Overview
Colonial Williamsburg is a "living-history museum" located in a historic district in Williamsburg, Virginia. Encompassing 301 acres, Colonial Williamsburg's Historic Area re-creates 18th-century Williamsburg as it appeared preceding and during the American Revolution. Throughout the city, sights, sounds, and activities help guests reconnect with America's past and become active participants in 18th-century life. The Historic Area is protected from modern intrusions by a 2,800 acres greenbelt.
47 sights · 3 things to do · 9 places to eat · 5 places to stay
Updated from Wikivoyage on 1 October 2026 · Something wrong or missing? Improve it on Wikivoyage
Best things about Colonial Williamsburg
Abby Aldrich Rockefeller Folk Art Museum
This is the oldest institution in the U.S. dedicated solely to the collection and preservation of American folk art – features paintings, whirligigs, weather vanes, carvings, toys, embroideries and other folk works repre…
Anderson's Blacksmith Shop & Public Armoury
The blacksmith shop provides the opportunity to watch blacksmiths working at their forge.
Apothecary
The apothecary was a doctor who prescribed and prepared medicines. This shop offers the chance to learn about medicines and treatments during colonial times.
Basketmaker
Basket making includes everything from preparing the fibers from oak logs to weaving them into a finished product.
Bindery
Bookbinders in colonial times compiled printed sheets into book format, painstakingly arranging them to lie flat, sewing the pages together to create an organized manuscript, and then constructing book covers out of leat…
Brickmaker
The brickmaker molds and dries thousands of bricks during the summer, then bakes them in large ovens in the Autumn. Visitors can take off their shoes and help stomp water into clay to prepare the brick material.
Plan your trip
Best time to visit & weather
Most comfortable: Apr–Jun, Sep–Nov. Summer highs reach about 89°F; winter lows dip to about 34°F. Wettest: Jul and Aug. (climate data from nearby Eastern Virginia)
Blue bars: average daily high and low (°F). Purple columns: average monthly rain and melted snow (inches).
Getting there
- From you: to see whether to drive or fly, and how long it takes.
- PHF Newport News Williamsburg International Airport, Newport News — 15 mi away. Directions
- RIC Richmond International Airport, Richmond — 38 mi away (major hub). Directions
See Williamsburg#Get in for details on getting to the city. While it is free to walk through the historic district, to experience all of the sights within the historic district requires purchasing a ticket online or from the visitor center. Once you purchase your admission pass, you can either take the shuttle bus or walk to the Historic Area. The historic district is open 365 days a year. In addition to the three ticket types listed below, there are other options available, for example, that include lodging or admission also to nearby attractions, or admission only to the museums.
Full “Get in” guide ↓Budget & where to stay
No prices are listed for this place yet. See the Sleep guide ↓ for options.
Sample 3-day itinerary
Day 1
- Morning Anderson's Blacksmith Shop & Public Armoury, Bindery, Printing office
- Lunch King's Arms Tavern
- Afternoon Milliner, Tailor
- Dinner Chowning's Tavern
Day 2
- Morning Basketmaker, Bruton Parish Church, Weaver
- Lunch The Lodge Lounge
- Afternoon African American Religion, Gunsmith & Foundry
- Dinner Traditions
Day 3
- Morning Brickmaker, Cooper
- Lunch Shields Tavern
- Afternoon Cabinetmaker, Carpenter
- Dinner The Regency Room
Stops are grouped by area so each day needs little backtracking. Check opening hours before you go.
Food for you
Additional dining options can be found outside of the historic district in the town of Williamsburg.
Colonial Williamsburg's historic dining taverns feature food and drink of the 18th-century as well as period entertainment meant to provide guests with a sense of what dining in Williamsburg more than 200 years ago would have been like.
Cuisine (tap to filter)
What to ask about, for your diet
Diet labels come from each listing's description and cuisine; “likely” means the cuisine usually has good choices, not a promise. Check with the restaurant. Open the food finder
Photos
Map
Every listing with a location. Tap a pin for its Google Maps link.
