What to do

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Williamsburg is part of the Historic Triangle.  There are many things do between Williamsburg, Jamestown and Yorktown.  Here is a just a small list of places you may want to consider.  The NY Times also did a “36 hours in Williamsburg” article a few years ago.

Colonial Williamsburg: The main attraction of Williamsburg is the downtown Colonial area, which is a large scale living history museum set in 1774.  A variety of trades, shops, and history-themed events are available.  It doesn’t cost anything to walk around and look in the shops, but if you would like to go on tours or attend events, you will want to purchase a single or multi-day pass.   Information on ticket plans can be found here.


See also: Virtual tour of Colonial Williamsburg

Jamestown Island: This is the archaeological site of Jamestown, which is located on National Park Service land.  Excavations take place Monday-Friday and there is also a neat archaeology museum. Information on National Park passes can be found here.

Yorktown Battlefield:  This is the national historic park for the battle that took place in 1781.  Like Jamestown Island, it is on Park Service land.  There is a small museum as well as some monuments in the battlefield area.  Information on National Park passes can be found here.

Jamestown Settlement & Yorktown Victory Center: These locations tell the story of the English settlement at Jamestown and the battle of Yorktown.  They are fun, modern museums that would appeal to children more than the actual historic sites.  There is also a to-scale reproduction of James fort and an Algonquian village at Jamestown settlement, though we can’t guarantee the historical accuracy of the interpreters [end rant].

Yorktown Beach: This is a fun place to spend the afternoon or take a walk.  There are a few restaurants (we recommend the Carrot Tree) and there is a nice bit of beach that lines the York River.  It’s a lot calmer than the ocean and very pretty!

Busch Gardens/Water Country USA: This family friendly theme park has plenty of rides for all ages.  They also have a number of roller coasters for any thrill ride enthusiasts.  They also serve (expensive) beer.

Williamsburg Outlet Mall: Outlet shopping is offered on Richmond Rd outside of the main attractions of Williamsburg.


Note: Open up this map to take a look at the locations mentioned above!



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