A Winning Euopean Experience Close to Home

Busch Gardens in Virginia wins major competition

Not Coney Island, not Disneyland. It’s a place much closer to the Washington area that has claimed the title of the country’s "most beautiful amusement park.”

Busch Garden’s European-themed adventure park near Williamsburg, Va., has once again taken top honors in a national survey. For the 20th straight year, Busch Gardens Europe, with its 17th-century ambiance and futuristic technology, won what is a major honor for amusement park owners and enthusiasts, the Daily Press reported.

It’s the top prize handed out each year by the National Amusement Park Historical Association. In the land of rollercoasters and Ferris wheels, the NAPHA is a highly regarded group dedicated to preserving and documenting the heritage of amusement parks across the country.

Busch Gardens Europe boasts 50 rides and attractions, including the world’s first floorless dive rollercoaster for the fearless, and a Sesame Street attraction for the younger visitors. Each area of the park is reminiscent of a different country in Europe. There are also animal attractions, concerts and shows, as well as restaurants and shops reflecting the “Old Country” theme.

There is no doubt the quaintness of the setting with its evergreen trees and meandering river are what earned Virginia’s Busch Gardens the most beautiful title out of all U.S. amusement parks. It has had some tough competition over the years, but it has beat out the ever-popular Walt Disney World In Orlando, Fla., for the past five years in a row.

Copyright AP - Associated Press
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