The Extinct Busch Gardens California - A Theme Park Replaced by Bud Light | Expedition Extinct

[@andreajoki9758]

Ah I knew this would break my heart - I grew up in Van Nuys and went there often. The most amazing thing about it (and you can still get a whiff of it today at the Tommy's amazing chiliburgers across the street) was the smell of the beer cooking. When you went on the tour, the yeast and hops baking was heavenly and I think most people's mouths were watering throughout the monorail ride. The outdoor parts were kind of boring but the indoor tours of the huge vats of brewing beer were kind of neat. The free beer was dispensed once you got the the monorail. Across the railroad tracks was one of the best fun houses ever - and our favorite attraction there. I can remember to this day my mother dragging us 12 years olds out of the fun house, telling us that, "hey, it will be here when we come back." The park was closed a few months later. :( The birds are all over the valley. I lived up Van Nuys Blvd, about 1 mile from the brewery) and all the palm trees on our street had exotic birds nesting in them. It's really amusing that even in 2000s, you'd wake up to the sound of being in the Amazon tropics - in the middle of the San Fernando Valley.

[@GTMGUNN]

What an amazing comment- thank you!!

[@l.s.a1990]

Where do you live now?

[@andreajoki9758]

@@l.s.a1990 Finland

[@fionnmaccumhaill3257]

I don't think that is the only source. I remember in college in the eighties the trees were filled with green parrots. Back then I was told that they escaped from the Santa Ana Zoo. Now they are all over Southern California. They are still just as noisy.

[@RocknRollerCoasterGirl]

Yes, I remember the park well. And we did see exotic birds in the palm trees around our home. My grandfather said they must’ve escaped from Anheiser/Busch when they closed down the park. This was in the early 80s. I used to think the birds were someone’s pets that escaped. I remember the desert tortoises too! I think I might still have pics of me and my siblings with the tortoises. I was still a toddler at the time but I remember the park

[@fuzzytabby4304]

A legendary local documentarian named Huell Howser explored the remains of the original Busch Gardens in Pasadena. There are a lot of artifacts on people's private property.

[@joegiuffr3]

As someone who didn't grow up in the area I've always looked at Huell Howser the same way Ben looked at Lil Sebastian.

[@clintonharvey2384]

@@joegiuffr3😭😭😭 that’s so funny lolol, that’s how I feel about other local heroes lolol. but Huell is ear and dear to our little LA hearts.

[@jerrysanders9101]

Californias Gold 🎉

[@katrinak.9471]

The parrots that roam SoCal are the bane of my existence. The amount of times we had to stop class because of all the parrots in our trees just outside the classrooms on our outdoor campus! I had no idea they might be from this old park. Thank you for this bit of trivia!

[@desertrick]

Another former BG (75-77) and AB (80-10) employee here. Nice video and mostly good info. One thing is that you can't see any more of the sky trolley infrastructure from Roscoe Blvd. What was being shown is piping supports which carries finished beer from SH6 (Finishing Dept.) over to the bottle/keg/can lines. Couple items of interest, the Busch family had their own train car and would park it on a siding between the grain silos and the grain bldg. There was a restroom next to the track for their use. Tracks for that siding was pulled up years ago. Also, when the Gardens changed to the Busch Bird Sanctuary, we hourly employees referred to it as the "Double BS". Great place to work and made lifelong friends there.

[@Lach90]

Expedition Theme Park has always been pretty good, but these recent videos showing the history of these places are fascinating. This channel has gone from something I'd watch every now and again to a channel I watch every video on, keep up the great work expedition theme park man.

[@orwellson]

As an L.A. native, I just wanted to compliment you on the excellent job you did producing this episode. Your research is impressively thorough and highly accurate, as well as entertainingly presented. If you ever find the time, I’d consider myself lucky to see you do an episode on either Magic Mountain in Valencia, or Pacific Ocean Park in Santa Monica, California.

[@robbiesdad1]

or Marineland, in Palo Verdes

[@t-mac1149]

Busch Gardens was so beautiful. It was one of my favorite parks when I was a kid. It was like a tropical paradise! Loved the birds, the water rides, and the monorail that went through the distillery. My dad, certainly, liked the free Bud!

