Relive History in Virginia's Historic Triangle

Visiting Williamsburg, Virginia, brings you face to face with Colonial America as no other place can. Literally, this area was the center of Colonial America from the founding of Jamestown, the second attempt and first successful attempt at colonization of America by the British, to the Battle of Yorktown, the last battle of the American Revolution, in which the British relinquished control of the colonies and acknowledged their right to self-government. This area was the beginning and the end of British domination over the American colonies.

Williamsburg itself was not a large community through the colonial era; despite being the capital of Virginia, it was not even the largest in the colony, as Norfolk grew much faster in the early days, not to mention that other colonies had much larger capitals, including Philadelphia, Boston, and Charleston. The significance of Williamsburg was that it was the base of political thought that inspired such founding fathers as George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Patrick Henry, and James Madison.

I had the opportunity to spend one week here and saw most of the largest sites. Of course, an area as large as and as rich in history as Williamsburg could captivate a traveler for three or four weeks. I got to see all the major attractions but ran out of time before seeing some of the local museums with the local flair that might be of interest to some people.

Quick Tips:

I recommend a trip to Williamsburg, VA, for anyone interested in history. You will run out of time before seeing everything this area has to offer. I also recommend this trip to any families that are traveling; you will find this area, as with many tourist destinations, a little more expensive than that you are used to, but compared to a trip to Orlando, you will find this trip much more educational for your children and a little cheaper for a week’s entertainment. Finally, I recommend Williamsburg for most first-time travelers to this area; unless you get bored stiff by the mention of history, you will find amusement here. Thrill junkies will enjoy the amusement parks Busch Gardens Williamsburg, and Water Country USA but might get bored after a day at Colonial Williamsburg. There is a little nightlife here but not enough to keep up with the serious partiers.

One final note, before examining the individual attractions of this area, remember that if you are traveling to Williamsburg on your free time, you should spend it doing things that you enjoy. Whether you are on vacation or traveling through your retirement, you should do things that you like, not necessarily what I or any reviewer says is fun. If you enjoy golfing, you should spend a day of your vacation golfing on one of the courses; everyone enjoys a different course now and then. If you enjoy sailing, spend a day taking a boat out to sail the historic Virginia coast. Spend some time doing the things that you enjoy the most and you will get more out of your experience to this (or any) area.

Best Way To Get Around:

If you are spending more then a couple of days in the area, it is essential to have a car to get around in. Colonial Williamsburg is a central location to the area, so you should find a hotel close to it. From there it is about a 20-minute drive to Jamestown, Yorktown, or Busch Gardens. The plantations on River Road and museums in Newport News and Hampton are a little over 30 minutes on either side of Williamsburg.

Also, be sure to bring comfortable shoes to walk around within the attractions. Colonial Williamsburg, in particular, has cobblestone roads, and you will do a lot of walking while you are here.

The one thing that I tell everyone going to Williamsburg for a vacation is to bring comfortable shoes. You will do a lot a walking, and not all the roads are well paved. The best example of this is the walk from the visitor center to the historic area at Colonial Williamsburg, the area's largest attraction.

Of course, you really should go to the visitor center on your first trip to Colonial Williamsburg to see the introductory video and get tickets to the tours and night performances. After that first visit, you will find it more convenient to park closer to the historic area.

Quality Inn Colony is half the distance to the capital building in the historic area compared to the visitor center. If you are in Williamsburg and are going to Colonial Williamsburg for several days or for several night performances, you will see a big advantage to staying within walking distance. You will find it much more convenient to walk from your hotel than park at the visitor center or Merchants Square, where it is difficult to even find a place to park.

This hotel, like others in this neighborhood, also makes a good center point for the other attractions in the Williamsburg area. It is approximately halfway between Jamestown and Yorktown. Going a little farther, it is almost halfway between the plantations on River Road and the museums in Newport News. This is good central point to see the attractions in this region.

Price-wise, the Quality Inn is on the lower end for this area. You will find that everything is a little more expensive in tourist areas such as Williamsburg.

The cleanliness and overall quality on this hotel were good but not exceptional. This is an older hotel but has been kept pretty well. The continental breakfast was nice and the staff was able to answer all the questions I had about the area attractions.

The amenities this hotel offer are similar to others in the neighborhood. There is a pool. All rooms have basic cable TV. There is even a DVD player in every room, with a library for borrowing at the front desk. The continental breakfast is nice but not extraordinary.

