Animals, Kids Benefit from Busch Gardens Summer Camps

The way Natasha Sherwood sees it, the resident summer camps at Busch Gardens Tampa Bay do almost as much for the animals as they do for the human participants.

“It’s about connecting kids with the natural world,” said Sherwood, the amusement park’s manager of education. “It fosters an appreciation for wildlife and wild places. It makes them better citizens for us. We can kind of turn them into ambassadors.”

Each year, Busch Gardens attracts youngsters from throughout the region for its summer camps. Day camps take place Mondays through Fridays, 8 a.m.-3 p.m. Resident camps, in which attendees stay overnight, typically run five nights and six days.

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There is a wide variety of programs to choose from, allowing participants to do things such as become “Junior Zookeepers” where they work alongside veterinarians or check out dive roller-coasters and other rides.  

The resident camps are more animal-based and allow youth to get behind-the-scenes. Sherwood said a number of counselors and full-time park workers started out as campers in the past.

“They get to watch animal X-rays,” Sherwood said. “They are doing everything from working on animal habitats to working with the keepers. The older they are, the more they get to do.” 

Here are some examples of camps offered by Busch Gardens

• Wild Florida (Grades 9-12, resident camp): “Swim, snorkel and camp out across the Sunshine State, home to unique environments, diverse wildlife and engaging cultures.”
• Zoo Careers (Grades 11 through college, resident camp): “Considering a career in animal care? Choose an area of focus for this intense, immersive zoo career exploration.”
• Critter Kids (kindergarten through Grade 1, day camp): “Busch Gardens is on the lookout for some serious animal admirers! … Get up close with animals that burrow, climb, swim and fly!”

Sherwood said more than 1,600 young people will take part in the day camps this summer, with another 500 in the resident camps. The programs start in early June.

Resident camps start at $270, with resident camps starting at $700. For more information, visit the Busch Gardens website.

Learn more about local summer camps here.