So you’re planning your first trip to Colonial Williamsburg? Or perhaps it’s been a while since your last visit? Awesome, we can’t wait to share this amazing place with you! We’re here to help you plan your visit so you can get the most out of your stay.
Get ready to experience the living, breathing 18th-century colonial capital. A mile long and half a mile wide, the Historic Area boasts 15 historic sites and 22 historic trades. Discover our two world-class art museums with thousands of objects on display. Meet the people who bring history to life at programs and events throughout the day.
Planning ahead is key to getting the most out of your visit. We’re sharing our tips on what to do during a three-day visit. Download our multi-day itinerary planner to pick your must-sees out and build your schedule. Plus, we’ve asked our fans to share their favorite activities and tips below as well!
Hit the Favorites
Pick Four Trades to Visit
Allow 20-30 minutes in each location to ask questions and learn from the skilled craftspeople.
Plan Your Meals
Savor historically inspired and contemporary creative cuisine.
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Visitor Center Cafe
Stop in to the Visitor Center Cafe, conveniently located beside the shops, to stock up on snacks to fuel your day of adventures or enjoy a light lunch. With ample seating, you can give your legs a rest and plan your next di…
Open to the Public
Handicap Accessible
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The Terrace Room at Williamsburg Inn
Casual refinement. Creative cuisine.
Open to the Public
Handicap Accessible
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Taste Studio
Awaken Your Inner Chef
Add a Hands-On Activity for Each Day
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Fire a Flintlock Musket
Get into the spirit of 1776 at the Colonial Williamsburg Musket Range. For just $95, participants will fire live rounds at a target from two different reproduction 18th-century flintlock firearms commonly used during the Re…
Open to the Public
Event Ticket
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Weaving Workshop
Try your hand at weaving in this class for all levels of experience.
Open to the Public
Event Ticket
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Shoulder Your Firelocks!
Guests will engage in a military drill, learning the tactics and drill of the 18th-century soldier. Participating guests must be able to stand and move for at least 20 minutes. Open to ages 9-80.
CW Admission
Meet at Least Two Nation Builders
Time and again, our fans suggest spending time with our Nation Builders. From Thomas Jefferson to the Marquis de Lafayette, any opportunity to learn from these engaging and knowledgeable interpreters is a win.
Experience Diverse Voices
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Fight the Good Fight of Faith
Two men, divided by time, share in a long tradition of preaching the gospel during times of war. Gowan Pamphlet and James Russell Brown, both studied, preached, and lived in Williamsburg during tumultuous periods in America…
Art Museums Admission
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Secrets of the Midwives
Three enslaved women at Carter’s Grove are in labor! Overwhelmed, Judith, the enslaved midwife, reluctantly accepts help. Notions of race, class, and gender will be challenged as different cultures, customs, and techniques…
CW Admission
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Tour the Town
Walk about town with one of our costumed interpreters as they share with you enduring stories of those living in Williamsburg and how their world was changed by the events surrounding them.
CW Admission
Free Event Ticket
TAKE A CARRIAGE RIDE
Enjoy a leisurely ride through the Historic Area by horse-drawn carriage and surround yourself with the sights and sounds of our unique city
See Two Performances
Whether you’re seeing our whimsical outdoor plays or Nation Builders sharing their stories, theatrical performances are great entertainment while you rest your legs.
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Dancing at the Governor's Palace
Join our dance ensemble for a lively family-friendly evening of dance and music in the Palace Ballroom. We'll demonstrate various dances of the 18th century and then invite guests of all ages to join in on the fun.
Open to the Public
Event Ticket
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Fifes and Drums March
The Colonial Williamsburg Fifes and Drums, representing military field musicians, march from the Capitol to the Palace Green.
Open to the Public
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The Ballads of the Waterman Family
The Jug Broke Theatre Co.’s Waterman Family members discuss and play songs from their favorite ballad operas from the 18th-century repertoire.
CW Admission
Explore on Your Own
Have some time between scheduled tours and programs? Peruse the African American Religion, Presbyterian Meetinghouse, or the Public Gaol on a self-guided tour.
WATCH A FIFE AND DRUM MARCH
Join the Fife and Drum Corps as they march down Duke of Gloucester Street, projecting the music that stirred filled the fields of the Revolutionary War.
VISIT THE ART MUSEUMS
In addition to the world’s largest living history museum, two hidden gems await in the Art Museums of Colonial Williamsburg. The Dewitt Wallace Decorative Arts Museum features American and British antiques and decorative art from the 17th, 18th, and 19th centuries, while you can find bold and imaginative pieces of colonial and contemporary folk art at the Abby Aldrich Rockefeller Folk Art Museum.
Select an Evening Program
The fun doesn’t end when the sun goes down. From spooky ghost tours to public trials to concerts of 18th-century music, you’ll find an array of nightly performances in the Historic Area.
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Haunted Williamsburg
Experience Colonial Williamsburg’s ONLY ghost tour that goes inside the historic buildings! Your costumed storyteller reveals a darker side of history with chilling tales of lost love, murder, betrayal, and things that (sti…
Open to the Public
Event Ticket
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Trial of a Patriot
What if America's War for Independence had failed, and the leaders of the American Revolution were charged with treason? Find out in this alternative-history trial, where you question witnesses, weigh the evidence, and dete…
Open to the Public
Event Ticket
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Cry Witch
Question witnesses, weigh evidence, and determine the guilt or innocence of "the Virginia Witch." Not appropriate for young children due to subject matter and intense emotion.
Open to the Public
Event Ticket
STAY WITH US
From absolute luxury to family-centric amenities (read: Splash Park!) to the complete 18th-century experience, our unique properties offer the complete experience, just minutes from all the action. Book your stay now!.
Three Great Museums. One Ticket.
Our living history museum and two art museums at Colonial Williamsburg offer something for everyone, from hands-on activities to guided tours of original 18th-century buildings to our unmatched folk-art collection.
Your Admission Ticket is the Key