This confusing setup has a bunch of national park land adjoined to a privately owned historical…read moresite. Focusing only on the national park site, I found a visitor center with an introductory movie. While I was perusing the exhibitions right outside the theater, they managed to close it and lock it without letting me know the movie was starting. Which is a little irksome, but may have worked out for the best as I got to the outdoor site and managed to get a run of it and take some pictures just as a weather front was heading in. Some people had traveled from Michigan to tour the area, which I think was a good decision for them as you don't get this kind of history up there. The national park site has some ruins and signage after crossing a boardwalk over the swamp. While not huge in scope; I spent maybe an hour on the site in total, it gives you a feel for the challenges that settlers would have faced. The signage provides compelling information for visitors of all ages, and the views of the waterfront and nearby ferry are majestic as well. You'll get a sense of historical nuance with a lot of players in the area, and an aesthetic experience as well. There is a wildlife drive and this place does have a parkway running to Yorktown, albeit currently not fully open due to major construction. I did not have time for everything the area has to offer on this passing visit, but there is a lot regardless of how much time you have.

September 2024- I visited the historic & original Jamestown , the colony was established there in…read more1607. Jamestown is remembered for its iconic historical figures like Pocohontas and Captain John Smith. In the Visitor Center, there is a small museum exhibit of Jamestown. The admission to explore all of Jamestown requires the purchase of two tickets since Jamestowne managed by two separate organizations, Preservation Virginia (Jamestown Rediscovery) and the National Park Service (Colonial National Historical Park). This can be very confusing when entering and getting admission inside Jamestowne. Entrance inside the visitor center & museum as well as the grounds are free for active military and their families, who get free passes to all the national parks. Standard fee is $15. An additional ticket of $15 is required to purchase by ALL (even with a free military entrance pass to all National Parks). It was worth it to me and a fair price to pay. Jamestowne was a fascinating visit to walk through the well maintained and reconstructed historical buildings & ancient ground of Jamestown. I like how they reconstructed Jamestown to show how it appeared during colonial times and showcased the ruins of the old church within its duplicated replica. I spent most of my time in the church, drinking in the views by the River, and walking through the grounds of Jamestowne. We ended our visit at Jamestown by going to the Archaearium, the archaeology museum, last. It covers the history of Jamestown 1607-1624. There was so much unknown information uncovered there about Pocahontas and the dark history of the colonists during times of famine. 1609 - 1610 was a dark and horrific time period of cold winter weather & starvation for the colonial settlers of Jamestowne. Many starved to death, some resorted to cannibalism of dead corpses or killing the living for food to survive. They reserved a room about this dark period and restrict the use of cameras & taking photography/ videos of that area in the museum out of respect for the remains of the dead in the room. Very macabre yet still fascinating. There were many areas we did not have time to explore due to time constraints and our travel agenda, yet we made the best of what little time we had there.