[@RichJordan3]

Impressive amount of of school beer commercials, including the Flintstones. Funny to look back on and amazing how far we've come. I do love Busch Gardens Williamsburg

[@princesskristan]

I didn't know that my hometown had a Busch Gardens theme park! I learned something new today

[@ExpeditionThemePark]

I don't think many did!

[@Emplordxiii]

Expedition Theme Park I heard of it but didn’t know it was in the location of the Bud Light brewery in Van Nuys(I often pass by it when Covid-19 wasn’t a thing).

[@micycles1200]

If you want to learn more about it, think about going to the Valley Relics Museum. It's actually on the other side of the Van Nuys Airport from the brewery, on Balboa. I haven't been to the museum since they moved from Chatsworth, last year, but I know that they had a room dedicated to Busch Gardens.

[@catfishaggie]

Houston had a Gardens as well

[@mdgnys]

I had no clue either. I'd heard of it as well but didn't know it was at the brewery.

[@sfdave65]

OMG...I lived in the San Fernando Valley and had gone there so many times. It has given me some of the best memories of my life. It was the one place that my Grandmother loved to visit and walk around. I remember the hanging monorail. I even went there as a kid...mostly to the of my older brother who promptly abandoned me as soon as we got through the gate...and visit the are that they made to try to make it more exciting for the younger gen. I often took the public bus there on my own, and can even see in my mind now the day I was there with my mom and grandma and my grandma splurged and paid to see if she could get a pearl after purchasing a clam at one of the gift booths in the garden area. I miss that park. Thank you for bringing back some incredible memories today.

[@crscott9908]

Went to Busch Gardens Van Nuys many time as a kid in the 1960's and early 70's. Anheuser Busch distributed entry passes to the local Police and Fire Department from time to time. Always a lot of fun to ride the overhead tram through the brewery. The bird and animal shows were great. The boat ride was also a lot of fun. Thanks for this video - keep up the great work!

[@PlanetToaster]

Imagine if there was still a Busch gardens just 20 minutes away from Six Flags Magic Mountain

[@ExpeditionThemePark]

I wish!

[@mushieslushie]

It couldn't have happened. At best it would be an even smaller version of Knott's. It's too close to homes to have rollercoasters n stuff though like the other parks.

[@Karmy.]

Busch Gardens, Magic Mountain, and Knott's within thirty minutes holy shit

[@sytaelf]

@@mushieslushie idk busch gardens tampa is pretty close to homes. You can hear the roller coasters and screaming from the homes next to the park

[@carloscarpinteyro332]

My uncle picked the site of, and named the park Magic Mountain, when he was one of the VP's of Seaworld Inc. in 1969. Six Flags bought the park from Newhall Land & Farming in 1979. I have alot of Magic Mountain documentation, that I got from my uncle. My cousin designed the original Magic Mountain logo that was used in 1971 & 72.

[@fuzzytabby4304]

I'm old enough to remember this place as a kid. It was the best attraction in the valley and the only thing you could call a theme park. To this day the valley has never seen any attraction that has come close to Busch Gardens. I don't count Universal Studios being in the valley though.

[@jasonplatt2228]

Thank you very much for posting this history. This was one of my favorite attractions to visit when I was a child growing up in Southern California. I remembered the boat ride and the elevated tram ride and the beautiful gardens. This video brings back wonderful memories of that time. I was so disappointed when this closed. It was the kind of low-key attraction that you unfortunately just don't see anymore--reminiscent of the now also defunct Cypress Gardens in Florida.

[@davidmiles533]

I grew up 5 miles north in Granada Hills. This place was part of my childhood. Thanks.

[@pdxer8895]

I went there as a little kid. So little all I remember was not getting to ride the Monorail because my Mom was against alcohol. Thumbs up!

[@StamfordBridge]

Then why did your mother agree to visit at all? I also went there as a kid.

[@JuniperMB]

Thank you for posting this! For years, I remembered this park as a kid and even seeing the birds. People called me crazy, saying there was no such park by Busch in southern CA.

[@fionnmaccumhaill3257]

I remember the free beer and the birds.

[@genesanford9412]

i was a 10 yr old when we visited this place.The tour included enuf free beer to get my Dad in trouble.They were pretty generous with the samples .We visited the Los Angeles area every month or so & my Mom was glad it shut down.The bird shows WERE real good.

