Adventure Island (water park) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Adventure Island |
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| Location | Tampa, Florida, United States |
| Coordinates | 28°2′30″N 82°24′47″W / 28.04167°N 82.41306°W |
| Owner | SeaWorld Entertainment |
| Opened | June 7, 1980 |
| Status | {{{status}}} |
| Area | 30 acres (12 ha) |
| Pools | 2 pools |
| Water slides | 10 water slides |
| Children's areas | 3 children's areas |
Adventure Island is a super fun water park located in Tampa, Florida. It's right across the street from Busch Gardens Tampa Bay. The park has 30 acres of awesome water rides, yummy food, and other cool attractions. Adventure Island first opened on June 7, 1980. It is part of the SeaWorld Entertainment family.
Contents
Awesome Water Rides
Get ready for a splash! Adventure Island has many exciting water slides and rides for everyone.
- Aruba Tuba
- Calypso Coaster
- Caribbean Corkscrew
- Colossal Curl
- Riptide Rush (These are 4 individual slides!)
- Solar Vortex
- Vanish Point (This ride has 3 individual slides, including two thrilling drop slides!)
- Wahoo Run
- Water Moccasin (These are 3 enclosed tube slides!)
Cool Pools and Water Fun
When you need to relax or play in the water, check out these cool spots.
- Endless Surf
- Fabian's Fun Port
- Paradise Lagoon
- Rambling Bayou
- Splash Attack
Past Rides and Attractions
Over the years, Adventure Island has changed and added new rides. Here are some of the rides that used to be at the park.
Tampa Typhoon
The Tampa Typhoon was a tall water slide that closed in 2005. It opened in the late 1980s. This slide was nearly 70 feet tall, which is about seven stories high! From the top, riders could see for miles around. This included a view of the nearby MOSI museum.
Gulf Scream
Gulf Scream was built in 1980. It was one of the first rides at the park. It shared its tall tower with the Tampa Typhoon. Gulf Scream was taken down in 2014. This made space for a new ride called Colossal Curl, which opened in 2015.
Barratuba
Barratuba was built in the mid-1980s. Riders would use a tube, similar to the Calypso Coaster. This ride was built into the ground and followed the natural hills. It ended with a short drop into a splash pool. You can still see parts of this old ride today. They are now decorated as flower beds near the exit of Wahoo Run.
Everglides
Everglides was a unique water slide. Riders would go down two straight slides on flat plastic toboggans. At the bottom, the fast toboggans would skip along the water. They would then come to rest on a beach. A machine would carry the toboggans back to the top. This ride was removed between 2017 and 2018. It made way for a new beach and sitting area.
Key West Rapids
Key West Rapids was a long water slide, about 700 feet! Riders would sit on tubes. They would go down a course with pools and other water features. The park announced in 2017 that Key West Rapids would close in 2019. It was replaced by the Solar Vortex ride in 2020.
Runaway Rapids
Runaway Rapids was one of the park's first attractions. It had five body slides winding through a rocky area. Two slides, Little Squirt and Corkscrew Canal, were for kids. The other three, River of no Return, Barracuda Run, and Courageous Falls, were for adults. This attraction did not open in 2020. In 2021, the park began to remove the ride and its rockwork.
Grab a Bite!
All that splashing can make you hungry! Adventure Island has many places to grab a snack or a meal.
- Surfside Cafe
- Mango Joes'
- Surfside Ice Cream
- Gulf Scream Ice Cream
- Bayou Beach Club
- Island Taco Truck
- Snack Attack