Understand
From 1699 to 1780, Williamsburg was the capital of England's oldest, richest and most populous mainland North American colony and the seat of power in the new nation's most influential state. Named in honor of William III, King of England, and designed by Royal Gov. Francis Nicholson, Williamsburg is one of the country's oldest planned communities.
In the late 1920s a project was started to recreate the town as it would have existed in the 18th century, led in part by John D. Rockefeller. In 1928 public land was transferred for the project, and thereafter 720 buildings that postdated 1790 were demolished. Reconstructions of colonial buildings were built on the original foundations using period illustrations, written descriptions, early photographs, and informed guesswork. In total, 500 buildings were reconstructed or restored, with 88 being labeled as original colonial structures.
Today the area is owned and operated by the non-profit Colonial Williamsburg Foundation, a foundation that was endowed by the Rockefellers. Visitation peaked in 1985 with 1.1 million visitors but declined thereafter, but has grown somewhat since bottoming out in 2004.
Get in
See Williamsburg#Get in for details on getting to the city. While it is free to walk through the historic district, to experience all of the sights within the historic district requires purchasing a ticket online or from the visitor center. Once you purchase your admission pass, you can either take the shuttle bus or walk to the Historic Area. The historic district is open 365 days a year. In addition to the three ticket types listed below, there are other options available, for example, that include lodging or admission also to nearby attractions, or admission only to the museums.
Place Single-Day Ticket
Includes visitor parking and shuttle service; interpreter-guided tours of the Governor’s Palace, Capitol, and Courthouse; admission to trade sites, to daily staged performances on the Charlton Stage and in the Hennage Auditorium, and to the two art museums.
Place Multiday Pass
Offers everything included in the single-day pass but is good for 3 consecutive days and must be used by December 31 in the year of purchase.
Place Annual Pass
Offers everything included in the multiday pass but is good for unlimited repeat visits for one year from the date of purchase. Also allows for 10% discounts in shops and restaurants, for exclusive tours and for 25% discounts on evening programs.
Get around
No cars are allowed in the Historic Area. Sites within the area are easily walkable. The Duke of Gloucester Street is one mile long, so wear comfortable shoes.
The Historic Triangle Shuttle provides transportation from the Colonial Williamsburg Visitor Center to nearby Jamestown and Yorktown.
See
Some of the sites in Colonial Williamsburg are reconstructions or were built after colonial times. Buildings that are original colonial structures are denoted below as "an original colonial building".
Many buildings are closed on certain days of the week, with hours varying seasonally, so be sure to check in advance that a desired destination is open.
Trade shops
The trade shops are staffed with individuals who wear costumes from colonial times and carry out the tasks that the shop owner of the time would have performed.
See Military encampment
See drill practice and canon firing as soldiers train for war, cook, and play music. Visitors can "enlist" and do their own training, allowing them to join in the Military Review at the end of the day on Market Square.
Community places
See Bruton Parish Church
The Church of England was the official church of the colonies under British rule, and all colonists were expected to worship regularly. This three-century old church was the Episcopalian church is still an active church today, and hosts over 120 recitals each year. The graveyard outside of the church is the final resting place of several notable early Virginians. The Parish Church is an original colonial building.
See Governor's Palace
The symbol of British authority in the colony and home to seven royal governors. The current building is a reconstruction that was completed in 1934 built on the foundations of the original Governor's Palace. The original building was constructed from 1706-1722 before being destroyed by a fire in 1781.
See Public Gaol
Pirates, thieves, runaway slaves, debtors, and political prisoners all inhabited cells in this building as they awaited trial, or they were convicts awaiting branding, whipping, or hanging, according to their sentences. The most famous inhabitants of the gaol were fifteen members of the pirate Blackbeard's crew, held here in 1718. The Public Gaol is an original colonial building that dates to approximately 1704, and was restored in 1936.
See Public Hospital
In addition to serving as the entrance to the Museums of Colonial Williamsburg, the Public Hospital of 1773 provides exhibits that document the treatment of mental illness from the hospital's founding in 1773 to its destruction by fire in 1885. It was built as the first medical facility in North America constructed solely for the treatment of the mentally ill. The current hospital was reconstructed by the Colonial Williamsburg Foundation in 1985. The exhibition details the theory and practice of the treatments and doctor-patient relationships that were common in the 18th and 19th centuries.
