Williamsburg, Virginia
The past is all around you in Williamsburg, site of one of the country’s largest living history museums, but you can also make plenty of new memories with your family in and around this popular region.
There really is nothing quite like immersing yourself in American history at Colonial Williamsburg, where costumed interpreters serve as your liaison to the 18th century. While you stroll among various historic government, family, and community sites, the interpreters share stories about life in the 1700s. Perhaps the most fascinating stops are at the Historic Trades and Skills establishments, where modern folks use traditional techniques and tools to demonstrate more than 20 crafts. You can watch all sorts of trades happening in real time, from cabinetmakers to wheelwrights, wigmakers to blacksmiths, and apothecaries to bookbinders.
Complete your exploration of America’s Historic Triangle with visits to nearby Historic Jamestowne, site of a 17th-century fort along with a settlement and ongoing archeological dig, and the Yorktown Battlefield. End your day back in Williamsburg proper for a memorable period-style dinner at the King’s Arms Tavern. Menu highlights include soupe of squash, stewed black eye peas, Cornish hens, onion pye, and bread pudding for dessert.
When you’re ready to rejoin the 21st century, you’ll find plenty of modern-day family fun throughout the region, too. Busch Gardens Williamsburg, with its European motif, has been a favorite among theme park aficionados for decades. It’s spread across some 100 acres (40 hectares) and is home to more than 50 rides and attractions. The signature Loch Ness Monster interlocking loop coaster was recently refurbished and now features immersive storytelling elements and some new thrilling effects to further enhance the overall thrill-ride experience. Other cool rides — albeit a bit more low-key — include the Der Autobahn bumper cars, Escape From Pompeii water flume, and the Rhine River Cruise through the heart of the park. There’s also a range of live entertainment, such as the OktoberZest music show, Celtic Fyre dance performance, and American Jukebox: Summer Remix extravaganza.
