Colonial Christmas

Only in Williamsburg...

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Colonial garbis especially fun for kids! Photo - Williamsburg, Virginia

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These are some sights you may never see anywhere else but strolling down and around the streets of Williamsburg. Wearing costumes (especially fro children) really adds to the authenticity of the experience. There is a shop in the Main Square where you can buy (or maybe even rent) costumes for the day. Talk about making history come alive for your child!

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The Historic Powhatan Resort

Hotel | "History's Backyard"

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The Powhatan Plantation Resort that we thought we were exchanging would have been nice...even great; except that management was remodeling it just when we got there. They placed a huge construction dumpster in the parking lot the whole time we were there (but gratefully did not use it) AND starting going in and tearing the place apart as we were packing our bags to leave! Talk about not letting the door hit you in the ____ on the way out! The rooms definitely did need redecorating/refurbishing but they could have been a little classier about leaving the dumpster as a reminder! It gave us a feeling of not being welcome. The 2 bedroom/baths were roomy enough but mom complained that the ba...Read More

Member Rating 3 out of 5 on January 11, 2009

The Historic Powhatan Resort
3601 Ironbound Road
Williamsburg, Virginia 23188
(757) 220-1200

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Holiday Wreaths

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Pretty Star Wreath Photo - Williamsburg, Virginia

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The residents/merchants of Historic Williamsburg hold a competiton every year to produce the most authentic and most beautiful outdoor decorations for their buildings and homes. These wreaths and swags are all made of natural materials or materials readily avaialble during the time period. They are inspiring and have been published in books,magazines on their own. Here is a preview for you to enjoy at home. They may enlighten our next holiday project!

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Colonial Christmas

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Charming cottage with Kitchen Garden Photo - The Historic Powhatan Resort, Williamsburg, Virginia

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In an attempt to do "something different" for Christmas, we spirited my 83 year old mother away for a holiday weekto a timeshare in Williamsburg,Virginia.After checking into Powhatan Plantation on a rainy Christmas Eve, we made reservations for dinner out on Christmas evening. It rained SOOO hard on Christmas Day that,after a brief walking overview of historic Williamsburg we opted for lunch at HUZZAH (the colonial equivalent of fast food) and spent the rest of the evening lamenting the bad weather.The next day our luck changed and we did get to enjoy many of the charming and historic sites the festively-decorated Williamsburg had to offer.The entire city is closed...Read More

In an attempt to do "something different" for Christmas, we spirited my 83 year old mother away for a holiday weekto a timeshare in Williamsburg,Virginia.

After checking into Powhatan Plantation on a rainy Christmas Eve, we made reservations for dinner out on Christmas evening. It rained SOOO hard on Christmas Day that,after a brief walking overview of historic Williamsburg we opted for lunch at HUZZAH (the colonial equivalent of fast food) and spent the rest of the evening lamenting the bad weather.

The next day our luck changed and we did get to enjoy many of the charming and historic sites the festively-decorated Williamsburg had to offer.

The entire city is closed to traffic and provides a living-history view of life during colonial times. There are hundreds of opportunities for children adn families alike ot immerse themselves in the culture and traditions of those that lived in the 17th & 18th century.

Photo ops abound and if you can tear yourself away from listening to the fascinating historic interpreters reenact and explain their roles in the exhibit,you can grab some pretty amazing pictures.

Many people are familiar with the wonderful opportunites to dine in Williamsburg proper.Waitstaff in period costumes,with period atmosphere and authentic foods are certainly an experience to savor. But,with a little research, we found some other outstanding establishments(most notable The Kitchen at Powhatan Plantation-see review)that cater to the historically-interested crowd as well.

Williamsburg is so close to Jamestown that you would be remiss if you did not spend a day at this living history mueseum as well. It traces the history of Jamestown, first early settlersand contributions of Native Americans to the early settlers. An impressive replica of one of the first ships is open for exploration. Kids will love
live firearms and cannon displays.

One of the FINEST Williamsburg experiences is to participate in the daily "muster" when an authentically uniformed troop marches up the main street of the town to the military beat of fife and drums. Visitors are welcome to "fall ion" behind the parade and march to the grounds of the palace. There are numerous opportunities for children and parents to participate in activities,from bidding at a live auction to practicing drilling and marching. My husband participated in a brief fencing lesson and I gathered some tips for cooking on an open hearth.

The shops in both Williamsburg and Jamestown are not to be missed. They cater to shoppers with an eye for tradiitional and early-American finery. Many nice unusual specialty shops abound. I was able to find the Scottish tartan plaid appropriate for Italian-American husband's ancestry.(Okay- we used his first name-Glenn.) My mom loved admiring the unique and natural holiday decorations crafted by the town's residents.

