Busch Gardens Christmas Town 2026: Dates and Tickets

Busch Gardens Christmas Town is a holiday light event at two theme parks, Busch Gardens Williamsburg in Virginia and Busch Gardens Tampa Bay in Florida. Both start on 13 November 2026. At Williamsburg it is a separate ticket from $31.99, and at Tampa it is included with park admission.

As of 5 November 2026, the Williamsburg Christmas Town page lists select dates from 13 November 2026 to 3 January 2027. The Tampa Bay page lists select dates from 13 November 2026 to 4 January 2027. Neither page lists each open day.

The 3 things to check before you go:

• Your park. One park is in Virginia and one is in Florida, and they sell tickets differently.

• Your date. Both run on select dates only, so check the park calendar for your day.

• Parking. At Williamsburg, only the Bounce Ticket includes parking.

How do the two Christmas Towns compare?

So, Tampa folds Christmas Town into a park ticket, and Williamsburg sells its own ticket.

When is Christmas Town at Busch Gardens Williamsburg?

Hours: Christmas Town: select dates, 13 November 2026 to 3 January 2027, park open to park close. The page lists no individual days or closing times. It promises "more than ten million twinkling lights" (Busch Gardens Williamsburg, Christmas Town page, read 4 Nov 2026)

Note: Christmas Town is separately ticketed. Admission is included with an active Basic, Unlimited, Premier or Platinum Membership, a College Pass or a 2026 Military Pass. Santa's Fireside Feast needs a reservation (same page)

Address: 1 Busch Gardens Boulevard, Williamsburg, VA 23185 (directions page, read 4 Nov 2026)

Hours: November 2026 on the park calendar: Christmas Town Preview 13 November (5 to 10 p.m.), 14 November (noon to 10 p.m.) and 15 November (2 to 10 p.m.). Closed 16 to 18 November. Christmas Town every day from 19 to 30 November, closing at 9 or 10 p.m. (Busch Gardens Williamsburg park hours page, read 5 Nov 2026)

The calendar on that page would not move past November when we read it, so the December days are not confirmed here.

So, Williamsburg previews on 13 to 15 November and runs every day from 19 November, so check the calendar for December dates.

How much are Christmas Town tickets at Williamsburg?

Price: Single-Day Ticket $31.99, or $76.99 with All-Day Dining, or $149.99 for the Ultimate Bundle with dining and Winter Quick Queue. Any Day Ticket $56.99, or $101.99 with All-Day Dining (the dining add-on is $45). Fun Card $89.99 for unlimited visits 13 November to 3 January 2027 on operating days. All three are for ages 3 and up and exclude parking and taxes (Busch Gardens Williamsburg tickets page, read 4 Nov 2026)

Price: Christmas Bounce Ticket: $112.05 for ages 13 and up, $95.05 for ages 6 to 12, $0 for ages 0 to 5. It covers 3 days in a row from first use, 11 November to 3 January 2027, at Busch Gardens Williamsburg and Colonial Williamsburg, with general parking at Busch Gardens. An adult ticket is needed in any order with child tickets (same page)

Note: All-Day Dining gives 1 entrée, 1 dessert and 1 regular non-alcoholic drink every 90 minutes (same page)

The tickets page does not say clearly that the $31.99 Single-Day Ticket is only for Christmas Town dates, but it is listed under Christmas Town. It does not list a parking price.

So, one set date is $31.99, and the $89.99 Fun Card covers every operating day.

How do you get to Busch Gardens Williamsburg?

Getting there: From Norfolk and Virginia Beach, take I-64 West. From Richmond, take I-64 East. Either way, take Exit 243A and follow the road to the park entrance. From Washington, DC, take I-95 South, I-295 South (Exit 84A), then I-64 East (Exit 28A) to Exit 243A (Busch Gardens Williamsburg directions page, read 4 Nov 2026)

Getting there: Richmond (RIC), Norfolk (ORF) and Newport News-Williamsburg (PHF) airports are each within 45 minutes. The Williamsburg Amtrak station is next to the post office in the Historic Area, "only ten minutes away." The page also points to Greyhound and the local WATA bus (same page)

Note: Driving distances on the same page: Norfolk 40 miles, Richmond 55 miles, Washington, DC 155 miles, New York 405 miles (same page)

So, most visitors drive to Exit 243A off I-64, and the Amtrak station is about 10 minutes away.

When is Christmas Town at Busch Gardens Tampa Bay?

Hours: Christmas Town: select dates from 13 November 2026 through 4 January 2027, park open to park close. Tree Lighting is 13 November, with a live broadcast from 5 to 7 p.m. and the lighting at 7 p.m. Hanukkah Celebration 4 to 12 December, with the menorah lit at 6 p.m. each night. Three Kings Celebration 21 December to 4 January. New Year's Eve Celebration 31 December (Busch Gardens Tampa Bay, Christmas Town page, read 4 Nov 2026)

Price: "Christmas Town is included with your Busch Gardens admission!" The page shows no separate price and no park ticket price. It lists "nearly 70 miles of glittering lights." The Christmas Town Vacation Package includes a $25 merchandise credit and free general parking (same page)

Address: 10165 N McKinley Drive, Tampa, FL 33612. The page says this is the front entrance address and does not receive mail (Tampa directions page, read 4 Nov 2026)

So, at Tampa any park ticket on a Christmas Town date gets you in.

How do you get to Busch Gardens Tampa Bay?

Getting there: From the north or south, take I-75 to Fowler Avenue, exit 265. Go west on Fowler to McKinley Drive, turn left and go south to the parking area. From Orlando, take I-4 west to I-75 north and use the same exit. From St. Petersburg, take I-275 north to the Fowler Avenue exit, go east about 2.5 miles to McKinley Drive, then south to the main lot (Tampa directions page, read 4 Nov 2026)

Note: The directions page links to a free transportation from Orlando page and a parking add-on page. It lists no parking price or shuttle times itself (same page)

So, Tampa is about 2 miles west of I-75 exit 265, and parking prices are on a separate add-on page.

What other Christmas trips are there in the US?

For other 2026 holiday events, see Zoo Lights 2026 for eight zoo light shows, Christmas in Washington DC for the tree lightings, and Christmas train rides.

So, pick the park in your region, then add a zoo show or a train ride if you have more nights.

What we checked and what can change

Read on 4 and 5 November 2026:

• Busch Gardens Williamsburg park hours page, read 5 November in a browser: the November 2026 calendar, preview days and closing times.

• Busch Gardens Williamsburg, Christmas Town page: dates, hours, who gets in free, the light count.

• Busch Gardens Williamsburg tickets page: all seven Christmas Town ticket prices, ages and parking terms.

• Busch Gardens Williamsburg directions page: address, exits, airports, Amtrak and distances.

• Busch Gardens Tampa Bay, Christmas Town page: dates, hours, special events, admission and the vacation package.

• Busch Gardens Tampa Bay directions page: address and driving routes.

Not confirmed: Williamsburg's December 2026 and January 2027 days, Tampa's event days and closing times, both parks' parking prices, Tampa's park ticket price, and the free Orlando transportation details. We did not visit either park for this page.