[@coyoteartist]

I honestly had no clue that there had been a park out West. Rather reminds me more of Cypress Gardens as opposed to the park in Tampa. On a side note since the horses came up. When I was in Girl Scouts in 4th and 5th grade, we did a field trip to Busch Gardens in Tampa. I'd been there before with my family but because we were a troop, we were able to see the stables for the Clydesdales. A foal had been born only 10 days before. Long as we were quiet we could look into the box stall and see him.

[@roachtoasties]

I remember the place as a kid and still live in the area. The park was doomed for being in a place with no room left to expand. Budweiser wanted to brew more beer, so the park got canned. Now when I drive by it's some big walled buildings with a ton of parking spots for big rigs.

[@fanatichighdesertrailroader]

Very informative. Visited this way back when. Remember the monorail and the log flume.We went to see the Clydesdales, huge horses.

[@ozkrow1]

I’ve lived in the area my whole life 39 years. Never knew that area was a theme park. Thanks for the history lesson. I pass that plant every day.

[@ExpeditionThemePark]

Thanks for watching!

[@hokyman]

I've lived in the San Fernando Valley for my entire life (let's just say, the 80's) and I've always heard about this park, but know nothing about it. I drive by that brewery on my way to Six Flags Magic Mountain as it's just up the 405 (after it becomes the 5). I had no idea that the Bud Light portion of it was where the park used to be! And I recognize all of those landmarks that are leftover from the park too! Thanks for telling this great story and featuring my home area of LA. :)

[@SeanFlaharty]

I remember hearing that St Louis was rumored to have a Busch Gardens. Also, the city where I live and grew up in (Columbus) was rumored to get a Busch Gardens, right in front of the brewery, I was a kid at the time but remember seeing little clips about it on the news and hearing people talk about it for a few years.

[@con-man5855]

huh, i have just learned something new about st louis. it was rumored to have a Busch gardens.

[@noralewis5390]

St. Louis had Grants Farm, which was probably the closest thing they had to a Busch Gardens referenced here. I do recall for a time (maybe it still continues) that A-B also had some kind of relationship with Six Flags when the St. Louis park was formed in the 70s (certainly I recall tons of Bud advertisements around the park). That's possibly the root of the "rumors".

[@Tephlosion]

Gotta say this expedition extinct was a happier ending considering they were closed before they went bankrupt, only a few things were left abandoned since they were structures, and ultimately it let the other Busch garden parks thrive. It would have been awesome to visit this park but I think it would have been put out of business and had a much more tragic story. Thanks as always ETP!!!

[@chanchimi]

Thank you so much for making this video! My mom would always tell me stories about when she would go to Busch Gardens Van Nuys as a kid every time we drove by the brewery. I watched this with her and she absolutely loved it! :)

[@bagofgroceries]

And this is why I’m glad Busch Gardens still exists in MY hometown.

[@ExpeditionThemePark]

Yes!

[@Onoitsbroko]

The Busch Gardens parks are by far some of the most beautiful and top quality parks I've ever been too. I live about a mile away from Magic Mountain and I can tell you. If we had a park like either of the Busch Garden parks, I wouldn't even give Magic Mountain a second thought..lol!

[@micycles1200]

I really wish this was still around. It closed well before my time, but to have a Busch Gardens close to home would be awesome. I know it wasn't on the scale of Tampa or Williamsburg, but it would still be cool. One really neat thing is that when I moved from Reseda to Granada Hills (about 10 years ago) there was a flock of some of those parrots living in the Granada Hills area. In fact, one day they were all perched on the telephone lines behind my house. We actually tried to catch one using our pool net but didn't succeed. I don't think we ever saw them again after that, but I hope they're still around. I wish that they would revive Busch Gardens at least somewhere around the Los Angeles area. I mean, we had TWO of them, for crying out loud! Even if it's not connected to the actual plant, I still feel that another amusement attraction like that could work.

[@gregg5958]

I loved this place as a kid. We went there a lot. One of the few places my dad actually liked to go out to. I had my first taste of beer here in one of the pavilions. The staff was not happy with my dad. But it was just a taste! And forever a fond memory. Thank you for the look back. It was fantastic and I learned a lot that I had not known before.

