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.

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

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!

My husband and I visited Williamsburg Winery during our Thanksgiving-week holiday and decided to do…read morethe 8-glass wine tasting. From the very first pour, we could tell the tasting was going to be generous and by the time we reached our eighth glass, we were definitely feeling tipsy. LOL We especially appreciated how the Winery has crafted its offerings over decades: from its historic vineyard on the Wessex Hundred estate to its reputation for elegant Virginia wines made with a strong sense of place. They offer reds, whites, dessert wines, and more. Along with our tasting, we did enjoy the charcuterie box. Now i will say that box was not worth the $22 paid. Everything was delicious inside; it was just the portion was tiny. In short, it felt like the perfect holiday outing: relaxing, indulgent, and charming. Also, the decor there was so cute and i loved all the Christmas decorations. We ended up buying five bottles to take home! If you enjoy wine and enjoy laid-back vibes on a winery estate, Williamsburg Winery is definitely worth a stop.

We spent the day in Colonial Williamsburg and decided to eat in the area. Amber Ox is a farm to…read morefork restaurant with seasonal favorites. We did not have a reservation, but easily found a table at the bar. The servers were personable and super helpful. We actually enjoyed sitting in the bar area watch the various trays exit the kitchen window. Mixed drinks had a fresh taste. We ordered the pimento cheese dip ( savory) and the soft" melt in your mouth "biscuits served with an array of butter/spreads. The beet salad was earthy in a good way with a great mix of beets, nuts, brie cheese,and fresh greens. The smoked chicken was not dry with a smoked flavor . The creamy greens had an excellent texture . I actually ate all of the grits ( I am usually not a fan of grits). They had a mashed potato taste/texture and were amazing!

Sophie was one of the best (best?) servers I have had in memory.Every request was meant with a…read moresmile and a 'yes'. She was engaging, accurate, timely. Food was delicious and hot. Cocktails unique and tasty. You folks know how do it right. You could teach a few other, similarly-priced, local restaurants a thing r two.Thank you.

I am completely blown away by my accommodations. I selected the usual room, which is 500 ft.² and…read moreincludes so many details to make my stay memorable. There is a vanity, a little pillow on my bed with two glasses and a bottle of Bailey's Irish cream. There is an upscale Nespresso machine complete with pods and creamers. A desk, a sofa and seating area. Robes and slippers... Everything to make this a luxury stay. There's even an emergency lantern in the closet in case the power goes out as well as an umbrella. There's a soaking tub and a shower and so many amenities. Room service comes not once, but twice a day. They open the blinds, refill amenities and put away things to tidy the room. In the evening, they put away the decorative pillows from the bed, fill the ice bucket and leave it out with a tray with new bottles of Saratoga water. They leave a small bottle of Baileys on a little pillow with two small glasses. They also close the drapes. I am so spoiled. I love this place!

The Inn has tremendous historical charm, but the guest experience would benefit greatly from…read moreupgraded amenities and attention to detail. The in-room customer amenities are especially disappointing. The colors and quality feel dated, and the toothbrushes are extremely poor--bristles came loose while brushing, which raises both quality and hygiene concerns. The bathrobes were rough, overly dried, and clearly shrunken, making them uncomfortable to use. The restaurant also misses the mark. Several dishes felt inexpensive in both ingredients and execution: over-salted hams, cheap syrups, and overall weak preparation. The service team is lovely--and trying--but the food simply isn't at the level expected for this price point. Concierge and front desk interactions were fine, but at this rate, I expect a more thoughtful, elevated experience across the board. With some investment in better amenities, higher-quality guest products, and improved culinary standards, this could be a truly special stay. My room was large, comfortable, and in a great location with easy walking access to town. I especially enjoyed dinner at Fat Canary--excellent food and service.

We loved this B&B! We stayed in the Juniper room, and it was so cozy, spacious, and a true gem. The…read morelocation is perfect, in the heart of Williamsburg. The parking was easy, the owner even helped me take up the luggage. The breakfast was fantastic, the living room was cozy, and our room was spotless. The owners were so friendly, knowledgeable about the history and the area, and gave us great recommendations.

