Colonial Williamsburg

Today, I went to Colonial Williamsburg. I grew up in Williamsburg. I've been to Colonial Williamsburg more times than I can count. CW (as the locals call it) is a beautiful place to walk around with friends, visit the Cheese Shop or Aroma's, and maybe play Pokemon GO. Outside of the annual elementary school field trip, I had never visited inside the buildings or spoke to the artisans and merchants. Those are traditionally paid experiences, and a local like myself already knew everything there was to know about the colonial past. Today, I went to Colonial Williamsburg with a paid ticket in hand, a new experience. My mother (who's lived in Williamsburg decades longer than myself) and I walked through the city in a fresh way. First, we stopped at the cabinetmakers'. I've stood outside that building dozens of times. It is a quaint cottage over a small stream, perfect for photos and rest. I've never been inside before. Three artisans were caving wooden legs, carving designs, and planing lumber. When we entered, one stopped to greet us and explain their work. He spoke about colonial woodworking, CW's records of this shop, and the nature of being a cabinetmaker. There was also a record of a harpsichord being sold at the shop in the colonial era, so the modern artisans also learned to craft and repair the instrument. It was beyond impressive.Next, we went to a lumberyard where two other artisans were working. One explained the work of constructing colonial buildings. Each new building was constructed in the lumberyard, disassembled, and then transported (mostly by oxen) to its final destination to be rebuilt. The artisan also showed us the original foundation of a colonial building right under our feet. She explained how CW could study and infer information from a building's foundation. A thicker foundation housed a two or three-story building. Wear in a specific area might show where a door was. Sometimes items were even found under the foundation, like a barrel beneath the Bray School.We then walked over to the colonial farm, marked by a large windmill held up above the ground by posts. The farmer was my favorite tradesman. He explained how the farming habits of the colonists differed before and during the Revolutionary War. He had us separate cotton seeds by hand as he told us about everything from tobacco to linens. In the colonial era, when times were good, people could afford to buy clothing made from flax, soft, durable, and often dyed. When tobacco wasn't selling well, like during the war, farmers had to grow cotton to make their clothes. We also learned more about the role of enslaved people in the colonial capital. We met two individuals, historians maybe, outside the Bray School. The Bray School was a school for free and enslaved black children in colonial Williamsburg. CW has been working with William and Mary to discover more about the school and its students, but in its time it taught a couple hundred kids, mostly enslaved. The school was free, and one of its primary purposes was to teach the children to read the Bible. It also taught the children "their place," making sure to teach all the scriptures permitting slavery. We got to see the copies of primary sources, but the school was still being reconstructed, so we couldn't go inside. We stopped at Merchants Square for lunch. (I recommend the prosciutto, provolone & roasted tomato sandwich at the Cheese Shop and a hot chocolate from Kilwins.) Our last stop at CW was the courthouse. A mock trial was being held and I was appointed the bailiff and had a speaking role! A court of 11 volunteer jurors heard three real colonial cases (more volunteers from the crowd). The court clerk spoke between the cases, explaining the colonial law and how it applied. It was super interesting to hear actual cases brought up by men and women hundreds of years ago. Overall, I really enjoyed the experience. As someone who has grown up a few miles from the historic sight, I can honestly say this trip was a wholly unique experience. I recommend Colonial Williamsburg not just to tourists but to locals as well. Colonial Williamsburg has dozens of different historic trades, shows, and demonstrations, and we only got to see a few. I will definitely be going back to see more.

Going backwards in time? My crowd trying to leave and return to the 21st century I'd have titled "Misery"'!When we arrived, I asked the lady at the information desk for just that, information. She looked at my annual ticket barcodes and said I had to wait in another line to get them printed. Ummm, I'm pretty sure when we bought them that it didn't say that, and having a printer at home, would have done so there. Oh, well, on to the long line to get that done.Guess what? She was wrong! We got lanyards with cards inside, and I rented a manual wheelchair for myself. I don't care how easy those people in the hospital make pushing one of those look, but don't bother. Someone has to push you the entire time, OR you'd have to try to wheel yourself. Don't even think about this unless you've got the biceps of the Rock! Either rent the scooter from the private company or just do your best to walk.Wondering WHY I got the wheelchair? I've needed my hip replaced for several years and if you don't have that problem, you cannot understand.However, there is a LOT to see. You really have gone back in time, and there were some actors talking and explaining things. Did I mention it was around 35 degrees and windy and I'm NOT a fan of the cold weather at all?We got the tickets Cyber Monday when the year pass was the price of a daily, so we plan to return...........when my hip is fixed and when it's not cold enough to freeze you!Be forewarned, there is a good bit, and I mean by that, a ton of walking. My autistic grandson seemed out of sorts and his father had to carry him most of the time, he would occasionally let his oldest sister hold his hand and walk with him. I think she had the best time of all, because they are studying this time in school. Not one complaint, and that's saying a lot with her.Wear comfy shoes. Take your time. Rent a scooter if walking is difficult. Oh, they will tell you of a shuttle bus, but I only ever saw it pick up and/or drop off at ONE location. Don't rely on catching it, because I watched it drive away as I headed towards it.See you again...in warm weather without my bad hip!