[@michaeltaylor1603]

An excellent production! Houston,TX (where I'm from had a less ambitious attraction as well.) I asked my dad to take me there. It closed shortly after opening. They expanded & Houston has had that brewery for over 50 years. Dad worked nearby @ Kroger warehouse for 29 years! I have a return to sender piece of mail from the Cali park. Didn't know as a teen that the park was defunct. I ALWAYS wanted to see it. Thanks again for a GREAT video!!!!

[@chrisc2065]

i lived right down the street. my Mom and Dad would talk about this place. i never got to see it my self. Thank you for posting this. i always wanted to know what it looked like.

[@frankbartschi]

I remember it well. I loved the birds and the smell of the barley and hops.

[@mallorymaybe666]

Great info! My husband commented about how cool the log flume looked and then had his mind blown to find out he rode it at Storybook Land. 🤍

[@TweetsieRailroader]

Very Nice! I especially learning about the ties to the Southern Pacific, being a train buff and all.

[@carloscarpinteyro332]

Thank you for such a fine presentation of the history of Busch Gardens. I really enjoyed the archival footage! I use to live 2 blocks away from there, our house was so close, that one half of our back yard was used for the southbound lanes of the San Diego Frwy. ( Interstate 405.) That section of the freeway did not open until 1963. I can document this via a 1959 copy of a plat map that I have, showing the future lanes of the freeway. My uncle, as one of the VP's of Seaworld Inc. in 1969, was the person responsible for picking the site of, and naming the new joint venture theme park with Newhall Land & Farming, called Magic Mountain, in Valencia, Calif. I have much documentation on that, as well.

[@jessicabentivenga8315]

There was one in Houston that had an Asian theme, and the canceled Dubai park.

[@ExpeditionThemePark]

Yepppp

[@johntibby5058]

They also helped develop the port aventura park in Spain

[@Millerfamily34]

Thanks for the memories, I grew up in the Valley and I remember bits and pieces of Busch Gardens but your video sure helped. Thank you

[@chuc98]

Tampa’s Busch Gardens used to have a hanging monorail as well that went out over the Serengeti. The station building is still there as part of the que for Cheetah Hunt and the sky lift.

[@ExpeditionThemePark]

It did!

[@christopherandersch1299]

The " monorail" was powered by a corvair 6 cylinder air cooled flat 6 engine

[@invincible1200s]

Great video. I vaguely remember going there as a little kid. My dad to this day is still a Budweiser fan.

[@gabrielbernal2660]

Awesome!!! I am going to enjoy this. My grandfather tried to tell me there as a Busch Gardens in LA area once back when I first started getting into amusement parks. But, never found much info. So excited!

[@PanicButton42]

I vaguely remember going here as a kid. I couldn't have been much older then 3 or 4. Wow! I now have another reason why I despise Bud Light. LOL!

[@ExpeditionThemePark]

Ahah! :D

[@cherylfh]

Same here! I do have vague memories of enjoying the bird shows, and after seeing this video, I'm kind of sad I was too young to remember very much else. The landscaping looked so beautiful.

[@bender7565]

I didn't know that much stuff existed about VN. Very nice. I was a young sailor mid 90's, at Williamsburg you had to take the monorail to the actual brewery to get your 2 small samples of many choices. My buddies and I got our samples, got some t-shirts and had fun for 6 hrs. Lets go back for some free beer before it closes...we have different shirts on, 1st guy cruises thru but #2 and myself get stopped by this guy. You have had your daily samples!! To this day I think, 'holy shit'! I was speechless, I didn't notice him till he stopped me and he memorized faces so you didn't get an extra free baby beer. How many folks went thru that line in 6 hrs? Very impressive. Next visit the monorail was gone so no samples from the park.

[@yootube6522]

I remember my family going there sometime in the 70s. The memories are hazy (because of the passage of time, not because of beer), but I remember the water fountain, the bird shows, and the second monorail. As a native Angeleno, I also appreciated the pictures of the Valley from back then. Not a lot of it looks like that any more :) However, every time I take the 405, I see (and often smell) the brewery as I go past. BTW, I didn't know about Jungleland. Will you give us the scoop on that sometime?