I recommend this hotel for anyone visiting Colonial Williamsburg or spending a week or longer, in the area in an effort to see multiple attractions.

"They say that the crabs make the best desserts." That's what my waiter said when I declined a plate to get a dessert with.

Captain George's Seafood Buffet has 70  items on it, including some of the best stuffed crabs, steamed craps, fried, and boiled shrimp that I've ever had.

I normally don't talk much about food or restaurants that I go to on vacation unless they are tied to the region that I am visiting. However, I make an exception for Captain George's, because it really is that good.

There are four taverns in Colonial Williamsburg that will give you a taste of dining in the late 1700s. Dining at one of the taverns will give you a feel for how travelers lived and a taste of colonial food.

First is the Chowning’s Tavern, which serves pit barbecue in an outdoor dining area. Also, the Chowning offers late night entertainment in a colonial style after 9pm.

Campbell’s Tavern offers regional seafood specialties and was said to be George Washington’s favorite place to eat when he visited Williamsburg.

The King’s Arm Tavern offers traditional food in an early American setting.

Finally, the Shields Tavern offers food most closely resembling that which would have been eaten in the taverns in the 18th century.

Also, the Raleigh Tavern Bakery, across from the taverns, offers a unique variety of early American pastry favorites.

Make reservations early for the taverns during the summer months.

The second site on Jamestown Island is a state-run facility. It offers a lot more living history than the original site.

This site is much different from the National Park Service site, which shows the land without interpretation. At this site you will see an Indian village, Fort James, and the ships that brought the settlers to America. Instead of walking around and looking at the framing of buildings, here you see the actual buildings, built in the same style they would have been built almost 400 years ago.

There is a 15-minute film that explains the foundations of the colony. Also, there is an indoor museum with artifacts from the colonial period. Outside, there are three main areas: the Indian village, the fort, and the ships. There are tours every hour that will take you through each of these areas, with an interpreter from that time period. These interpreters will act as members of the societies that they represent: Indians, colonists, and sailors. Take the time to see the tour; you will get much more out of it then just seeing the rebuilt villages alone.

This attraction is mostly for those interested in history. Children will find this much more exciting than the park maintained by the National Park Service, as they will be able to interact with Indians, see a cannon being fired, and climb about a sailing ship. Teenagers and thrill junkies might find short term interest in the sites but will be better served elsewhere. Value-seeking travelers will find this attraction to be a good value, as the price-to-time spent ratio will be fairly low; it takes at least 3 hours to see everything this attraction has to offer.

For visitors who will also see Yorktown, the state also runs the Yorktown Victory Center. If you buy your tickets together, you can save $1.50 per person on each of the attractions. Children from 6 to 12 are half price. Children under 6 are free. The combination ticket with Yorktown can be used on different days, so you can see everything in Jamestown on one day, then go to Yorktown within the next couple of days to redeem the other half of your ticket.

Website: www.historyisfun.org

Jamestown was the first permanent settlement of the British on the continent of North America. They unsuccessfully settled Roanoke in what is now North Carolina, but after years of despair, that colony disappeared. The settlement of Jamestown precedes the landing at Plymouth Rock by the Pilgrims by about 13 years.

The Jamestown colonists sailed from England in 1606. Unlike the Pilgrims, these settlers came to America as part of the Virginia Company expecting to find gold, silver, and jewels. They started the settlement of Jamestown in a swampy area, which they considered more defensible from the Spanish in the south.

The early days of Jamestown were marked with hardship. Most of the original inhabitants died from starvation or diseases that were unknown to them in England. The colony was marked with such hardship that several times it was almost abandoned.

A lasting piece of American folklore is John Smith and Pocahontas. Many legends exist about the relationship that this pair had, but without a doubt their friendship was the basis of cooperation between the colonists and the natives, and this alone saved the colonists from dieing. The natives supplied the colonists with food to keep them from starving as they taught them to live off the land.

As the colony began to flourish and the threat of the Spanish began to diminish, the settlers began to look inland to more sustainable land. Jamestown was established as a very defensible position, but being on swamp land, it was not very livable.

In 1699, the capital of Virginia was moved to Williamsburg. In the next 100 years, Jamestown was almost forgotten, as the original settlement was all but destroyed to make room for the tobacco plantations that sprang up in this region. During the Civil War, earthworks built by the Confederate army destroyed any attempt to excavate the original site of Jamestown. Today, only ruins survive; legends, however, still prosper.

