Colonial Williamsburg

[Freitag]

So I'm looking to take a vacation... what can you tell me about Colonial Williamsburg? I know it's a class trip destination, but I've never been and neither has the wife. We're looking for a lower-cost vacation this summer.

[JPMNICK]

So I'm looking to take a vacation... what can you tell me about Colonial Williamsburg? I know it's a class trip destination, but I've never been and neither has the wife. We're looking for a lower-cost vacation this summer.

don't we have a vacation thread that you started?

also, look into going to montreal. you can easily drive it and it is not that expensive

[A.J.]

I haven't been there in almost 25 years. I thought it was pretty interesting -- especially when comparing it to all the colonial stuff I saw in Massachusetts as a kid for field trips.

[Drunky McBetidont]

i loved it when i went with family in 1976, but that was the bicentenial so it was hopping. my sister made me a lil minuteman outfit and everything. i am thinking of going back this summer when we visit DC.
i remember that we had to park and then go by horse drawn carrige into town. no cars permitted back then. not sure today. hotels were nice.

[TheMojoPin]

If you're a history buff, it's great...if not, do NOT go. There is pretty much nothing else there unless you want to make it an amusement park trip and go to Busch Gardens instead.

[Freitag]

If you're a history buff, it's great...if not, do NOT go.

Are you familiar with my wife at ALL?

[Freitag]

don't we have a vacation thread that you started?

also, look into going to montreal. you can easily drive it and it is not that expensive

Gasoline is 4 dollars a gallon and the American dollar is in the toilet against Canada. Plus we don't have passports. I did suggestion Montreal/Quebec, but I think jingoism wins out...

and yes, I do have a vacation thread. I hardly start threads, so forgive my faux pas. Feel free to merge if you must.

[Ritalin]

I've been recently, and it's pretty cool. In addition to the "ye olde" part of it, there's a very good American Art museum there, and some interesting bar/shops around Willam and Mary.

I like that part of the country quite a bit.

It's not any more than a long weekend, though.

If you want another alternative, I'd say Newport Rhode Island for a long weekend. In the summer? Very nice.

[TheMojoPin]

Are you familiar with my wife at ALL?

Nope.

[DiabloSammich]

From a historical perspective, very interesting, and check out Jamestown, which is very close.

I enjoyed just walking around the place, and we didn't even pay the extra 15 bucks or whatever to be able to tour the houses.

[angrymissy]

From 30 Rock (sums it up for me):

Liz on the out-of-control rumors about the party: "People are going to show up expecting all these great things, and they'll be really disappointed and angry."

Tracy: "Just like Colonial Williamsburg."

[JPMNICK]

Gasoline is 4 dollars a gallon and the American dollar is in the toilet against Canada. Plus we don't have passports. I did suggestion Montreal/Quebec, but I think jingoism wins out...

and yes, I do have a vacation thread. I hardly start threads, so forgive my faux pas. Feel free to merge if you must.

the gas is not going to be that much more then driving to williamsburg. and you can still get into canada with just 2 drivers licenses, the have pushed back the mandatory passport for another year.

as for the weak dollar, it is just as weak in a toruist trap like williamsburg.

[Thebazile78]

From a historical perspective, very interesting, and check out Jamestown, which is very close.

I enjoyed just walking around the place, and we didn't even pay the extra 15 bucks or whatever to be able to tour the houses.

I was thinking we could do the whole historic triangle thing with Jamestown and Yorktown. Jamestown should be especially interesting since it's just celebrated its 400th anniversary!

(I've only just gotten interested in the War for Independence ... which is a massive statement on how it was taught when I was in grammar and high school.)

[Freakshow]

Yorktown is pretty cool. I stopped on my way through a couple of years ago. There is Civil War stuff there too, just not one of the 'famous' battles.

[KC2OSO]

If you're a history buff, it's great...if not, do NOT go. There is pretty much nothing else there unless you want to make it an amusement park trip and go to Busch Gardens instead.
What Mojo said. Not a place for kids either. There's also a cool water park near by worth the trip.

[TheMojoPin]

What Mojo said. Not a place for kids either. There's also a cool water park near by worth the trip.

Water Country USA? That place rules.

I lived down there for 3 years a it was by far my least favorite place to live. Outside of Colonial Williamsburg, there's nada, even with William & Mary right there. Just the amusement parks and the historical stuff and that's it. And the people kinda suck. No, they REALLY suck. White trash and black trash colliding to form a horrible spread of gray trash.

[Coach]

Go to Sturbridge Mass..go around and look for Grizzley Adams' grave (yes it is there) Go to Sturbridge Village..eat at the Publick House. (get the Yankee breakfast there!..Sooo good! Apple Pie for Breakfast? SOOOO Good)..then go up Cape Cod..Many old places along the way..Sandwich Glass Museum is nice, Doll Museum, Beatrix Potter Museum, just the historic architecture is great!

[KC2OSO]

Water Country USA (http://www.watercountryusa.com/wc/default.aspx)? That place rules.

I lived down there for 3 years a it was by far my least favorite place to live. Outside of Colonial Williamsburg, there's nada, even with William & Mary right there. Just the amusement parks and the historical stuff and that's it. And the people kinda suck. No, they REALLY suck. White trash and black trash colliding to form a horrible spread of gray trash.

Water Country USA hell yeah. Like a 'tard I took the family to Colonial Williamsburg when my son was like five. Um, bad idea in August. It's hot as balls there late summer. I felt so bad for the Williamsburg folk in their costumes in 90 degree heat - but they hung in there - even the blacksmith. Good thing for Busch Gardens and Water Country to save dad's ass.

