Williamsburg & surrounding areas in June?

[Magalex]

Just had a fantastic time in WDW, & winter is here in Southwestern PA so to keep myself happy this winter thinking about a June vacation to the Williamsburg VA area. We have a 10 yr old DS so it will be the 2nd week of June. Any great family tips/opinions out there? Have chosen a newer Hampton Inn & Suites near Colonial Williamsburg. Of course thinking trips to B. Gardens, Jamestown Settlement & maybe Virginia Beach. We like to go all day during our vacations. We are a sight seeing family. We don't lay on the beach all day long. How is the weather in June? That time period is our only choice for this school year.

 

[Agri]

June here is about the same as WDW weather. By the time school is out, it is very hot and humid. It is usually about 10 degrees cooler than WDW, but just as humid so you really do not notice a difference. The spring breezes are gone and the heat has settled in for the summer.

When I was in middle school, the building was not air conditioned and we were let out early because of the heat very frequently once June was here.

 

[kirstenb1]

I think you'll have a great vacation! The weather should be upper 80's. You have to go to Water Country USA. We have season passes to BG and Water Country. You could go to the outlets one day. A lot of upscale stores there. There's also a Yankee Candle flagship store just down the road.

Traffic for the beach can be a bear!! I love VB, don't get me wrong. But you should just plan to get stuck in traffic, and be pleasantly surprised if you're not. Anyway, there's a lot to do in the area, so I don't think you'll get bored.

 

[matthew&haleysmom]

I think you'll have a great vacation! The weather should be upper 80's. You have to go to Water Country USA. We have season passes to BG and Water Country. You could go to the outlets one day. A lot of upscale stores there. There's also a Yankee Candle flagship store just down the road.

Traffic for the beach can be a bear!! I love VB, don't get me wrong. But you should just plan to get stuck in traffic, and be pleasantly surprised if you're not. Anyway, there's a lot to do in the area, so I don't think you'll get bored.

Coming to post the same thing! We have passes and try to go a couple of times a week to Water Country. My kids love it!

 

[Magalex]

Thank you for the replies. Yes Water Country USA will be on our list. Our DS will love it. I will be watching the weather carefully the week before. We are usually June visitors to WDW so I know VA can be humid too but I will keep my fingers crossed. How is the Virginia Aquarium & Marine Science Center?

 

[Wishing on a star]

EXCELLENT vacation destination.

We were there in May...
triple digit heat index!!!!!
This area is HOT.

Take watershoes for Water Country, for everyone...
Great Park... NOT feet friendly!
Loved Busch Gardens.

Historic Williamsburg was a big focus for us.
Research their website, use their calendar of events for the week so that you can catch the great demonstrations/activities. We made sure to catch the fife&drum parade from the CourtHouse to the Palace. If there is a Public Audience With Thomas Jefferson... this is highly recommended. The man who does this is well known, and is totally excellent at what he does.

If you wish to have supper in one of the Historic Williamsburg Restaurants. (I loved Christiana Campbells) you should make reservations online before you leave home. It was Memorial Day time when we were there, and we could not get reservations.

You might want to search around and see what deals you might be able to get at a Timeshare Resort like GreenSprings. We had a week at Greensprings Plantation... Full kitchen, Nice pool area, probably much better than most motels.

From the resort, we took a day tour to DC.
Not that I am advising this. But, if that would be something you would want on your agenda... You can see DC without driving. Had a great time there too!

I would send you a link to our pictures, but I don't think they are set up for public viewing without logging into our account... I would have to go see what I need to do.

 

[Promomx2]

Welcome to Va! We were just up there in Sharon, Pa for thanksgiving. While you're in va check out nauticus in norfolk and definitely check out va. beach.

 

[marcyinPA]

We went to Wbg the second week of June last year. The weather was hot. Not unbearable, but hot.

We stayed at a Days Inn which was a dump, but I think I know the Hampton Inn you are booked at and I remember wishing we were staying there! LOL

There is a Cracker Barrel, a Pizzeria Uno, and a Golden Corral very close to where you are staying, and tons of restaurants not too far down the road.

We did Busch Gardens, Colonial Wbg, and Water Country. We bought the "bounce pass" which was a GREAT deal, even though we only had three full days. It included parking, which made the value even greater.

We also bought the meal vouchers for BG/WC. I don't recommend them. Not a good deal, not remotely close to WDW meal plan.

My family LOVED WC. LOVED IT. We could have done this twice. We went on a day that was not busy, and the weather was perfect. We did not wear water shoes, but wore flip flops to walk from ride to ride. It worked out. My kids loved the Hubba Hubba Highway...we could have stayed there all day long!!

BG was nice, but easily do-able in one day. It was not crowded at all the day we went, so lines were short. I highly recommend seeing the Irish Dance show. It was fantastic!! We were lucky to be chosen to sit up front and center....when you see the show, you'll know what I mean!

