This confusing setup has a bunch of national park land adjoined to a privately owned historical…read moresite. Focusing only on the national park site, I found a visitor center with an introductory movie. While I was perusing the exhibitions right outside the theater, they managed to close it and lock it without letting me know the movie was starting. Which is a little irksome, but may have worked out for the best as I got to the outdoor site and managed to get a run of it and take some pictures just as a weather front was heading in. Some people had traveled from Michigan to tour the area, which I think was a good decision for them as you don't get this kind of history up there. The national park site has some ruins and signage after crossing a boardwalk over the swamp. While not huge in scope; I spent maybe an hour on the site in total, it gives you a feel for the challenges that settlers would have faced. The signage provides compelling information for visitors of all ages, and the views of the waterfront and nearby ferry are majestic as well. You'll get a sense of historical nuance with a lot of players in the area, and an aesthetic experience as well. There is a wildlife drive and this place does have a parkway running to Yorktown, albeit currently not fully open due to major construction. I did not have time for everything the area has to offer on this passing visit, but there is a lot regardless of how much time you have.

September 2024- I visited the historic & original Jamestown , the colony was established there in…read more1607. Jamestown is remembered for its iconic historical figures like Pocohontas and Captain John Smith. In the Visitor Center, there is a small museum exhibit of Jamestown. The admission to explore all of Jamestown requires the purchase of two tickets since Jamestowne managed by two separate organizations, Preservation Virginia (Jamestown Rediscovery) and the National Park Service (Colonial National Historical Park). This can be very confusing when entering and getting admission inside Jamestowne. Entrance inside the visitor center & museum as well as the grounds are free for active military and their families, who get free passes to all the national parks. Standard fee is $15. An additional ticket of $15 is required to purchase by ALL (even with a free military entrance pass to all National Parks). It was worth it to me and a fair price to pay. Jamestowne was a fascinating visit to walk through the well maintained and reconstructed historical buildings & ancient ground of Jamestown. I like how they reconstructed Jamestown to show how it appeared during colonial times and showcased the ruins of the old church within its duplicated replica. I spent most of my time in the church, drinking in the views by the River, and walking through the grounds of Jamestowne. We ended our visit at Jamestown by going to the Archaearium, the archaeology museum, last. It covers the history of Jamestown 1607-1624. There was so much unknown information uncovered there about Pocahontas and the dark history of the colonists during times of famine. 1609 - 1610 was a dark and horrific time period of cold winter weather & starvation for the colonial settlers of Jamestowne. Many starved to death, some resorted to cannibalism of dead corpses or killing the living for food to survive. They reserved a room about this dark period and restrict the use of cameras & taking photography/ videos of that area in the museum out of respect for the remains of the dead in the room. Very macabre yet still fascinating. There were many areas we did not have time to explore due to time constraints and our travel agenda, yet we made the best of what little time we had there.

We visited during their Winter Lantern Festival and thought it was absolutely amazing…read more It took the wifey and I about 1 1/2 to see all the displays. They were so colorful and detailed. The only thing was I was surprised at was there weren't many signs that explained the displays. Now I could be wrong and maybe they were just displays but it seemed many had a specific meaning. Not sure. We also got to watch an acrobatic performance which was really cool. I understand there is a different show every hour or so. There was a large tent with items to purchase as well. So if you get the chance to see one of these displays either at Jamestown or as I understand at other locations around the nation - do it. Great family evening.

We chose a great day to visit and explore the Jamestown Settlement since this weekend was the…read more'Military Through the Ages' event where there were so many men and women dressed to impress and provide accounts of the time period they were representing. In addition to learning more about the first ships to arrive in Virginia in the early 1600's, we spoke to several people who shared their passion for reenactments. The facility is very clean and the museum galleries and theater offer more than you can imagine! I really enjoyed the short videos at the different stations inside the galleries. I highly recommend a visit to this attraction for all ages!

Smith's Fort is the site of Captain John Smith's proposed "New Fort" and is located directly across…read morethe James River from Jamestown on the banks of Gray's Creek. In 1609, Captain John Smith began construction of a fort site on the property. The fort was abandoned a few months later due to what would be known as the "Starving Time" in Jamestowne. The earthworks dug 411 years ago in 1609 can still be seen to this day. Captain John Smith built a fort on the south side of the James River as a retreat position should Jamestown be attacked by Virginia Indians or the Spanish. This dower tract of land between two streams was given to John Rolfe in 1614 by Powhatan upon Rolfe's marriage to Pocahontas. It is considered the first land actually given to America by the Indians. Rolfe is known to have cultivated the early tobacco crop on this property known as the Virginia Sweet. Between 1751 and 1765, a brick plantation house was built that still stands today, with much of its interior original pine woodwork still intact. The Manor House exemplifies the upper-middle-class lifestyle enjoyed by the Jacob Faulcon family in 18th-century Surry County. In 1886, the property, then called Gray's Creek Farm, was purchased by a collective group of African American families including Bolling Morris, John and Carter Hardy and Robertson Simmons. By the 1920s, Mr. Morris was the sole owner and he eventually sold it via an agent to John D. Rockefeller, Jr. Smith's Fort was later acquired by Preservation Virginia in 1933 and has operated as a museum ever since. Located in the manor house is a print on paper from a steel engraving done by John C. McRae in 1855 entitled, "The Wedding of Pocahontas." It was modeled from an original oil painting by Henry Brueckner in the same year. It depicts the day in April 1614 when Pocahontas was wed to Englishman John Rolfe, an event that initiated 8 years of peace with the Algonquin Indians. The original painting resides in the Getty Museum. This is a Virginia treasure and recommend a visit.

