Williamsburg, Virginia Guide

A multitude of attractions await the entire family in Williamsburg, Virginia, which is home to Colonial Williamsburg, the restored 18th-century capital of colonial Virginia and the largest history museum in the United States. Colonial Williamsburg lies within Virginia’s Historic Triangle, which includes Historic Jamestowne, site of the first permanent English-speaking colony in North America, and Historic Yorktown, site of the last major battle of the American Revolution.

Stroll through the 301-acre Colonial Williamsburg Historic Area, which comprises 88 original buildings and hundreds of homes, shops, public buildings and other structures that have been reconstructed, most on their original foundations. Guests can engage in hands-on activities with brickmakers, silversmiths, founders, wigmakers, blacksmiths, gunsmiths and carpenters. Plenty of activities can be enjoyed at Colonial Williamsburg after the sun sets such as candlelight tours, 18th-century plays and evening programs, or a unique dining experience at an authentic 18th-century tavern.

Explore the nation’s beginnings at Historic Jamestowne, where the 1607 site of America’s first permanent English colony is preserved and interpreted. Visitors can witness archaeology in action at the 1607 James Fort excavation and unearthed artifacts displayed in the Archaearium, view the originally 17th-century church tower on a walking tour of the historic town site, explore Visitor Center exhibits and multimedia presentations, watch costumed glassblowers at the Glasshouse and drive the scenic Island Drive. Jamestown Settlement living-history museum offers daily guided tours, historical interpretation at outdoor re-creations of a Powhatan Indian Village, 1607 English ships, a colonial fort and riverfront discovery area. The Yorktown Battlefield includes fortification and siege lines, Surrender Field and the Moore House, where negotiations for Cornwallis’ surrender took place. At the state-operated Yorktown Victory Center, innovative exhibits and an evocative film chronicle the Revolutionary era from the beginnings of Colonial unrest to the emergence of the new nation, drawing from the perspectives of ordinary men and women.

The Williamsburg area also boasts fun-filled theme parks such as Busch Gardens Europe and Water Country U.S.A., as well as championship golf courses, outdoor recreational activities, world-class dining and more than 150 factory and designer outlet stores.

Don’t miss the opportunity to tour the beautiful campus of The College of William and Mary (founded in 1693!), which is considered one of the best small public universities in the United States. The College of William and Mary is the second oldest college in the United States after Harvard. The campus includes the nation’s oldest academic building in continuous use (Wren Building), several early 18th-century buildings and a network of peaceful, tree-lined brick walkways.

Getting To and Around Williamsburg
Williamsburg is located in Virginia’s Tidewater region, approximately 20 minutes from Newport News, within an hour’s drive of Richmond and Norfolk, and 150 miles South of Washington, D.C., off Interstate 64. Three airports provide convenient service to Historic Triangle: Newport News/Williamsburg International Airport, 20 minutes from Williamsburg; Norfolk International Airport, 50 minutes away; and Richmond International Airport, also 50 minutes from Williamsburg. In addition, Amtrak offers direct service to Williamsburg from Boston, New York, Philadelphia, Baltimore, Washington, D.C. and Richmond. Nationwide Trailways bus service is also available.

The Williamsburg Area Transport (WAT) provides local public transit year-round and routes to the Williamsburg attractions with pickups every half hour. The $1.25 fare for adults and children over 6 years of age is valid for an entire day.

Williamsburg Restaurants
In addition to a multitude of family dining establishments and Colonial Williamsburg tavern fare (King’s Arms Tavern, Shields Tavern, Chowning’s Tavern and Christiana Campbell’s Tavern), the Historic Triangle features a myriad of fine dining venues. Joining the classic Regency Room at the Williamsburg Inn, the world-renowned Trellis Restaurant (owned by famous chef and Death by Chocolate author, Marcel Desaulniers) and local favorite Berret’s Seafood and Taphouse Grill are a host of options. Among more recent debuts are the Riverwalk Restaurant, which lies on the scenic waterfront in Historic Yorktown; A Chef’s Kitchen in the heart of historic Williamsburg; and Fat Canary at Merchants Square adjacent to Colonial Williamsburg.

Family-friendly restaurants in the Williamsburg area include The Library Tavern, Milano’s Italian Restaurant, Marino’s Italian Cuisine, Sal’s Ristorante Italiano, The Seafare & Steakhouse of Williamsburg, Firehouse Chophouse Steak & Seafood, Red Hot & Blue, Mirabella’s Italian & American Grille and Capital Pancake & Waffle House, among others.

Williamsburg Golf
One of the best golf vacation destinations in the Eastern United States, the Williamsburg area boasts more than a dozen championship golf courses. In fact, Williamsburg has been ranked in the top 50 greatest golf destinations in the world by Golf Digest. Many Williamsburg golf courses were designed by legendary golf architects such as Robert Trent Jones, Jack Nicklaus, Pete Dye and Arnold Palmer. A handful of Williamsburg courses also have been ranked in Golf Week’s list of Virginia’s top 10 golf courses.

Notable Williamsburg area golf courses include Colonial Williamsburg’s 36-hole Golden Horseshoe Golf Club (host of the 2007 NCAA Division 1 Men’s Golf Championship), Williamsburg National Golf Club by Jack Nicklaus Design Associates, Ford’s Colony Country Club, Kingsmill Resort & Spa (site of the LPGA Michelob ULTRA Open each May) and Kiskiack Golf Club, among others.

Williamsburg Shopping
More than 150 factory and designer outlet stores can be found within Virginia’s Historic Triangle. Prime Outlets at Williamsburg, the area’s largest outlet center, boasts more than 80 brand-name outlet stores, including Coach, Eddie Bauer, Liz Claiborne, Nine West, Nike, Nautica and Waterford. The Williamsburg Outlet Mall, the area’s only fully enclosed outlet mall, features another 40 outlet stores.

Other great shopping destinations in the Williamsburg area include Merchants Square, Patriot Plaza Premium Outlets, Williamsburg Antique Mall (approximately 400 antique dealers and more than 45,000 square feet of space), The Candle Factory, Williamsburg General Store and the Williamsburg Pottery Factory, which features 200 acres of pottery, fine china, glassware, baskets, wines and cheeses, silk flowers, toys, brass, crafts and many other items for sale.

Also discover unique arts, antiques and reproductions in the quaint and charming village of Yorktown. On the revitalized waterfront, Riverwalk Landing presents 10 recently opened shops that feature fine jewelry, distinctive gifts, patriotic items and whimsical clothing.