Millions of twinkling holiday lights, holiday-inspired drinks, and spectacular fireworks…it's a recipe for a perfect date night in Tampa Bay, and you can do it all at Christmas Town at Busch Gardens, running select nights from November 14, 2025, to January 6, 2026!
Before you begin making your holiday plans, we're sharing some of our top tips based on our own experience of attending Christmas Town this year, so your night is extra special!
<div id="c3be0912bb716eee4ca644c1dfc4ecde4"></div>What's New at Busch Gardens Christmas Town?
This year, there are two all-new shows! Guests can enjoy the luminous Serengeti Light Show choreographed display to celebrate the glory of the holidays across the Serengeti Plain. This show features tens of thousands of Christmas lights, so you won't want to miss it!
The second new show is the Holiday Skies Spectacular, where drones will come alive synchronized to a perfect holiday soundtrack of classic tunes!
When you arrive at Christmas Town
It's a good idea to get in line for the meet and greets with Santa and Rudolph early so you can beat the evening crowds. Santa can be found at Santa's North Pole Experience, and Rudolph is located at his Winter Wonderland.
There will also be a bunch of other festive holiday friends available for photos throughout the evening!
In past year's there have been photo opportunities with the Sugar Plum Princess, Poinsettia Princess, Ice Princess, and the Jolly Snowmen, so be on the lookout for them!
Once you've snapped your photos, head on over Christmas Town Village.
Explore Christmas Town Village
This is one of our favorite spots at Christmas Town because of the food and drinks, but also the beautiful lights! It's so nice to just sit and sip your holiday cocktail while taking in the beautiful displays.
This is also where you'll find the returning Christmas on Ice show, so you can make your way over there once you've had a drink and snack.
The Christmas Town Cabins offer food and drinks, plus an opportunity to shop for those last-minute holiday gifts.
We are still waiting on specific details for this year's food and drink options, so be sure to bookmark this page and revisit us closer to the event start date!
More FUN things to do at Christmas Town
The Holly Jolly Express is a must-do at Christmas Town! You can board the train with your hot cocoa and sip as you listen to holiday music and take a ride around the park to see the giraffes, rhinos, zebras, and lights!
Another show you don't want to miss is the Three Kings Journey Show at Dragon Fire Grill, which is an inspiring performance of the journey to Bethlehem.
And of course, there are the rides! Why not hop aboard some of your favorite rides once the sun sets for a unique and thrilling way to see the park all lit up at night!
One final stop before you head out is the light tunnel that connects Congo to Stanleyville. It's so cool to just stand in the middle as the lights dance along to the holiday music. This is a perfect spot for a selfie!
Christmas Town at Busch Gardens really is a great festive way to celebrate the holiday season with your significant other, and if you're a pass member, you can return for multiple nights if you aren't able to squeeze in all of the fun.
2025 Ticket Information
Busch Gardens Christmas Town is included in your general admission ticket to the park, but it's not a bad idea to go ahead and purchase your food sampler lanyard ahead of time! This makes it so much easier to taste and sip your way through Christmas Town Village, and you save a bit of money, too. We will have more details on lanyard prices once they are announced!
In the past, guests have also been able to upgrade their day by purchasing VIP seating for the Christmas on Ice outdoor ice-skating show and VIP viewing for the fireworks display! Be on the lookout for our announcement about those upgrade prices as well!
A Priority Pass has also been available in the past for meet and greets, which will scoot you up to the front for pics with Santa and Rudolph!
If you really want to impress your date, an Animal Encounter will make the night even more memorable. The Sloth Encounter is always a fan favorite! Learn more about these experiences and others here.
They even have some New Year's Eve fun planned, so mark your calendar for December 31, 2025, to help welcome the new year!
If you're on the hunt for more holiday fun, check out our holiday lights blog, along with our 30+ FREE holiday events blog!
Feature image credit: Busch Gardens Tampa Bay