Cynthia is a very knowledgeable guide. She knows the history of the area and the house. The period…read morefurniture is a wonderful touch on the house. The gift shop actually have black walnut items made from the a tree on the plantation.

Such a cool place. I mean, who's ever heard of a Sunken Garden before!? Great place to meet…read morefriends for a game of soccer or frisbee. My kids LOVED coming here on a visit so they could work their way into a game with students. It's also just beautiful, surrounded by boxwood and stately brick buildings.

At the heart of the College of William and Mary's old campus lies this gorgeous lawn. A remaining…read moreproject from the work relief programs from the Great Depression it lies several feet lower than the campus around it. Free for anyone to visit it is intended for students and community members to come and relax. It exists to beautify the campus and remind those who visit of the strength our country had coming out of the Great Depression, it serves both of these purposes well. Having visited earlier this week I could not imagine giving the Gardens any lower of a rating. It ties the campus together and is an integral part of the William and Mary that exists today.

Our favorite place to go here in Virginia! So many beautiful and historic buildings. The food and…read moreshops are fantastic. We always bring family here when they visit us. Favorite things in CW: - Walking down the historic downtown - Seeing the gardens and horses - Visiting the shops - Lunch at the cheese shop - The liberty lounge - Soups and snacks at the bakery (raleigh tavern i believe at the end of the street)

Planned my return visibased on my experience 20+years ago. What a disappointment. Many places were…read moreclosed, only a few had tours and some artisan works. Instead of artisan wares many shops sold kichy stuff. SerI woukd rather oay mk eynfor authentic stuff than mass produced junk. No reenactment, there were some some speeches, which were very good. It really just felt dull and ghosttown vibes. Seriously CW go back to how you were. This was just like walking down a street in an old town, nothing exciting

Awesome experience. Great date location. Would do it again. Make sure you bring your walking shoesread more

It was a really fun time, very informative!! Our guide was super nice as well. We did the boos and…read morebooze bar crawl.

I loved my stay in cabin for so much that I rebooked let much as soon as I got home! The cabin was…read morevery private, sits far away from the other cabins with a lovely farm view. The layout of the cabin was spacious and very comfortable! It was rather hot, so walking the dog at midday was out, so he was able to stay crated with no worries if barking and disturbing neighbors. I took a tour of the mansion, and the different farm exhibits as Chippokes is one of the longest continuously farmed locations in the country, dating back nearly to the Jamestown settlement, which is a ferry ride away! Check out the fossil beaches and the visitor center for James River views and the ability to cool off!

This is a beautiful State Park along the James River steeped in history. Be sure to read about it…read morebefore you go and then take advantage of exploring the parts of the park that peak your interest the most. About a decade ago, we stayed in one of the cabins with our children. They loved it as we explored some trails, the beach, the historic buildings, the farm and equipment and rode bikes. Now my husband and I return to use the hiking/walking trails. The trails give you a little bit of everything. You can be in the shade, the blazing sun, on the beach walking in the sand, beside a field of cows or soybeans, or meandering down a rural road. We recently did a 4 mile hike and packed a lunch to enjoy on the beach. My only issue is that some people who come with their dogs have them off leash. We bring our leashed dog and I don't care for other large dogs running up to us with their owners not having control. I highly recommend going and enjoying Chippokes!

We had such a wonderful time at our wine tasting at Williamsburg Winery. The wines were excellent!…read moreAs Californians--raised on great wine--we can honestly say the Virginia grapes did not disappoint. We were genuinely impressed. Our hostess, Gail, made the experience especially enjoyable. She was both knowledgeable and fun, and we are so grateful for the care she put into our visit. We look forward to returning again soon!

Great local winery with plenty of seating, wine to choose from, and friendly service! On a weekday,…read moreit is pretty quiet and on weekends it gets pretty busy. There is seating outdoors, and plenty of space! You'll likely be met at the door by a friendly greeter - Nancy is amazing and helpful! Hopefully this winery gets a full food menu back, it's the only reason I took off a star!