The sister park to Busch Gardens Williamsburg, Water Country USA will debut its newest thrill ride, Vanish Point, a 75-foot tall, 300-foot long drop slide. The park also offers up nearly 600 feet of body slides, a 700-foot lazy river, 43 acres of pools, as well as other water rides and attractions, including:

Rampage - The park’s steepest ride, Rampage takes riders on a surf-boggan down a 60-degree slope. Once you hit the bottom, you’ll continue on, skidding across a 120-foot pool.

Aquazoid - With darkened tunnels, you’ll never know what’s around the next corner, or when you might get soaked by waterfalls. Aquazoid plunges riders 850 down an enclosed pipeline at 20 feet per second before a final splashdown.

Rock ‘n’ Roll Island  - This oasis of adventure offers a huge pool surrounded by a lazy river, plus a Jammin’ Jukebox with 600 feet of twisting, enclosed body slides. You can also make music on a collection of floating guitars and keyboards, or try the Little Bopper’s kids’ slide.

Big Daddy Falls - This whitewater rafting adventure offers up crazy curves, tunnels, drops and super-soaking cannon blasters. Family size rafts take riders down nearly 700 feet of flumes and tunnels,

Surfer’s Bay - This 23,000 square foot wave pool is perfect for some serious bodysurfing or simply practicing your back float. The largest wave pool in Virginia features water that gradually reaches 8 feet deep with crashing 4-foot waves starting every 10 minutes.

Hubba Hubba Highway - Enjoy 1,500-feet of free-floating fun. A fast-moving current keeps you speeding along while surprise geysers and sprayers are just waiting for the chance to drench the unsuspecting. There’s no waiting for this one, just walk right in.

Jet Scream - With four fun flumes more than 400 feet long, you can choose your own adventure. Hop on an inner tube and twist & turn your way toward Jet Scream’s final splashdown at 25 miles per hour.

Wild Thang - With cool mists, tropical waterfalls and slip-sliding turns, Wild Thang is fast-paced fun on a 500-foot thrilling flume ride.

Malibu Pipeline - Choose the Bonzai or the Oahu. Hop aboard one of Malibu Pipeline’s flumes for a wild ride filled with surprise twists, drops, turns, water jets and a waterfall. Two mostly enclosed tubes span more than 450 feet and feature drops up to 55 feet.

Meltdown - This ultra-long zoom flume is a hot way to cool off. Board a high-speed surf-boggan and experience 180-degree turns along a 701-foot long flume that hurtles riders into a three-foot-deep splash pool.

Nitro Racer - Challenge friends and family to a bodysurfing battle on Nitro Racer’s six-lane superhighway that sends riders traveling 320 feet in less than four seconds.

The attraction will join Mach Tower, the park’s 240-foot drop tower, as Busch Gardens’ newest thrill rides. A new pretzel restaurant and new performance spaces were also opened as part of the Oktoberfest Village changes.

Verbolten, an indoor/outdoor roller coaster offers a variety of thrills throughout a 90-second ride. An unexpected detour launches riders into the verboten Black Forest where a lightning fast, multi-sensory dash through the dark woods ends with a terrifying 88-foot drop toward the Rhine River.

Another of Verbolten’s thrilling surprises is a free-fall drop hidden within the ride’s massive special effects building. The entire train (and track) drops 16 feet in complete darkness. After coming to a momentary rest, the train is then re-launched out of the dark Black Forest at speeds nearing 55 mph.

For more about discount Busch Gardens tickets and discount Williamsburg family vacation packages, visit www.westgatereservations.com.

Williamsburg boasts more than a dozen courses designed by some of the world’s most notable golf architects, such as Pete Dye, Rees Jones, Robert Trent Jones Sr., Arnold Palmer, Curtis Strange and Jack Nicklaus.

With spectacular weather, scenic woodlands and rolling hills, these courses provide a wide variety of challenging holes designed to test the skills of any golfer – from weekend duffer to professional. Several area courses are also considered Audubon-certified sanctuaries known for a wealth and variety of birds that fill the treetops.

Williamsburg’s exceptional layouts include the Golden Horseshoe Golf Club, Kingsmill Resort, Kiskiack Golf Club, Traditional Golf Club at Stonehouse and Williamsburg National.