[@janebeckman3431]

Yes, Jungleland! I wonder if they still find decendants of the escaped snakes in Thousand Oaks...

[@user-ys9fg4ol9s]

I was born and raised in Van Nuys . Unfortunately, Busch Gardens closed when I was 8 years old so I dont remember much about it.. I always looked at Roscoe and Woodley and wondered what the Theme Park looked like. I came across your channel and hoped you had something on the Van Nuys Park. And here it is! Thank you so much!

[@SeanLamb-I-Am]

I remember visiting the park in Van Nuys once or twice as a kid. Later when I got my driving license, I remember seeing the skyrail track as I drove by on the freeway in the 80s. We spent a lot more time at Disney and Knott's.

[@guslevy3506]

I live a block away from the old Busch Gardens in Pasadena. It’s a jogging and walking area these days, and very hard to imagine the wonderful Busch Gardens having been here just a few decades ago. Old steps and brickwork are the easiest clues, but most people likely don’t notice them. What a treasure it would be today had the powers that be kept it…

[@quack10]

WOW. What an amazing documentary! THANK YOU! I went there a few times as a kid, and you nailed it. It was a blast AND definitely gone to soon. You can still see a bird or two if you look closely in that area. Now, it's just the smell of barley and eating a DELICIOUS Tommy Burger that keeps me coming around. And when I do, the Memories flood back!

[@theforcefield23]

This is the best video I've seen on Busch Gardens Van Nuys. Thanks!!

[@ExpeditionThemePark]

Thanks!

[@Hillers62]

I've been to both Busch Gardens in Williamsburg, VA and Tampa FL...both were great!!!!!!

[@ExpeditionThemePark]

Agreed

[@barbarahimes1041]

Wow. Early in this video I thought the log ride looked exactly like the one at our Great Escape and sure enough it is. Awesome! Learn something new every day. Thanks for your channel, it’s terrific.

[@ExpeditionThemePark]

Thank you

[@0311Mushroom]

I loved going there as a kid. We only lived a few miles away, so we went several times a year. Was sad they destroyed it. And even into the late 1980s much could still be seen in the original buildings of where the trams went. But it was also closed for security reasons. Local gangs had started to frequent it, driving away guests. When it closed, they moved to Six Flags and the same thing happened.

[@TheKurtsPlaceChannel]

Very nice video. Thanks for posting and have a nice day too.

[@gavinhatfield2354]

Back in 2008 or 2009 I did an elementary school project about history of Busch Gardens. Because 9 or 10 year old me was very thorough and obsessed with the topic at hand [my mom and] I did a ton of research on it and mentioned a few things about this park. For whatever reason the poster board for the project did not mention the Houston park. It's awesome to finally see an in-depth channel such as yourself make a video about this extremely unknown park. Oh yeah, I also work at Busch Gardens Williamsburg today so the fascination never went away.

[@janebeckman3431]

I went to Busch Gardens from the time it opened until it closed, either with my parents or neighbors. Essentially, I watched it evolve. In college, I would go there with my boyfriend when we went to visit my father in the San Fernando Valley. The brewery tour was always free. The boat ride was 50 cents, originally, and gradually went up. I had all sorts of beer-related gew-gaws as a teen, from their gift shop. I cannot say enough of how awesome the attached theme park was. Best flume ride ever! The drops weren't as big as some, but where else would you get to ride through a giant free-flight aviary? And no one mentions the funhouse! It was old school, and would never fly today, because of liability. We took knee pads, because we loved to play on the collapsing staircases and run through the rotating tubes (probably fueled by beer, since my boyfriend and I were drinking age, at that point). The view of the park from the skytrain was awesome! They had brought in full-grown trees for the landscaping. I feel so privileged to have gotten to experience Busch Gardens Van Nuys' full life cycle.

[@wideawakeinotown]

love this! visited when i was a kid. vividly remember the brewery tour and the log flume, and my brother in law having a few too many samples! great memories!

[@Ravethecat12]

I was able to take a tour of the Budweiser brewery in St.Louis. I’m not a drinker or anything but I wanted to see the Clydesdales. Worth it, very beautiful horses and beautiful brewery as well!

