I've been wanting to visit this for a while and was lucky to get tickets many months in advance…read more It's on a private property and is open only ~8 times in a year. There were different 2-hour times that you can choose from when I bought the tickets. A full day pass is also available that allows you to enter multiple times in a day. The organizers send emails containing directions to get to the place, tips and other reminders. When they tell you not to wear pretty shoes, listen. Even though it had not rained for the past week when we went, there were areas that were really muddy. Wear boots. Went here on a Saturday afternoon. There was a short orientation at the start near the registration area then we went to the heads of the presidents. It was a cool experience seeing all these huge busts of the presidents. Two brief talks during the visit were (1) trivia about the presidents and (2) history of the place/presidents' heads. A gift shop at the entrance/exit had magnets, postcards, tree ornaments, posters, etc. Had a great time here and was lucky to get those tickets ahead of time because they run out quickly.

This seriously is really an awesome experience. Generally open once a month usually around major…read moreholidays like Labor Day, Memorial Day, Easter, Christmas, Thanksgiving, and evening in the night time they have special photo events. It is very easy to find once parked you meet some of the staff. You will sign a waiver and then get a quick rundown and you're able to go down on your own and explore. I highly recommend wearing rubber boots, rain, boots, etc. They do have some available, but if you have your own, that's awesome. When I was there, there were many people in flip-flops, sneakers, and dress shoes, and they could only explore so much. I stayed around up until they closed because as the sun was setting, the photography got better . The best time to visit is later in the day as sunsets. I would definitely do this more than once, as I feel like the photography could change, depending on the weather . I think this is a beautiful park and love how it is aging.

Great guided tour with a lot of history provided. The property and castle is under restoration. I…read morelove American history.

Wow, wow, WOW! What a fascinating place! So much history!…read more My friend and I went for a ghost tour on a Saturday night. The woman who ran our tour is named Sarah and she is a direct descendant of one of the original families that lived there. Also assisting with the tour was a man named Kenny from a paranormal research group in Richmond. Kenny considers himself a sceptic. His organization (I can't remember the name), works to document data, analyze the data, and try to come up with a scientific reason for the "paranormal" incidents. Both Sarah and Kenny have LOADS of knowledge! They shared a lot of history and stories with our small group. They also provided K2 meters that detect energy fluctuations. The stories were absolutely fascinating, first-hand, and some very recent (including with Kenny the sceptic). While we were finishing our tour, we heard a loud thunk on the wooden floor of the landing where we were, as if it had been struck with a boot or solid-heeled shoe. Then the floor was vibrating in a progressing manner as if someone was walking across the floor. One of the light-up cat toy balls on the floor was lighting up like crazy and several of the K2 meters were lighting up. So how about that?! A tour WITH paranormal activity! What a fun experience! I cannot wait to go back!

The hosts are terrible story tellers. There are no stories about old residents or much in the way…read moreof history. The stories are all about the staff that work there now and how they're sure spooky things have happened to them. We left after 2 stops because it didn't satisfy the desire for a good story or a good scare. Don't waste your money.

Just came back from a tour with the BEST guide. She was simply adorable…read more Her name is Liv and she is a student at William and Mary college. Therewas a pub walk where we saw the Wren building, a pub called Precarious that had a glorious fire pit outside. It was so cold and windy but Liv kept us warm with her stories. Then we went to Burton Parrish and in between she regaled us with stories about the area adding her own personal touches. This was such a fun event to do in a super awesome location. The only downside was the rest of our tour who were super cheap in tipping our guide. She was very pleasant with everyone and worked very hard in the cold to make sure we had a great time. I wish people understood how hard these kids work. We gave a generous tip and thanked her profuseyfor such a wonderful evening. I highly recommend!!!

A good place to start on the tour of the battlefield sites that defined America…read more The Yorktown Visitor's Center is the perfect starting point for exploring several of the most pivotal sites in American history. The drive from the main road to the center is scenic, offering glimpses of Virginia's historic landscape before arriving at the center. Getting to the actual center seemed a little confusing as there are arrows describing the car tours to visit various sights when leaving the center. The center is not very large. The exhibits inside are well-organized and interactive, showcasing artifacts from the Battle of Yorktown, maps, uniforms, and weaponry from the era. There is a short film that provides an good overview of the battle and its significance in the history of our American independence. The center also features a gift shop with books, souvenirs, and historical memorabilia. The staff was friendly and knowledgeable and offered suggestions regarding various tours that you could take when driving around the area. There are several well-marked signs leading visitors from the center to the surrounding area sites. The driving tours take visitors through key historic sites connected to the Siege of Yorktown (1781) and the broader Colonial National Historical Park. Overall, the Yorktown Visitor's Center is an great stop, providing an introduction to this historic battlefield and its role in shaping the nation.

