We were recently invited by Visit Williamsburg to visit the city and surrounding tri-city area of Yorktown and Jamestown and what a visit it was! Mark and I had never been to this historic part of our country and it was such a treat to see it all in person for the first time. We loved every minute of our time there! The trip was hosted, but we sure had a great trip and experienced so much history first hand. It’s one thing to read about history and another to see it right before your eyes. Come along with us as we visited Williamsburg, Yorktown and Jamestown, the beginning of American life as we know it now. It was so enriching to see where America started.
We had an itinerary set for us and it was so fun to experience so many different things while we were in Williamsburg and the surrounding areas of Yorktown and Jamestown. We stopped in Freedom Park upon arrival and walked around there a bit and visited the Williamsburg Botanical garden, which was very nice. Freedom Park is a large park of trails dating back to the 1650’s and there is an 18th Century cemetery, as well as historically accurate cabins authentic to the period. Also, home to the earliest Free Black Settlements in America.
Colonial Williamsburg
Williamsburg was the capital of Virginia from 1699 to 1780. The Historic Area includes 89 original 18th century buildings, as well as hundreds more buildings reconstructed based on historical records and archaeological research. Duke of Gloucester St. is nearly a mile long with the shopping area Market Square on one end and the Capital on the other end of the street. It’s a lot to take in and see, but such a beautiful area.
We stayed 4 nights and the first two nights were spent in this beautiful and quaint home in the historic district of Williamsburg. This is called Orlando Jones Kitchen, a wee little cottage with the bedroom upstairs and living room downstairs. Williamsburg is everything you imagine it to be and more. I knew it was a village of American history, but it was even better than I imagined.
Cute living room space downstairs with mini-kitchen off to the left. Right in the heart of the historic district.
Our last 2 nights, we stayed in the historic Williamsburg Inn, which is one of the most elegant hotels I’ve ever stayed in.
The lobby is absolutely stunning with antiques and beautiful furnishings everywhere you turn. There’s a golf course behind the inn.
Gorgeous!
I loved all the details of Southern elegance.
Our bedroom suite had a sitting area and a stunning marble bathroom.
Sitting area.
We strolled the streets of Williamsburg upon arrival and couldn’t get enough of all the beautiful cottages and businesses that are part of this area.
We heard this is one of the only private residences in Williamsburg and it was a beauty.
Bruton Episcopal Church on the main street of Duke of Gloucester Street.
The courthouse.
The cottages were all so lovely to see in person.
At dusk, street lights and porch lights came on making for such a magical time of day.
There are signs identifying the buildings and establishments for what they were.
Dusk in Williamsburg is a beautiful time of day.
There are many gardens dotting Williamsburg and it was nice to see them growing and being tended to. We saw more than one bunny out at night visiting this garden.
Market Square is a newer area of the town, with shops and restaurants made to look old as well. It blends right in with the ambience of Williamsburg. Just beyond this shopping area is William and Mary college, a very famous and beautiful college.
Market Square at night. We did a ghost tour one night so it was dusk when we got started.
We were treated to so many fun adventures, one being a carriage ride that brought us through the historic district and some of the side streets in town.
We loved that ride!
The carriage rides stay busy and I loved this shot of people sitting on the lawn and the carriage going by in front of the Governor’s Palace.
There are many historic characters around town on any given day and they can be heard giving history lessons and information to the crowd in character at all times. I believe this gentlemen is Lafayette on horseback.
We did a walking tour our first day there with Trish who owns Williamsburg Walking Tours and I would highly recommend her. She was a wealth of knowledge about the history and folklore of Williamsburg. She has spent a lifetime studying history, especially the history of Virginia.
This gentlemen was George Wythe, if I remember right and he had a house in town.
The old Virginia Capitol
The Capitol
Sheep in a backyard fence. You really feel like you’ve stepped back in time in Williamsburg and I’m sure that’s the idea. You get immersed in history and the beauty of the time period.
The Arts Museum in Williamsburg was very informative and fun to tour.
From folk art to historic furniture, there was something for everyone.
Such a well done exhibit of history and art.
Loved this display of period dishes.
The antique furniture always gets my attention. How beautiful are these old clocks?
The Governor’s Palace. We took a tour of the palace too.
And we had a private tour of William and Mary college from an alumni, Chris, who was very informative about the school. It was very obvious he was proud of attending college here and loved it. I can see why, the campus is absolutely stunning. Chartered in 1693, William and Mary is the second oldest college in America.
