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Williamsburg, in southeastern Virginia, served as the capital of the Virginia colony for most of the eighteenth century. Its restored historic area, Colonial Williamsburg, is a living-history museum where costumed interpreters, working trades and reconstructed buildings recreate life on the eve of the American Revolution. Together with Jamestown and Yorktown, it forms the region known as the Historic Triangle.
Duke of Gloucester Street runs through the heart of the historic area, connecting shops, taverns and trade workshops. The Governor's Palace and the Capitol are reconstructions based on historic records, while Bruton Parish Church is an original colonial church still used for services. The Art Museums of Colonial Williamsburg house decorative and folk art collections. At the western end of the street, the College of William & Mary includes the Wren Building, one of the oldest academic buildings in the country. Nearby, Historic Jamestowne preserves the archaeological site of the first permanent English settlement in North America, and Jamestown Settlement presents recreated ships and a Powhatan village. Yorktown Battlefield marks the decisive 1781 siege, and the village of Yorktown and the American Revolution Museum complete the story.
Williamsburg suits families and history enthusiasts. The Colonial Parkway connects the three sites. Spring and fall are the most comfortable seasons for walking.
WiserMap travel guideWilliamsburg Virginia Colonial Streets Jamestown YorktownPlan Williamsburg with Colonial Williamsburg, Governor's Palace, William & Mary, Jamestown, Yorktown, Busch Gardens, where to stay, when to go and transport.Read the guide
Duke of Gloucester Street is the main street of Colonial Williamsburg, running about a mile from the College of William and Mary to the Capitol. It is lined with restored 18th-century shops, taverns and homes, with costumed interpreters, trade shops and carriage rides. Walking the street is free; a ticket opens the buildings.
The Governor's Palace was the home of seven royal governors and of Patrick Henry and Thomas Jefferson as governors of Virginia. The reconstructed mansion is famous for its entrance hall covered in muskets and swords, and its formal gardens include a holly maze. Entry is by Colonial Williamsburg ticket on guided tours.
The reconstructed Capitol at the east end of Duke of Gloucester Street is where Virginia's colonial House of Burgesses met, and where Patrick Henry spoke against the Stamp Act. Guided tours explain colonial government and the road to revolution, and evening programs are held here. Entry needs a Colonial Williamsburg ticket.
Bruton Parish Church, completed in 1715, is one of the oldest Episcopal churches in continuous use in the United States, and George Washington and Thomas Jefferson worshipped here. Its box pews and churchyard are original. The church is free to visit outside services, and candlelight concerts are held some evenings.
The Art Museums of Colonial Williamsburg combine the Abby Aldrich Rockefeller Folk Art Museum and the DeWitt Wallace Decorative Arts Museum under one roof. Exhibits show American folk art, furniture, silver, firearms and portraits. Entry is through the Public Hospital building. A Colonial Williamsburg ticket includes admission.
Jamestown Settlement is a living history museum near the original site, with full-size replicas of the three ships that arrived in 1607, a recreated Powhatan village and a colonial fort with interpreters. Indoor galleries cover the cultures of Virginia's early peoples. A combo ticket with the Yorktown museum saves money.
Yorktown is a small riverside town on the York River with a beach and riverwalk. The American Revolution Museum at Yorktown tells the story of the war with films and galleries, plus a recreated Continental Army camp and a farm with interpreters. The Colonial Parkway links Yorktown to Williamsburg and Jamestown.
The College of William and Mary, founded in 1693, is the second-oldest college in the United States. The Wren Building is the oldest college building still in use in the country, and its chapel and Great Hall are open for visits when classes allow. Student guides lead tours. The Sunken Garden behind it is a pleasant green.
Historic Jamestowne is the actual site of the 1607 English settlement on Jamestown Island, run by the National Park Service and Preservation Virginia. Archaeologists still dig at the James Fort site, and the Archaearium museum shows finds. A loop drive passes marshes and woods. Watch for the ongoing digs in summer.
Yorktown Battlefield, part of Colonial National Historical Park, is where the British army under Cornwallis surrendered to Washington in 1781, effectively ending the American Revolution. The visitor center has a film and Washington's field tents, and driving tours follow the siege lines and redoubts. Allow two hours.
The Colonial Parkway is a 23-mile scenic road linking Jamestown, Williamsburg and Yorktown, with no commercial buildings along the way. It runs past the James and York rivers, marshes and woods, with pull-offs for views and picnics. The road is built from exposed aggregate, so it is bumpy for bikes. It has no tolls.
Busch Gardens Williamsburg is a theme park designed around European villages, known for its roller coasters, shows and landscaped grounds. Water Country USA nearby is Virginia's largest water park, open in summer. Both are a few miles east of Colonial Williamsburg. Buy tickets online and check seasonal opening dates.
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