Many thanks to the people at Colonial Williamsburg for making this post possible. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
One great thing about living in Virginia is all of the incredible history that you can find all over the state. From early settlement, to Colonial and Revolutionary War times, to Civil War battlefields, Virginia has historical sites at just about every turn.
Recently, we took an extra long weekend with some family that we haven’t seen in a while and headed over to Virginia’s Historic Triangle, an area that covers three pretty important sites in our country’s history, Jamestown, Yorktown, and Colonial Williamsburg.
Once you get into Colonial Williamsburg, it really is like stepping back in time. The reenactors are in period dress, the hands on activities are the kinds of things that people would actually have been doing back then. They have working gardens and even a team of oxen named Duke and Dan travelling around the area. The only things that looks out of place are the tourists.
One of the most iconic sites in Colonial Williamsburg is the Governor’s Palace. Williamsburg was the capitol of colonial Virginia. It’s cool to be able to walk around and see what would have been lavish accommodations so close to the center of town where all of the shopkeepers, blacksmiths, etc. are busting their humps.
You will not get out of Colonial Williamsburg without seeing at least a dozen of these. They are crocks that birds use to build their nests. Pretty cool, huh? More than just being pretty, though, the birds were great for insect control around the homes and kitchens.
Walking through Colonial Williamsburg, you would never know that you are within 15 minutes of shopping center, outlet malls, and any restaurant that you can imagine. Stopping to watch these sheep in a small pasture, it just feels natural to slow the pace.
There are all kinds of activities for the kids to get involved in. They get their badges and their scavenger hunt maps and just get to walk around kind of leading the show. Maybe they’ll even stop to pose for a picture or to watch Duke and Dan walk by. One thing is for sure. It’s nice to know that, when I need them to help out in the kitchen, a spoon and a carrot will get the job done! If not, I’ll make sure to lock them up for a while!
On a hot summer day, it is nice to find some relief. There are plenty of places to eat lunch. The classic inns serve all kinds of period dishes. For our family of five, including 3 kids who will barely eat what you put in front of them anyhow, this little shady spot behind Chownings Inn was a great find. It is tucked in the back and serves food that the kids would eat for a lot less than the Inn itself. It would not have been uncommon to serve the less well-to-do in the rear of an inn so we fit right in back there!
When you head to Colonial Williamsburg, make sure to keep an eye out for these flags. They tell you that the shop is open that day. Some shops are only open on certain days and the flags tell you for sure that someone is home.
If you are headed to Virginia soon and want to check out Colonial Williamsburg, feel free to shoot us an email or check out the official Colonial Williamsburg website for times, activities, etc.
Has your family visited any historical sites lately? Which ones? Let us know all about your adventures.
This looks like such a fun and educational place to visit. I love history and being able to see everything hands-on is awesome. If we ever come up that way, I’d love to check it out!