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25 ways to join the revolution in Williamsburg
Take in the action at the most popular destination in Virginia
 The Colonial Williamsburg Foundation George Washington and the Marquis de Lafayette address the citizens of Williamsburg as the Continental Army prepares for the siege of Yorktown, the final battle of the American Revolution. |
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At the most popular destination in Virginia, a family can pack an awful lot of fun into three or four days. You can freefall 205 feet straight down on the world’s tallest floorless dive coaster at Busch Gardens Williamsburg, ride a raft over a waterfall at Water Country USA, and take on a band of pirates at the Pirate’s Cove miniature golf course. But surely the most memorable adventure will be traveling back in time to experience the creation of our young nation. And the best part? When you return to 21st-century life, don’t be surprised if you and the kids are just a teeny bit smarter.
As the largest living history museum in the world, the meticulously restored Colonial Williamsburg just might be the perfect American history classroom. Mind you, there’s no book reading, essay writing, or exam taking. No boning up on dates or memorizing facts. You and your kids don’t just learn about history, you step right into it.
The British flag flies over the Capitol. Women wear long dresses and ruffled caps, men don powdered wigs, and there’s not a car in sight. You can run into Thomas Jefferson at the King’s Arms Tavern, sample authentic 18th-century grub, take a horse and buggy ride along cobblestoned streets, and weave in and out of shops where wigs, dresses and shoes are still made by hand.
In many ways, America was born in Williamsburg. As the capital of the Virginia colony from 1698, Williamsburg was an important hive of political activity leading up to the American Revolution. The ideas of independence and revolution were debated, discussed, and refined here by Thomas Jefferson, Alexander Hamilton, and other statesmen. These characters are alive and well in today’s Williamsburg, as are the everyday residents—cobblers, farmers, coachmen, shopkeepers, slaves, and children—who go about their lives and share their experiences.
Get the lay of the land
Start out early in Colonial Williamsburg at the Visitor Center, a one-stop shop for planning your day. Pick up a current copy of "This Week", an indispensable listing of special activities going on during your visit. You can buy your admission tickets, book walking tours and carriage rides, make dinner reservations in a tavern, and rent period costumes for your kids. Don’t forget to exchange your modern greenbacks for the “colonial currency” accepted in the Historic Area shops and restaurants. Your admission tickets entitle you to a free shuttle bus to the Historic Area. (101 Visitor Center Dr.; 800/HISTORY or 757/220-7645; One-day admission: $36/adult, $18/child 6-17, free for kids 5 and under; Annual pass: $55/adult, $27.50/child 6-17, free for kids 5 and under)
Ride in coach class
For a fun way to get your bearings, take a carriage ride of the Historic Area. As you travel through town in an authentically reconstructed colonial-era coach or stage wagon, your coachman will tell you how it would have been used in the 18th century and who might have owned it. (Tip: Rides begin at 10 a.m. daily. Book early on the same day of your visit, since tickets often sell out.) (Book at Visitor Center, 101 Visitor Center Dr.; Tickets: 15-minute ride, $12.50/person; 30-minute ride, $25/person)
Take it from a kid
Wary of stuffy guided tours? The free 30-minute KAPOW! Kids and Parents Orientation Walks are led by kids 10 and up. These junior interpreters, dressed in period costume, have been extensively trained about life in the colonies and stay in character as they answer your family’s questions. These kid’s-eye-view tours have the right mixture of youthful perspective, interactivity, and fun. (Tours offered throughout summer; check online calendar for times. Meet at John Greenhow Lumber House, Duke of Gloucester St., across from the Palace Green)
Go Bump in the night
Older kids and teens will love the Original Ghosts of Williamsburg Candlelight Walking Tour, still a bestseller after 18 years. As your group walks the dark streets of Williamsburg, you’ll hear eerie tales and creepy folklore from Colonial times. Tours last at least an hour and are best for ages 8 and up.
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(Meet in front of the William & Mary/Barnes & Noble bookstore, 345 W. Duke of Gloucester St., Merchant’s Square. Tours year-round at 8 p.m., summer only at 8:45 p.m.; 877/62-GHOST; Tickets: $11/person, free for kids under 6)
Get in on the action
Dress up
To get the most fun out of this living museum, encourage kids to play their part by renting child-sized colonial costumes—white frocks with sashes for girls; a haversack bag, shirt and toy wooden rifle for boys. Williamsburg residents will bow and curtsy to your kids, addressing them as “Little Mister” and “Miss.” (Tip: Dress in comfy, cool clothes to wear underneath costumes in the summer months.) (Costume Rentals at Visitor Center and Market Square; Price: $19.95/day with $50 refundable deposit. Price includes $2 coupon toward purchase of tri-cornered hat).
Learn a trade
Watching is okay, but doing is more fun. At the Craft House, artisans demonstrate the 18th-century techniques they use to create everyday products. The Apprentice! tour visits three artisanal shops to help youngsters imagine what careers they would have chosen if they’d grown up in the 18th century.
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