Busch Gardens’ annual Glory at the Gardens Christian music festival kicks off on May 6 with musical artists: newsboys, Anthem Lights and Abandon. On May 20, the park welcomes Kirk Franklin and Group 1 Crew. The Glory series continues on June 10 with Chris Tomlin and The City Harmonic before winding up on June 24 with Third Day.

Meanwhile, the Busch Gardens Live Concert Series offers up Cobra Starship on May 13; Hot Chelle Rae on June 3; Kellie Pickler on June 17; and Victoria Justice on

All performances from both concert series are free for park guests with regular admission.

The newest and highest ride at the park is a massive spire called Mach Tower. Located in Oktoberfest, the 240-foot tower soars skyward. Hop aboard and be lifted while spiraling into the stratosphere. Enjoy the view from top before the ride sends you into a sudden, exhilarating, adrenaline-filled drop.

Mach Tower is just one of myriad thrill rides at Busch Gardens Williamsburg. The Griffon, with its 205-foot, 90-degree, 75 mph free fall, is the world’s tallest dive coaster. Meanwhile, Alpengeist, is considered by many to be the ride of a lifetime. The ride, consistently voted as one of the top 10 steel coasters in the world, sends guests hurtling through six staggering inversions at speeds up to 67 mph.

Apollo’s Chariot also soars among the park’s favorite rides, providing mind-bending 4G climbs to daring heights, while dazzling riders with one of the smoothest, fastest trails ever built.

Yet another thrill ride is Curse of the DarKastle. Set deep in the snow covered hills of Bavaria, the foreboding castle sits frozen under the spell of a centuries-old curse. Frozen in time, the ancient castle walls ultimately reveal the secrets they hold, while warning riders to leave, before it’s too late. Suddenly, an enchanted sleigh ride becomes a bone-chilling chase, packed with dizzying drops, surprise twists and sensational 3-D visuals.

Voted the world’s most beautiful theme park year after year, Busch Gardens also continues to add to its long list of exciting attractions. Guests can look forward to the grand opening of Verbolten, an all-new, multi-launch indoor/outdoor roller coaster scheduled to debut in late spring. A German tourist center has been designed as the ride’s entrance and a launching point for this high speed autobahn touring experience. But an unexpected detour soon launches riders into the verboten Black Forest.

Also new for 2012 is the Oktoberfest show, Entwined: Tales of Good and Grimm. Busch Gardens’ Das Festhaus is transformed into a forest wonderland where fairy tales come to life and weave a fabled story.

Special events also mark the theme park’s 2012 season. The upcoming Ramp Jam will feature the world’s best pro skateboarders while Glory at the Gardens rocks the park with music from top contemporary Christian artists. Guests can also hop over to Germany for a photo opportunity with the Easter Bunny this spring.

In addition to the theme park’s many rides and attractions, you’ll find a wide variety of special Christmas activities and options:

Santa’s Fireside Feast

Country: Ireland

Head to the grand dining room of Castle O’Sullivan where you’ll find Santa and Mrs. Claus hosting Santa’s Fireside Feast. Gather around the majestic castle as Santa tells a classic Christmas story. Then enjoy a delicious buffet prepared by expert elves under the direction of Mrs. Claus, complete with cookies and holiday cheer. Join Santa for the 1:30 p.m. lunch time and enjoy early entry into Christmas Town.

Santa’s Workshop

Country: North Pole

See Santa and Mrs. Claus as you peek through the snow covered windows of his North Pole workshop nestled between two reindeer stables. Children are greeted by elf attendants who guide them inside for a visit with Santa and Mrs. Claus. Children are invited to pose for a photo with Santa.

Highland Stables

Country: Scotland

Travel back in time and explore the Scottish countryside, including the Highland Stables featuring Scottish Blackface sheep, border collies and Clydesdales.

Ice Palace: A Penguin Paradise

Country: France

Explore an enhanced ice-themed world with dazzling lights, snow and an up-close encounter with live penguins.

Mistletoe Marketplace

Country: Germany

Find the perfect unique and hand-made gifts from local artisans and craftsmen in this traditional outdoor German market.