Unfortunately, CWbg was a bit of a flop for us. The reinactment stuff in the morning was really good...we all enjoyed that a lot! After a certain time of day, though, there was not much going on. It is a LOT of walking, on gravel. Just sayin. Plan your time out accordingly so you don't keep backtracking. We ate lunch at Chownings Tavern. It was an expensive disappointment. Food was lackluster...sandwiches....nothing special. Cost a small fortune. The "signature" beer was good though!

All in all, a good vacation. I don't know if we will go back again, but I'm glad we tried it once!

 

[Julie*]

We were in Williamsburg last summer and stayed at that Hampton Inn for 5 nights and had a wonderful time- I agree with everyone else that WC was a big hit for both of our kids. My 10 year old also loved BG and went back twice with her teenage cousins. We also had the bounce pass which was a great deal and gave us so much flexibility.
The hit for my 7 year old though was Jamestown. He LOVED it there- so hands on and just the best day of the week for him.

We did not make it to Virginia Beach this trip but I do love it there too.

 

[luvmyfam444]

Did you know you can stay a night in the old homes there in Williamsburg? Whenever we get around to making that trip I think that's something we must do - at least for 1 night.

We were in DC in July this summer & it was HOT - during their heat way - 98 degrees. But we were indoors most of the time & we had our misting fans with us & all was fine.

 

[Wishing on a star]

After a certain time of day, though, there was not much going on.

Hhhhmmmm?????
That really seems odd.

In our experience this year, the living history reinactment shows (Redcoats, George Washington, Reading of Dec. of Inc.) were from about 3:00 - 5:00 in the afternoon, as they usually always are. The parade that we made sure for DS to see, the boys fife and drum corp, was, I think, at 1:00 in the afternoon.

The only thing that we saw on the calendar in the mornings that we didn't want to miss was the one Audience With A Founding Father, with Pres. Thomas Jefferson.
We completed our tour of the Capitol Building, complete with the actual chair that Thomas Jefferson sat in (which was never damaged or burned) just in time to see him speak.

Anyhow, there is a lot to do and see in the area, so it is to be noted that one can go by the calendar schedule, as it is not like spending open-midnight at WDW. Not at all. Plenty of time to swim at your pool, try area restaurants and other sites!!!

PS: to the OP, The carriage rides are so neat... They do not sell these in advance... So, you would want to be among the first in line at the counters in the Welcome Center Ticket Sales that morning.

Yes, as the prev. poster mentioned... the lunches offered now are limited, not like they were, not like the dinner offerings... and very lackluster.

I had really wanted to go to Christiana Campbell's Tavern again, and have the sweet potato rolls that are just to-die-for, and the crab stuffed shrimp appetizer. I was disappointed that they were booked up so far in advance.

 

[olwyngdh]

Getting down to VA Beach/Norfolk area from here on the peninsula can be a bear, but we do have beaches here too Yorktown has a really nice beach--river, not the ocean, but still nice. There is also Buckroe Beach. http://buckroebeach.net/

Virginia Air and Space is in Hampton. http://www.vasc.org/

The Mariners Museum is in Newport News, and it has the turret from the Monitor and all sorts of neat stuff. http://www.marinersmuseum.org/

Virginia Living Museum is in Newport News also. http://www.thevlm.org/

Fort Eustis has the Army Transportation Museum. http://www.virginia.org/site/description.asp?attrid=43029

Jamestown has 2 places to go--Historic Jamestown and Jamestown Settlement. Historic Jamestown is a National Park, and admission also includes admission to Yorktown Battlefield. Yorktown also has the Yorktown Victory Center.

I am originally from NW PA (Meadville), and the heat and humidity here get to me, and you don't have the benefit of wait 15 minutes, the weather will change. That said, it is a wonderful area to visit, and I am enjoying our time stationed here.

 

[Wishing on a star]

The beach on the river at Yorktown looks really nice!!!!
As mentioned, we were there over Memorial Day time, and it looked like one big beach party! It was packed... If we had been prepared, we could have brought what we needed, and just taken the shuttle from the Victory Center to the beach and back... As, of course, at busy times, parking along the beach might be difficult.

 

[olwyngdh]

We also bought the meal vouchers for BG/WC. I don't recommend them. Not a good deal, not remotely close to WDW meal plan.

We are annual pass people for BG--after all, it is only about 20 miles--and I laugh every time someone complains about Disney food. BG? Blech! You can only eat German so many times, and so little else is good, and nothing is worth what they charge

But we eat it anyhow after all, it is that, or leave the park!

 

[lovetoscrap]

Historic Jamestown is probably less interesting for a 10 year old. It is the actual site of Jamestown and there isn't much there for kids unless they really like history. Jamestown Settlement is a reenactment type area. Lot of hands on things for kids, lots to see, houses to go in, games to play, armor to put on and more. The replicas of the ships are there and you can go on them and explore.

Also for a 10 year old there is a Go Cart place in Williamsburg that is a lot of fun. You will see coupons for it in the Tourist Magazines that are everywhere. There is also Ripley's Museum in Williamsburg that you all might enjoy.