We visited Jamestown Settlement on Aug 14, 2025. It had free parking, which was a plus. From where…read morewe parked, we crossed the zebra crossing and walked through Quadricentennial Plaza to get to the museum. Erected in 2007 to commemorate the 400th anniversary of the founding of Jamestown, the Quadricentennial Plaza's dual files of state flags was remarkable. When looking from the north side - facing the trio masts with the United States flag in the middle - the state flags were arranged in order of ratification starting from the right file with the flag of Delaware, moving state by state to the south side, then making a U-turn and continue on in the other file (with the flag of Michigan), and arriving back to the north side with the final state flag (Hawaii). A plague at the base of each mast briefly described the state's founding. A photo is included showing that of the Tar Heel state. Jamestown Settlement should not be confused with Historic Jamestowne (spelled with an extra "e"). The former is a museum located in Williamsburg while the latter is an archeological site located in Jamestown. When we arrived at Jamestown Settlement at 11:20am, the sky was cloudy; by 2:25pm, it was sunny and clear. The museum had a wide facade. When seen from an aerial view, it is shaped like an obtuse angle. Even through we went during the summer vacation, it wasn't crowded that day. If you're not interested in attending the museum, there plenty of benches to hang out by the lawn area. The first thing we did after purchasing the tickets was to watch a movie. We went to the rotunda (amazing ceiling view), and followed the directions to Gallery Theater where we saw "1607: A Nation Takes Root". This docudrama traces the founding of Jamestown from the point of view of the colonists, the Powhatans and the Africans, with the colonists being the main protagonists (no-brainer). If I had known that the film was already available on YouTube, I'd have skipped it altogether. After the film was over, we proceeded down Great Hall to the Galleries. There were three entrances to the Galleries. We took the first one cloest to the rotunda, called the "Before Jamestown" section. Before Jamestown, life was peaceful for the Africans and the Powhatans as shown by their life-sized dioramas. Then came the stars of the Galleries: British colonists. The layout and decor for their exhibits evoked a colonial marketplace. It included a partial model of a ship. The "1607" doorway to the right of "The Virginia Company of London" exhibit led to more exhibits. More Powhatans, including one devoted to Pocahontas. In addition, there were exhibits about women's contributions during the early years of Jamestown. "From Africa to Virginia" was a particularly interesting treat. In front of visitors were artifacts and written displays, behind them was a long, large screen showing clips of Africans' encounter with the colonists and the subsequent development of the slave trade. Next were additional colonist exhibits. They weren't as impressive as what came next: recreated homes from that time period (early to mid 1600s). Some of them were colonist dwellings and some slave dwellings. Hard to tell which was which as they all looked similar. At one of the homes, a video clip - played periodically on an exterior wall - showed a slave describing what life was like back then. He seemed happy, like Song of the South's Uncle Remus happy. Across from that home was a doorway leading to Great Hall. By the doorway were written displays encouraging visitors to "Turn Legacy Into Action". To the left of the doorway was an exit that led outside to the gazebo and an area called the Mall. The Mall had a walkway surrounding a larger lawn. At the end of the lawn towards the gazebo was the Commemoration Tower. Review continues in the attached image. More photos and videos can be found at https://www.youtube.com/@1Somber. Look for the playlist "2025-3: Jamestown Settlement Museum".

We visited during their Winter Lantern Festival and thought it was absolutely amazing…read more It took the wifey and I about 1 1/2 to see all the displays. They were so colorful and detailed. The only thing was I was surprised at was there weren't many signs that explained the displays. Now I could be wrong and maybe they were just displays but it seemed many had a specific meaning. Not sure. We also got to watch an acrobatic performance which was really cool. I understand there is a different show every hour or so. There was a large tent with items to purchase as well. So if you get the chance to see one of these displays either at Jamestown or as I understand at other locations around the nation - do it. Great family evening.

Smith's Fort is the site of Captain John Smith's proposed "New Fort" and is located directly across…read morethe James River from Jamestown on the banks of Gray's Creek. In 1609, Captain John Smith began construction of a fort site on the property. The fort was abandoned a few months later due to what would be known as the "Starving Time" in Jamestowne. The earthworks dug 411 years ago in 1609 can still be seen to this day. Captain John Smith built a fort on the south side of the James River as a retreat position should Jamestown be attacked by Virginia Indians or the Spanish. This dower tract of land between two streams was given to John Rolfe in 1614 by Powhatan upon Rolfe's marriage to Pocahontas. It is considered the first land actually given to America by the Indians. Rolfe is known to have cultivated the early tobacco crop on this property known as the Virginia Sweet. Between 1751 and 1765, a brick plantation house was built that still stands today, with much of its interior original pine woodwork still intact. The Manor House exemplifies the upper-middle-class lifestyle enjoyed by the Jacob Faulcon family in 18th-century Surry County. In 1886, the property, then called Gray's Creek Farm, was purchased by a collective group of African American families including Bolling Morris, John and Carter Hardy and Robertson Simmons. By the 1920s, Mr. Morris was the sole owner and he eventually sold it via an agent to John D. Rockefeller, Jr. Smith's Fort was later acquired by Preservation Virginia in 1933 and has operated as a museum ever since. Located in the manor house is a print on paper from a steel engraving done by John C. McRae in 1855 entitled, "The Wedding of Pocahontas." It was modeled from an original oil painting by Henry Brueckner in the same year. It depicts the day in April 1614 when Pocahontas was wed to Englishman John Rolfe, an event that initiated 8 years of peace with the Algonquin Indians. The original painting resides in the Getty Museum. This is a Virginia treasure and recommend a visit.

Cynthia is a very knowledgeable guide. She knows the history of the area and the house. The period…read morefurniture is a wonderful touch on the house. The gift shop actually have black walnut items made from the a tree on the plantation.

