Williamsburg, Virginia is more than simply a living museum; it is also a historical college town with numerous attractions for tourists. Colonial Williamsburg is the first thing you’ll notice, as it recreates street scenes from centuries past.
While you meander through the historic streets, browse the distinctive boutiques and visit the craftsmen stores, allowing the city to employ its charms on you.
Colonial Williamsburg Arboretum, Williamsburg Botanical Garden, William & Mary Museum of Fine Arts, and Busch Gardens Williamsburg are just a few of the historical attractions in Williamsburg.
I’ve developed a list of interesting and exciting things to do in Williamsburg to spice up your stay and ensure you get the most out of all this city has to offer. If you’ve never gone to Williamsburg before, this is all the information you’ll need.
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Contents
- 1 The Top 10 Things to Do in Williamsburg, Virginia
- 1.1 Proceed to the Governor’s Palace.
- 1.2 A Tour of Historic Jamestowne
- 1.3 Have a good time at Busch Gardens.
- 1.4 Have a look around the Muscarelle Museum of Art.
- 1.5 The Abby Aldrich Rockefeller Folk Art Museum is a must-see.
- 1.6 Pay a visit to the Colonial National Historic Park.
- 1.7 Pay a visit to the Jamestown Glasshouse.
- 1.8 Pay a visit to York River State Park.
- 1.9 Visit Bruton Parish Episcopal Church.
- 1.10 Williamsburg Winery Wine Tasting
- 2 The Top 10 Things to Do in Williamsburg, Virginia
The Top 10 Things to Do in Williamsburg, Virginia
Proceed to the Governor’s Palace.
+18004478679300 Green Palace St.
Williamsburgs old Governors Palace is one of my favorite sites. This edifice housed royal governors starting in 1706 and Virginia elected rulers from 1779 to 1786.
It was destroyed twice by arson and rebuilt in 1930 utilizing principles developed from historical studies. The palace now contains a museum of colonial-era furniture as well as numerous magnificent swords from that era.
The enormous ballroom of the castle is stunning, with shimmering chandeliers, marble columns, and beautiful murals.
The original décor has been restored, including an excellent silver tea set donated by King George III of England to the royal governor Francis Fauquier.
A Tour of Historic Jamestowne
Colonial Pkwy. +175785612501368 Colonial Pkwy.
Jamestowne is one of the country’s best-preserved archaeological sites. A visit to the site provides an up-close glimpse at the rich history of America’s colonization. It’s fascinating to see what they unearthed and how their camp would have appeared more than 400 years ago.
Visitors to the archaeological site will find numerous monuments and exhibits, but you will need to bring your imagination to truly explore the whole region.
Jamestowne is distinct from the larger Colonial National Historical Park Visitors Center, which has costumed park rangers, relics, war reenactments, and the old stockade fort.
Today, you can see replicas of the three ships that brought the colonists over in 1607 (the Susan Constant, Godspeed, and Discovery), take guided tours through colonial-era buildings filled with artifacts recovered from archaeological digs, and descend into an excavated James Fort cellar to get a sense of what life was like back then.
Have a good time at Busch Gardens.
+175722943861 Boulevard Busch Gardens
What distinguishes Busch Gardens Williamsburg? It is tough to choose just one item. The park is definitely magnificent, with three entrances styled after French, English, and German gates.
You may enter the park via the French gate (known as Port Aventura) or use an All-Day Park Explorer ticket to see all three.
This action-packed park offers enough thrill rides to get anyone’s heart racing. But the fun doesn’t end there! Every year, the park includes a variety of events and activities for both children and adults that do not require roller coasters.
Everything from dinner performances to music and art festivals will have you saying Adios, Bonjour, Auf Wiedersehen, and Hola in no time.
The beauty of this theme park is that you may tailor your visit to satisfy all members of your family. Therefore, whether you’re searching for a fun way to pass the time or an exciting destination to visit, this park is one of the greatest things to do in Williamsburg, Virginia, and delivers unanticipated thrills for everyone!
Have a look around the Muscarelle Museum of Art.
Jamestown Rd.
The Muscarelle Museum of Art tours, like many of the greatest things to do in Williamsburg, Virginia, are free. Employees also conduct groups through the art collection every hour on the hour.
Tours range from antique earthenware to Byzantine glass to Asian snuff vials. On site, there is also an annex that houses European art.
The Muscarelle Museum of Art is one of Williamsburg’s historic attractions. The museum was established in 1983 when local entrepreneur Charles S. Williams donated an art collection to the institution.
Dr. Joseph W. Muscarelle Jr. named the museum, as well as the college’s performing arts center, student art gallery (now known as the Joseph W. Muscarelle Jr. Gallery), and Sculpture Garden (which bears his name).
The work is all American and spans a variety of time periods. The pieces at the Muscarelle Museum of Art were made by notable artists such as William Harnett, N.C. Wyeth, Thomas Sully, and James Cowardin.
The Abby Aldrich Rockefeller Folk Art Museum is a must-see.
+18778488039301 South Nassau St.
This Virginia folk art museum is incredible. It contributes to raising the profile of folk art. It is extremely popular among history buffs and antique collectors.
This museum makes you understand that the cultural legacy of the United States is accessible in books and museums and may be examined and appreciated by touching and experiencing these artifacts.
A visit to the Abby Aldrich Rockefeller Folk Art Museum is similar to going to an art museum made out of other people’s residences.
