We recently made a huge (huge for driving with a 2 year old anyway) and successful Road Trip a few hours south to Williamsburg, and it was an awesome experience. We had so much fun, and it was a doable drive from the West Chester area.
When we knew we’d be near the Williamsburg area this summer, we really wanted to check out Colonial Williamsburg with the kids, but I was unsure how much they would be able to enjoy it or appreciate it. They are still pretty little and not totally able to grasp the history of it all. However, they really did enjoy it. I think that experiencing history the way Williamsburg does it - where you are essentially submerged in the lifestyle - is a pretty cool way for kids to learn about and experience history.
I am sure the experience will be different when we go back (when, not if!) and they are a little older. We will be able to participate in more of the interactive activities like Rev Quest, and they can appreciate more of the significance of lifestyle differences from colonial times compared to now – no texting, screen time, school buses, air conditioning or other major conveniences! Yet, our visit this summer was so memorable and they were able to enjoy so much of what Williamsburg has to offer. We were pleasantly surprised and disappointed only by the fact that we didn’t have time to do it all!
We arrived at the Visitor Center to pick up tickets, maps and to check everything out. Upon receiving tickets to Colonial Williamsburg you gain access to the free shuttle that transports you all around the area. Riding the shuttle is fun no matter what age you are, right? Strollers are allowed, just fold them up. We received a weekly calendar of activities and events happening in the historical area – such as Patrick Henry’s chat in the Governor’s Palace and the ”On to Yorktown and Victory” march. This guide was particularly helpful and even included color-coded events that were particularly geared toward families with children.
At the Visitor Center they also had kid-friendly maps and a “mission” for the little ones that was a sort of matching game encouraging them to find various colonial items. Once they made seven matches they show their paper to a townsperson and receive a prize pin. If you end up dining at Huzzah BBQ , a local resaturant, this pin just happens to earn you a free ice cream. For older children, they can participate in Rev Quest – a secret spy mission. The Rev Quest was too advanced for our kids, but it looked like an awesome, engaging way to involve older kids and parents in the visit to Williamsburg. You receive your orders and gather information and get clues as you go along.
We had a great lunch at The Cheese Shop and made our plan for the afternoon. I definitely recommend a stop there. It was especially awesome for us as they offer allergy-friendly foods, but regardless, their menu is extensive and delicious. From there we toured the Merchant Square where we picked up some sweets and some souvenirs. As we left Merchant Square, it looked like they were setting up for a small street concert held in the middle of the square which looked like a lot of family-friendly fun. Merchant Square was definitely a great spot to wander, shop and eat.
That afternoon we headed into the historic area, and it felt like stepping back in time. I think our family favorite from our entire visit to the historic area was witnessing the soldiers at the ”On to Yorktown and Victory” march. One of the leaders gave a speech and I am not going to lie, when George Washington rode out on his horse to motivate his men, I was kind of awestruck. They also had a canon salute (noisy for little ones, but really cool; you could stand back a bit to escape the noise). As if that wasn’t realistic enough, they invited visitors to join in the march. The soldiers called for anyone that wanted to join the revolution to march along with them - my husband and older son did. It was awesome, they just fell into step behind the soldiers playing their music and marching. It was very cool, if only we had a fife, drum or a tricorn hat. (All are available for purchase of course! In fact, you can even rent colonial costumes for the kids to dress the part!)
We broke our visit into two days, and tried to visit as much as we could while we were there. As part of our admission, we were able to enter various historic buildings to see what they were like or what was happening inside or even join a tour. We especially enjoyed the garden maze of boxwoods behind the Governor’s Palace. The entire garden area was a fun walk as well. If you do not purchase tickets to Colonial Williamsburg, you can still stroll the grounds and see the sites; there is plenty to see and experience. However, you cannot enter buildings like the Governor’s Palace and tour or make use of the shuttle.
The historic area is an enjoyable stroll either way. We actually found we could let the little one out of the stroller and, since the area is generally closed to traffic, he could walk around on his own (ok he doesn’t really walk, he runs, fast, but it worked out ok.) The streets were stroller-friendly, as was the Governor’s Palace garden, but inside many of the buildings it is not stroller-friendly, and you simply park your wheels out front. One thing we avoided were most tours, as we thought it might be tough with a little one (who likes to run!). There were families with young children participating in the tours, though, and I think they are probably really interesting. I didn’t feel like we were missing out though as there was so much to see as we walked around. I’m sure there is much more to experience next time, but we all had a great visit.
There are plenty of nearby restaurants right in the historic area or a short walk to Merchants Square that have great kid’s meal options. There are even a few restaurants on Open Table (an app we love!) which is awesome since waiting with kids sometimes = recipe for disaster. If you are staying in a nearby hotel there are lots of other chain-type eateries for breakfast, lunch and dinner within close proximity to this area and to many local hotels.
As you can tell we had a great visit and were so happy that the kids were able to participate in the fun and history. Some highlights from our Colonial visit include:
* Joining the March
* Seeing the horse-drawn carriages
* Governor’s Palace Garden Maze
* Trying out Colonial toys and instruments
I hope this helps you in planning your trip. We obviously had an amazing trip - Happy Travels!
For more information on traveling to the Colonial Williamsburg Area visit ColonialWilliamsburg.com
We received complimentary admission to Colonial Williamsburg for the purpose of this Road Trip review. All opinions expressed are those of myself and my family.
