boyst Posted October 29, 2018 Posted October 29, 2018 Anyone been? Anyone know where is best to stay? What's to do? Will have an all expenses paid trip there for 5 days, essentially. Can stay at an AirBnB or hotel or anything. This will be next month.
SlimShady'sSpaceForce Posted October 29, 2018 Posted October 29, 2018 1 minute ago, Boyst62 said: Anyone been? Anyone know where is best to stay? What's to do? Will have an all expenses paid trip there for 5 days, essentially. Can stay at an AirBnB or hotel or anything. This will be next month. Do you plan on going inside the Historical Williamsburg houses or just there to walk around the town? I'd suggest you don't pay the $40 (guess) per person to visit, but just walk around. If you seen one small house with a small bed you've seen them all. Other than that the rides. The park should still be open It's a 2 - 3 hour drive for me so I don't know about lodging. 1
Dr. Fong Posted October 29, 2018 Posted October 29, 2018 Is it just you or the family? Busch Gardens does a nice Christmas set up. Great Wolf Lodge is a fun indoor water park. There's a big outlet mall. Colonial Williamsburg is fun to walk through. Merchant Square is at Colonial Williamsburg and has a lot of upscale shops. They decorate it nicely for Christmas. 1
boyst Posted October 29, 2018 Author Posted October 29, 2018 37 minutes ago, ShadyBillsFan said: Do you plan on going inside the Historical Williamsburg houses or just there to walk around the town? I'd suggest you don't pay the $40 (guess) per person to visit, but just walk around. If you seen one small house with a small bed you've seen them all. Other than that the rides. The park should still be open It's a 2 - 3 hour drive for me so I don't know about lodging. I'll go to anything cheap and easy. And I love historical stuff, so that'll help. It's a fully funded trip with a stipend of about $3k. 11 minutes ago, Dr. Fong said: Is it just you or the family? Busch Gardens does a nice Christmas set up. Great Wolf Lodge is a fun indoor water park. There's a big outlet mall. Colonial Williamsburg is fun to walk through. Merchant Square is at Colonial Williamsburg and has a lot of upscale shops. They decorate it nicely for Christmas. Girlfriend has a business trip fully paid for and I'm tagging along since she couldn't go with me to Buffalo today and we had to back out
Royale with Cheese Posted October 29, 2018 Posted October 29, 2018 I used to live there but that’s when I was age 2-4. I can tell you the nicest McDonalds playgrounds. 1
KD in CA Posted October 29, 2018 Posted October 29, 2018 We were there in August for a couple nights on our way down the coast to OBX. Stayed at Wyndham Kingsgate which was just fine. 2 BR suite w/ a big LV and Kitchen for like $250/night which seemed cheap for someone used to New England/West Coast prices. There was another Wyndham nearby (more expensive) if you're looking for a quieter get-away with just the woman. Go to Aromas in town for coffee. Spent a day walking around the Colonial Village which is pretty cool and the kids had fun. Didn't do any of the amusement parks. 1
boyst Posted October 29, 2018 Author Posted October 29, 2018 2 minutes ago, Royale with Cheese said: I used to live there but that’s when I was age 2-4. I can tell you the nicest McDonalds playgrounds. I've heard horror stories about those playgrounds you've already been to, this will be a hard pass. ??
SlimShady'sSpaceForce Posted October 29, 2018 Posted October 29, 2018 https://www.visitwilliamsburg.com/ https://www.visitwilliamsburg.com/things-do As I thought. A single day ticket to Colonial Williamsburg 1 adult $40.99 https://www.colonialwilliamsburg.com/tickets Walk the town for free. You can see everything as you stroll.
GG Posted October 29, 2018 Posted October 29, 2018 Another option is to stay at one of the hotels at Colonial Williamsburg and get the old village package bundled in. If she's on the expense account, stay at the Williamsburg Inn
Guffalo Posted October 29, 2018 Posted October 29, 2018 We went last year, Im a big history fan, get the 2-3 day pass, take the tours of the mansions. Not a lot of night life, but there are some great sites and good food. Also nearby (with the passes) go to Jamestown and Yorktown. The battlefields were "ok", but the buildings and ports were pretty cool.
BuffaloBud Posted October 29, 2018 Posted October 29, 2018 It's been a while, but went during their "Grand Illumination" deal. If you like history and seeing various trades in period level depiction - then you'd prolly like it.