My sister booked this place because it was close to Williamsburg's Merchant Square, and just a few…read moremiles from Great Wolf Lodge where my nephew was staying on an overnight field trip with his class. It's located a few blocks from historic Merchants Square and across the street from the College of William and Mary. It's a great place to stay if you're exploring Colonial Williamsburg or visiting someone affiliated with the college. We stayed one night in their George Washington suite which has a queen and a twin bed (separated by a wall). The bathroom is really tiny and the shower a little weird. The shower stall is very narrow and because the shower head is too high, you can't adjust it. You have to stand against the wall in order to shower. Not great. The place was quiet and the bed quite comfortable. We missed breakfast (8-9 am) as we got up late. My sister and I are both night owls, so I stayed late reading and didn't get up early enough for breakfast. If they have a room with a bigger bathroom, I'd consider staying here again.

We have traveled to Williamsburg, VA for years and just found this place!! Parking is a little…read moretough but you can use the lot adjacent to the restaurant. The staff was super nice the moment we walk in the door. Our Server (Emily) was supper knowledgeable and made suggestion's that where on point. Plating was nice to look at and tasted wonderful. Rib appetizer was fell off the bone tender, better than some BBQ joints. My wife had the Nutty Chicken, Mash Potatoes and Beets with citrus. I had the Peppercorn Encrusted Tuna , Mushroom rice with zucchini. Portion size was appropriate and the flavor profile of our food could not be beat. The restaurant has quotes post on the walls from historical figures that I fell in love with, after mentioning this to our server, she gave me a printed list of all the quotes. Thanks for a great dinning experience!!

Nice clean restaurant, good service. The fish with the fish and chips meal was dry and overcooked.read more

The museum itself is lovely, many unique pieces; from the quilts to the folk art to the toys, it…read morewas a wonderful collection. We highly enjoyed the string performance, which made the experience extra special. The security guards also were helpful and kind. However, the woman running the Goode area doing crafts offered no apology after sending us downstairs when our family arrived at 1:25 for the 1:30 event. She told us to go to the story performance. My 80 year old mother had to trudge to the lower level only for everyone to be leaving the performance to head back to where we were to do the craft. We missed all the instructions due to this and were not caught up or as stated offered an apology by the woman who sent us away. The security guard who had helped us find our way down there did apologize and that was appreciated however the experience with the woman was incredibly off putting. It soured the whole experience as her attitude was so ugly as well. The museum itself is fine but some employees shouldn't be interacting with the public.

This is one of the best museums I had been to. Being from DC area, I am very spoilt with all the…read morefree museums that Smithsonian foundation offers. So, it is rare for me to go and pay hjgh entry prices for a museum when I am travelling. The entry to this museum came as part of a single day ticket to Colonial Williamsburg. So, we included it in our itinerary. I was so glad I went there. There were so many really nice artifacts that brought back history in a beautiful way. I learnt so much. It was a really nice experience. My only regret was not having spent more time here. If you have very limited time and still want to cover this place, make sure to atleast check : the household accessories room, the clock room and the ceramics room. They are all on the upper floor.

The Fat Canary remains our number one choice for a fine dining experience in Williamsburg…read more The food, service, and ambiance are all excellent. During our most recent meal, we enjoyed the blood orange martinis, the ham and mozzarella appetizer, short ribs, fish special, and crepes dessert, plus a bottle of pinot noir. The restaurant bills a 3.5% surcharge to support the kitchen staff. I would much rather see that incorporated into the menu prices. I don't understand why it's separate. I understand providing a competitive edge to staff, just build it into the prices.

We had an amazing time in the downstairs of Fat Canary. Only negative is that it is hard to get in,…read moremust make reservations waay ahead of time. Atmosphere is really modern and nice. Staff were very friendly and the menu options is divine(downstairs). Service was top notch and kudos to the chef, very tatsty. Please excuse some of my pics, i forgot the name of the dish. It was on the downstairs menu.

Ordered a full rack of ribs , mashed potato's , coleslaw and a brisket sandwich on Gluten Free bun…read more. Ribs were little charred at the thin end ( normal ) had good flavor and were better when I added extra BBQ sauce . Mashed potatoes were so smooth and just to die for . Coleslaw was not bad , definitely could have had more . Brisket sandwich was very well rounded with the amount of meat and bun combination , very tasty sandwich. The GF bun reminded me of the Udi's bun (may have been ) soft and good Service was the lacking part and it was not busy . We were not attended to very well by staff , they were not rude or anything just lacking . I can in confidence say I would eat here again , maybe staff was just having an off day .

The smokehouse was good. It's not a fancy restaurant but those free corn muffins are to die for!!!…read more The meat is deliciously smoked and fatty. The fat gives flavor but just so you know. The sides are ok. Our server was super nice and the restaurant is clean.