And not to rag on Colonial Williamsburg. It's really well done with tons to do if you are into colonial history. Lots to see and do.

[joethebartender]

If you want another alternative, I'd say Newport Rhode Island for a long weekend. In the summer? Very nice.

Did a long weekend here...Historic mansions to tour, boat ride on an old rum runner, hundreds of sailboats, good restaurants, many B&B's (I stayed at the jailhouse Inn...a 1770's colonial jail restored and converted into a b&b). I think we hit Foxwoods or Mohegan sun on the way home for a few hours too. It was a good trip.:thumbup:

[A.J.]

I was thinking we could do the whole historic triangle thing with Jamestown and Yorktown. Jamestown should be especially interesting since it's just celebrated its 400th anniversary!

(I've only just gotten interested in the War for Independence ... which is a massive statement on how it was taught when I was in grammar and high school.)

Along the way, you can stop in Charlottesville and check out Monticello and UVA. There are TONS of Revolutionary and Civil War markers/sites in VA.

[Thebazile78]

Along the way, you can stop in Charlottesville and check out Monticello and UVA. There are TONS of Revolutionary and Civil War markers/sites in VA.

I went to Charlottesville on business about 6 years ago; stayed at the Doubletree on the outskirts the first visit and the Omni downtown the second ... downtown is like Thomas Jefferson Disneyland! It was probably the coolest thing I have ever seen.

I would love to see Monticello. (Too bad I was on a tight schedule to return my rental car when I was passing the exits, or else I would have stopped on my way back to NJ.)

My best friend lived in Haymarket for a few years (from about 2002 to 2005) and I used to drive through the Manassas Battlefield Park to get to her house. (That was wicked creepy at night!)

My aunt (godmother) lives in the Fredericksburg area; I have visited the Fredericksburg/Maryes Heights museum and battlefield park. She works at an historic site in Fredericksburg now ... I got to take the tour of the building for free. It's really cool to see the restoration work that they are doing on it!

[Thebazile78]

What Mojo said. Not a place for kids either. There's also a cool water park near by worth the trip.

We don't have kids so we don't need "kid-friendly."

(Thank god. I think I will go insane if I have to do solely "kid-friendly" things when we do have children ... Lord knows we didn't. Taking my sister to Mystic Seaport was actually fun, even if she wouldn't shut her mouth the entire ride up to CT. She was 3 or 4 at the time.)

[PhilDeez]

I agree with several posters, if you love history - go, you will love it. With a spruced up Jamestown right around the corner you can't go wrong.
If driving you will pass through several Civil War sites, and go right through Richmond which houses the Confederate Capital and many, too many, monuments of old southern generals - which are cool if you appreciate the Civil War at all.
If you are into golf, Williamsburg has several great courses, Golden Horseshoe and Kingsmill, which could occupy your time for a few hours.

[A.J.]

I went to Charlottesville on business about 6 years ago; stayed at the Doubletree on the outskirts the first visit and the Omni downtown the second ... downtown is like Thomas Jefferson Disneyland! It was probably the coolest thing I have ever seen.

I would love to see Monticello. (Too bad I was on a tight schedule to return my rental car when I was passing the exits, or else I would have stopped on my way back to NJ.)

My best friend lived in Haymarket for a few years (from about 2002 to 2005) and I used to drive through the Manassas Battlefield Park to get to her house. (That was wicked creepy at night!)

My aunt (godmother) lives in the Fredericksburg area; I have visited the Fredericksburg/Maryes Heights museum and battlefield park. She works at an historic site in Fredericksburg now ... I got to take the tour of the building for free. It's really cool to see the restoration work that they are doing on it!

Jefferson is still revered in Charlottesville. The locals always say "Mr. Jefferson". Monticello really is something: the home, the views, etc. And I need to get my lazy ass over to Mount Vernon. 20 years down here and I've never even been there!

Fredericksburg has some nice colonial parts of town. It's also going to be the home of the U.S. National Slavery Museum (http://www.usnationalslaverymuseum.org/museum_location.asp).

[PhilDeez]

Jefferson is still revered in Charlottesville. The locals always say "Mr. Jefferson". Monticello really is something: the home, the views, etc. And I need to get my lazy ass over to Mount Vernon. 20 years down here and I've never even been there!

Fredericksburg has some nice colonial parts of town. It's also going to be the home of the U.S. National Slavery Museum (http://www.usnationalslaverymuseum.org/museum_location.asp).

Also, Montpelier is not too far out of the way of Monticello - it was recently re-done.

[joethebartender]

By PapaBear (in the "John Adams" thread):

I've always loved all things Revolutionary War. Growing up in my part of VA, there has always been plenty of history that you can actually touch. My town of Winchester has quite a bit of pre war stuff, and closer to Charlottesville, there's even more.

One of the strangest things was during a drive from Charlottesville to Fredericksburg. I was on some rural highway in the middle of nowhere, when I barely spotted a little sign that said "James Madison's grave". I took a hard right into a pasture and down a dirt road. All of the sudden, there was a small family plot.

James and Dolly's graves were there, and there was hardly any kind of typical "landmark stuff". The brick wall surrounding it was crumbling pretty badly, and aside from the names on the graves, you would hardly know it was the final resting spot of anyone so historically important.
__________________

Why leave out Jim & Dolly?

[Freakshow]

I was cruising down 95 in VA once and I got of the Guinea Station exit and saw the house where Stonewall Jackson died. If you're on the way it's a cool stop.

[Mullenax]

Colonial Williamsburg was my least favorite family vacation as a kid. My brother and I felt like we were dying. The only good thing was a hedge maze.:thumbdown: