Williamsburg VA....need info and help!

[kimbac3]

Hi everyone!
I want to take my family to Colonial Williamsburg, Jamestown and Yorktown. How many days - minimum should I plan for? I was thinking 3 full days - sometime in Oct or early Nov. Would this be enough to really see alot and experience some of the atmosphere? Also do I need to pay to park at the visitors centers ( at any of the above places)? I want to take the kids on the "haunted" walks too..has anyone done any of them?
I also could use hotel recommendations. The room has to be able to sleep 5. I was thinking about the Govenor's Inn. Anyone have any experience with this place?
Any other info or tips you have would be great!!
Thanks In Advance,
Kimba

 

[NCRedding]

We love Colonial Williamsburg. Oct is a great time to go--still warm, but not so incredibly humid as in the summer. I have spend weeks there and still not seen everything that I want to. I would recommend spending two full days at Colonial Williamsburg, then dividing the other day between Jamestown and Yorktown Victory Center--there is a joint ticket for these two that can be used over several days. With children, I think Jamestown reenactment area is more interesting than the actual Jamestown in the National Park.

I haven't done the tour, or stayed at Governors Inn. I don't recall any fee to park at Jamestown or Yorktown, can't remember about the visitor center at CW,

 

[Mandabella]

The haunted candleight tours really depend on your tour guide. Ours was okay, but our guide was kinda annoying.

Are you planning on visiting Busch Gardens? If so, I'd give yourself as least a day to do that.

 

[Jen_in_NH]

Plan on 2 days for Colonial Williamsburg, and less than a full day each for Jamestown and Yorktown. The haunted tours were really cool, and there was another one they did at night that was awesome, but I can't remember what the name was. Busch Gardens is fun too, but I don't remember when they close for the season.

Parking is free at the Visitor's center, but you need a ticket to use the bus system. I don't think you have to pay anything if you're going to walk over to the historic area (it's a pretty quick walk, less than 1/2 mile). I'll ask my parents though (my dad is a bus driver for CW)

Have a great trip - it's a really great area.

Jen

 

[HOGFAN]

While your down this way, make time to go see Monticello. Less than 2 hours drive from Williamsburg. worth the trip.

 

[HOGFAN]

there is a back way into CW that you can do for free , but unless you have a ticket from the Visitors center you cant go into any of the houses or exhibits.

 

[hiwaygal]

Hi everyone!
I want to take my family to Colonial Williamsburg, Jamestown and Yorktown. How many days - minimum should I plan for? I was thinking 3 full days - sometime in Oct or early Nov. Would this be enough to really see alot and experience some of the atmosphere? Also do I need to pay to park at the visitors centers ( at any of the above places)? I want to take the kids on the "haunted" walks too..has anyone done any of them?
I also could use hotel recommendations. The room has to be able to sleep 5. I was thinking about the Govenor's Inn. Anyone have any experience with this place?
Any other info or tips you have would be great!!
Thanks In Advance,
Kimba

You could easily spend three or four days in CW alone...if you plan to see everything. However, my guess is you probably don't want to spend that much time at the different *museums* (which are different than the historic area, but still run by CW). But three full days for everything, is probably enough to get a good experience.

To do JUST the historic area, remember it's only "open" from 8am to 5pm, so to see all of it, you'll need at least two days. The good thing about Oct/Nov is it's not too busy. You will want to buy the "mid-level" pass since it will allow you to see more of the buildings. It used to be called the governor's pass, but that may have changed.

For Jamestown, give yourself a day, for Yorktown, half a day.

Also plan a visit to President's Park (it's maybe 10 minutes from CW).

Busch Gardens will most likely not be open. They close around the end of October and even through October, they are only open on weekends.

You do not need to pay to park at any of the visitor centers.

CW does LOTS of night programs, and I like all of them. The haunted tours used to be done by "outside" groups, and didn't have the option of going into any of the buildings, but CW may be doing some of the tours themselves nowadays. Ask any tourguides about the ghosts in the Peyton-Randolph house.

The Governor's Inn is "famous" for housing student groups when they come in the spring. I would recommend something else...because I live close-by, I don't really know which are the "best", but all of the chains are here. You could even stay at the new Great Wolf Lodge!!!