Family homes and gardens
See Bassett Hall
The former home of John D. Rockefeller Jr. and Abby Aldrich Rockefeller is a part of the story of the restoration of Colonial Williamsburg. The house looks much as it did in the 1930s and 1940s when the Rockefellers restored and furnished it to be a comfortable family home. Bassett Hall reflects both its 18th-century heritage and the neighborly comfort that was part of the Rockefeller's 20th-century life in Williamsburg.
See Mary Stith House
Visitors might encounter Martha Washington, Mary Stith, or others. In her 1813 will Mary Stith freed the slaves in her household and left them her shop.
See Peyton Randolph House
An "urban plantation." Peyton Randolph was the president of the First Continental Congress. His home demonstrates the contrast between the lifestyle of the white family and, behind it, the living conditions of the slaves they owned. The Peyton Randolph House is an original colonial building.
Art museums
See DeWitt Wallace Decorative Arts Museum
The award-winning DeWitt Wallace Decorative Arts Museum houses the Foundation's renowned collection of British and American decorative arts dating from 1600 through 1830. These include the world's largest collection of Virginia furniture; one of the largest collections of southern, British, and American furniture; and the largest collection of English pottery outside England. Masterworks and period pieces acquired for Colonial Williamsburg's Historic Area exhibition buildings bolster the museum's holdings in furniture, metals, ceramics, glass, paintings, prints, maps, and textiles. The Wallace Museum, opened in 1985, features 15 galleries in of exhibition space, an auditorium, and a café.
See Abby Aldrich Rockefeller Folk Art Museum
This is the oldest institution in the U.S. dedicated solely to the collection and preservation of American folk art – features paintings, whirligigs, weather vanes, carvings, toys, embroideries and other folk works representing many diverse cultural traditions and geographic regions. John D. Rockefeller Jr. established the museum in 1957 in honor of his wife Abby and her love of folk art. Mrs. Rockefeller gave the core collection of 424 objects to The Colonial Williamsburg Foundation in 1939. Today, the collection includes items dating from the 1720s to the present.
Do
Historic Re-enactments
Historic re-enactments occur daily and present dramatic presentations of historic events. The "Storming of the Palace" re-enactment recreates the historic event in which colonials marched on the governor's residence to demand that powder removed from the town magazine be restored. The "Order in the Court" re-enactment allows visitors to participate in a trial in the courthouse. During re-enactments staff members in period costumes assume historic roles, and visitors are often encouraged to participate. Check the daily calendar for times and locations of re-enactments as schedules vary. Tickets may be required for visitors to be present when re-enactments are taking place.
Evening programs take place every night, including ghost walks and witch trials. Separate tickets are required, and many of these events are not recommended for children due to the subject matter and sometimes intense emotion.
Tours
Tours are offered for everything from orientation to Colonial Williamsburg to guided walks through residences or other areas in the historic district. In the evenings there are ghost walks and similar tours. The daily calendar includes a list of some of the available tours.
Events
Special events are held throughout the year and are listed on the special events web page.
Do The Grand Illumination
A ceremony that began in 1935 and occurs on the first Sunday of December. During the holidays Colonial Williamsburg is decorated for Christmas, and the Grand Illumination is a ceremony in which thousands of decorative lights are activated simultaneously.
Other activities
Guests at Colonial Williamsburg's hotels also can enjoy swimming pools, tennis courts, lawn bowling greens, lawn croquet, shuffleboard, bicycling, and miniature golf.
Do Kimball Theatre
Offers current films and live performances. On any given day, you might see a Colonial Williamsburg interpreter portray Patrick Henry or enjoy a jazz ensemble of talented students from the College of William and Mary. Fall 2006 films include Wordplay, Who Killed the Electric Car, The Great New Wonderful, and A Scanner Darkly.
Buy
Recognized as one of the first planned shopping malls in the United States, Merchants Square is home to more than 40 shops and restaurants, including local and national specialty stores and a selection of restaurants.