Paintings, sculptures, furniture, ceramics, quilts, stoneware, and glassware fill the homes, sheds, attics, and other areas that have been turned into galleries for self-taught artists. You may even walk within the artwork in certain locations.
Apart from its permanent collection, the museum presents temporary exhibitions on occasion, mainly on loan from other institutions.
Down on the Farm has a carved wooden dog, Prince, as well as wooden toys, paintings, and sculptures portraying the countryside and folk music instruments used by folk musicians in the nineteenth and twentieth centuries, such as banjos, dulcimers, and fiddles.
Pay a visit to the Colonial National Historic Park.
National Park Service’s Colonial National Historical Park
The Colonial Parkway connects Colonial National Historical Park to Richmond on the Virginia Peninsula. In 1781, the city of Yorktown hosted the last American Revolutionary War fight.
Jamestown, founded by English immigrants in 1607, was America’s first permanent English colony. Both places are essentially named Williamsburg, which is also the name of the Colonial National Historical Site.
Colonial National Historical Park and Jamestown Settlement are both notable historical sites in Williamsburg, Virginia.
Among the most significant historical sites in Colonial National Historical Park are Jamestown, the first English colony in the New World, and the Yorktown Battlefields, the site of the Revolutionary War’s last fight in 1781.
These locations, which mark the beginning and end of English colonial America, are situated on the Virginia Peninsula and are linked by the Colonial Parkway, a picturesque route.
The park also contains Sir William Berkeley’s 17th-century mansion Green Spring, where the colony’s first governor resided, as well as the Cape Henry Monument, which was erected on the place where the first Jamestown colonists arrived in 1607.
Together with historical structures, the park has beautiful natural elements such as farmland, woodlands, marshes, and streams.
Pay a visit to the Jamestown Glasshouse.
Colonial Pkwy., Williamsburg, +175722924371348
The Jamestown Glasshouse is a museum as well as a stop on the Heritage Trail. It is situated on the site of the 18th century Jamestown colony, the first permanent English settlement in North America, within the Colonial National Historical Sites.
The historic edifice was constructed in 1608 and is the sole physical structure that remains from the original James Fort.
Visitors may now stroll around the area and witness exhibitions of glassmaking and the instruments they would have used. There are also guided tours offered, which will take travelers through the whole process from beginning to end.
The Jamestown Glasshouse provides visitors with an unforgettable glimpse into history.
The glasshouse serves as a type of anchor for tourists visiting Colonial Williamsburg. It’s a place where you can gain a sense of the glassmaking process, try your hand at glassblowing, and explore how artists could have utilized glass to produce daily items. This is one of the few surviving sites associated with America’s first colony.
Pay a visit to York River State Park.
01 York River Park Rd. +175756630369801 York River Park Rd.
The York Rivers Region is one of the most popular tourist destinations in Colonial Virginia. This park’s appeal stems from the many activities that visitors may participate in. There are also various historical sites, beaches, two wildlife refuges, and other attractions in the vicinity.
York River State Park’s unusual blend of two environments supports a plethora of marine and plant species. Apart from fossil beds, the site also has Colonial and Native American antiquities.
Its thirty miles of woodland and seashore paths are ideal for hiking, bicycling, and horseback riding, and its playgrounds and pavilions keep youngsters entertained.
Fishing enthusiasts may also use the boat ramp at York River State Park. The York River State Park visitor center is also a great spot to learn about the York River’s history, usage, and ecosystem.
Visit Bruton Parish Episcopal Church.
W. Duke of Gloucester St. +17572292891201 W. Duke of Gloucester St.
Bruton Parish Episcopal Church, constructed in 1715, was Virginia’s first cruciform-shaped church. The area is 75 feet by 28 feet. With its ascent to popularity, the church underwent several renovations and upgrades and obtained some of its most valuable artifacts.
In 1756, an organ was erected, and in 1753, the rare Book of Common Prayer and the Holy Bible were purchased. George Washington and Thomas Jefferson both attended Bruton.
During the Battle of Williamsburg in 1862, Confederate troops utilized the Bruton Hospital, which was entirely refurbished in 1939 as part of the historic Williamsburg restoration. As a consequence, the church survives today as an exact reproduction of its former glory.
Brunton, in addition to being an active parish church, hosts over 120 concerts and recitals on its valuable organ, as well as performances by visiting choral and instrumental ensembles.
Williamsburg Winery Wine Tasting
Wessex Hundred +175793768015800 Wessex Hundred
Williamsburg Winery was founded in 1986 when Mike and Norah Perten, two local winemakers, teamed up with Bill Gould to create Wasserhund Vineyards wines.
Wasserhund is an Alsatian German term that means “water dog,” and it relates to the huge canines of the Rhine River Valley that were employed to pull wine carts between vineyards and cellars.
Taking a tour and dining at the restaurant is a popular option for winery visitors. Wedmore Place, the winery’s main hotel, is an attractive European-style inn with 28 specially designed rooms.
Guests may eat on exquisite dishes matched with good wines at the hotel’s Café Provenal.
The Top 10 Things to Do in Williamsburg, Virginia
This beautiful and attractive town in the Virginia piedmont is great for history aficionados, golf enthusiasts, and anybody who loves a decent microbrew.
Because of its central position, many visitors will pass by for a brief day excursion, which is really not enough time since there is much to do in Williamsburg all week.
Therefore, if you’re going through Virginia, make time to discover all Williamsburg has to offer!