shows the park and its surroundings — entrances, themed areas, car parks and access roads. Zoom in for detail; the official ride-by-ride park plan is linked below.
Map: © OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL, free). Official park maps are copyrighted — we link to them.
02 Tickets & prices
Ticket prices for Busch Gardens Williamsburg change by date and season, and the park sells single-day, multi-day and annual passes — buying online in advance is almost always cheaper than at the gate, and popular dates can sell out. Check the official site for live pricing before you travel.
We deliberately don’t list prices that change daily — the ticket button leads to live, up-to-date pricing.
03 Getting there & parking
| Option | Detail |
|---|---|
| Car | Located in James City County near Williamsburg, Virginia, about 60 miles northwest of Virginia Beach. |
Getting there & parking · Last updated: 2026-09-12 · prices may change
04 Where to stay
On-site and resort hotels put you right at the gates — often with early park access — turning the visit into an easy two- or three-day trip.
A resort complex located near the park in the Williamsburg area.
05 Best time to visit & opening times
| Season | When | Good to know |
|---|---|---|
| Year-round | January through December | Operates year-round with seasonal events including Mardi Gras, St. Patrick's Day, Halloween, and winter celebrations. |
| Howl-O-Scream | Autumn / Halloween season | The park's signature Halloween event featuring haunted houses, terror-tories, and themed shows. |
| Christmas Town | Late November through early January | Transforms the park with millions of lights, real Christmas trees, holiday shows, and operating rides. |
Opening times vary by day · Last updated: 2026-09-12 · check before you travel
06 Themed areas
Each area has its own theming — architecture, food and rides. Half the fun is simply walking through.
Good to know
- Water Country USA is a separate nearby water park operated by the same parent company.
- The Busch Gardens Railway steam train offers transportation between Heatherdowns, Festa Italia, and New France.
- The Aeronaut Skyride gondola lift connects Sesame Street Forest of Fun, Aquitaine, and Rhine Feld.
- All park brochures, maps, show guides, and paper products are made from recycled material.
