As a kid Williamsburg was one of my favorite places to vacation and visit. It was mainly for Busch Gardens and Water Country USA, if I am being honest LOL. What I remember most of Colonial Williamsburg, was visiting in the evening and getting ice cream. Not a bad memory, but I was excited to explore more as adult!
Like most historical places, the best place to stop was the visitor center. Colonial Williamsburg is free to visit. Parking does have a fee (though I can tell you it wasn’t monitored during our visit so pay or don’t at your own risk). If you want to have more of the full experience, take a travel back in time, and go inside the historical buildings, then you do want to get a pass. They have day, weekend, week and seasonal passes. If you plan to visit more of the historical triangle, then I would look into that option as well. During our visit, they had a cyber deal of half off the annual pass. This happened to be cheaper than the current weekend pass, so it was worth the purchase. I also have the freedom to visit again before the 2026 year ends!
Our first day happened to be on Thanksgiving. Fun fact is that they are open 365 days a year. Because of the holiday it wasn’t busy which was a huge plus. The downside was that they did not have the bus running. So it was either move the car from the visitor center closer to the colonial sector or walk. We opted to walk, though not appropriately dressed, it was still lovely to do. You start on a bridge that takes you back in time from present 21st century to colonial 18 century. The path takes you right out to the governor’s palace, which was a perfect place to start. Having the pass allowed you to go into the historical buildings (those that were open with a flag and had staff). Some of the staff were great. They completely take you bake to the 18 century and explain how life, their trade etc. would have been like back then. Some of my favorites include the governor’s palace, carpenter’s, and the weaver. It helps when the staff are engaged as it just makes the experience that much better. I don’t want to give too much away, as it is more fun to experience yourself then reading about it.
There are additional tours and experiences you can booked; some guided tours and events as well as spooky ghost tours. We booked a horse carriage tour. It was only 15 minutes, but through the historical town. It really took you back to the time period. Our guide was great, had fun facts but also answered any questions. We had one of the newest carriages in the fleet, one someone of class or as high as governor would ride it. So basically, a ride for royalty! It was an added fee, but worth it and I would highly recommend. What it did show was all the buildings we missed walking throughout town. We knocked out a good chunk in a couple days. But there is way more that you could spend at least a week. We missed the museums and most of merchant square. I know where to go the next time we visit. See the highlight reel here!
Tips/Recommendations: Colonial Williamsburg is a must visit. Even if it is only to site see, grab a quick bite or drink. I highly recommend getting the pass to be able to have more of the full experience. Especially if you will be visiting for several plus days. Though, even if you are only there a weekend, I think it is still worth it. If our planning a trip, think of around the holidays. The rest of our weekend was busier, but Thanksgiving, it was practically empty compared to the other days. Though there is a lot of history, there is many options for all. I also recommend making sure you drive on the colonial parkway; its beautiful scenic route that is cobble stone. It helps give you another historical experience. And as always, try something new every time you go!
Rating: 8.5/10
Recommend: YES
Live to Explore,
Tiv
Living Tivalicious 