Hallboy and I have the opportunity to spend three whole days in Williamsburg, VA the last week in February. I’ve already planned on a tour of the Anheiser brewry and a trip to Jamestown, but I was wondering what other bits of Williamsburg are Not To Be Missed. I’m looking for interesting things to do, cool places to eat, neat places to see. Oh, and not spend a fortune.
Odd that you mention Jamestown and not Colonial Williamsburg.
Never been there in February, but during warmer weather I would certainly suggest giving that more than just one day. It’s the kind of place where you can rush through hitting the main exhibits in a day and wind up feeling unsatisfied, or just wander around for a couple, talking with the re-enactors in the little shops, taking the time to see the little vignettes they play out on the streets, etc., and wind up having a much more relaxed and satisfying time. I’m not sure if there’s as much going on outside in February, though.
I came in here expecting a thread about the neighborhood in Brooklyn :smack:
I recommend that you make reservations to eat in at least 1 or 2 of Williamsburg’s historical taverns.
They all have interesting period fare and music. I believe Chownings is the one that gets kinda rowdy as the re-enactors gather as the evening goes on.
Yourktown is right down the road from Jamestown and worth a visit.
Seconded. My wife went to William & Mary, and back then I was too poor to afford a tavern, but we went to one when I went there for a meeting, and it was great.
Visit the Wren Building on the campus - the oldest academic building still in use.
I wonder if they’re still showing the movie “Story of a Patriot” in the visitor’s center. If they do, see it and look for the W&M bus that wanders into one of the last scenes.
Not sure where you’re located, but if you don’t eat some Chesapeake Bay seafood, assuming you might like seafood, you’ll miss something wonderful.
Pierce’s
You will not be disappointed. Best BBQ in the whole state.
First of all, the weather may be fine. If so, you’re in luck, because Colonial Williamsburg is one of the great places just to walk around outside. Still, if you’re going to be there three days, go ahead and get some version of pass. There’s a bunch of choices at the Colonial Williamsburg website www.history.org . They’ve got some winter discounts and some buy online discounts. I always loved the Governor’s Palace, especially the gardens, especially the maze, so I would urge you to make sure that’s included.
Restaurants I used to work in that were great:
The Trellis, pricey for dinner, but affordable for lunch.
The Cheese Shop, across the street, a deli. Get the house dressing for your sandwich, on the side if you must, but get it.
Restaurant I used to work in that you should avoid:
Milanos
Restaurant where I got engaged:
Berret’s seafood. The food’s good too!
If you’ve got a lot of money, the Williamsburg Lodge (Colonial Williamsburg owned) has a great brunch.
If you haven’t got a lot of money, no place on earth has a higher concentration of pancake houses.
Yes. You totally have to go to the Cheese Shop.
The Muscarelle Museum of Art (on the William and Mary campus) is small, but often has interesting stuff. It looks like they have an exhibition of Italian landscape painting on, if that’s your kind of thing.
The Meridian Coffeehouse (206 S. Boundary St.) is a nice place for a cuppa and a book (open only in the evenings). It’s student-run and mostly student-patronized, but visitors are always welcome.
See the Magazine (armory), the Governor’s Palace and the House of Burgesses, of course, and take a stroll along the rows of shops. I’m envious that you’re going there in February - we were there in August a few years ago, and had literally record-breaking heat. Gah! It was awful - but I’m glad we were there.
Agreed!
NajaHusband grew up a few blocks away. His dad’s nightly dog walk is right through Colonial Williamsburg. For various reasons I’ve never gotten to spend any substantial time there, but there are some things I’d really love to see.
The two dinners I’ve had at the historical taverns were amazing!
I’ll suggest the Green Leafe Cafe. It’s across the street from William and Mary, has great food, an awesome beer selection, and a good selection of single malt scotch as well.