Last visited 4/22
We stayed at Wyndham Williamsburg Kingsgate
So, Williamsburg is NOT off the beaten track, hence the different title. BUT...it's a great place to experience, and every season has a different flavor to it. We have visited several times to this location in all of the seasons, and each is cool in its own way. Make sure you ask questions to the costumed workers, they love it!
Start at the visitors center where you will buy your tickets. There are a variety of choices to make...day pass? Multi-day pass? Yearly? They even have a combo ticket for Williamsburg, Yorktown and the Jamestown Settlement...NOT historic Jamestowne! Williamsburg is a lot to see in one day, and not all of the stores are open on the same day, so a multi-day pass may be for you. If you plan to visit more than once in a year, then the yearly pass is definitely the way to go. Find more information here: https://www.colonialwilliamsburg.org/
The free bus system runs from the visitors center to various stops around Colonial Williamsburg. It is a hop on- hop off deal when and where you want. They run about every 10-15 minutes, so space is not usually a problem except in peak times. We generally start at the Palace stop, but any are good.
The Palace is a reconstruction of one that had burned down in the early 1900s based on well documented blueprints from the original building. It is full of period style furniture, paintings and carpeting, some original to the building.
Personally, I believe the gardens are best seen in spring when all the flowers are in bloom, but they are also stunning in fall and winter. Make sure that you take a stroll around the pond and try the hedge labyrinth.
Follow the central pathway from the front of the Palace to Duke of Gloucester Street, where you will find a variety of small stores and craftsman homes where you can meet period workers doing jobs that were found during that era...wig makers, cobblers, seamstresses, blacksmithing, etc. Many of these craftsman have completed internships through the Colonial Williamsburg Foundation learning their crafts.
Most of the crowds will be found on Duke of Gloucester street (main street), so don't be afraid to walk down the back streets to see gardens, animals and side areas that are just as beautiful. Some gardens allow visitors to walk through them, but not all of them, so be sure to check if they are private, or not.
Bruton Parish Church is privately owned by the Episcopal church, and has self guided tours of both the church and the graveyard. Volunteers from the church are available to answer any questions you may have. Visitors are welcome to join the worship services. Further down the Duke of Gloucester street, towards Merchant's Square, is a small church run shop that gives more information about the history and outreach programs the church sponsors.
Spotted around the historic area you will see a variety of animals...horses, oxen, sheep, chickens just to name a few. Colonial Williamsburg sponsors a Rare Breeds program dedicated to the genetic diversity of livestock. A rare breed specifically means that the specie has less than 1,000 animals registered in North America. Colonial Williamsburg takes part in breeding Leicester Longwool sheep, Cleveland Bay horses and American Milking Red Devons. Prior to Covid, Williamsburg offered sessions to learn more about the animals and breeding, but I am not sure this is still offered.
Now, I will take the time to share Nathan's most favorite spot in the whole wide world. Wythe's Candy Shoppe in Merchant's Square. Kids of any age will love to look around this shop. They have homemade fudges, chocolate covered everything, and candy apples they make on site. They have old fashioned candies that we old people grew up on and a huge variety of gummies to rot your kids teeth.
If you are looking for something special to mark the day, we have taken carriage rides through town several times. This is especially cool if you have little ones as it makes them feel like they are royalty with everyone looking at and waving to them as you go through town. Along with this, if you have young ones, or clueless older ones, make sure that you keep a hand on them unless you want to take home a souvenir of a lesser quality than you may want.
Always a good photo op is to get your child into the stockades, but they were closed due to Covid when we had visited
Two nice places to eat downtown are Christiana Campbell's Tavern, pictured below, and the King's Arms Tavern, although there are several more, especially down near Merchant's Square. Both of these tend to be a more expensive "sit down" type of meal experience, but offer excellent foods. If you are looking for a quick bite at lunch, Shield's Tavern may offer a better selection. It also has an outside dining area for nice days.
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