As this site was almost lost to history, today there is no city of Jamestown. The area now featured in the following attraction was plantation and later farm land. Only a small portion of the settlement is now open to the public.

This site is run by the National Park Service. This is the original site of Fort James. A monument to the founding members of the colony and statues of John Smith and Pocahontas stand here. Only moldings of the original buildings exist, giving a small insight to how the colony might have looked. At the park station there is a 10-minute film that gives information on the founding of the colony and the hardships the colonists encountered. Also, park rangers are available to answer any questions that you might have. There is also a short driving path around the island with land markers describing colonial life. Finally, the park has a living history exhibit that demonstrates how glass was made.

I recommend this attraction for those interested in history and for families with young children.

Website: www.historicjamestowne.org

In 1699, the capital of the Virginia colony was moved to Williamsburg. While small compared to other cities, Williamsburg remained relevant as the government seat of the wealthiest and most powerful colony.

Some of the greatest political minds came from Williamsburg. Before George Washington was president, he served as member of the House of Burgesses in Williamsburg. Patrick Henry served in Williamsburg as the first governor of Virginia after it declared its independence in 1776. Thomas Jefferson, author of the Declaration of Independence and third president of the United States, served as the second governor of Virginia. Other influential men of the time as well as families of prominence, whose offspring would shape the course of America’s future, had homes here in Williamsburg.

In 1780, the government seat was moved to Richmond. Williamsburg began to shrink into the history books, with only the College of William and Mary to serve as the resemblance of the historical significance of the city.

In the early 1900s, John D.Rockefeller, Jr. began to restore Williamsburg to its former state. Research was undertaken to build the former capital as it had stood in 1776. Those buildings that had not survived the years were rebuilt just as the stood 150 years earlier; many were rebuilt on the original sites. With few concessions for space, the town closely resembles its former self.

Today, Colonial Williamsburg is the largest living history museum in the United States. As you walk the streets surrounded by historic buildings, the staff is dressed to the time period. Some of the staff and tradesmen in the shops even interact with guests as they would have 200 years ago. All are well versed on the time period and answer questions about their crafts. In some shops you can even place orders for personalized items.

There are also skits performed. In the Randolph House you can hear the slaves talk about the revolution and the family talk about their hardships during that war. In the courthouse (to the right) guests are asked to participate in the reenactment by taking on the roles. You are given the unique opportunity to learn history by being surrounded by it.

Finally, what I considered the highlight to the trip, the tours and performances are an exceptional way to dive deep into a particular piece of the community. There is a broad range of topics discussed both as guided tours and as recreations.

A tip for anyone planning to see any of the tours or performances, these tickets are limited, so you have to get them early. Plan on seeing at least one conversation and one courtroom drama.

Another tip in regards to performances is to purchase the Independence Pass; this pass costs $72 and gets you into all the buildings and an unlimited number of performances for one year. If you see three or more, you will be money ahead.

I recommend this attraction for everyone, especially those interested in history.

Website: www.colonialwilliamsburg.com

The Original Ghosts of Williamsburg Candlelight Tour is not affiliated with Colonial Williamsburg. It does, however, walk you through the same streets telling ghost stories. The guide also tells a lot of historical facts that you don’t learn while walking around Colonial Williamsburg on your own. Even if you don’t believe in ghosts, this tour is fun and informative. The tour costs $9 and generally runs at dusk nightly.

I recommend this tour for anyone interested in history, whether or not you believe in ghosts (I don't).

Website: www.visitwilliamsburg.com/ghost_of_williamsburg.htm

Yorktown was established in 1691 to secure York River. A few years later, the settlement was a thriving tobacco port. The town became one of Virginia’s largest cities by the beginning of the Revolutionary War.

In August 1781, General George Cornwallis led almost half of the British troops fighting in this war to Yorktown. As a ready seaport, he thought this would make a good center to launch a campaign to retake the southern colonies. George Washington and his troops made a forced march from New York to Yorktown. The Continental Army met with several divisions of the French army and began a siege in September.

Due to severe weather and the onslaught of the French fleet, the British navy was unable to dock at Yorktown; thus, Cornwallis was trapped without retreat. By the middle of October, the outlaying defenses, fortified redoubts, had been captured and the British army was left in an indefensible position. Now surrounded by the French and Continental armies, the British surrendered their position without a military charge. The capitulation was signed on the 18th, and on the 19th almost 8,000 British soldiers laid down their arms. While the official armistice was not until a year and a half later, the Battle of Yorktown was the last significant battle of the Revolutionary War.