I would highly recommend the visit at the holiday season for families and senior citizens alike. Traveling with your 4-legged best friends? The main streets of Williamsburg are a veritable dog-show with visitors proudly strutting pure-breds and mutts alike. Be

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The Historic Powhatan Resort

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Hotel | "The Kitchen at Powhatan Plantation"

Holiday decorations abound Photo - The Historic Powhatan Resort, Williamsburg, Virginia

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After reading an ad that described the Kitchen at Powhatan Plantation as "Upscale Colonial Dining" I had to say I was intrigued. The restaurant is located in a building on the grounds of the original plantation and served as the kitchen to the Manor House in a previous century. In those days so great was the threat of fire that cooking was usually done outside the main abode and carried to the main house by slaves/servants. This little establishment does a lot with a little and is a testimony to its storied past. The meal we had here was incredible and we felt as if we had stepped back in time to experience a little bit of plantation life.The wait staff was garbed in colonial attire ...Read More

After reading an ad that described the Kitchen at Powhatan Plantation as "Upscale Colonial Dining" I had to say I was intrigued. The restaurant is located in a building on the grounds of the original plantation and served as the kitchen to the Manor House in a previous century. In those days so great was the threat of fire that cooking was usually done outside the main abode and carried to the main house by slaves/servants. This little establishment does a lot with a little and is a testimony to its storied past. The meal we had here was incredible and we felt as if we had stepped back in time to experience a little bit of plantation life.

The wait staff was garbed in colonial attire and stayed in character throughout the meal. The first delight of the evening was crystal clear spring water that was served in gigantic pewter goblets that kept the beverage icy cold. My goblet was refilled several times as I could not get enough of this amazing water.

The specials were recited and my husband and I started by sharing a goat cheese salad. The goat cheese was locally made and tasted fresh and the crisp greens seemed to be just-picked (even in December).
My husband chose the special "Airline Chicken" so described because of the generous portion of chicken served (not its resemblance to airplane meals). It was free range chicken and perfectly roasted and the tidbit that he shared with me was not nearly enough. I instantly regretted not having ordered it.

I never pass up the chance to order seafood in a region that is recognized for the excellence of its crustaceans. I was not disappointed with my own order, however, and enjoyed the pan-seared scallops with fingerling potatoes. Mom started with a cup of corn-clam chowder and although her senior-citizen taste buds can be finicky at best, she pronounced it delicious and ate every drop. Keeping with the seafood theme she ordered the scallops, shrimp and crab with sun-dried tomato and saffron cream sauce over penne pasta. Alas, she was only able to finish half of the ample portion and bagged the rest. I have to admit the saffron cream sauce bore a suspicious resemblance to the sauce on my scallops but who cares. Both were delicious.

I know the three of us shared a delightful bottle of Reisling but alas, I did not record the name. It went perfectly with our dishes.

Now by the end of the meal we were all full but in the interest of research (writing a review) I insisted we split at least one of the tantalizing desserts. We opted for the Plantation Sensation-a trio of sorbets served on a pineapple with a sugar cane skewer. The selection of after dinner drinks and desserts was sophisticated but refined . I would have loved to have sampled more. It was the perfect ending to a perfect meal. I will definitely visit the Kitchen at Powhatan Plantation again,if I am ever in the area. If nothing else…just for the water!!!
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Member Rating 5 out of 5 on February 19, 2008

The Historic Powhatan Resort
3601 Ironbound Road
Williamsburg, Virginia 23188
(757) 220-1200

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Duke of Gloucester Street

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Restaurant | "King' Arms"

Madrigal-type singers serenade diners Photo - Duke of Gloucester Street, Williamsburg, Virginia

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Billed as an 18th century chop house,King' Arms is elegant colonial dining at its finest! Although casual attire is permitted ,you may want to wear something more sophisticated to add to your enjoyment. (coat and tie? long skirt? shawl?)The lack of street lights and heavy fog gave an eerieness to our arrival as we parked in the lot behind the restaurant on Francis St. by the stables.(The only place vehicles are permitted in Williamsburg proper). The colonial experience begins the moment you step out of your car into the darkness. We walked down a little torchlit footpath, passing several costumed servers and waitstaff w...Read More

Billed as an 18th century chop house,King' Arms is elegant colonial dining at its finest! Although casual attire is permitted ,you may want to wear something more sophisticated to add to your enjoyment. (coat and tie? long skirt? shawl?)

The lack of street lights and heavy fog gave an eerieness to our arrival as we parked in the lot behind the restaurant on Francis St. by the stables.(The only place vehicles are permitted in Williamsburg proper).

The colonial experience begins the moment you step out of your car into the darkness. We walked down a little torchlit footpath, passing several costumed servers and waitstaff who remained completely in character…even on their break! An authoritative but gracious black woman, dressed with bandana,petticoats, and shawl (straight out of Gone WIth the Wind), cordially checked our reservationand we were invited to wait in a candlelit room with a roaring fireplace to be called. Another costumed server showed us to our table and informed us that the King’s Arms was a much-respected establishment that had once been patronized by statesmen, officers and the landed gentry. (We had to remind my mother more than once that she couldn’t use her cell phone.)

Our server filled our pewter goblets ( a Williamsburg standard) and took our drink orders. Fortunately they did digress to a 20th century bar that served Cosmopolitans. ) Beyond that we tried to make our dining experience as authentic as possible. The three of us tried the Tavern sampler, a trio of the establishment's colonial-inspired appetizers; a duck confit in a flaky crust, crawfish cakes with roasted corn and a mushroom filled with goat cheese and spinach (in the Italian style).My husband always insists on a salad and his baby romaine with parmesan cheese, garlic croutons and light pepper vinaigrette tasted somewhat like an 18th century Caesar salad.