The Williamsburg brand offers fresh, spirited designs in all categories of furniture and accessories for the way people live today. The Williamsburg products program includes 60 licensees producing more than 7,000 products in home furnishings, collectibles, and gifts. It operates 26 retail stores, a mail-order catalog, and an e-commerce site. Sales of products support the preservation, research, and educational programs of The Colonial Williamsburg Foundation, the not-for-profit organization that oversees the restored colonial capital.
Eat
Additional dining options can be found outside of the historic district in the town of Williamsburg.
Historic dining taverns
Colonial Williamsburg's historic dining taverns feature food and drink of the 18th-century as well as period entertainment meant to provide guests with a sense of what dining in Williamsburg more than 200 years ago would have been like.
Eat Christiana Campbell's Tavern
George Washington's favorite when he came to Williamsburg. Today, it's Colonial Williamsburg's premier seafood restaurant. Casual attire, dinner reservations required.
Eat Chowning's Tavern
Serves traditional-style pit barbecue during the day; family entertainment takes over from 5PM-8PM. After 8PM, it becomes an 18th-century tavern serving light bar food and alcohol. No reservations required, casual attire.
Eat King's Arms Tavern
Originally opened in 1772. An 18th-century-style chophouse. Casual attire, dinner reservations recommended.
Eat Shields Tavern
Offers the atmosphere of an 18th-century coffeehouse serving light fare. In the evening, part of the tavern operates as a bar. Dinner reservations are required, casual attire.
Contemporary cuisine
Eat Huzzah! BBQ Grille
Family-friendly cuisine including barbecue, pizza, chicken wings, wraps, smoked salmon, and salads. There is also an assortment beers from local and regional breweries on tap.
Eat The Lodge Lounge
Offers bar snacks, cheese boards, soups, artisan flat breads, sandwiches, and desserts, as well as Virginia craft brews on tap and an extensive wine list. Live music on Friday and Saturday nights.
Eat The Regency Room
Serves favorites from the Chesapeake to regional markets in an elegant setting. The wine list was named as a Wine Spectator Award of Excellence winner. A member of the Nation's Restaurant News Fine Dining Hall of Fame. Dancing on Friday and Saturday evenings.
Eat Terrace Room
Casual dining with options like Wagyu beef burgers, Cobb salad and crab cakes. Also offers afternoon tea, and in the evening the Restoration Bar offers cocktails.
Eat Traditions
Southern-inspired cuisine, with many ingredients harvested from the 90 acres of gardens in Colonial Williamsburg. Offers a seafood buffet every Friday evening.
Sleep
The following lodging is operated by Colonial Williamsburg and can be found within or adjacent to the historic district. Other lodging can be found in the city of Williamsburg.
Stay Colonial Houses–Historic Lodging
Stay in colonial style at one of 26 guest houses, some as small as one room within a tavern and others as large as 16 rooms — all within the Historic Area. Furnished with authentic period reproductions and antiques, each Colonial House has a unique history and appeal. Amenities include free onsite parking, free Wi-Fi, free two-hour bike rental and access to offsite pool & fitness center.
Stay Woodlands Hotel & Suites
A mid-budget hotel next to the Colonial Williamsburg Visitor Center. Amenities include free continental breakfast, free onsite parking, onsite fitness club, and high-speed Internet. Guests can reach the Historic Area via a footbridge from the Visitor Center or by riding one of the shuttles.
Go next
- Busch Gardens Williamsburg - a few miles southeast of Williamsburg, this amusement park features roller coasters and other thrill rides and was voted the world's "Most Beautiful Park" for 20 consecutive years by the National Amusement Park Historical Association.
- Newport News - about 20 mi southeast of Williamsburg on I-64, Newport News is home to the massive Newport News Shipbuilding, a shipyard that builds many American aircraft carriers, submarines and other military ships.
- Richmond - about 50 mi west of Williamsburg on I-64, Virginia's capital city was settled in 1607, served as the capital of the Confederacy during the Civil War, and today offers a wealth of Civil War history.
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