In Colonial Williamsburg there is a place in the Visitor's Center where you can rent a costume for your child-- boys get a shirt and a bag I think, girls get a dress with a ribbon. You have to buy or bring your own hats. But when you rent the costume your child gets a letter with instructions from one of the townspeople of things they need done. This helps your child be more involved and interested in the experience. I an not sure what the boys tasks are, but my girls got to plant something in the gardens, get a letter from the book binders and take it to the post office, and a few other little things.

 

[Agri]

Welcome to Va! We were just up there in Sharon, Pa for thanksgiving. While you're in va check out nauticus in norfolk and definitely check out va. beach.

I live in Norfolk and I cannot recommend Nauticus. The other museums in the area are so much better. The Chrysler Museum in Norfolk is the only one I would really recommend someone to spend their time on, but if you're not planning on visiting Norfolk, don't.

I also would not recommend the Air & Space Museum in Hampton if you have been to the one in DC. The one in Hampton is in desperate need of new carpeting and some general upkeep.

If I was coming here for a vacation, I would probably spend a lot of time at BG, WC, and maybe Kings Dominion. The Virginian Living Museum and The Virginia Beach Aquarium & Marine Science Museum are probably the most entertaining museums we have here. The Williamsburg area, including Yorktown and Jamestown, have a lot more to do than the Norfolk/VB area.

 

[bas71873]

EXCELLENT vacation destination.

We were there in May...
triple digit heat index!!!!!
This area is HOT.

We aren't usually that hot that early. Last year was a very abnormally HOT summer. It was absolutely miserable very early and lasted forever. The first part of June is usually very nice weather wise and the humidity hasn't kicked in yet.

Don't forget about Yorktown too. Lots of battlefields there if you are in to that.

 

[nancycg56]

Did you know you can stay a night in the old homes there in Williamsburg? Whenever we get around to making that trip I think that's something we must do - at least for 1 night.

We live about 40 minutes away but DH and I have stayed in the CW homes and they are GREAT! It's so nice to park your car and just walk to everything. We would recommend this! If you like B&B's, there are quite a few and we've stayed at a couple of those. Our DS graduated from William & Mary so we spent quite a bit of time up there

We also love to eat at The Cheese Shop in Merchant's Square. We also like The Trellis restaurant but haven't eaten there in several years so I can't vouch for it anymore. The taverns in CW are so-so. Lots of atmosphere. You can get the baked goods at the Raleigh Tavern bakery (and the root beer) so I usually stop and bring a bag of goodies home. It's behind the Raleigh Tavern on Duke of Gloucester street.

There's also a Ripley's Believe It or Not museum on Rte. 60 if you like kitsch. It's really pretty funny. A mini golf on Bypass Rd (real close to the Cracker Barrel) plus lots of shopping

Yes it's hot here, LOL! And it can be unbelievably humid!

Have a great trip!

 

[scubamouse]

We've done VA beach and Williamsburg the last two years and really enjoyed them. I will warn you that BG is MUCH hotter than WDW. It took our second trip for me to figure out that it's because almost all the rides are outdoors and not air-conditioned.

We love love love water country usa. Dare I say we love it a lot more than Typhoon Lagoon *ducks and runs*

 

[marcyinPA]

Hhhhmmmm?????
That really seems odd.

In our experience this year, the living history reinactment shows (Redcoats, George Washington, Reading of Dec. of Inc.) were from about 3:00 - 5:00 in the afternoon, as they usually always are. The parade that we made sure for DS to see, the boys fife and drum corp, was, I think, at 1:00 in the afternoon.

The only thing that we saw on the calendar in the mornings that we didn't want to miss was the one Audience With A Founding Father, with Pres. Thomas Jefferson.
We completed our tour of the Capitol Building, complete with the actual chair that Thomas Jefferson sat in (which was never damaged or burned) just in time to see him speak.

Anyhow, there is a lot to do and see in the area, so it is to be noted that one can go by the calendar schedule, as it is not like spending open-midnight at WDW. Not at all. Plenty of time to swim at your pool, try area restaurants and other sites!!!

PS: to the OP, The carriage rides are so neat... They do not sell these in advance... So, you would want to be among the first in line at the counters in the Welcome Center Ticket Sales that morning.

Yes, as the prev. poster mentioned... the lunches offered now are limited, not like they were, not like the dinner offerings... and very lackluster.

I had really wanted to go to Christiana Campbell's Tavern again, and have the sweet potato rolls that are just to-die-for, and the crab stuffed shrimp appetizer. I was disappointed that they were booked up so far in advance.

The day we went, all of that re-inactment stuff was in the morning. They do offer different things on different days. We only had one day (well, one hour, and then one day...we got there late on our travel day, picked up our tickets and watched the intro movie in the welcome center).

We did like it, but we didn't LOVE it. I think I had expectations of something else (I don't know what!)....but I'd never tell anyone NOT to go there! It was definitely worth a visit!