The entrees were ample and traditionally presented. I requested the Colonial Game Pye filled with venison, rabbit and duck under a flaky pastry crust and smooth, flavorful gravy. It came served in a pewter porringer and looked and tasted quite what an colonial-era patron would have lavished over.

Mom chose the collops of pork and commented on the tenderness of the small cutlets as well as the mustard-apricot sauce with which they were basted. She readily shared these but would not give up more than a taste of the sweet potato pudding accompaniment that she declared "truly delicious".

I always try to predict what my husband will order but he surprised me this time by going with the Prime Rib.(I would have guessed the Mixed Grill- a combination of meat, game and seafood served with a port sauce, potatoes and vegetables).He claimed that he had never had a popover(served with the ample Alexander’s cut beef) and he loved the horseradish and claret jus that complimented the dish.

Since we like to support local vineyards, merchants, farmers, etc.. I selected a dry Riesling from the Kings’ Arms extensive list of local breweries and wineries. The vineyard was Rapidan River from Madison County,Virginia and the bottle was pleasantly drinkable( even though we all ordered red meat, we like our white wine…).

For dessert there was a very sweet and creamy rice pudding that was just enough to satisfy our sweet tooth(we shared it 3 ways).

While enjoying the last of the wine we were pleasantly serenaded by our two serving girls accompanied by a mandolin and a local statesman came by to orate about the high taxes mother-England was thrusting on the colonies. It was quite entertaining and we really felt carried back in time. Coming back outside into the night, we found the streets lit only with bonfires and torches. There was a "ghost tour" being given down the street and if it weren’t for the cold and the amount of walking required, we might have gotten involved. We were imminently satisfied with being treated as "landed gentry" for our meal. Three cheers for the King's Arms!!! Read Less

Member Rating 4 out of 5 on February 26, 2008

Duke of Gloucester Street
Colonial Williamsburg
Williamsburg, Virginia

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Colonial Williamsburg

Attraction

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Colonial Williamsburg for ChristmasSince there are a variety of passes available to tour Colonial Williamsburg,to get the best bang for your buck, plan how much time you actually plan to spend touring inside the buildings in the city. Purchase your passes based on that information. Remember- it is not necessary to have a pass just to walk the streets or enter eating establishments. You only need them to enter buildings, see certain shows,(Revolutionary City-definitely a must-see) ride shuttle buses and park in the visitor center for free.We did a lot of research online before heading to Williamsburg so we were able to purchase the visitor’s passes and have them pri...Read More

Colonial Williamsburg for Christmas

Since there are a variety of passes available to tour Colonial Williamsburg,to get the best bang for your buck, plan how much time you actually plan to spend touring inside the buildings in the city. Purchase your passes based on that information. Remember- it is not necessary to have a pass just to walk the streets or enter eating establishments. You only need them to enter buildings, see certain shows,(Revolutionary City-definitely a must-see) ride shuttle buses and park in the visitor center for free.

We did a lot of research online before heading to Williamsburg so we were able to purchase the visitor’s passes and have them printed out to take with us. What we DIDN’T know was that when we arrived on Christmas Day (raining very hard but still a moderate amount of tourists about) we had to tramp down to a building 2 blocks away from the "ticket office" to get our I.d. pictures taken for our passes. If you are not terribly interested in learning more about the history of the buildings or listening to the costumed interpreters explain 18th century life, you could get away with seeing a lot without ever buying a pass.

There are special evening performances and shows that vary from season to season and you need to get a calendar of events (available in any tradeshop in Williamsburg) to find out what is going on.

It is necessary to make dinner reservations for any of the historic dining establishments (King’s Arms, Shields Tavern, Chownings and Christiana Campbells). Make your reservation by phone early in the morning by calling
1-800-544-3417.
I would highly recommend that no matter how many days you are spending in Williamsburg you experience as least one (preferably more ) of the colonial dining experiences. (see reviews- Shields Tavern, King’s Arms).

The advantage of touring during the Christmas Season is that we were able to enjoy the beauty and artistry of the colonial swags, wreaths, and ornaments that decorated doorways, windows, porches and fences.

There are over 500 restored colonial houses and buildings within Colonial Williamsburg proper. A tour entitled "Revolutionary City"(you do need a pass to be part of this) takes a two-hour tour of historic buildings, with costumed interpreters and guides reenacting chapters of events that took place in Williamsburg’s history. along the way. There are interactive vignettes nand opportunities for adults and children alike to participate in the bringing history to life. In particular my husband got a lesson in fencing, I sat in on the legislature passing a bill and my mother was a dancing partner learning the minuet (or a variation of..).I attended a very authentic outdoor auction and came back with a prized willow basket. CHildren can participate in marching drills(using fake muskets),parades and asking lots of questions of historic reenactors who are more than happy to share their knowledge of the past.

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Member Rating 4 out of 5 on February 22, 2008

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