Many Tampa residents enjoy a cool, refreshing trip to Adventure Island, the water park located next to Busch Gardens. The park was originally only open during the warmer seasons, which has now changed.
Adventure Island is now open year-round, so people from all over can enjoy the ‘tropical vibes,’ no matter what time of the year it is. They made this possible by using heated pools/heating systems to make sure guests are comfortable and enjoy the experience.
For us Floridians, we all know that even during the wintertime, it doesn’t usually get colder than about 50 degrees, and even then, it still feels hot outside for some reason. So, this is amazing news for us, meaning that we can now spend the day at the water park with all of our friends, still having the most fun ever. (Sophomore) Giancarlo Gomez-Martinez added his input on the excitement.
“I’ve already got like five or six friends that are planning to go during the wintertime, it’s going to be awesome cause as long as the pools are heated, my buddies and I will be there all day long,” Gomez said.
Not only that, but the park also recently opened a new and exciting feature: underwater virtual reality snorkeling. A new attraction everybody is looking forward to, with a new technological twist. Guests can float in the water with a sort of ‘virtual reality’ goggles on their face, while holding onto the railing attached to the wall that provide bubbles, sound, and many other things to make the experience more realistic and authentic.
The park has also opened back up their cabanas again, so many families can have a private, luxurious space while taking a break from the rides. Even if you go in the wintertime, just bring a towel to cover yourself up when you’re not in the heated pools and you’re good to go.
If your parents come with, Adventure Island just opened their first fully functional bar, “Hang-Ten.” As you can see, the fun doesn’t stop at Adventure Island, and there’s something for everybody to enjoy. The park also doesn’t require reservations (previously necessary due to COVID-19 guidelines), meaning that you can enjoy the summertime vibes anytime you want.
Zoe Rivera // Staff Writer