The siege of the city and a disastrous fire just after the Revolution was the demise of the prosperity in Yorktown. It drifted into the post-Revolution economic depression. Today, Yorktown has industrialized, but a large piece of history is still here to those interested.

The National Park Service operates this site. You begin your tour at the visitor center. Here there is an overlook so you can see the battlefield. From the visitor center you are at the British encampment, and you can see the colonial and French flags in the distance representing their positions during the battle.

A short distance from the battlefield is the Yorktown Victory Monument, which was built in 1881. From here you can also see a beautiful view of the York River and the outskirts of Yorktown.

In the visitor center, there is a 15-minute film about the battle here. It gives some background information leading up to battle and the consequences that it had on the war. There are also a lot of artifacts from the war here as well as the recreation of a war ship and General Washington’s tent.

Finally, there is a driving tour that circles the battlefield. It has signs showing the different parts of the encampments on the outskirts of the battlefield, including where Washington and Lafayette were camped. A tip for those with the ability to bring a compact disc or cassette player is that you can buy a tape at the visitor center that talks you through each of these sites. Once you get to Surrender Field, you have completed the tour.

I recommend this attraction for anyone interested in history or for families with young children.

Website: www.nps.gov/yonb

The second site in Yorktown is the state-run site. Like the sites in Jamestown, the state sites offer a lot more living history than the national park, while the national parks occupy the original sites. The Yorktown Victory Center begins with the Road to Revolution Timeline; as you walk to the gallery, you follow the timeline of the colonization and revolution in America.

The galleries contain many artifacts from the war. “Witnesses to the Revolution” is the first gallery; this is a wax museum with several different rooms. Each of the characters come to life as audio of their thoughts is played. This offers insight into how the different factions of the colonies, i.e. the revolutionists, the Tories, the women, the children, and the slaves, felt about the revolution as it progressed. “Converging on Yorktown” chronicles how each of the military units ended up here in Yorktown. “Yorktown’s Sunken Fleet” shows the artifacts found on the ships sunk outside of Yorktown. Finally, a film “A Time of Revolution” gives the human perspective to the war and how it affected the people.

There are two living history exhibits, the Continental Army encampment and the 1780s farm. The encampment shows various aspects of life in the Continental Army. Reenactors show how medicine was practiced, how food was cooked, and how the rifles were used. The 1780s farm shows how life was after the war as America plunged into an economic depression.

For visitors who will also see Jamestown, the state also runs the Jamestown Settlement. If you buy your tickets together, you can save $1.50 per person on each of the attractions. Children from 6 to 12 are half price. Children under 6 are free. The combination ticket with Jamestown can be used on different days, so you can see everything in Jamestown on one day, then go to Yorktown within the next couple of days to redeem the other half of your ticket

I recommend this site for any interested in history and for families with children.

Website: www.historyisfun.org

The third historical site in Yorktown is the town itself.

The little portion of the city that survived the siege by the Continental Army was destroyed by the British during the War of 1812. Only a handful of original buildings survived to the 20th century, when they became historical monuments.

You can still see the cannon balls from the Revolutionary War in the sides of the Nelson house and the Sessions house. The Cole Digges house is now a diner. The Customs house is still in use. The Nelson house has a tour several times a day.

Close to the waterfront is the Cornwallis Cave, where Cornwallis is supposed to have hidden during the battle.

There are several other attractions in Yorktown that do not pertain to the Revolutionary War.

One attraction that you will find is the beach. The beach here is small, but it is a natural beach. Obviously, if you are interested in beach activities, you will want to go somewhere else, but this beach would be fun to fill in a couple of hours between historical sites.

Another attraction, located right on the beach, is the Watermen’s Museum. The museum gives visitors insight into the impact that watermen have had on the history, economy, and ecology of the region for over 400 years. Exhibits include boat models, tools, photos, and artifacts.
Website: www.watermens.org.

The Yorktown Lady provides a tour of the waterway. Cruises depart from the pier right on the beach. There are cruises throughout the day, a sunset cruise, and a ghost tour at night. Tours give you perspective of the history here in Yorktown as well as a look into the ecological side of the river.
Website: www.yorktowncruises.com.