The President’s house.
I don’t remember what this biulding was
Statue of Lord Botetourt.
The campus is absolutely picture perfect.
Busts of notables of the college.
The ghost tour we took at night with Colonial Ghost Tour. There was quite a group of us in this tour, but unfortunately it started raining about 45 minutes in and we didn’t get to finish, since we had no rain protection with us.
We ate at several restaurants in Williamsburg and the other areas. Breakfast spots like Illy’s in Market Square, 1607 Coffee Company, Hohl for breakfast and also The Cheese Shop lunch, a staple in Market Square were all very good for breakfast and lunch. For dinner in Williamsburg, we ate at Christiana Campbell’s Tavern and experienced a tavern meal with entertainment. We had dinner at Kephi Greek Kitchen, very good meal. There are plenty of good eating establishments all around the area, so you will find plenty to please.
Yorktown
Our second day took us to Yorktown, where we started at the Yorktown Visitor Center. We took in the Yorktown museum, which focuses on the 1781 Siege of Yorktown and had the campaign table used by British General Cornwallis during the siege. and then did the drive along Yorktown Battlefield. It was so amazing to see all this in person. General Washington’s campaign tents are also on display. What a treat it was to see all of that!
The Victory monument in Yorktown.
We enjoyed driving through Yorktown Battlefield and seeing the significant spots along the way.
I learned what a Redoubt was, a small enclosed defensive fort.
We had lunch along the water at the Yorktown Pub and it was delicious!
Dinner that night was at Water Street Grille in Yorktown, also on the water and it too was so delicious.
Mark had the pasta and I had that amazing coastal pizza! Can you say yum!
Some of the cute cottages in Yorktown.
George Coleman Memorial Bridge in Yorktown, it spans the York River between Yorktown and Gloucester Point, VA.
We also toured the American Revolution Museum at Yorktown and it was so well done and entirely fascinating.
The exhibits were beautifully displayed.
And gave us so much history.
George Washington statue.
Outdoors are a Continental army encampment, as well as other outbuildings, showing real life as an 18th century family.
This was so well done.
The tobacco barn.
Back in Yorktown, we enjoyed strolling around this quaint town by the water.
Yorktown is full of history.
That evening as the sun was heading down, we went on a sunset sail with Yorktown Sailing Charters. That was absolutely so much fun being on the water at sunset.
We saw the most amazing sunset and I couldn’t get enough of taking pictures!
Jamestown
We loved touring Jamestown and Historic Jamestowne, where we saw archaeological digs going on and we visited the archaeology museum and saw artifacts and learned more about the history here on this plot of land where the first settlers came to America.
Our first stop was the Jamestown Glasshouse, where artisans were doing glass blowing demonstrations.
I couldn’t resist buying a blue glass pineapple to bring home as a memento.
The Jamestown museum was also very informative about the history of this entire area.
Historic Jamestowne is jointly administered by the National Park Service and Jamestowne Rediscovery.
We had a guided tour of the excavations going on in James Fort and we loved the award winning archaeology museum on site.
We walked where Pocahontas and John Smith walked, the original site of the first permanent English settlement in America. Seeing how our country was founded and the battles fought for our freedoms really hit home for me. We cannot take our freedom for granted.
James Fort
Captain John Smith.
Archaeology digs currently being excavated at the fort.
The archaeology museum.
A large cross sitting by the James River.
The foundations of the original 17th century church are still under the Memorial Church at Jamestowne.
The original 17th century tower is still there, but the church was rebuilt in the early 1900’s.
It was so fascinating to visit inside the church and see all the excavations and current church facilities.
Couldn’t resist getting a pic here. We had lunch at the Dale House cafe on site at the fort. We had delicious sandwiches and sat by the river to eat.
Next on our tour after Jamestown, it was back to Williamsburg to ride e-bikes with William with Williamsburg on Wheels. We had so much fun riding through corn fields on a beautiful paved trail that went through the woods and into some beautiful areas.
Mark and I were so impressed with the e-bikes and could see ourselves getting a couple of these. They sure were fun! Have you ever tried one? No more peddling up hills!
Our last adventure of the trip was a wonderful Historic Triangle Air tour up in this small plane with John, a very talented pilot. Mark was in the back and I was up front with the pilot.
We had the best view from up there and he flew over Busch Gardens, which you can see straight ahead in the above pic.
It was so fun to fly over the rivers and the water areas and see the places we had already visited.
