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Williamsburg Guide

https://www.where2goguides.com/g/wendy-and-justin/williamsburg

We've been going to Williamsburg (and surrounding areas) since our kids were little and Great Wolf Lodge was the perfect winter break. Now that we have a student at William & Mary, there are even more reasons to visit!

Activities / Places

#1.York River State Park

park biking paddling rockhounding hiking / walking
So many fun things to do - including fossil hunting!

Notes

  • We love going to York River State Park - there are so many things to do depending on what you are in the mood for. They have hiking, beginning-intermediate mountain bike trails, and paddling up a tidal creek. Hunting for fossils there is especially fun (technically you are only allowed to collect one fossil per visit).

#2.KEΦI GREEK KITCHEN

restaurant bakery
Awesome Greek food and European pastries

Notes

  • We recommend getting reservations if you will be there on a weekend.

#3.Newport News Park Campground

campground lake biking boating hiking / walking
Spacious, wooded campsites, many with a view of the lake. Electric / water available.

Notes

  •  This is one of our go-to campgrounds in the Williamsburg area and can be counted on to have availability (water and electric only). This park also has trails for biking and hiking, a frisbee golf course, and boat rentals.
  • Tips:
    • Some of the sites can be slanted, so you might want to ask for a recommendation from the park when booking (but there is usually plenty of availability so you can just ask for a different site when you get there if you don't like the one you booked).
    • Sites closer to the water can be very scenic, but you will get road noise.

#4.Chippokes State Park

campground park beach historic site river rockhounding beach combing hiking / walking
State park with fossil collecting and hiking. Just a short (free) ferry-ride from Williamsburg.

Notes

  • This plantation dates from 1619 and includes historic buildings you can visit, an interesting museum with antique farming equipment, hiking, biking, and camping. But my favorite thing to do there is look for fossils along the James river. This park is just a short (free) ferry ride across the James.

#5.El Sabroson

restaurant
Excellent pupusas!

Notes

  • Most of the food is pretty average - but we are huge fans of the pupusas! Sometimes we pick them up to eat as appetizers back at the campground - so yummy.
  • The food was good as always, but the restaurant is unappetizing. We'll probably just stuck to takeout papusas from now on.
    -- From visit in December 2024

Links

#6.Hog Island Wildlife Management Area

beach wildlife sanctuary rockhounding animal viewing
Might be good for wildlife, but skip for fossils.

Notes

  • I thought Hog Island, downstream from Chippokes, might have some good fossil collecting. So I got the required advance permit one day and visited - but alas, all we found were a few pieces of pretty sea glass and some big flies. I hear birding there can be fun, but skip it if fossils is what you are after. 

#7.New Quarter Park

park biking hiking / walking
Park with some amusing mountain biking

#8.Waller Mill Park

park paddling hiking / walking
Hiking trails around a lake with boat rentals

Notes

  • This park is especially pretty in the fall. Boat rentals are available.

#9.Williamsburg Farmers Market

market
Saturday morning farmers market in downtown Williamsburg

Notes

  • Quite large, but very fancy.

#10.Yorktown Market Days Food and Artisans Market

market
Saturday morning market down near the water

#11.Chickahominy Riverfront Park

campground park river biking paddling
Local park with scenic paddling and a campground

Notes

  • This is a lovely park that has canoe and kayak rentals available at the camp store; paddling is definitely the highlight. From the put in, go right, and then take another right into Gordon Creek for a peaceful and scenic paddle. It is a good place to take reflection photos.
  • We visited for lunch and a paddle, but did not stay in the campground. There are nicer, more spacious options in the area (e.g., Newport News Park Campground), but it did have full hookups. And some sights have nice views of the river.
    -- From visit on May 11, 2024

#12.2nd Sundays Art & Music Festival

market
Amusing street festival with some surprisingly interesting art

#13.William & Mary

historic site
Excellent state school with a beautiful, historic campus

Notes

  • In addition to walking on the quad, there are many other trails on campus.