[@lohphat]

I have fleeting memories of visiting Busch Gardens at age 4 or 5. I remember the monorail, the penguin enclosure as part of the brewery tour and walking around the park. Now as an adult, whenever I drive by the plant I miss those days and can imagine the monorail sill entering the large building. Growing up in SoCal and having Disneyland, Knott’s, Magic Mountain, Universal Studios, Busch Gardens, Japanese Deer Park, Pierpoint and The Pike in Long Beach, Marinland in San Pedro, etc. It was truly a playground.

[@jaybrooks1098]

The cockatoo in the film footage is still alive

[@HeartlessRandomguy]

That's quite an old bird, cool

[@3possumsinatrenchcoat]

parrots live stupidly long, there's cockatoos and macaws that get to like 80 it's crazy.

[@danopticon]

Not really a pet so much as a lifetime companion. 🦜❤️🤗

[@bbingtube]

Wow

[@lewis2524]

You should do the history of Phantasialand or more Blackpool

[@ExpeditionThemePark]

I will

[@charis2108]

​@@ExpeditionThemePark please do Phantasialand! I lived in Germany for years and always thought it was such a fascinating park :)

[@christalbot210]

I would like this as well. A friend who lived in Koln (Cologne), Germany took me there back in the 90's. I admit I was unimpressed at the time, noticing several ripoffs of the Magic Kingdom (I live in Orlando). They even had the three hitch-hiking ghosts in their spooky dark ride. If memory serves, my friend said the people who built this were involved with one of the Disney parks (I *think* WDW, but I don't remember). I have since seen a video of the place and BOY has it changed for the better. Incredible theming, roller-coasters, restaurants; all extremely well done. I'm interested in the history, but I also want to make sure this is the same place I (very vaguely) remember.

[@RoseKat]

Still have my employee ID from working the amusement park from the late 1970 s. What a blast.

[@Bryanmontero2000]

I remember that tv program! Things That Aren't Here Anymore with Ralph Story, they also talk about pacific ocean park and the Beverly Park

[@funtimeswithtom4108]

I have some really pleasant memories from this park. I loved the brewery tram ride, I remember loving the log ride for some reason. I remember the bridge that went over the train tracks and I remember my mom loved the birds. Its been several years since I have been by but I remember that even though the tram tracks have been removed you can see from the freeway that one of the tram entrances into the brewery had a tram parked in it, don't know if its still there but it was fun to see it.

[@StamfordBridge]

I grew up near there and went to that park as a kid! My father and my visiting British grandfather really loved the free beer! And my family took an amazing old-timey Western photograph there that I still have. You gathered some amazing photos and footage for this video, so much of which really took me back. Oh, and kudos for actually pronouncing Van Nuys correctly, which outsiders rarely manage. Thanks for the video!

[@ManJayCA]

I grew up in the Valley in the 1970s. My brother and I used to ride our bikes to Busch Gardens. This was a very good history of the park, but you failed to describe the third major expansion and the last one before that converted it to Busch Bird Sanctuary..... Old St. Louis. The Old St. Louis section of the park was adjacent to the main entrance, and had a great theatre show (it was a multimedia sound and light show) inside a very nice theatre (you did briefly show a photo of this theatre near the end of your video). It also had the great Funhouse (Turvy Mansion), a fun bumper car ride, and some great carnival games, shapes, and bbq restaurant. When they closed Busch Gardens, it was converted into Busch Bird Sanctuary, and it was free.... no admission charge. But you could still take the brewery tour for free, and you could pay to ride the boat ride. A lot of the theme park attractions were closed. Alas, I loved this place, and I miss it so much. Thanks for putting this video up.

[@trvlnthru]

I had never heard there was ever a Busch Gardens anywhere other than WIlliamsburg and Tampa. This was fascinating. Thanks for sharing this video!

[@ExpeditionThemePark]

Thanks for watching

[@cwdefouw]

Really good video! Have know about this lost park for a long time, but didn’t know any details. Thanks for the well researched information!

[@iluv2cheer176]

I just watched an old time FIFO commercial, this video is amazing 😂😂

[@ExpeditionThemePark]

Thank you!

