Just a few hours' drive down I-95 can take you back 250 years to cobblestone streets, horse-drawn carriages, fancy wigs and cannon fire.
Welcome to Colonial Williamsburg. With hundreds of things to do and see, the historic city and the greater Williamsburg region are worthy of much more than a day trip. Many families can spend an entire week in the area without exhausting their options.
We arrived on a Thursday evening to our rented condo at King’s Creek Plantation, a gated vacation and time-share community about 10 minutes from Colonial Williamsburg. Friday morning, we were up and out early to hit the historic sites (and Starbucks — let's be honest).
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Beth Lawton
The Visitor Center at Colonial Williamsburg warns that you're in for more than just a day if you want to see everything...
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Beth Lawton
Shuttle buses are available from the Visitor Center to Colonial Williamsburg, but the walk is worthwhile and includes historic sites.
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Beth Lawton
A portion of the walk from the Visitor Center to Colonial Williamsburg.
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Horse-drawn carriages (reservations required) travel throughout Colonial Williamsburg.
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Beth Lawton
Colonial Williamsburg is filled with activities kids will be interested in, like this area with historical childrens' games.
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Beth Lawton
Cannon and other demonstrations take place throughout the day at Colonial Williamsburg.
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Inside The King's Arms Tavern, open for lunch and dinner.
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The blacksmith at work in Colonial Williamsburg.
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A woman works in the tin smith's shop at Colonial Williamsburg.
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Sheep and other animals are kept in many gardens at Colonial Williamsburg.
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Gun demonstrations at Colonial Williamsburg.
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Children (and adults) are able to get up close to many artifacts and replicas from the 18th Century in Colonial Williamsburg.
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Beth Lawton
A condo at King's Creek Plantation near Colonial Williamsburg.
My husband had been to Colonial Williamsburg in middle school 25 years ago, neither I nor our kids (a 6-year-old boy and 4-year-old girl) had been there before. We had a great time, but we made a few rookie mistakes along the way that you should be able to avoid with proper planning.
After a quick stop at the Visitors Center for maps and basic information, we proceeded along the path to the city. You do not need a ticket to simply walk around the Colonial Williamsburg city, and we decided to go without tickets — in part because we didn’t want to stand in the long line at the Visitors Center.
That was our first mistake. We quickly learned that if you want to enter any buildings, art museums, gardens or participate in activities, a ticket is required. (We ended up buying tickets on my iPhone while standing outside a children’s activity area within an hour of arriving. We couldn't take advantage of any discounts on the price, but it was faster and more convenient than waiting in the line at the Visitor’s Center.)
Typically, single-day adult admission tickets are $40.99 per person, and a 3-day pass is $50.99. Tickets for children are $20.49 for a single day and $25.49 for a 3-day pass. There are several ways to save on the ticket price. 'Bring a Friend' days, discounts for military and veterans, purchasing an annual pass if you think you’ll be back soon, or using a Bundle It! package that combines hotel and tickets are a few ways. It’s worthwhile to look for deals online.
Throughout the day, we visited a wide variety of interesting tours and activities: The Governor’s Palace, Market Square, the Magazine, the Geddy House, the Patriots at Play children’s game area, watching a cannon fire, and stopping to say hello to the horses drawing carriages (you need a reservation for a ride, and those book up early in the day). The children were particularly engaged at the Tin Shop and Wigmaker — all included with a daily ticket.
Our second mistake: Food. Food concessions are available, but the few sit-down dining taverns in Colonial Williamsburg get crowded quickly. Even though we arrived within half an hour of the King’s Arms Tavern opening, we had a 30-minute wait to be seated. Fortunately, there are several small shops in the area and we stopped in a few of them while we waited for our table.
We recommend that you go to your restaurant and eat a bit early, make reservations, or have plans to do things while waiting for your table. And bring snacks and water with you.
The afternoon was filled with exploring and watching demonstrations at the Public Armoury, including the tucked-away Tin Shop; we also visited the Wigmaker, Gunsmith Shop and more before heading home to crash.
We easily could have spent a second day (and possibly a third) in Colonial Williamsburg alone — the top of our list for day two would include the live slave auction, Shoemaker, Public Hospital of 1773, the Printing Office & Bindery and a Ghost Tour.
Lodging
We stayed in a rented condo at King’s Creek Plantation, a vacation and time-share community about 10 minutes from Colonial Williamsburg. In addition to a full and well-equipped kitchen to save money on meals, the one-bedroom condo had a washer and dryer.
The community features multiple pools, a playground, picnic area, miniature golf, horseshoes, a clubhouse and a number of planned activities for all ages. King’s Creek Plantation is located just two minutes from a Target (with a Starbucks), Kohl’s, Best Buy and Dicks. It is also just minutes from a variety of restaurants and the Williamsburg Premium Outlets. At check-in, we received a free Colonial Guide with coupons for dining and activities, including the Williamsburg Winery, Ripley’s Believe It Or Not Museum and Yankee Candle Village.
While King’s Creek Plantation was not a part of a Bundle It! package, dozens of chain and independent hotels, motels and inns are included. You can also look online to create packages that include Busch Gardens, Water Country USA, and other historic sites such as York and Jamestown.
4 Trip Tips
Map it out. With so much to see and do and explore, it’s wise to take some time looking at maps, attractions and events in Colonial Williamsburg before you go. If you don’t have the time to do that or are concerned about missing something, take an orientation tour (offered daily from 9:30 a.m. to 1 p.m.) for a great overview of can’t-miss stops. If you have a few hours to plan and you’re going with children, visit MotherofAllTrips.com and TravelSavvyMom.com for suggestions on what to do, see and eat in Colonial Williamsburg.
Make dinner reservations. For lunch, arrive at the restaurant as soon as it opens and eat early, or put yourself on the waiting list and have plans to visit some of the attractions close by. For dinner, you’ll want to make reservations. If you have kids with you, consider bringing snacks.
Ways to save on tickets. There’s no need to stand in line at the Visitors Center. You can buy tickets online in advance or through your mobile device once you get there. Do an online search for Bring a Friend days, Military and Veteran discounts and more. There are many ways you can also bundle your tickets with hotel stays and other local attractions, including Busch Gardens, Water Country USA, other historic sites such as Yorktown and Jamestown. Good websites to start with include reservewilliamsburg.com and visitwilliamsburg.com.
What to wear. Dress in layers and wear good, sturdy walking shoes with a thick sole. The streets in the 1700s were not paved, and you’ll spend the day walking on packed dirt roads, cobblestones, brick and grass. If you have a child young enough for a stroller, leave the mini umbrella stroller home and bring a stroller with larger tires.
Also in the Area
If you have time after exhausting Colonial Williamsburg, the area has a ton of other attractions to meet just about any energy level and interest. Here are some of the more popular options:
- Historic Sites at Jamestown and Yorktown
- Busch Gardens
- Water Country USA
- Williamsburg Outlets
- Williamsburg Winery
