Colonial Williamsburg- Trip is Back On!!

[Mark Hulette]

Time would not allow the trip described in this thread http://www.sawmillcreek.org/showthread.php?187863-Anyone-Have-any-Insider-Tips-for-Visiting-Colonial-Williamsburg so we are going next week (again a quick turnaround trip)

More questions:

Is everything open this time of year?
Is it necessary to purchase tickets or will we miss too much?
What can we see without tickets?


Not trying to be cheap but the tickets will be nearly $200 unless I'm buying from the wrong place.

Thanks for any help or info you can give~

[Rick Potter]

I've been there a few times, and it is a great place to visit. It sounds like your trip will be short, so I would recommend thinking of this visit as a primer, in preparation for a longer visit.

You can see much of the town as a walk in, but the important sites will be closed to you, like the governors mansion. You can still see most of the stores, outdoor parades and happenings, and most shops, like the carpenters shop, silversmith shop, etc. Be sure to check out the cobblers shop, it was interesting.

Most tickets are a two day package, and you can easily spend the whole two days there, on a future trip if you don't have the time now. If I remember correctly, you can still see the visitor center, and watch the intro movie, starring a very young Jack Lord (Hawaii 5 0, if you're a youngster), without tickets. Start there.

My info is several years old. If I have made any errors, please correct me.

Rick Potter

[Mark Hulette]

Thanks for the input, Rick.

We may go ahead and wait to get tickets there to see what's available and what's restricted.

I appreciate that you took the time to reply- thanks so much!!

[Dave Anderson NH]

Hi Mark,

You can't go into ANY of the historic buildings without a ticket. The ticket is a readily visible clip on badge like those you get at conventions and is to be shown at all times. This is a great time of year to go with decent temperatures and most of the summer crowds gone. Everything is still open. Depending on the age of your children you need to decide whether you want a single day or multi-day pass. I'd go for a single day if the kids are young and/or marginally interested in history. For adults you really need 3 days to fully go through everything and longer than that if you are a period furniture and history buff like me. I have gone each January for at least 15 years and still have the joy of discovering new things. If you are staying in a Colonial Williamsburg owned hotel there are package deals which include multi-day tickets and admittance to Jamestown and Yorktown sites. Having said that, you can do far better on price by staying in local motels. As an example, CW wants about $85-90 per nite in January for their least expensive accommodations and I can stay almost anyplace outside the historic area for $45-50 per night and get equal quality.

[Mark Hulette]

Thanks, Dave!

The weather has got us concerned now with the Tropical Storm's path projected to put it there while we are! Dang-

We've budgeted for the tix and would've liked to have gone to Monticello on the way home but not sure my crew can handle that much history in one week!

Thanks for your help and response!!

[Rick Potter]

It just occurred to me. Is it open?? Jamestown is a don't miss too, if it's open.

[Keith Outten]

Make some phone calls before you come to any of the parks right now. Those that are run by the National Park Service are being affected by the Government shutdown. Aaron Koehl told me today that a portion of the Colonial Parkway that runs from Yorktown to Williamsburg to Jamestown was closed today........its just a road so I can't imagine why anyone would close a road unless their goal is to make people mad.
.

[Tom Fischer]

Most likely closed.
The website NPS.gov isn't even running (which makes NO sense). Doesn't cost anything to have "flat" web pages run on the UNIX box.
But if the website was running, it could at least tell you if Williamsburg is open or not.
****
We have a very small NPS park near here. It's free, open air, usually no staff on site. It's a somewhat restored 19th century village. People just wander around, walk the dog etc.
Buildings are just locked.
One weekend per year they open the buildings, a few Park rangers are there.
That park is currently closed, barricades in the parking lot.

[Michael Weber]

watch the intro movie, starring a very young Jack Lord (Hawaii 5 0, if you're a youngster),
Rick Potter
Or Stoney Burk for the geezers

[Rick Potter]

Mark,

Perhaps you could postpone your trip till after the 17th, when things will miraculously be straightened out?

Rick P

[Mel Fulks]

I would go and take your grievances about anything closed straight to president Washington . Uh... He might still be colonel Washington . Any way ,he has influence.

[Mark Hulette]

Thanks for the info guys--- we were able to go but Tropical Storm/Depression Karen showed up and dumped several inches of rain. The kids enjoyed it to a point but I'm a history geek and would've liked to stayed longer in some of the stops...

It was surprisingly well-attended especially with the weather.

Thanks again for the advice...