← All Lakeland attractions

Stay near · Theme park

Stay near Busch Gardens

Busch Gardens Tampa Bay · Tampa, FL · About 45 minutes west on I-4

About Busch Gardens

Busch Gardens Tampa Bay combines a major theme park with one of the country's largest accredited zoos — over 200 acres of rides, animal habitats, and Africa-themed exhibits. It's about 45 minutes west of Lakeland on I-4.

Lakeland is a workable base for both Disney to the east and Busch Gardens to the west — families splitting their trip between the two parks often prefer staying once rather than relocating mid-vacation.

Official site →

Where to stay

Any of the four stays work as a Busch Gardens base. Hollingsworth Bungalow and Clementine Cottage have the most space for larger family groups.

Hollingsworth Bungalow

Hollingsworth Bungalow

A three-bedroom bungalow steps from Lake Hollingsworth.

Sleeps 6 · 3 bed · 2 bath

View stay →

Tips

  • Plan for an early arrival. Animal habitats are most active before the midday Tampa heat.
  • Park-hopper passes between Busch Gardens and Adventure Island make sense for a multi-day Tampa stretch.
  • Take I-4 west well before rush hour. The Lakeland-to-Tampa stretch gets ugly between 4 and 7 PM.

Ready to plan your trip?

See live availability for all four stays — no Airbnb or VRBO service charges.

See availability

More to do near Lakeland