Review: Colonial Williamsburg

Where History Comes to Life
I’ll admit that I wasn’t a big fan of history in school.  It was one of those classes that seemed boring and useless.  As I’ve grown older and slightly wiser I’ve come to realize the benefit of learning about the past and applying many of those truths to the present.  What makes Colonial Williamsburg so great is that it is the birthplace of the American Revolution and has been preserved for our learning.
The whole town is like a living museum.  Something that seemed to be boring to me in the past became really interesting as it was brought to life by the actors and actresses.  I’m not even sure how much time it would take to soak it all in, but certainly a short stay is necessary to see and experience all that the town has to offer.

Everything is within walking distance for the most part ( a mile or two ) but if you’d rather not just hop on the shuttle to get you from one activity to another.  Be prepared to walk around, follow the actors and explore the buildings.  History surrounds you and is worth embracing.  I might even suggest doing a little pre-visit study to have a historical context in which to place all that you will experience and learn at Colonial Williamsburg.

Lodging

Colonial Williamsburg has 6 different lodging options.  They are all modeled after old buildings, but each includes modern amenities.  I stayed that the lodge which is very central to all the action, especially the golf course which was right across the street.  The rooms are spacious and decorated with period pieces.  It felt like just the right blend of old world charm with modern convenience.  It is divided into multiple buildings with courtyards connected by covered walkways.  The main lodge complex houses multiple conference rooms and Traditions restaurant.  It is just a couple blocks from Duke street which has all the historical action. 

Restaurants

There are at least 10 restaurants on site ranging from the very elegant Regancy Room in the Williamsburg Inn to the rustic Taverns modeled after the colonial time.  The variety of food will make each meal special.   Not all the restaurants serve every meal so make sure you plan accordingly.  Traditions in the Lodge serves all 3 meals each day and has a killer Breakfast Buffet.   You can’t go wrong with any of the eating choices because they have a great staff of nationally acclaimed chef’s overseeing all the menus.  No matter your cooking skill or food preferences you must make time to visit the Taste Studio.  It is part classroom, part tasting studio with presentations led by their master chefs.  I highly recommend checking out Chef Travis Brust’s classes.

Activities

I like to travel for golf, but the rest of my family doesn’t want to spend their whole vacation on the golf course like I do, that is OK at Colonial Williamsburg.  I enjoyed the award winning Gold Course, the Green Course and Spotswood Courses, but saw the pool area for my boys, the spa for my wife.  There are also many different history tours and activities while not on the course and high-end shopping.  It really is a very family friendly resort.  I wouldn’t go here expecting any night life to speak up, everything shuts down pretty early, but during the daylight hours there is more than enough for everyone in the family to enjoy their stay.