Cypress Gardens is open year-round. Operating days and hours vary. Check the park's Web site for more info.
(863) 324-2111
You can purchase tickets in advance from Viator.com. The price is generally a bit less than the online tickets or at-the-gate tickets available from Cypress Gardens. Buy direct from Viator.com.
From Tampa: I-4E to Polk Pkwy East. Exit State Road 540E, Winter Lake Road. Follow to the end and turn left on Highway 17. Turn right at State Road 540/Cypress Gardens Boulevard. Park is 3 miles on right.
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- Extraordinary botanical gardens
- Famous water ski show
- Triple Hurricane wood coaster
- Starliner wood coaster, relocated from the shuttered Miracle Strip Amusement Park in Florida
- Live animal exhibits and shows
Cypress Gardens Splash Island Water Park Photo Gallery
Cypress Gardens Coaster and Ride Photo Gallery
Oh, the (Halloween) Horror at Florida's Theme Parks
Read about the 2006 Halloween events at Florida theme parks, including Universal Orlando, Walt Disney World, SeaWorld Orlando, Busch Gardens Africa, and Cypress Gardens.
If you're expecting Pirates of the Caribbean-caliber rides, you're out of luck mateys. (Although Cypress Gardens does feature a swinging pirate ship.) They're mostly off-the-shelf, carnival-style rides--some are even mounted on trailers as if they might be heading to the fair in the next town. Even the tame roller coasters are plucked-from-the-catalogue numbers, with the exception of the Triple Hurricane wood coaster. That will change in 2007, however, when the park resurrects the classic Starliner wood coaster that once thrilled riders at Florida's now-shuttered Miracle Strip Amusement Park. Still, the Adventure Grove amusement area and the Splash Island water park are quite popular and have helped get the turnstiles clicking at Cypress Gardens once again.
The gardens themselves are truly stunning. Framed by the majestic cypress trees that line the banks of Lake Eloise, the sprawling and immaculate Botanical Gardens are bursting with color. Surprises loom at every bend in the path: A ring of beautiful, yet faintly ominous, banyan trees provides a canopy of shade; impossibly beautiful, flowing flowerbeds converge at a white gazebo and cascade down a hill. The Topiary Trail features oversized whimsical creatures fashioned from hedges and plants. A butterfly conservatory, which sits at the entrance to the lovely, formal Plantation Gardens, offers a hushed sanctuary.
The food is mostly uninspired, typical park fare. Why not add some vegetable gardens to the grounds, and prepare meals using the freshly picked crops? With its old-Florida heritage, perhaps Cypress Gardens should incorporate citrus into some dishes or at least feature citrus drinks.
Had the wrecking ball leveled Cypress Gardens, it would have been a shame. Now that it's been saved, it merits a visit. By deftly mixing its wonderful gardens and authentic nostalgia with a splash of contemporary pizzazz, Cypress Gardens appeals to a broad age range and has a great vibe.