[@Kc_Production15]

"I like beer, I like bird and I like Gardens" Let make it a theme park then

[@widescreennavel]

Sounds like a Supreme Court Justice to me!

[@hilaryfireeyes]

We could have a beer garden with birds. No better make it a theme park, we ain’t no pussies.

[@resurrectionwaiting9294]

Those words were spoken by Ralph Story (his real name) and he was one of the greatest personalities in Los Angeles history.

[@MrFlutsh]

Best park ever to me 😮

[@3possumsinatrenchcoat]

back in st louis (around mid 2000s?) we lived about 15 minutes from one of the big clydesdale teams, they had their own little animal park around the stables. was a cute little place as a kid, completely forgot about it until just now.

[@rjkral]

Wow, I’m totally blown away by this. Had no idea. I’ll never pass by that (currently rather boring looking) Bud brewery in Van Nuys the same way again. That park looked absolutely amazing. Thanks so much for the history, I don’t think anyone else on earth is providing this and quite like this. Truly well done.

[@amandad5175]

I love watching your extinct vlogs. Also looking forward to seeing you back with Jackie:-)

[@martinsorenson1055]

Boy, this one had some nostalgia, some amusement and then the revelation of a "mystery:" I have been wanting to figure out for 20 years. I grew up in the San Fernando Valley. I remember Busch Gardens. I vividly remember both the birds and the Log ride. As the years passed, I started to wonder if I had imagined the theme park. As for the parrots in SoCal, I see them twice a day, mostly. In the morning as they pass through the area I live in. and in the evening when they return home. This is something they do (loudly) every day. ANd finally, I live VERY close to the remnants of those original gardens in Pasadena. I have been going for walks through there for my 20 years in this area. Those stone steps and slight walls are still here. I always wondered whaty they were for - yet, I couldn't find any information on parks in this area. And then, I watched this video. Imagine my surprise when I saw those familiar stone steps. Thank you for this ! I can now visit that area fully informed!

[@yoHOBODAN]

My family would go there after church on Sundays. The parents drinking free beer, and us lil kids playing in the park. In our Sunday clothes. Growing up and getting to drink my own beer there. Good times.

[@myrany8407]

We visited my Uncle in California when I was a little girl and they took me to Busch Garden California (Early 70s). It was an amazing place and a cherished memory.

[@lauraduplooy]

Wow! I've been to Busch Gardens in Williamsburg and thought it was just a great amusement park with awesome rides. I never knew the history of the Gardens until now. LOVED it; thanks!

[@bunnymomjulie6719]

I was born in 1970 and I remember going to Busch Gardens. Somewhere there is movie film of my mom sitting on a bench next to a big peacock all fanned out. I also remember my dad not feeling so well after the tour. He was a school bus driver and NEVER drank alcohol. Guess he didn't realize the samples added up. The best part of Busch Gardens was always visiting the pristine stables for the Clydesdales and the gorgeous horses themselves. I also remember driving through Lion Country Safari and going to Marineland. LCS was so fun, but I can see that it would be very dangerous for the animals with stupid drivers, and dangerous for the visitors being just plain stupid. Marineland was a second rate Sea World, and I remember even as a kid thinking they shouldn't let the public visit the hospital rehab tanks. It was too sad and depressing. My mom didn't think they were getting very good care. Thank you very much for bringing back these memories. We miss you, Sam. Hope you are doing well. xoxo

[@lizlom9773]

Went there as a kid with my dad I tell my kids about this wonderful place !!wish it was still there with birds n beer what a perfect combination 😊😊😊🌞🌞🌞✨✨✨🦅🐧🦆🦜🦜🦜🦜🍻🍻🍻🍻🍻

[@nationalist818]

I remember going to this place as a kid. I like the Stovepiper bar at the start, good bar!

[@khonshuband]

I would love to see one on Bush Gardens Houston, TX my parents talk about it a lot they had a bunch of great memories there

[@AKMorehouse]

Sees Yahoo flume and thinks “wow, that looks a lot like desperado plunge at Great Escape” ... gets to the last minute and goes “oh because it is the desperado plunge.” The things you learn LOL.