Also, the Ghosts of Yorktown Tour walks you through the significant sites of Yorktown. Of course, they give plenty of ghost stories, but they also tell the history of the historic buildings as you pass by them. If you are planning to hit all of Yorktown in one day, you can see the national park and the state park, then take the Ghost Tour to see the historic area of town. This tour also takes you to the pier and down the beach, so you’ll get a lot more then ghosts on this tour.
Website: www.theghosttour.com.

I recommend a trip to Historic Yorktown, as time permits, to complete a day after seeing the two larger attractions in this area.

Even after the battle of Yorktown and after the capital was moved from Williamsburg to Richmond, this area still remained the home for some of the most influential members of American society. Until the Civil War and the emancipation of the slaves, plantations in this area served as the major economic industry of the southern colonies.

Charles City County, strategically located between the James and Chickahominy Rivers and close to the colonial capitals of Jamestown and Williamsburg, was the first westward expansion of English speaking America.

There are many plantations outside Williamsburg on the James River. Following Highway 5 from Williamsburg toward Richmond, you will pass 11 original plantations. From Colonial Williamsburg to the Shirley plantation it is a 25-minute ride.

When I visited, the only ones open to the public were the Shirley plantation, the Berkeley plantation, and the Sherwood Forest plantation. These are the three most significant historically. Most of the other plantations are open on the outside if you would like to stop to see and take pictures of the buildings.

Website: www.jamesriverplantations.org


The Shirley Plantation ***

The Shirley plantation has been home to some of most prominent families in Virginia: the Carters and Hills.

The Shirley plantation is the oldest plantation in Virginia. It was settled in 1613. Completed in 1738, the mansion is largely in its original state and still owned by the Hill family. The mother of Robert E. Lee, Anne Hill Carter, was born and married at Shirley.

Four brick outbuildings form a Queen Anne forecourt, believed to be the only remaining example of this architectural style in America. These include a large two-story kitchen, laundry house, ice house, and barn. Other original structures include the stable, smokehouse, root cellar, pump house, and dovecote.

Website: www.shirleyplantation.com



The Berkeley Plantation ****

Another plantation of historical significance is the Berkeley plantation. This area was originally settled in 1619. The great house at the Berkeley plantation was built in 1726 by Benjamin Harrison IV. This is the first three-story brick house in Virginia.

Benjamin Harrison V, son of the builder of Berkeley, was a signer of the Declaration of Independence and three times Governor of Virginia. William Henry Harrison, Benjamin’s third son, became the ninth president of the United States. William’s grandson, Benjamin (who never lived here at Berkeley), was the 23rd president.

Website: www.berkeleyplantation.com



The Sherwood Forest Plantation *

The last plantation that I visited was the Sherwood Forest plantation. This was the home to John Tyler, the 10th president of the United States.

Unlike the previous two, there is no guided tour of this plantation. Unfortunately, this site has not been preserved as a historic site. Today, it is occupied by the president’s grandson and his family. Updates have been made to the home through out the years, and it shows signs of current use (toys in the front yard).

I recommend a trip to the James River Plantations for anyone interested in history or for families with children.

One of my favorite attractions outside of the major historical attractions is the Williamsburg Winery. Here you can take a tour of a modern winery and see how the grapes are grown and converted to wine. At the end of the tour, you will be given a tasting of some of the winery’s most popular wines.

The Williamsburg Winery was established in 1985 by the Duffeler family. The 50-plus acres of vineyards that surround the winery offer a beautiful backdrop to the Old World Style Village where the winery is located.

The guided tour includes a video presentation on grape growing (Viticulture) and wine-making (Oenology), a stroll through the barrel cellar, and a visit to the production area. In the museum there is a collection of unique and rare vintage wine bottles, with a grand finale tasting of seven wines in an etched wine glass that is yours to take home as a keepsake.

The wine has received several awards; I, however, did not take to the taste. Overall, it is very interesting to see how the wines are made and hear explanations of the various wine terms. Unfortunately, this tour is very short and focuses more on the tasting than on the process of wine-making. As my first visit to a winery, I enjoyed this attraction, but I feel it might come up short to others around the country.

The winery is open Monday to Saturday from 11am to 6pm. The tour and tasting lasts about an hour and a half.

I recommend this attraction for anyone (21 and over) interested in wine making, from beginners, who will enjoy the tour, to experts, who will enjoy the tasting.

This is a first-class amusement park. It is part of the Busch Gardens family. As a frequent visitor to amusement parks, this park is one of my favorites.