I live about 20 minutes from Williamsburg, and worked at CW (in a previous life). I'll be more than happy to answer any questions if you want to PM me!

Also, visit CW's website for more info: http://www.colonialwilliamsburg.com/

 

[kimbac3]

I really appreciate everyone's help! My biggest problem is that I've been spoiled by Disney and all the advance planning I can do. Williamsburg events are only listed a few months ahead!
Oh- one more question (for now) can we still do Williamsburg and Jamestown and Yorktown in the rain? I mean I hope it doesn't rain but...well it is weather. Is it like Disney in that we can duck into places to get out of the rain?
Any and all tips are welcome!!
Thanks Again!
Kimba

 

[hiwaygal]

Yes, you can still tour in the rain. Most of the interpretive sites are inside buildings, so you would only have to walk between them in the rain (not too far).

CW has a few tavern restaurants on the east side of town (nearer the Capitol building, with one next to the Courthouse). And there are stores and some restaurants in Merchants Square (at the west end of town, nearer to William and Mary). That's not to say that there aren't HUNDREDS of eating places outside of the historical area.

Jamestown is very similar in that you go from building to building (for the most part)...but, I think the only "eating" place is at the visitors center.

I'm not sure about Yorktown...

 

[grlpwrd]

I live about 30 minutes away from Williamsburg. I took our 5 kids and my MIL this past year to the Historic Triangle, which is Jamestown, Colonial Williamsburg, and Yorktown - all in historical order.

I would also like to recommend you make reservations for one of the taverns in the historic area. It's a unique dining experience.

If it rains it's do-able, but it doesn't mean you'll always have a place to go indoors so conveniently like WDW. Colonial Williamsburg has buildings you can enter if you have a membership, at the Jamestown Settlement you walk a lot, but there are historic based buildings and the visitor's center (among other things), and Yorktown you can do your own walking tour and visit the Battlefield and other points of interests which is quite a trek yet there's the Visitor's Center and a gift shop. Definitely bring a poncho or umbrella just in case.

2007 is a big deal for Jamestown because it's our country's (Jamestown's) 400th anniversary. Here is the website with details: http://www.jamestown2007.org/home.cfm There are links for visiting the Historic Triangle.

Hope this helps and GL!

 

[rascalmom]

I've done two trips to CW - each with groups of about 35 -45 5th graders (I went as a chaperone with each of my dd's class trips). We stayed in Williamsburg at a Quality Suites - it was nice because of the size of the rooms and a nice indoor pool. Not a new property, by any means, but clean.

I've heard good things about several of the area timeshares - you might check into some of those for some more options.

We did do a reserved meal at one of the taverns - definitely would be a must-do whenever we go back. The food was good & the servers were all dressed in period clothing & made the meal very fun for the kids.

We did do the lamplight tour - they took our group around with a private guide & we went into about 3 or 4 of the historic buildings to listen to the storytellers. GREAT!!!

When it gets nearer to your travel date, check their schedule to see if you can be there when "Thomas Jefferson" appears. The actor is very good - I understand he has been doing it for a number of years.

The first time we went we also did the Witch Trial. I thought it was very good. We were there our very first night about 2 hours after our plane landed - some of the kids were too wired & fidgety to really enjoy it, but I think under different circumstances they all would have like it. My dd has talked about this often when telling about our trip.

Both times, we spent about 2 days in CW. Not enough time for me, but it did give the kids a good look at all of the highlights. I would take at least 3 days with a family so that you can see things at a more leisurely pace.

We did Jamestown & Yorktown each in about 1/2 a day. My kids love the ship replicas at Jamestown Settlement. Monticello is very near that area - this was our favorite site of the whole trip. Very worthwhile!

 

[mcnuss]

I agree with everything that has been said about dates, amount of time, rain, etc... We went during the Christmas season last year, and did one of the themed dinners at one of the taverns. We stayed at the Hilton Garden Inn which was fabulous. Very new and immaculate. I think there was a pool but it was December so I wasn't really looking! We got an amazing deal - $89/night for 3 of us, including a full breakfast in the restaurant. Another option is one of the great timeshares in the area. They do nightly rentals of the un-exchanged units, and my folks have stayed at both of the Fairfield Resorts and loved them. i think one is the Fairfield Williamsburg and the other may be Powhattan Plantation.