In the pic above, you can see Historic Jamestowne and the fort that we had just left earlier that day. The tall statue is the one I have shown above and you can see the fort to the left. It shows how small the area of Historic Jamestowne looks to be.
There it all is in the above shot. What a treat it was. We wrapped up our trip with lunch at Charley’s restaurant at the airport.
The trip was so much fun and I want to thank Visit Williamsburg for inviting us on this great adventure to Williamsburg and the tri-city area. It truly was such a fun treat for us, since we had never visited before it was all new and exciting to us. I would highly recommend a trip to Williamsburg if you’ve never been here before. I had heard about it all my life and it did not disappoint at all. We loved how beautiful Virginia is and it felt so lush and clean when we left the Richmond airport and drove to Williamsburg. What a wonderful treat it was! I’m thrilled that we got to see so much history and learn more about our country and how and where we began.
So glad you took in those areas. I live in Virginia and have enjoyed visiting on a regular basis.
Christmas, in Williamsburg, is like non other. The yule tide start, when they butn the street lamps. homes adorned in natural and lovely decorations; and staying at the Williamsburg Lodge or Inn – it’s historic and memorable.
Hidden treasures in stores on the back streets behind the main historic street in Williamsburg.
In the Spring, Williamsburg blooms with historic vendors selling plants, flowers in yards on that very street, where our forefathers met, made decisions for our country.
Come again and discover garden items tucked in the stores that dot that street.
And. this is just Williamsburg, there’s more to the surrounding areas.
Thank you for the post and come again.
I used to live there and Williamsburg is like none other at Christmas. Grand Illumination is something to see and worth the trip back to Virginia. You would love the way they decorate with the fresh fruits (miniature pineapples and pomegranate’s) and pine. Candles everywhere. I have lived all over the United States (military wife) and I will never forget Williamsburg at Christmas. I was fortunate enough to get to celebrate my 50th birthday staying in one of the lovely B&B’s downtown. Next time you go, check out a B&B, spectacular homes! I actually have a tabletop book that I set out every Christmas about colonial Christmas decor. Everyone loves looking through it and I love sharing my memories with others about that special place. Glad you enjoyed your trip.
I, too, live in Virginia and have visited the places above many times. Thank you for the lovely pics. The rest of Virginia is also beautiful. I lived in Charlottesville, before moving further south to Appomattox County to be near my daughter and her family. Virginia is loaded with history which is one of the reasons I enjoy living here.
It has been years since we vacationed in Williamsburg but I have good memories of everything that we saw and experienced. I’m glad you and your husband got to go! It is a beautiful place and it does make you thankful for America.
I have never been to Virginia so thank you for sharing the pictures and your tours. It looked wonderful and the days looked perfect.
Rhoda, your trip looks like so much fun!! We are traveling quite a bit these days too and I think we need to add this to the list. I love the village atmosphere surrounded by all the water and green space.
Glad you enjoyed it! This is where I live. I hope you visited before our heatwave.
Great photos!! Williamsburg and Washington, DC are my two favorite trips we’ve taken with our kids. It’s SO important to see the places where our country began and remember the hard work and sacrifices of our forefathers! So glad you got to enjoy this trip!
Rhoda, I always love seeing all your travel adventures, I need to add Williamsburg to my list.
Loved the tour. Now come see Charlottesville and Alexandria to round out your early American history.
I know I am biased because I am lifelong Virginian, and my husband grew up in Williamsburg, but we feel blessed to live in such a beautiful and historic area of the country. Every season is different but as many have said Christmas in Williamsburg is really a special time of year. We go to Yorktown frequently to sit on the beach and grab a meal at the Yorktown Pub or over the bridge in Gloucester at Nicks. We still haven’t been to the fairly new American Revolutionary Museum so that is something on our list. I was also glad to see you guys got to bike on the Capital Trail which goes all the way to Richmond. My hubby is having knee problems, and we had no idea they rented electric bikes so that is something to keep in mind. Just to let you know, the land that is now Busch Gardens, use to be Lake Powell and my husband and other kids use to ride bikes all around it.
HI, Teresa, that sounds like a wonderful place to grow up! I’m sure you treasure all those memories.
Definitely return for Grand Illumination! We have been several times and are at a point in our life that we stay only at the Inn…a far cry from when we were younger parents with children! It’s a treat we give ourselves every year or two. So happy you enjoyed your visit!
HI, Kathryn, we sure did enjoy it and I can see why you stay at the inn. It was far more luxurious than the cottage was and definitely great for an older couple.