[@speedchialtas-realtor8863]

I grew up in the Valley. Most of my family is still there. I wanted to have my 6th birthday there and I remember being on the 405 coming back from San Diego while we drove past Bush Gardens/Bush Bird Sanctuary. My father told me it has closed for good. I cried the 15 minutes left in the ride home. I remember they were going to re open the monorail for tours only. But that sadly never happened.

[@dennisrichardson4187]

Loved this! Had no idea there were additional Busch parks. Can you do a video on Lesourdsville Lake/Americana?

[@jamesrauff]

Great episode ! I live very close to this and wish it was still around and would have grown! Having a Busch Gardens near would be great. I love bud and Busch but always hated bud light. This gives me further reasons why !

[@ExpeditionThemePark]

Thank you!

[@GTMGUNN]

Central SFV represent!

[@PillsandSoap26]

Born and raised in St. Louis, it's always weird to see landmarks I live next to on youtube videos...

[@chromebomb]

Very impressive research and old footage. Great video

[@Qenton]

I'm pretty sure, for awhile they had live tour guides on the monorail. I distinctly remember a female guide giving the "You would have to drink X six-packs of beer a day for your entire life to empty one of those" line. I loved that place growing up.

[@speedchialtas-realtor8863]

I recall that as well.

[@skittyrocks]

Great episode! I've been to one of the big Busch Gardens theme parks but never knew about this one! Might have to pick up some Buds later

[@ExpeditionThemePark]

Haha enjoy

[@alexestrada9371]

I loved that park!! I got to go to it when I was a kid!!...

[@JamesDavidWalley]

I left L.A. a year before Busch Gardens opened. When I finally moved back, I was hoping to visit there, as I had heard a lot about it and it was a short drive from my apartment…only to find that it had just closed.

[@GlorianaLovejoy]

I think this is one of your best episodes ever. I enjoyed this one so much!

[@ExpeditionThemePark]

Thank you

[@jonathanrevies5619]

Got a chance to go there when my parents moved the family to Los Angeles in the mid-70s. I was a little guy, but I remember how awesome the monorails were and the bird shows were pretty interesting. I loved that the monorail that took you on the beer tour went in and out of buildings, which kind of made it cooler than the Disneyland one at the time. Years later, I lived and worked in the Valley and drove past the plant all the time, sad that the remnants of fun days were gone.

[@ExpeditionThemePark]

Yeah agreed

[@MatthewGottula]

I work in Van Nuys and every day on my commute when I pass by the railroad track on Woodley and see that bridge to nowhere I think about the birds and free beer that used to be there.

[@christalbot210]

Huh. I never knew about this. It's a shame what happened to it. It looked like a fun place. If you could do Busch Gardens, Tampa, I'd appreciate it. I first went back in 1971 (taking the last train from Sarasota to Tampa, with my dad following us in the car) and it has changed a LOT since then.

[@TheBlackMist]

Constantly uploading great videos! Keep up the awesome work, ETP

[@Snoogans1080]

🤣😂🤣😂 We did it Milwaukee, WI... we’re in the video! 👍😎👍

[@GreatAmericanCoaster]

I want to see a busch gardens asia but beer is a close second

[@BobMagana]

My parents always told me about his place as we ate across the street at Tommys Hamburgers

[@vincelamb4063]

I remember eating there in the 1980s, when there was also a Keebler plant next door to the brewery. Back then, one could smell beer, hamburgers, and cookies. Unfortunately, the Keebler plant closed in 1992. No more cookie smell!

[@riedermarcus]

I love that Tommies. I love smelling the beer being brewed. When I ate there

[@naapalm82]

Vince Lamb miss that cookie smell. Part of my trip to my grandparents.

[@carloscarpinteyro332]

@@vincelamb4063 I remember the Keebler Plant cookie smell. I used to live 2 blocks away from Busch Gardens.

[@hamtarotimefan]

I remember a time when BG Tampa had free beer. It was my dad's favorite time of the day. too bad I was only a kid. We could all use a free beer right now

[@ExpeditionThemePark]

Me too

[@alexross5620]

Thank you so much for finally doing one on Busch Gardens the extinct monorail the extinct bird boat ride the extinct African Queen people don't even know about that next one please do on Disney Swan boat ride they also had the Skyride in the train that you should drop you off by the change station and you could Overlook the Serengeti that ended in the late seventies I believe