Which ticket to buy?
by matcrazy1
There are a few ticket plans for the Colonial Williamsburg (check it here).
Each ticket include:
- admission to Colonial Williamsburg’s Historic Area,
- viewing of the movie short Williamsburg: The Story of a Patriot in the Visitor Center,
- free parking at the Visitor Center and use of Colonial Williamsburg shuttle buses.
Instead of The Colonial Sampler Tickets which was the cheapest option ($33.00 each), we bought The Governor's Key-To-The-City Passes (valid for 3 days) for $45.00 each because they included a few adds, especially the admission to the Capitol and to the Governor’s Palace (guided tours there).
It's my recommendation. We got the tickets and, like the other visitors, we fixed them to our clothes during the visit.
Vacation packages
If you are going to stay in one of the Colonial Williamsburg accommodations (expensive!) and dine or visit historic towns of Jamestown and Yorktown (the Historic Triangle) check the up-to-date offer of the vacation packages here.
Soldiering
by Tom_Fields
The soldiers kept everyone in the colony safe. These were professionals, who had trained since they were young boys. Most had seen combat in Europe. Of course, the New World offered new challenges. But the Indians' weapons were very much out-classed by the English muskets, swords, and armor.
I asked about the colonists's involvement in the English Civil War of the 1640s and 1650s. The response was that there were clashes here between Royalists and Parliamentarians. Most Jamestown settlers were pro-Royalist, while the majority in the Massachusetts Bay colony favored the Parliamentary army of Oliver Cromwell.
In any case, the troops played a vital role.
Hear sounds of colonial fife
by matcrazy1
I met this costumed guy playing on a fife on the main avenue of Colonial Williamsburg, in front of Raleigh Tavern. Fife is a small transverse (side-blown) flute with six finger holes and no keys. It produces a high pitch and shrill tone.
Well, it's not my favourite musical instrument (I am a fan of saxophone) but I can imagine that fife's spirited and inspirational sounds carried well on the field of battle in the past. Fifes and drums were used for command and control in battle. In America they were popular since 1750s till late 1860s. They played prominent role during the Revolutionary War (1775 - 1783) and thus become traditional symbols of the young nation and of its heritage
Water Country
by bugalugs
Again this place is only about 3-4 miles from Colonial Williamsburg.
Our son and his friend were there queuing for the park to open at 10.00am. He said that when the gates opened it was like a stampede everyone running to get the best loungers/seats in the best positions!
They did like the park but actually did not go on each water ride as they said some of the queues were at least an hour long! They spent quite a bit of time in Surfers Bay which has wave machines. Also the Hubba-Hubba Hghway was good they said, its kind of like a curvy kind of river and you can either swin round it, or sit in rubber rings, the only problem he said that was because it was so busy, people tended to push at each other. The Jet Streams was another water feature they liked.
The park is open from May - September, check web site for closing times as this does differ from anything between 6pm -8pm
All in all they enjoyed both parks.
The Wal-Mart of the day
by b1bob about Greenhow Store
John Greenhow was the Sam Walton of his day. On his ship, he regularly cruised the waters between the James River and Philadelphia carrying peas, pork, lard, and butter northward. The return journey brought earthenware, flour, bread, bar iron, chocolate, coffee, iron skillets, saddletrees, soap, and furniture such as chairs, tables, and chests of drawers. Greenhow operated a second store in Richmond. Today, you can find wrought iron, willow baskets, fine imported porcelain, floorcloths, fabrics, cooper's items, tinware, craftsmen's tools, and other good similar to those sold by Mr. Greenhow in the 18th century.
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Mace on the table - House of Burgess
Brickmaking
A soldier describes barracks life
Merchandise
