Visiting Williamsburg, VA should be on everyone’s travel list this summer! Can you believe we’ve lived just an hour flight from Williamsburg for our entire lives and never been there until recently. My family and I took a four-day trip about a month ago and I’m super excited to share our itinerary with you!
Williamsburg is overflowing with history, culture, and tons of family fun, and we took full advantage of it on our trip. Over the course of four days, we did everything from spending the day at Busch Gardens to taking a carriage ride through Colonial Williamsburg and everything in between. It was great fun for my husband, me, AND all three kids, so this town is a winner!
Busch Gardens
We arrived in Williamsburg about mid-day on Thursday and immediately headed to Busch Gardens. We weren’t scheduled to check in to our hotel for a few hours, so we figured we’d make the most of the time right from the start. If you’ve never been to Busch Gardens, it’s so much more than an amusement park. We hit the roller coasters and thrill rides for a little blood-pumping fun. I loved how each section of the park felt as though you were in a different part of the world. Moreover, we also checked out some live shows, interactive kid shows, and even their wildlife animals on site.
Stay
From there, we headed to Colonial Houses Historic Lodging, which we’d called home for the duration of our four-day stay. It’s an amazing place to stay! All their homes have been painstakingly reproduced to be true to the Colonial America time period, with beautiful, cozy decor, a welcoming atmosphere, and touches like canopy beds and functional fireplaces to make every evening a comfy one. We stayed in the Orlando Jones Shop Colonial House.
After checking in, we had dinner at Fat Canary. This bistro is family-friendly, with upscale American cuisine, and wines that grownups will love. Since opening in 2003, it’s received the AAA Four Diamond Award every single year! Its signature green walls and classic decor make a great backdrop to its equally amazing food.
Day 2
We started Friday with breakfast at Blue Talon Bistro. It’s a gorgeous spot with beautiful decor and food that can best be described as “upscale comfort.” Chef Everett calls it “serious comfort food,” and it’s a combination of French Bistro tradition coupled with classic American dishes. The two combine to create incredibly delicious recipes with deep flavor that are still true to old-fashioned Americana.
Colonial Williamsburg
After breakfast, we headed to Colonial Williamsburg to enjoy a carriage ride. The clipping of the hooves, historically accurate garbed driver, and the beautiful architecture of historic Colonial Williamsburg created a peaceful, soothing experience that was also incredibly interesting. If you’re going to tour the town, a carriage ride is the best way to do it!
After our carriage ride, we spent a few hours exploring Colonial Williamsburg by foot. We wandered through the town and spent quite a bit of time at Merchants Square. Along the way, we met costumed interpreters who brought the 18th century to life every day, portraying daily life and experiences of the time as the Revolutionary War unfolded and the birth of the nation began.
Yorktown
From Colonial Williamsburg, we jumped back into the modern era and had lunch at Umi Sushi in Yorktown. This restaurant offers a huge variety of sushi, along with a few Korean dishes and Japanese sake. It’s a laid-back restaurant that requires no reservations and no fancy attire. Come as you are and enjoy some delicious Asian food!
After lunch, we took a Yorktown Sightseeing Day Sail with Yorktown Sailing Charters, giving us an amazing view of the area and much of the wildlife that calls it home. This daytime sightseeing cruise takes place on the Tall Ship, Alliance II on the York River, beginning at the Riverwalk Landing Pier. This cruise offers a unique experience that begins even before stepping foot on the boat. You’ll enjoy the village streets and paths overlooking the river before boarding. Then, while on board, you’ll get an amazing look at various architecture and monuments.
After the cruise, we enjoyed dinner at Cochon on 2nd. This place bills itself as a restaurant “where fine cuisine meets approachable comforts,” and that really is the best way to describe it. The food felt like fine dining, but the atmosphere was much more relaxed. The menu is rotating and ever-changing, based on what’s fresh during the season. That means that every dinner is as unique as it is delicious.
Jamestown Settlement – Day 3
After a breakfast of baked goods and coffee from The Bake Shop, we headed to Jamestown Settlement, a living, breathing, historically accurate look at 17-century Virginia history and culture. This was particularly an exciting day because the girls are learning about this right now in school, so to see it all come to life for them was so spectacular.
In addition to seeing people go about what would have been a typical day in that area, we took advantage of the gallery exhibits and one of their films to learn about the Virginia Native Americans who called the area home before the settlers’ arrival, as well as the settlers and how they became the first permanently established colony.
For lunch, we headed to nearby Gabriel Archer Tavern at the Williamsburg Winery. This upscale restaurant combines amazing, French-inspired cuisine with a farm-to-table experience. It’s kind of like a French countryside meal in Virginia. In addition to a wide variety of delicious menu options, you’ll, of course, find many world-class wines.
After lunch, we took an E-bike tour of Powhatan Creek Trail with Williamsburg on Wheels, the historic route that connects all the way to the Church of the Main gravesite. This trail is loaded with natural beauty, as well as historical significance. Along the way, you’ll enjoy beautiful greenery, possible wildlife sightings, the sounds of streams, and living, breathing history all around you. We absolutely loved this tour! The kids had an absolute blast riding the e-bikes.
As if that wasn’t enough adventure for the day, we headed from the trail to Go-Karts Plus. Dubbed “The Action Park of Williamsburg,” this exciting family spot has thrill rides, mini golf, an arcade, plenty of snacks, and, of course, go-karts. We spent a couple of hours zipping and zooming there, before heading out for dinner.
We ended the day with dinner at Le Yaca. The restaurant offers fine dining that’s done simply, so you can enjoy rich, delicious flavors without the pretension that so often goes hand-in-hand with “fancy” restaurants. The restaurant itself is in a remodeled home, so it’s a cozy atmosphere to dine in. The food was absolutely delicious, I am still dreaming of these crab cakes!
Day 4
Since our flight wasn’t until the afternoon, we started our morning at Grit Coffee. This was great place to stop for breakfast before we headed over to Go Ape! Zipline Treetop Adventure, where we enjoyed ziplining, obstacle courses, and the beauty of nature as a family. It was a ton of fun and a terrific bonding experience. Talk about team building. The kids and I had an absolute blast. After that, it was time to head home.
Overall our trip was filled with history, adventure, and fun. We thoroughly enjoyed visiting Williamsburg. VA, and we will definitely be coming back. If you’re planning a trip to the area, with so many family fun things to do and see, be sure to add Williamsburg, Virginia to your summer bucket list! I promise your kids will thank you!
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