Colonial NHP is spread out over Jamestown, Yorktown and a road connecting them. We went to the…read morevisitor center in Yorktown and thought it was great. It did a great job of explaining what led up to the British surrender and how it happened. I especially liked the part of a ship that was built into the visitors center. Walking through it really was like walking through an 18th century ship - very cool. The visitors center did a great job of explaining the surrounding area and helping us decide where to go. I enjoyed it and would definitely recommend checking it out when visiting Yorktown.

Took the historical tour on Feb. 20 and was taken by the professionalism of the guide and his…read moreknowledge of the Jamestown and Yorktown areas. The tour bus pulled up and the guide greeted everyone on board and let us know where we would be going and what we would be seeing. He also had handouts which identified the areas we would be seeing. During the tour the guide went into specifics of when significant events happened during the historical time periods. The tour was comfortable and had background music playing to accompany the guide. There were plenty of opportunities to stop for restroom breaks and we were also asked if anyone needed to stop. Overall the tour went by very quickly, did not seem like 3 hours had past. I would recommend this tour, should also mention that the guide was pointing out museums and restaurants to visit.

Colonial Williamsburg is the perfect place to relive history. Don't worry about what time of year…read moreyou go ... there will always be plenty of people there to share your stay with! The docents in their historic garb doing things we don't do anymore will absolutely blow you away! Don't wait ... go now!

Let's bring this one up to the current:…read more Since my last drivel about the CW Brickyard a lot has changed. First and foremost is their location. Until two years ago they were preverbally down in the hole off of Nicholson Street over by the Cabinetmaker. Now, they are off of Botetourt Street next to the Carpenter (who has only been there a few years from when they got moved due to the closing of Great Hopes Plantation). Why the visit and what's the big deal? It's all about the kiln baby. Why is it worth seeing? Because you simply cannot see bricks fired this way in this country anywhere else except here at this time. Normally once a year, in certain years they have done it twice and at different times but this is normally the pattern, in mid-November they fire up the kiln that they spent approximately five weeks building to solidify the bricks which were made from late-spring to early-autumn. This year, depending on which person you talk to, they're firing around 18-19K. A few thousand will be used at The Magazine for part of a new outer wall they'll do next year (The Magazine is currently closed until '25 for archeology/renovation work), most will be used for the rebuilding of the First Baptist Church - www.colonialwilliamsburg.org/learn/research-and-education/archaeology/first-baptist-church/. Fwiw, if you got the dough, the bricks can flow. Part of the total are 800 for a private individual that is doing an outdoor hearth. Pricing is $5.25 per brick (faint). Also neat is that while all of the CW trades close for the day at 5pm, a random one or two at 4:30pm, during the kiln firing the brickyard stays open until 10pm. Yes, at 10 they very politely ask you to leave and yes, several staff members from different trades stay out all night long for the five days it takes the process to unfold. The staff that work here are arguably the best CW has to offer. Whether it's answering the same question for the millionth time or answering a very technical question from someone who knows something about bricks, they handle it professionally and some with a good sense of smart-ass humor. The rest of the year the brickyard open Wednesday-Sunday from 9am-5pm but if you can swing it, usually, the second week of November for a visit, it will be worth your time. (They also once every so often fire up the oyster shells they have on the property which are then used as mortar for in between the bricks once they're melted down. One of the guys said it was coming "soon" but I forgot to ask when "soon" is.)

Truly enjoyed our ghost walk with Jeff last evening. Jeff…read morewas extremely knowledgeable about Yorktown history and he did a great job telling the group about the paranormal activity and the tales of ghosts in the area. We were engaged from beginning to end. His voice was loud and clear, so it didn't matter if you were at the back or front of the group. An awesome host! I would definitely recommend this tour.

Make sure you bring bug spray and water. It was a good and informative tour. I'm a skeptic and was…read moreonly in it for the history, but still got enough out of the tour that it seemed worth it.

Great sunset tour on the James River! Our party of 10 friends had a really enjoyable sunset tour…read morewith Captain Corey and William this past week. The boat is clean with comfortable seat cushions and pop-up tables in each row for drinks and snacks, which you may bring on board. We enjoyed the wine and baked goods we brought with us. The ride is mostly pretty smooth since the boat is a pontoon boat. We had a short period of time with some rocking while watching the sun set, but it didn't last long. Captain Corey's commentary about the James River and Jamestown Island was fun and interesting. We saw wildlife such as eagles and great blue herons. When the boat was out on the James River, we saw the Jamestown-Surry Ferry. We then went close to the recreated ships at Jamestown Settlement. The sunset on the James is spectacular. Though we had some clouds, it was still lovely. As the sun sets, they play music, which adds to your enjoyment. The tour lasted an hour. I highly recommend for a couple, a family, and a group of friends!

This was just the funnest experience! The pier where the boost was docked was just lovely. The…read moreguide for the trip was friendly and funny and the scenic hour went too fast. We had a wonderful boat load of people and it helped that the guide engaged us all on several occasions, giving us the opportunity to get to know one another. We would definitely do it again.