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I went to school there (William and Mary) an dlived there for a while as well. Suggestions-- be sure you take the tour of the Wren building, the oldest building on the campus. Thomas Jefferson walked the stairs there. The Wren building is at one end of Duke of Glocester St. From there you can walk the entire length of Colonial Williamsburg. Be sure to go to the Colonial Capital building and the Governor's mansion. Tour the gardens behind the buidling. See the glass blowing and try to take in the parade (if they have it). Don't know when you are planning on going, but it is lit up beautifully for Christmas time. Away from Colonial wiliamsburg, be sure to go to Yorktown, but DO NOT speed on the Colonial Parkway. Busch Gardens is OK, I prefer the tour of the brewery myself. If you can afford it, or care to, stay at the Williamsburg Inn. If you can't stay there, plan dining there for one evening, and eat lunch at the King's Arms, and dinner also at the Raleigh Tavern. Williamsburg is beautiful in the Fall. If I could make a living there, I would like to live there.

Enjoy.

Visit the website: Colonial Williamsburg Foundation Trip Planner

I'd buy The Freedom Pass, year-long multi-day pass. It'll let you into the premiere sites like the Governor's mansion. It's six dollars more than the day pass. So, in the long run, you'll save. You can't possibly see everything in one day.

Don't forget to sign up for the Continental Army. In the evening, the Fife and Drum march from the Governor's Mansion through the Green. Then there's the foot race!

In the afternoon, there's a fire and the children get to be in the bucket brigade. No adults, just kids. What a hoot to watch the children, they get heckled, too.

Dining is great at Chowning's or the King's Arms. In the evening, there's the tour through Williamsburg.

Make sure you bring a stroller for the little ones.

Sorry for sounding like a travelogue. We're close enough to go at least once a year and it's the highlight of our year. If you can go close to Christmas, it's simply delightful.

It was going to be the last stop on our family vacation. We had visited lots of historical sights all along the eastern seaboard. By the time we got to Williamsburg, we were "historied out". . .

We went to Busch Gardens instead and really enjoyed it! It would have been nice to have time to visit both.

I'm not pleased with the current visitor programs at CW. They have gone downhill in a big way.

However, it is always beautiful in Williamsburg, and there are some very worthwhile things to do.

If you decide to see one of the evening plays, Friday night's "Williamsburgs Most Wanted" is a hoot. My DH is often in the cast of that play, and is wickedly funny. "Cry Witch" is only good if done in the Capitol building; in the correct setting it is entertaining. The new period dramas are *exceedingly* rusty and you won't have a good time anywhere you see those.

A must see in CW is the DeWitt Wallace museum in the Hospital annex (the 18th century loony bin.)

Try this CW link for a visitors guide and a heads up on special programs and events.

Stay away from the new hotel properties there - ask for the older hotels if you stay there.

bttt

Try to stay on the grounds for a couple nights in a Colonial House or Tavern - my wife and I did our honeymoon at the Market Square Tavern. You are immersed in the experience - you wake up there and can stay late, wandering the near-empty streets. And you can hit Chowning's Tavern for gambols, which are colonial style games.

These accomodations are cheaper than the Inn, but you get to enjoy a number of amenities offered by the Inn, including their lawn bowling and croquet, plus afternoon tea and cookies, which is a nice way to rest up.

Try to catch one of the "Jefferson Talks" behind the Capitol, where the Jefferson interpreter interacts with the visitors, giving as good as he gets.

Oh, you should know that a weekly schedule is available for the colonial area building tours and other special events. Try to get this ASAP, perhaps before you go (it might be on the internet site).

Eat almost anywhere - The Trellis is a nice 21st century restaurant in Market Square (adjacent to the Colonial grounds). We enjoyed a nice lunch on the veranda overlooking the Gold Golf Course. Dining at taverns other than Chownings requires a reservation made early in the day.

Unless it's your "thing", I would skip the two museums.

You will be impressed by the gardens and the overall meticulous upkeep of the grounds. Most of the buildings have gardens in the rear and you can simply walk right back and stroll through them. Nothing like a well trimmed hedge.

Needless to say, my wife and I had a great time. Good luck and have fun...!

Have dinner at Chownings Tavern for a treat. The "fare" is cooked there with recipies from the time. That is if it is still there. It has been some time since I was there.

Some of the plantations in the Tidewater country are interesting. Carter's Grove is one that comes to mind. Jamestown is also a good place to visit. Have fun!

Don't forget to go to Yorktown and see Redoubts 9 & 10 where the Americans and the French bravely stormed the Brits and Moore House where Cornwallis sent his officers to surrender. The Park Service provides walking tours and explain how this crucial battle led to the end of the war. It's only a short drive from Williamsburg.

I have a brother who lives there (when he's not deployed in Bosnia, where he is currently). It is one of the most beautiful spots I've ever visited. I love the state of Virginia, even if they do have questionable taste in their politicians. Colonial Wmsburg is either quaint or kitschy, depending on your degree of cynicism. But it is a beautiful area, and its history is undeniable. Go. Go often. You'll love it.