Busch Gardens Tampa Bay to hold Black Friday camp

by Leigh Caldwell on

If you’ll be in Florida for Thankgiving, Busch Gardens Tampa Bay is offering to watch your kids while you shop on Black Friday.

The theme park is holding a Black Friday Kid’s Camp for children ages 5 to 11. The camp is open from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Friday, Nov. 26, which should allow you at least 10-11 hours of shopping once you factor in travel time to and from the park.

The cost for a full day is $55, or, if you’re not as serious a shopper, you can choose a morning or afternoon half-day camp for $30.

Programs during the Black Friday Kid’s Camp will include interactions with some of the animals that live at Busch Gardens Tampa Bay.

Meals and snacks for the kids will be provided, and the park is even promising to greet you with a hot cup of coffee when you drop them off at dark-thirty.

Reservations for the Black Friday camp are required in advance. Make them by calling (813) 987-5087.

A get rid of the winter blahs getaway-vacation for people and dogs

by Jamie Rhein on

For anyone who loves to travel with a dog companion, here’s a weekend getaway with pooch and you in mind. Camp Dogwood is offering everything to get your dog in top form after the holidays during Winter Camp, January 16-18, 2009.

To get rid of stiffness and stress, there’s the dog massage. If you dog is having “issues,” perhaps trying to tell you something and you don’t know what, there’s a session in animal communication. What about a tune-up in the trick department? Or maybe your dog is game for learning a new trick, or to do a bit more of what you want instead of doing whatever on the walks in your neighborhood. A brush up on obedience training may make both of your lives more swell.

Recognizing that a happy person can help make for a happy dog, there are people geared activities a well, such as wine-tasting, photography and arts and crafts.

The camp, located in Illinois not far from Chicago, offers cabins, shared lodging and private rooms. The Comfort Inn also has rooms available. In case you can’t swing the winter session, there is a spring session May 22-25.