What to do in Williamsburg?

[Matt Meiser]

We are heading to Williamsburg/Norfolk/Richmond in a few weeks for our family vacation. We are planning to spend a lot of time at Colonial Williamsburg. What else should we see in the area?

I spent several weeks in Chesapeake for work last year, but only saw the area around Greenbrier Mall and the Norfolk airport. :(

[Brad Risley]

These are just the ones off the top of my head. There has to many more.
Jamestown
Annopolis
Many little fishing towns/ports on the Chesapeake
tens if not hundreds of Civil war battle fields
Chinkateak and Asateak Islands (spelled phonetically not correctly)

[Dave Carey]

While in the area stop at Pierce's barbeque for the best bbq sandwich (with cole slaw on the sandwich a must.) You'll see signs along Rt 64; it's on a road that parallels 64 near the CampPeary exit. Mama Steve's is the best place for breakfast. The College of William and Mary is adjacent to colonial wmburg but ask too many questions and the students (my daughter was one) will label you a "turon" - a cross between a tourist and a moron. The Williamsburg winery is also interesting if you're so inclined.

[Hal Flynt]

Get the Patriot Pass to Colonial Williamsburg, it's good for multiple days for a year and 3-4days.

Here's tha main Link: http://www.history.org/

***The Hayes Cabinet shop. Mack Headley is usually in attendance.

***The Gunsmith Shop- Lots of wood and iron work.

**The Geddy House Foundry http://www.history.org/Almanack/places/geddy/geddyfou.cfm

***The Dewitt Wallace Museum - Take your sketch pad.

***The Governors Palace - Look at the woodwork and visit the Carraige shop near the rear entry.

***The Peyton Randolph house may be nearing the completion of an addition that will show you much about colonial building techniques and styles. (This may be revealing why so much of my taste for things is stuck in the 18th Century).

My favorite meal is the Chesapeake Bay oyster stuffed Filets at the Kings Arms, Lunch at Chownings in the garden behind. I will be making my 6th trip there in 6 years in October. I could spend 3 solid days of visiting exhibits and not see it all.

York Town is about 15 miles away on the Colonial Parkway. There is the Victory Memorial of the final Battle that's worth reading the inscriptions. Take a walk down the streets where the old buildings are and look for cannon balls still in the brick of some of the houses. (Lunch at the York Town Pub - nothing special but I like the Fish and Chips and beer, it's on the water). Also about 1/2 block from the Pub is where the last of the British were held up in some shallow caves. You could spend 1/2 to a day and see most of the sites and more if you wanted to go in everything.

Then drive back on the Colonial Parkway and go about 15 miles the other way to Jamestown. There is a Powatan (sp?) exhibit that's nice for the kids and a movie about the real Pocahontas. The best thing we have done there is to go to the docks where the old tall ships are and take a tour of the ships. Absolutely mind blowing to get on board and realize how many people came across an ocean in such cramped quarters.

Of course there is Busch Gardens, but I can't tear myself away from the history. I can go to Dollywood whenever I want to in less than an hour.

Enjoy!!!!!!!!!

[Carl Eyman]

Recently my Williamsburg visits have been in the winter for "Working Wood in the 18th Century", but I've done all the things Hal mentioned and would like to do them again. My grandchildren were there a few years ago. My granddaughter (then maybe 12) enjoyed the program they have for young girls that shows them how they would have lived in the 18th century. The chores they would hve done and the games they would have played. The boys' program includes military drill in the militia. Perhaps, since school is in session these may not be offered.

[Kurt Aebi]

Virginia Beach & Busch Gardens are good standard touristy things nearby. Take them by the Newport News naval shipyard and with all that is going on - you should get to see some ships in port, that is always a neat thing to do.

There are also quite a few Civil War battlefields around the Richmond area, I always try to search them out when I am in the VA area.

[Keith Outten]

Matt,

Hampton is my hometown so I grew up on the Virginia Peninsula and my first suggestion is to visit Fort Monroe and the Casemate Museum where Jefferson Davis was held after the Civil War. Fort Monroe is one of the oldest Forts in the country and has lots of history to experience. Downtown Hampton hosts the Air and Space Museum with displays from NASA, Langley Field and more. The City of Hampton is the oldest continuously settled city in America and you couldn't find a better place to start your tour of all things Americana from the "Sea to the Stars". The "Three Ships" landed at Old Point Comfort in Hampton first before moving down the James River to Jamestown and the Space Program started at Langley/NASA where the original Astronauts were trained. Christy Craft was the administrator and "Voice of Mission Control" through the Gemini and Apollo missions, he is a local boy from Hampton and a personal friend of my parents.

From Chesapeake Blvd in Hampton you are standing just yards away from the Battle of the Ironclads. "Hampton Roads" is actually a body of waterways which includes the Chesapeake Bay, the James, Nansemond and Elizabeth Rivers which represent the greatest natural harbor in the world. This is the primary reason the area was settled.

Norfolk has Nauticus, a Naval museum which includes a battleship you can board and visit. Norfolk Naval Base is the largest Navy Base in the world, on any day you can see more of the largest aircraft carriers and support ships than any other place on the planet. As you cross the Hampton Roads Bridge Tunnel the view of the Navy Base is quite a show.

Newport News has the world-class Mariners Museum which is an amazing place and they are currently restoring portions of the Monitor Ironclad. The War Museum is also an interesting visit. Newport News Shipbuilding represents over a hundred years of shipbuilding and is the only Yard in the world that is capable of building nuclear aircraft carriers, ultra large oil tankers and has a state of the art submarine construction facility. Technology that has been developed at Newport News Shipbuilding is part of every major industry in the world from cars to mico-miniature fabrication and welding. NNS built a wind tunnel for the Wright Brothers to test their planes and it is still on display at NASA in Hampton.

Colonial Williamsburg hosts the First America Capital and Yorktown is where America ended the War for our Independence, check out Cornwallis Cave where the English General was held and refused to surrender to American forces, his aide was given the task of surrendering his sword to the "American Rebels".

In Richmond, the Capital of the Confederacy, you can visit the home of Robert E. Lee. Richmond has one of the most famous cemetery's in America, the final resting place of many of our most honored patriots. Patrick Henry gave his most famous speech in Richmond, you can visit the Church and walk in the footsteps of those who lead our nation in it's finest hour.

You can read your history books or visit Virginia and experience American History from the very beginning. If you haven't guessed it yet I'm awful proud of my hometown and the fact that Virginia owns one of the thirteen stars on the first American flag. I am an American by birthright and a Virginian by the "Grace of God". The first Outten arrived on the Eastern Shore of Virginia in 1634. When you visit Virginia we define "The South" as Dixieland and Richmond was it's capitol. "The South" is not the southern section of the country which contains new States that didn't even exist during the War between the States.

Last but not least SawMill Creek Woodworkers Forums are hosted in York County and the Freedom Pens Project was born here, a very Patriotic group of Americans from every state in the Union are working very hard to show their support for our sons and daughters who continue to serve and protect the American Constitution and our way of life.

Call me when you visit, we might be able to get together and talk about woodworking....or American history :)

[Stefan Antwarg]

As far as theme parks go, Busch Gardens is very cool because of the european theme. Some decent food from various countries and music. But still, it is a theme park. Germany is a personal favorite - with the food and music. Plus, I bought a really nice German made Cukoo Clock there.

But, all the other American history in that area is hard to beat.

Stefan

[Aaron Koehl]

I work 2 minutes (walking distance) from Colonial Williamsburg, here at the College of William and Mary-

From what I hear, "Trucks" is a restaurant not to miss for travelers in the area. ($60-80/2 ppl)