The motto of the park is “Fear the Four;” this refers to the four roller coasters. The Big Bad Wolf is tamest of the four; it is a suspended coaster that runs through the forest with a lot of quick turns and ends with a drop of about 100 feet. Alphengeist is a ski lift gone wrong, with six massive inversions and a top speed of 67mph. The Lock Ness Monster is an older coaster (1978), but it still provides thrills with the interlocking loops, speeds up to 60 mph, and a trip to Nessie’s Liar. Apollo’s Chariot takes you to the sun for a 210-foot drop, with seven more drops to quickly follow; this coaster will leave you at the exit trying to catch your breath.

Another ride of special note is DarKastle. This tells the story of a prince, who took his kingdom to the dark side as he sold his soul. This ride is 3-D motion ride in which you ride through the scenes of the story and become part of the story. The 3-D effects add to the experience as the plot unfolds around you.

There are plenty of other rides available at this park. Most of them are pretty average compared to similar rides at other parks. There is a rapids ride, a spinning cup ride, a rocking ship ride, etc. While some rides like Escape from Pompeii, a water drop, are enjoyable, the emphasis is on the coasters and DarKastle; the other rides are good for filling in time in between the coasters and shows.

The shows are nice but are pretty typical of amusement parks. American Jukebox features songs from the '60s. Starlight Orchestra has a full band complemented by singers and dancers. Ocktoberfest is a pretty typical German festival. Pet Shenanigans has pet tricks. There are two shows that stand out as individual and different than those offered at other parks throughout the country. The first of these shows is The Secrets of Castle O’Sullivan; in this show, the evil ancestor is fought off by his good-natured descendant. The other show that stands out is Irish Thunder; this is a version of the "Stomp" Broadway show. Players dance and march to the music. Finally, there is also a motion 3-D show called Corkscrew Hill, in which you are transformed into a fairy in the Irish countryside.

The ambience as you walk around the park is very nice. This is a forest with a park in it, as opposed to a park with trees in it. The park has obviously taken great pains to leave the natural feel.

I recommend this attraction for everyone. This shows and ambience will satisfy some of the tamer visitors, while the rides will blow back the hair of the biggest thrill junkies.

Website: www.buschgardens.com/va

Day One:
Once you arrive in Williamsburg, go to the Colonial Williamsburg Visitors Center. Purchase an Independence Pass($72). Also, get day tours for Day Three and night shows for Day One, Two, Three, and Four; you should try to get into one of the Conversations as your day show and at least one of the courtroom dramas as one of your night shows. You should also take this time to make reservations for the Jamestown Island Explorer on Day Two. Also, make reservations for the Ghosts of Yorktown tour on Day Five.

Depending on the time, you should be able to take in a couple of the attractions before they close at 5pm. If you see the video at the visitor center and visit the Great Hopes Plantation, you will be able to park closer to the other attractions on the next couple of days without having to go back to the center. As time permits, you can stop by the entrance to the park and get a brief tour of the surroundings. At 5pm you can go to the public hospital, which is now an art museum. It stays open until 7pm.

You should now have time to grab a bite to eat at one of the restaurants in Merchants Square before you have to be at your night show.

Day Two:
The National Park site opens at 8:30am, so you have to leave Williamsburg at 8am to be there for the park opening. Buy the combination ticket at Historic Jamestowne with the Yorktown Battlefield for later in the week($11). You can walk the grounds and see the statues and monuments. At 9am the park office opens and you can watch the film and ask the park rangers any questions that you have about the original settlement. A 20-minute ride takes you around James Island. On your way out of the park you can stop by the glasshouse to see how they made glass. The park only takes about an hour and a half to see all of its exhibits.

Your second stop should be the state-run Jamestown Settlement. When you get to the Jamestown Settlement, buy the combination ticket between here and the Yorktown Victory Center($17). Watch the film first and spend a couple of minutes looking at the artifacts in the museum. The guided tour through the outdoor exhibits starts every hour. After the hour and a half tour, you should walk back through the outdoor exhibits one more time to see anything that you had to rush through while on the tour. It will take about 3 hours to see everything that is offered by this attraction. You can grab a bite to eat at the cafeteria.

Be at the dock by 3pm for the last tour of the Jamestown Island Explorer. The tour lasts for about two hours and costs $22. By 5pm you will be back in your car headed to Williamsburg.

