Colonial Williamsburg

Colonial Williasmburg, Virginia, is one of the most famous among the living museum period recreations. Since the 1930s, early structures have been restored or entirely rebuilt and put on display and colonial costumed reenactors have given visitors a glimpse into life at the time of the American Revolution.

A ticket gives the visitor full access to the various buildings, trade and craft displays, and activities and programs. You can then watch the shoemaker and carpenter at work, see the restored interiors of the Governor's Mansion and House of Burgesses, hear heated debates among the townsfolk on separation from Britain, or watch as Governor Dunmore denounces the Massachusettss colonists to the north for dumping tea in Boston Harbor. The costumed cast memebers relly get into their characters and a lot happens around the restored area seemingly at random. Don't be surprised if you see a mother carrying her real (and also costumed) infant around colonial style or if a minute man on horseback suddenly rides up Duke of Gloucester Street to warn of the advance of the British. Many activities are aimed at young visitors, from colonial games to cooking and musketry demonstrations. (A classic activity is to have your photo taken in the stocks next to the Courthouse.)

However, you don't need a ticket to enjoy much of the Historic Area. You can see the exteriors of the buildings, eat at the taverns, and shop at the stores without admission.

Williamsburg has had its criticisms--blurring of what is historically real and what is a recreation, behaving too much like a theme park (but history can be fun, after all), and coming to terms with slavery and darker sides of its past. Clearly, a lot of history happened at Williamsburg and Colonial Williasmburg does its best to bring it to life for modern visitors.

Whether you go for the full experience or only take time to walk Duke of Gloucester Street, I highly recommend a stop at Colonial Williamsburg when you are in the mid-Atlantic region.

There is alot of activities for moms and dads, can see how they traded in the 18th century and go to wonderful wine tastings. For the kids there is playing games and lending a hand with the crops. From 1699 to 1780, Williamsburg was the political social and cultural capital of Great Britains largest, wealthiest and most populous colony.The hall of the house of Burgesses at the Capital echoes with the voices of Thomas Jefferson, Patrick Henry, George Mason and other Virginia leaders who debated the issues of F reedom and liberty for Virginians.At the court house, you might be invited to be a witness,defendant or judge in a re-creation of the court case from the 1700'.While walking around the old town you can see how the carpenter made shoes for his people. And there are alot of fresh food markets to taste the wonderful fresh foods of the land.Its wonderful to see how they lived in the 1700 century.

Gotta tell you that it was so cheap because evidentley they close down
when and before the sun goes down. There were some stores open, but
not many. So of course, you buy, you pay. As far as anyone in garb,
well, the ones we saw, they were running to get out of costume to go
home, run into hiding, or you could not get to the closed area where
they were.Makes alot of sense then. We would have loved to seen this
area and were willing to pay. We had really liked the area of Williamsburg, but after this, we crossed off.