Such a cool place. I mean, who's ever heard of a Sunken Garden before!? Great place to meet…read morefriends for a game of soccer or frisbee. My kids LOVED coming here on a visit so they could work their way into a game with students. It's also just beautiful, surrounded by boxwood and stately brick buildings.

At the heart of the College of William and Mary's old campus lies this gorgeous lawn. A remaining…read moreproject from the work relief programs from the Great Depression it lies several feet lower than the campus around it. Free for anyone to visit it is intended for students and community members to come and relax. It exists to beautify the campus and remind those who visit of the strength our country had coming out of the Great Depression, it serves both of these purposes well. Having visited earlier this week I could not imagine giving the Gardens any lower of a rating. It ties the campus together and is an integral part of the William and Mary that exists today.

Very cool historic site that has much more to offer than I was able to enjoy in a day. I'm not a…read morehuge historian, but it was quite remarkable to see the part of the country that has been preserved and restored to match the original colonies. We got to see a barrel being made, a cannon being fired (dry fired), a court session, and lots of buildings and other historical items. The person I was with has been here a few times and said they have options to stay on site and also there are several very good places to eat. Would be a great place for the family or yourself if you want a piece of Americas history.

Our favorite place to go here in Virginia! So many beautiful and historic buildings. The food and…read moreshops are fantastic. We always bring family here when they visit us. Favorite things in CW: - Walking down the historic downtown - Seeing the gardens and horses - Visiting the shops - Lunch at the cheese shop - The liberty lounge - Soups and snacks at the bakery (raleigh tavern i believe at the end of the street)

Awesome experience. Great date location. Would do it again. Make sure you bring your walking shoesread more

It was a really fun time, very informative!! Our guide was super nice as well. We did the boos and…read morebooze bar crawl.

I loved my stay in cabin for so much that I rebooked let much as soon as I got home! The cabin was…read morevery private, sits far away from the other cabins with a lovely farm view. The layout of the cabin was spacious and very comfortable! It was rather hot, so walking the dog at midday was out, so he was able to stay crated with no worries if barking and disturbing neighbors. I took a tour of the mansion, and the different farm exhibits as Chippokes is one of the longest continuously farmed locations in the country, dating back nearly to the Jamestown settlement, which is a ferry ride away! Check out the fossil beaches and the visitor center for James River views and the ability to cool off!

This is a beautiful State Park along the James River steeped in history. Be sure to read about it…read morebefore you go and then take advantage of exploring the parts of the park that peak your interest the most. About a decade ago, we stayed in one of the cabins with our children. They loved it as we explored some trails, the beach, the historic buildings, the farm and equipment and rode bikes. Now my husband and I return to use the hiking/walking trails. The trails give you a little bit of everything. You can be in the shade, the blazing sun, on the beach walking in the sand, beside a field of cows or soybeans, or meandering down a rural road. We recently did a 4 mile hike and packed a lunch to enjoy on the beach. My only issue is that some people who come with their dogs have them off leash. We bring our leashed dog and I don't care for other large dogs running up to us with their owners not having control. I highly recommend going and enjoying Chippokes!

Great local winery with plenty of seating, wine to choose from, and friendly service! On a weekday,…read moreit is pretty quiet and on weekends it gets pretty busy. There is seating outdoors, and plenty of space! You'll likely be met at the door by a friendly greeter - Nancy is amazing and helpful! Hopefully this winery gets a full food menu back, it's the only reason I took off a star!

My husband and I visited Williamsburg Winery during our Thanksgiving-week holiday and decided to do…read morethe 8-glass wine tasting. From the very first pour, we could tell the tasting was going to be generous and by the time we reached our eighth glass, we were definitely feeling tipsy. LOL We especially appreciated how the Winery has crafted its offerings over decades: from its historic vineyard on the Wessex Hundred estate to its reputation for elegant Virginia wines made with a strong sense of place. They offer reds, whites, dessert wines, and more. Along with our tasting, we did enjoy the charcuterie box. Now i will say that box was not worth the $22 paid. Everything was delicious inside; it was just the portion was tiny. In short, it felt like the perfect holiday outing: relaxing, indulgent, and charming. Also, the decor there was so cute and i loved all the Christmas decorations. We ended up buying five bottles to take home! If you enjoy wine and enjoy laid-back vibes on a winery estate, Williamsburg Winery is definitely worth a stop.