Busch Gardens Accomodations????

[anorman]

I am looking for a hotel/motel with good rates nearby Busch Gardens for an overnight stay to do 2 days at BG. I am completely unfamiliar with Tampa and what areas are good and which to avoid, so I thought that I would ask the DIS community to see if anyone had any advice for me. My apologies for posting it here in Seaworld section but I couldn't see anywhere else more appropriate and since they are sister parks, it was the best I could come up with.

Most of my vacation in being spent in the Orlando area and I have nights booked at Universal RPR as well as a vacation villa with the intent to spend most of our time in Orlando doing Seaworld, Universal, etc with the Orlando Flex Ticket plus.

Any advice would be appreciated. FYI, we would just be taking overnight bags with us for a one night stay since we already have our villa booked and paid for in Orlando.

 

[jeffn5631]

BG sits on Busch Blvd and has many national chain motels, but you must find one very close by and no more than 2 or 3 blocks away. Fowler Ave (Univ. of So. Fla. area) is a major Tampa avenue which also has a lot of the national chains and is about 5 mins. away. When I go to BG, I make a left turn off Fowler onto McKinley and at that corner is a LaQuinta Motel which would be the closest. Driving down McKinley the first thing on the left is Adventure Island (Water Park) and next on the left is entrance to BG with 2 turning lanes. For first timers it is a little confusing...they seem to turn into Adventure Island exit without realizing what they did, so follow the signs closely. My advice is try the Fowler Avenue area first and you should find something that will fit your needs and a much safer area for tourists.

 

[tricky1]

I just got back from a 3 day stay at Hilton garden Inn ,Temple Terrace.

Great hotel!!, very private,clean , breakfast buffet, room service everything was
was super.
It takes about 5 mins. travel time to Busch Gardens. I booked thru Busch Gardens and got a good deal.

 

[anorman]

Thanks. That's just the type of advice I was looking for. Are there any areas of Tampa that you would avoid?

 

[jeffn5631]

Tampa is not what you would call a tourist hot spot and except for Port of Tampa for the cruise terminal and the sports arena and for the night life at Ybor City (East Tampa) from downtown. So you don't need any other place to go except for BG and Lowery Park Zoo. Right now with the spring breakers Clearwater Beach is the real hot spot. A visit to BG is worth the trip to Tampa alone it is just that good and I have never been disappointed by any visit and that has been for the last 11 years.

 

[mog]

We stayed at an Embassy Suites near BG Tampa a couple years ago and it was nice.