So when I was a kid my parents brought my brother and I here. I recall having a lot of fun, but what I remember most is Chowning's Tavern. Why? I thought I had eaten the most delicious, and exotic dish in my life: Welsh Rabbit! As a young child, I told this story for years. Now, as an adult, I know what I had was really "Welsh Rarebit", which of course contains no rabbit at all, just cheese!If you are intrigued, head over to Chowning's Tavern, and maybe Josiah still works there. He was great, and laughed at my story. There are lot of other things to explore and do here, so plan a good part of the day. So what I didn't remember as a child visiting, is that is costs money to get in. Maybe it wasn't always that way, but it is now. From: https://www.colonialwilliamsburg.com/tickets We offer several admission options and special offers to customize your visit. Tickets can be purchased online and redeemed at the Colonial Williamsburg Regional Visitor Center, which is where your Williamsburg experience begins

One of my favorite things to do in Virginia is tour Colonial Williamsburg. Time stands still as you walk down Duke of Gloucester and see the many actors portraying life in the 1700's. This is a family fun adventure that you will return to. I have been coming to CW for over 30 years. Cannot recommend enough.

Colonial Williamsburg, VA is a must visit. It's a beautiful old Historic town with buildings from the 1700's. Many of the buildings were turned into museums. You can spend all day walking around the historic town and checking out the re-enactment's, museums and shops. You can also tour the town in a horse carriage. I definitely recommend starting your tour as soon as the Visitor Center opens. There's all day parking for $10 and also a charge for pass to go inside the mansions and museums for $49 they offer military discounts. Free admission to walk around historic town. The town has colonial style restaurants. Colonial Williamsburg is a must visit when in the area!Happy Yelping :)

I recently visited this beautifully preserved colonial town, and it was an incredible experience! The site offers free bus rides for visitors, making it easy to explore. There's so much to do and shop for, and the workers are incredibly knowledgeable, all dressed in authentic colonial attire, which adds to the charm. Highly recommend this place for anyone looking to step back in time and experience history up close! Definitely a must-visit.

This place was very cool! It was a good experience! Be prepared to WALK! I would 100% recommend!

This is at least our third visit to Colonial Williamsburg and, in our opinion, it is one of the premiere historical sites on the east coast. It's a "must see" for visitors. Williamsburg was the capital of Virginia from 1699 to 1780, and the city housed persons who lived and worked there by choice or were enslaved. The Historical Area includes 89 original 18th-century buildings, as well as hundreds more reconstructed based on historical records and archaeological research. (Not all are open to the public). One can wander the outside streets without a ticket, but to participate in the tours & programs, snd to see demonstrations of historical trades, you'll need a ticket. Tickets were $49.99 each (April. 2024) but we were able to get them for $42.50 each with a AAA discount. There are discounts for military, but not for senior citizens. On this particular visit, there were four of us -- two adult visitors from Asia and my husband/me who live in central Virginia. We particularly enjoyed watching the fife and drum corp that performed/marched in the late afternoon, and demonstrations and conversations with various artisans of colonial trades and crafts. Suggestions for improvements:1. Offer an overview film in the auditorium to set the historical context of Williamsburg. 2. Offer more discounts - for instance, for senior citizens and/or locals. Many years ago, we lived in Hawaii, and many local attractions such as the Polynesian Cultural Center offered discounts to those with a Hawaii drivers license. This encouraged us to take guests from out of town to these attractions. Also, offer a discount if patrons won't be there for a full day. 3. Some of the programming was far too long. For instance, one program was conducted in court where at least three cases were heard. One or maybe two would've been sufficient. It took time away from our ability to see other attractions. 4. More benches are needed, especially to allow rest between sites on hot days.

I loved our trip here! I didn't quite understand how Colonial Williamsburg worked, because I thought it was a theme park with designated entrances. It's not -- you don't have to buy a ticket, you can just walk around the area. The reason for the ticket is to go into the historic buildings and take the tours. Quite a few hotels offer admission with your hotel reservation as well.We stayed walking distance from the Colonial Williamsburg town, and took a nice stroll "back in time." We went mid-May, which I think was the perfect time. The weather was amazing and it wasn't very crowded.Our hotel gave us a map and programming for the week, so we had some activities mapped out. We took the archeology tour and the horticulture tour, which were both pretty good. Then we went into areas like the palace, Capitol, court house, black smith, and Raleigh tavern. Our tour guide at the Raleigh tavern was amazing, so I think I liked that the best. It definitely gets you thinking about how wild people were back then.

A Charming Springtime at Colonial Williamsburg. Even though I live here, I still love walking the streets of Colonial Williamsburg, especially in the springtime, which was nothing short of enchanting. This living-history museum beautifully recreates 18th-century America and offers an immersive experience that captivates visitors of all ages.I love encountering the newborn animals, a delightful addition to the vibrant spring atmosphere. Always particularly charmed by the unique species of sheep and lamb, and this time seeing a baby Cleveland Bay foal, born just three weeks ago, was an unforgettable experience. These moments added a heartwarming, pastoral element to the historical setting.The quaint shops and eateries further enriched our visit, always. The shops, filled with period-appropriate goods, offered a wonderful array of unique souvenirs. Dining is a treat as well, with eateries serving delicious fare that transports residents and visitors back in time. The authenticity of the meals add a delightful touch to the overall experience.The historians dressed in period clothing truly bring Colonial Williamsburg to life. Their knowledgeable and passionate storytelling provides deep insights into the daily lives, struggles, and triumphs of the colonial era. The interactive and engaging reenactments make history feel incredibly accessible and relevant.Overall, Colonial Williamsburg offers a perfect blend of education, entertainment, and charm. The springtime visit, with its adorable newborn animals and blossoming surroundings, was particularly magical. Whether you're a history buff or simply looking for a unique family outing, Colonial Williamsburg is a destination that promises to leave you with cherished memories and a deeper appreciation for American history.