Tours and Tickets to Experience Tampa Adventure Island

Children under the age of three get in free at Tampa Adventure Island, one of the Florida Gulf Coast’s most family-friendly attractions. Younger kids will love easy-going attractions including Shaka-Laka Shores splash pad and play zone, while bigger children can try out the water toys inside the Splash Attack treehouse.

No, Busch Gardens and Adventure Island are not connected. Entrances to the two side-by-side parks are just a short distance apart, but each has their own ticketing, gates, and attractions. Since you have to exit Busch Gardens to enter Adventure Island, the two parks are best explored on separate visits.

Yes, the water at Adventure Island is heated. Heating elements distributed throughout the park ensure the water stays comfortable at the beginning and end of its March–October season. Even so, on the coldest days of spring and fall it still can get chilly; check the weather before booking your tickets.

Adventure Island has more than 10 waterslides, a lazy river, and three kid-friendly splash areas. The water park’s biggest rides include Vanish Point—with 70 feet (21 meters) of free fall—the high-speed Caribbean Corkscrew, and dual tailspin Solar Vortex. The 4-lane Rip Tide lets you race down a waterslide with friends.

No, you can’t use Busch Garden day passes at Adventure Island. You can buy annual passes or multi-day tickets that include access to both parks, however. When you book a 2-park ticket, you can choose two days at any combination of Busch Gardens, Adventure Island, SeaWorld Orlando, and Aquatica Orlando.

Both Florida water parks are family-friendly, with attractions from easy-going splash pads to towering waterslides. Some families with young kids prefer Aquatica Orlando’s wider range of offerings for preschoolers, including a lazy river and large, shallow play area. Adventure Island stands out for big, thrilling slides perfect for older children.