Why You Should Take Your Family For A Weekend Trip To Williamsburg, VA
This post is sponsored by Visit Williamsburg but as always all opinions and thoughts are my own 🙂
Since it’s no shock I’m a fan of traveling, let me touch a little bit as to why I choose to travel with my children as often as possible. Most people are fearful of traveling with littles in tow because of the stress it can bring. I get that 100% because, in reality, it can be stressful with schedules and being out of their comfortable environment. But let me tell you why it’s healthy to include kids on your adventures. Not only is it a break from technology and a wonderful learning experience, but it can open their world to experiences like authentic new foods, different cultures, etc. that aren’t available in a classroom. So being the history buffs Matt and I are, our recent trip settled on a place near and dear to America’s deep history: Williamsburg, VA. Have you visited Greater Williamsburg?
The English settled their first permanent colony right outside of Williamsburg in Jamestown, Virginia, in 1607 so as a huge Hamilton buff, I was dying when I found out we were going there. I don’t know about you when you travel, but most of the places, especially those rich in history, leave a special place in my heart, and Williamsburg was no exception. I already miss it and watched The Patriot as soon as I got home to relive my time there. So what is there to do in the Williamsburg area, you may ask? Allow me to show you all the fun we had during our weekend stay.
Where Did We Stay?
We stayed at the Lewis House in Colonial Williamsburg, located on the corner of Colonial Avenue and East Francis Street. The colonial homes are an innovative way to transport yourself into the 18th-century while still enjoying the amenities of our modern age. They are phenomenal at preserving American colonial history, and I truly felt like I was in a movie.
We had some travel issues the day of but did make it in time to stroll around the downtown area. I was also pretty ecstatic to soak in the beautiful fall foliage that was still in full effect.
Where To Go Downtown/ Merchant’s Square?
We went to the “downtown” area in Merchants Square pretty often since it was just a few blocks from our house. It was a decent walk, but we did it each night to get some exercise and soak in the scenery. Here are some of the places we ate at while in the Square:
La Piazza – We carried our meal to the square to enjoy at the outdoor seating.
Kilwins– The girls loved getting ice cream at Kilwin’s.
Blue Talon Bistro – the cutest little French-esque restaurant that we found very charming on the corner. We tried to go there for dinner Friday night but we couldn’t get in so we opted for breakfast instead on Saturday morning. I’m so glad we did, the salmon croquettes were delish.
Retro’s Good Eats – Their food is delicious, fast, and affordable! Plus, it’s super cute. We ordered their burgers, milkshakes, fried pickles, French fries, and steak.
Chowning’s Tavern – Their Colonial-inspired pub fare in an authentic colonial pub atmosphere has favorites from our founding fathers, including Shepherd’s Pye. Our friends who had visited before recommended it before we even got there!
Berrett’s Seafood Restaurant & Taphouse – Voted Best Seafood Restaurant for over 10 years! The kids loved the food here, and so did we, a win-win! They had cute kiddos drinks with gummy sharks in them.
Honorable mentions that we didn’t get to try but looked so good: Cheese Shop, Fat Canary and Amber Ox Public House.
American Revolution Museum at Yorktown
This was the first museum we went to during our trip. The girls and also us adults had a fabulous time. I was soaking in every bit of history. They also did a great job with social distancing guidelines. The place is super informative with excellent short videos and lots of displays inside. Then, you can move outside where they have people dressed in 18th period costumes to explain the life and times of early settlers, learn about the life of a soldier, and watch daily demonstrations on medical treatment, camp life, and cooking. That was my favorite part. The people were super friendly and educational.
Yorktown
After the museum, we made the best of our late morning visiting Yorktown and having lunch. We ate at Water Street Grille at Riverwalk Landing in Historic Yorktown. It was our first time having crab pesto pizza and my first sherry crab soup. Afterward, we walked around the beach.
Busch Gardens Williamsburg
After lunch and a quick nap to recharge, we headed to Busch Gardens. I know what you’re thinking, an amusement park during a pandemic, but hold on… they did an amazing job. They took temperatures upon arrival, plus you had to sign up for designated times because they only allow a limited number of guests in the park at a time while maintaining social distancing. We had 3-7 pm reservations. We walked around the park and let the girls play in Sesame Street Forest of Fun. They rode The Little Balloons and The Little Gliders, and we sipped on some apple cider. The fall decorations were so fun. They also have 15 roller coasters for the bigger kids/adults. We grabbed a quick bite while we were there at Marco Polo’s Marketplace, which had an assortment of menu items to grab and go.
After the park, we headed back to Colonial Williamsburg for an evening stroll through the colonial homes to watch the carriage rides (if you want to book one, make sure to get there early to reserve it in the morning) and take in the crisp fall evening. We walked back to the square and had more custard shakes from Retro’s Good Eats and then finished the evening at our house watching Hamilton (because we felt it would be appropriate).
Jamestown Settlement
Jamestown Settlement is located near the site of the original colony and tells the story of the arrival of English colonists in 1607. I loved exploring the world of Jamestown and learning more about our nation’s settlement and growth through the gallery exhibits, films, interactive exhibits, and the outdoor experience. The museum told us about the cultures of not only settling Europeans but also the Powhatan Indians and west-central Africans who converged in 17th-century Virginia to originate our colonies.
The outdoor areas, open 10 am – 4:30 pm, are filled with historical interpreters who describe and demonstrate our settlers’ daily life in early Jamestown. You can also climb aboard a re-creation of one of the ships that sailed from England to Virginia.
After visiting the settlement where I could’ve walked around for hours, we trekked over to lunch at Culture Cafe. This eclectic place was the cutest and completely my vibe, as my husband said.
Back To Colonial Williamsburg
I couldn’t get enough of this charming place, so we headed back to spend our evening strolling once more. We learned about making bricks, toured the Governor’s Palace and gardens, swung from trees, and stopped by the taverns. The weather was perfect the entire time we were there, so we lucked out. I still can’t get over the beauty of this place; even just driving to Jamestown, I was in awe of the beauty and nature all around me.
This is definitely one of the travels that will stay in my heart forever. It had an impact on me. The Williamsburg area is where we started and built this country, and it is one of the destinations that is building memories for my family. I loved learning about our history and teaching my kids along the way while visiting this astounding area full of cultures and history. If you have a long weekend to visit Williamsburg, I highly recommend it and hope my guide of to-dos will help your journey. Traveling and experiencinghistoric places for yourself is one of the best ways to truly learn about preserving history and connecting with our ancestors.