LB3 Posted October 29, 2018 Posted October 29, 2018 1 hour ago, Royale with Cheese said: I used to live there but that’s when I was age 2-4. I can tell you the nicest McDonalds playgrounds. 1
Marv's Neighbor Posted October 29, 2018 Posted October 29, 2018 5 hours ago, ShadyBillsFan said: Do you plan on going inside the Historical Williamsburg houses or just there to walk around the town? I'd suggest you don't pay the $40 (guess) per person to visit, but just walk around. If you seen one small house with a small bed you've seen them all. Other than that the rides. The park should still be open It's a 2 - 3 hour drive for me so I don't know about lodging. Absolutely right! Colonial Williamsburg would love to be able to install a perimeter fence, and charge everyone. That will never happen because the streets are public, and it is right next to the William & Mary campus.. All the residences are owned bu Colonial Williamsburg and occupied by their employees. The higher up you are, the better the house. We enjoy going in December. After the Grand illumination crowds are gone. All the Christmas decorations are there, but not the crowds. It's a very pleasant little place to walk around, and there's no charge to do that. You need a "pass" to go into the Governors Palace, Capital, Art Gallery etc., or anything with a Union Jack flag in front. Duke Of Glouster St., (DoG Street) has a shoe maker shop, about mid street.. Next to that there's an alley, with a small cottage like residence. If you're there for Christmas, the lady always has some very imaginative decorations. There should be plenty of hotel deals, many with free breakfast, and parking. Grand Illumination is usually around the 1st Saturday/Sunday of December. Stay away from that mess, and you should be OK. I-64, E of Richmond is supposed to be going thru a widening project, so I'd use VA-5 to get in/out. VA-5 is a nice drive, never has traffic, but watch out for the deer! There's a VA-5 exit off I-295. I avoid I-64, so not sure how bad it may or may not be? Look for a parking spot of VA-60 (Richmond Rd)., and walk from there. That's free too. 1
Just Joshin' Posted October 29, 2018 Posted October 29, 2018 Great city, have been several times. We have never been at Christmas but it is supposed to be decorated nicely. If you can afford, stay on the site of colonial Williamsburg. Some very nice hotels and convenient. All the chain hotels within a few miles. The village is free to walk around but to go into the village you will need to purchase admission. IMO this is worth it and you will get more than a small house with a small bed. If you enjoy history then Yorktown and Jamestown are near by. Also included in the Williamsburg admission are a couple museums run by the foundation. Restaurants have improved over the years. Of course there are seafood restaurants and the village has colonial restaurants which for the food alone are expensive but you are buying the history.
Teddy KGB Posted October 29, 2018 Posted October 29, 2018 Eat a steak here http://aberdeen-barn.com/ Walk around colonial Williamsburg and drink wine and eat cheese.
Saxum Posted October 29, 2018 Posted October 29, 2018 I stayed in Wyndham Kingsgate as well but since I am a Wyndham timeshare owner I just used my points. This was at least 10 years ago. Colonial Williamsburg was interesting but a lot of it seemed more commercial than historical. Never went to amusement parks. None of the restaurants were anything I'd write about. Most fun we had was going to grocery store, buying some bags of cheap apples and carrots and feed horses; you could tell the horses were used to it for when they smelled apples they would go to fence and beg. It was very easy to feed them since owner did not put any barrier between fence and road like I have seen elsewhere. Not sure if owner knew people were feeding horses and was just using apples and carrots are substitutes or just had hands who never watched how much horses ate.
Marv's Neighbor Posted October 30, 2018 Posted October 30, 2018 When I discouraged people from paying to enter Colonial Williamsburg, that's mostly because we used to live there. Marv and Steve Christy were there too, So we've been and saw everything, and it doesn't change. Obviously if you have an interest or curiosity, it could be worth it. I would still encourage people to park on the street, enter and "walk around," before you put your money down. After doing that, you will either decide yes or no. If you have walked around, and decide that you are a yes, you can purchase your pass at a small building called the Lumber House, right on Duke Of Gloucester St., in the center of the Colonial area You don't have to start at the main entrance, and take their bus over to the Colonial Area. When you live there, you can get a "Good Neighbor pass," which is a reduced price annual pass to everything. My wife & I had dinner in Williamsburg, last spring, and discovered that they have a very heavy tax on meals, 13%? as I recall, and I assume hotels. It's discouraging to see them rip the very people who they are trying to attract. 1
bills_fan Posted October 30, 2018 Posted October 30, 2018 I was there in late August. Stayed at a Best Western which was perfectly fine and had a decent hotel bar for afterwards. Colonial Williamsburg was 5 min away, Busch Gardens was 15 min. The Busch Gardens waterpark, Water Country USA was a ton of fun. If you like roller coasters, Busch Gardens has like 7 or 8 and they are all pretty cool. Walk around Williamsburg and pay a la carte for what you want to do rather than buying tickets. Shooting a colonial musket was fun, as an example. The restaurants in Colonial Williamsburg are overpriced, but the food can be decent. We ate there two nights.
Koko78 Posted October 30, 2018 Posted October 30, 2018 The Jamestown settlement is cool. The Nauticus Maritime Museum is really neat, they feature tours of the battleship Wisconsin. Bit of a drive from Williamsburg, but worth it. There's also a boat tour of the River, including going past the Norfolk Naval base. The Mariner's Museum is awesome. Lots on the Monitor & Merrimack (including large pieces recovered from the USS Monitor.)
Marv's Neighbor Posted October 30, 2018 Posted October 30, 2018 There's a restaurant, 2 blocks outside the Colonial Area but in Williamsburg, called a Chef's Kitchen. http://www.achefskitchen.biz It's pricey, and they have a several month reservation waiting list, but for a special occasion, it's worth consideration. It's 4-5 courses, with a different wine pairing with each course. They prepare the food in front of you, it's very good, and the entertainment value makes it maybe worth while. After dinner they have each of the dinner wines available for sale, and they are all $10 a bottle! I think they seat about 30 for dinner and it's a tiered seating arrangement, facing the chef.
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