You should be back in Williamsburg with enough time to take a nice supper before returning to Colonial Williamsburg for your night show.

Day Three:
Spend the day exploring Colonial Williamsburg. If you had a big enough head start on Day One, you should have no problem seeing all the remaining sites in one day. The number of trade shops that you visit will be determined by your interest in them and the time that you have; budget them into your day after the bigger attractions. Be sure you make it to the sites of your afternoon tour and night show. Also, be sure to stop at the taverns for lunch and supper to get a feel for the food and atmosphere.

Day Four:
You probably need a little break from all the history by now, so this is the day that you get to spend on more modern recreation. You should find all the thrills and games that you need to fill an entire vacation at Busch Gardens Williamsburg ($52 each plus $8 for parking). Organize your day around the shows that you want to see. Also, the lengths of the lines for the most popular rides vary by season. Depending on show schedule and line lengths, you should be able to finish here before it gets too late in the afternoon. Make your way back to Colonial Williamsburg for another night show.

Day Five:
Don't forget to bring the tickets that you bought in Jamestown so that you can get into the Yorktown sites for free.

First, you should begin at the national park visitor center. The center is open from 8:30am to 5pm. If you leave Williamsburg at 7:30am, you will get to the visitors’ center at 8am, which will give you time to walk over to the Yorktown Victory Monument and the York River overlook. You can also walk around this side of the battlefield.

When the center opens at 8:30am, you should take the time to watch the film. It gives a good overview of the battle. Then, walk through the museum; you can see the exhibits within an hour. Hit the gift shop and pick up the tape that will lead you through the battlefield ($5).

The driving tour around the battlefield lasts about an hour. Follow the directions given on the tape. This allows plenty of time to stop at the road markers and read about the different events that occurred along the trail.

Next, drive across town to the Yorktown Victory Center. You can spend 2 hours in the galleries before entering the outdoor exhibits. At the encampment, take time to see the demonstration of the guns; remember that a good soldier could fire, reload, and fire again in about 30 seconds. Finally, the 1780s farm is a quick walk-through.

Drive to the Victory Monument next. The parking lot here closes later then some of the others, and it provides a good landmark for finding your way back at the end of the night. You can go to the Nelson house and take a tour of the inside of the house. Next, go to the Cole Digges house, which is now a small diner where you can catch a nice locally flavored meal. You should still have enough time to walk around town for about an hour. You can see the historic buildings, the pier, and the beach.

At 8pm, you will meet the Ghosts of Yorktown Tour($9). The tour lasts about 2 hours. It leads you around the historic buildings as well as the pier and the beach. You will hear about the ghosts that haunt this city as well as the history of the city and the current issues.

Day Six:
First, drive to the Shirley plantation. The tours start at 9am and are $10.50. If you leave Colonial Williamsburg at 8am, you can enjoy a scenic drive through the plantation country. The guided tour lasts an hour. You should allow for another hour to visit the out buildings.

Second, drive back toward Williamsburg to the Berkeley plantation. It is only a few minutes drive from the Shirley plantation ($10.50). The tour lasts an hour. You should allow for another hour to visit the gardens and the river overlook.

As you travel back to Williamsburg, you will pass several other plantations. You should stop and view as many as time and interest will permit. Of special note is the home of former president John Tyler at the Sherwood Forest plantation ($3).

You can catch all these, stop by several other plantations along the way for photos, and still be back in Williamsburg by 2pm.

Next, go to Presidents Park($10) for more information on the presidents. You need to budget your time to ensure you are at Presidents Park by 2:30pm so that you have 2 hours here before moving on.

Finally, swing by the Williamsburg Winery to see the wine making process ($20) and sample the wines they make; the last tour is at 6pm.

Day Seven:
Depending on your departure time, you might have time to see a couple of smaller attractions before you leave for your next destination. You might want to catch something that you missed at one of the attractions that you already visited; your tickets are good for 1 week at Jamestown and Yorktown and 1 year at Colonial Williamsburg. You might also take advantage of the time before your departure to do some shopping. If you are flying out of Williamsburg, you are probably flying through Newport News, where there is a variety of museums. If you are not departing until later in the evening, you might enjoy a day at WaterCountryUSA. Time and interest determines what you do before you have to depart for the day.

Total cost of the trip is $250 plus food, gas, and lodging. Also, any additional activities on Day Seven depend on what activity you take.

I recommend a week-long trip to Williamsburg for anyone interested in history and for families with children.