Polar Pathway

Country: Italy

The Polar Pathway turns Escape from Pompeii into breathtaking waterfalls of light. The smell of pine trees in the crisp frosty air welcomes visitors to this winter wonderland, complete with one-of-a-kind photo opportunities.

A Sesame Street Christmas

Country: England

Catch the Christmas spirit in the Globe Theatre. In “A Sesame Street Christmas” Abby Cadabby learns about giving and sharing with friends and family during the holiday season. Everyone’s beloved Sesame Street residents spread holiday cheer as they share their fondest memories of favorite Christmas traditions with high-energy song and dance, cookies, stockings, cards, Santa, snow and gift giving.

Colonial Williamsburg is the world’s largest living museum, documenting the American Revolution. Explore and experience 35 exhibition sites, 16 colonial trade shops, and 15 site tours. You can even participate in daily live performances that capture and recount famous events leading up to the Revolution.

Colonial Williamsburg features dozens of restored homes and buildings ranging from quaint taverns and inns to government buildings. Throughout the colonial area, you’ll find buildings reconstructed to the smallest details.

Combining with nearby Jamestown and Yorktown to form the “Historic Triangle,” the historic Williamsburg area features more than 500 original and carefully reconstructed public buildings, 40 exhibit buildings, private homes, quaint inns and taverns, shops and 90 acres of public parks and gardens. 

History aside, Williamsburg is also home to Busch Gardens, regularly voted the world’s “most beautiful theme park.”  You’ll also find a refreshing water park, fabulous shopping and dining, outstanding golf courses and a variety of unique entertainment venues that help make Williamsburg the ideal vacation spot for every member of the family.

For information on Williamsburg attraction tickets and resort accommodations at Westgate Historic Williamsburg Resort, visit www.westgatereservations.com.

Filled with live performances, music, special effects and a giant fireworks display, IllumiNation will continue for evenings throughout the summer. Each country inside the European styled theme park celebrates IllumiNights in its own way, including larger-than-life puppets in Ireland, the world’s largest cuckoo clock in Germany and amazing acrobats in Italy.

The nightly park-wide IllumiNations celebration ultimately ends with a full-scale fireworks show.

Voted the world’s most beautiful theme park 21 consecutive years, Busch Gardens Williamsburg provides exciting thrill rides, award-winning shows, and special attractions for the entire family.

From the Sesame Street Forest of Fun kid’s attraction to pulse pounding roller coasters like Griffon, Curse of DarKastle, Alpengeist and Apollo’s Chariot, Busch Gardens keeps the thrills coming for all ages.

New for 2011 is the dramatic Mäch Tower, a thrill ride that lifts riders 246 feet above the park’s Oktoberfest area. After rotating at the top of the tower and getting a few seconds to take in the view, riders drop at a breathtaking speed.

For information on discount theme park tickets and discount Williamsburg family vacation packages, please visit www.westgatereservations.com.

Mäch Tower is scheduled to open in late May and riders will enjoy an opportunity to head to the top of the tower where they’ll experience teh breathtaking views - just before the pulse-pounding drops!

Busch Gardens is also the place to be this summer for music! The theme park stage will offer up concert performances from some of the top names in pop and rock including Miranda Cosgrove, Colbie Caillat, Pat Benetar and Neil Sedaka. Caillat takes the stage June 4-5, 2011. 

All Busch Gardens concerts are included with regular theme park admission and will be presented at the Royal Palace Theatre. Seating is limited and available on a first-come, first-served basis.

For information and hours of operation for Busch Gardens Williamsburg, voted the world’s most beautiful theme park 21 consecutive years, go to http://buschgardens.com/Bgw/.

Also opening soon is nearby Water Country USA. The Williamsburg water park is slated to open for the 2011 season on May 21.

The park features almost 600 feet of body slides, a 700-foot lazy river and plenty of other refreshing water attractions for kids of all ages.

Water Country USA offers more than 30 state-of-the-art water rides and attractions, but construction is almost complete on the park’s newest adventure, Vanish Point. Daring guests on Vanish Point will experience a drop of nearly 300 feet and reach speeds up to 40 miles per hour.