#14.Goodwill of Central and Coastal Virginia Outlet

thrift shop
A surprising amount of quality, high-end clothing at super prices

#15.Virginia Living Museum

museum animal viewing
Good place to spend a rainy day.

Notes

  • Part aquarium, part natural history museum focusing on the local environment - fun with (or without) kids.

Links

#16.Water Country USA

amusement park swimming
Water park with a wave pool and slides

Notes

  • Fun place to cool off in the summer. Buy combination tickets with Busch Gardens to save money.

#17.Food For Thought

want to go restaurant

#18.Berret's Seafood Restaurant and Taphouse Grill

want to go restaurant

#19.The Mariners' Museum and Park

museum hiking / walking
Interesting museum where they are reconstructing the USS Monitor

Notes

  • We were surprised by how interesting this museum was! Also includes a 5 mile nature loop trail.

Links

#20.Great Wolf Lodge Williamsburg

amusement park lodging
Hotel with an indoor water park

#21.Smithfield Farmers Market

want to go market
Every Saturday, April-October

#22.Colonial Williamsburg

historic site
Step back to when Williamsburg was the capital of Virginia

Notes

  • Colonial Williamsburg is a fun and interactive way to learn about this time period! You can visit historic sites and interpretive shops like the wig maker or cooper, where they ply their trade as it was done years ago. We particularly like the Govenor's Palace Gardens. It is especially fun to visit during the winter holidays because they decorate in the traditional fashion, and over the 4th of July. I still have the fife I bought when I visited as a kid.

Links

#23.Aromas Coffeehouse Bakery & Cafe

coffee shop restaurant bakery
Good for coffee, pastries or lunch

Notes

  • One of our daughter's favorite spots, we often meet her here for a little mid-day treat. The line is often long, but it moves quickly!

#24.Silver Hand Meadery

winery / distillery
Great chance to give mead a try

Notes

  • We just bought a bottle of mead to try at home, but you can also do a mead tasting.
    -- From visit in May 2024

#25.Jamestown Beach

want to go park beach paddling swimming
Sandy beach on the James for swimming and picnics

Notes

  • Includes a canoe/kayak launch

#26.Freedom Park

park gardens historic site biking hiking / walking
Historical park with hiking and mountain biking trails

Notes

  • This park preserves one of the first free black settlements in America, from the early 1800s. It is fun to explore the historical buildings and the 20 miles of mountain biking are entertaining. The park also contains Williamsburg Botanical Gardens and Go Ape.

#27.Fat Tuna Grill & Oyster House

restaurant
Solid seafood restaurant

Notes

  • We had a nice Christmas dinner here one year; I am looking forward to going back.

#28.Cochon on 2nd

want to go restaurant
Seafood restaurant

#29.Rocco's Smokehouse Grill

want to go restaurant

#30.Williamsburg Winery Tasting Room and Wine Bar

want to go winery / distillery

#31.Busch Gardens Williamsburg

amusement park

Notes

  • We especially enjoy going during the winter for a little fun and a pretty light display at Christmas Town.

#32.Williamsburg Winery Tasting Room and Wine Bar

want to go winery / distillery

#33.Pirate's Cove Adventure Golf of Williamsburg Virginia

want to go
One of a number of mini golf places in Williamsburg

#34.Williamsburg Premium Outlets

shop

#35.Jamestown Settlement

museum
Excellent museum and interpretive center

Notes

  • Includes interesting exhibits, Indian artifacts, and re-creations of the three ships that brought America’s first permanent English colonists to Virginia in 1607.

Links

#36.Jamestown National Historic Site

historic site museum
Actual town site

Notes

  • This interesting site includes an archeological museum and a wonderful glass blowing studio where you can watch artisans work and purchase pieces.

Links

#37.American Revolution Museum at Yorktown

museum
Museum and interpretive center

Links

#38.Yorktown Battlefield

historic site

Links

#39.Black Point Trail

want to go trailhead hiking / walking
Trail out to the tip of Jamestown Island.