The perfect destination is closer than you think. Williamsburg Virginia has everything you could want from a family destination with the feel of a small town.

In the Historic Triangle and vicinity (Williamsburg, Jamestown, Yorktown) you will find:

• 3 major Theme Parks
• Colonial Williamsburg
• Jamestown Island and Settlement
• Yorktown Victory Center and Battlefields
• Lots of Golf
• Beaches
• Tons of museums
• A Zoo
• An Aquarium
• Kid friendly restaurants or world class fare
• Great outlet shopping

What more could you ask for in one area?

So, let’s take a closer look at the different kid friendly activities you and your family can enjoy in Williamsburg Virginia.....

Theme Parks

Busch Gardens Europe

This is a true experience. Your family will have the opportunity to travel all over Europe without having to check bags or board a flight! Visit Germany, Italy, England, Ireland, and France. Each country has local cuisine as well as themed rides and shows. Busch Gardens is the home to 5 world class roller coasters as well as a large area devoted to your smallest family members. You will have the chance to interact with animals and birds. In each country you will have great professional shows to choose from. This park will be a one of the highlights of your family vacation trip to Williamsburg Virginia.

Water Country USA

This water park is, I believe, one of the best water parks in the country. There is something at Water Country for every member of your family from the smallest to the tallest. There are three activity pools filled with slides and small rides specifically for tiny tots and tons of thrill rides for everyone else. Unlike other water parks your smaller children can ride most rides with you if they wear a lifejacket. Your whole family will talk about Water Country for years to come.... a great addition to your kid friendly vacations.

Kings Dominion

Only 90 minutes away from Williamsburg Virginia is Kings Dominion, a true thrill park. This park is owned by Paramount so all of your favorite Nickelodeon characters are there. There are also tons of thrill rides for adults and children. There is a large section for smaller children as well as 6 scary roller coasters. Attached to Kings Dominion is their version on Water Country. You pay one price and get admission to both parks. So if you go bring your suits and towels and take advantage of all Kings Dominion has to offer. Call ahead for the schedule because the Water Park has a shorter season than the regular park.

Colonial Williamsburg

Colonial Williamsburg Foundation is living history. Your family will be given an opportunity to step back in time to the 1700’s and all that was happening at that time. Visit the all of the different shops in this quaint little town. The streets of Colonial Williamsburg are closed to all traffic except horse drawn carriages so your family will get a feel for what it was really like back in the time leading up to the Revolution. Your family will interact with costumed interpreters who never break character and get the chance to see how life was back then and how the different classes lived. From riding in horse drawn carriages to joining the militia your family will experience it all. Colonial Williamsburg does a great job catering to families with a whole children’s program.

The advice I give families who want to experience Colonial Williamsburg Virginia is to plan carefully and spread the visit out over a few days. There is so much to see that if you try to do it all in one day your kids will be dragging their feet in the shells that line the street and whining like pros. If you plan using the children’s program directory and the weekly schedule you will be able to plan days that leave your kids excited about what they have seen and begging for more.

A special note to parent’s with daughters: If your daughter likes American Girl dolls, read the Felicity American Girl books before coming to visit Williamsburg. Felicity lived in Williamsburg Virginia and reading the books will add a whole new appreciation for the area.

Another good book that will get children excited about Williamsburg is "Mary Geddy’s Day: A Colonial Girl in Williamsburg”. This book highlights the life of a 10 year old girl living in Williamsburg Virginia . When you get to Colonial Williamsburg you can visit Mary’s house and even play the games she played and swing in her swing.

Jamestown Island/Jamestown Settlement

Did you know that Jamestown Island was the site of the first permanent English Settlement in the New World? Jamestown Island Is the national park built on this historic spot and Jamestown Settlement is a living museum built to pay tribute to this historic spot. Jamestown Settlement is an outstanding living museum that will let your family experience life in the1600’s. Gain an understanding of how the Powhatan Indians lived before the English Settlers arrived and during the first years of the Settlement. You will also get to tour the ships that the settlers made the journey on to the new world. After visiting the ships you can visit Fort James and see how the settlers lived once they arrived in the new world. The costume interpreters spend their days doing the same things the Native Americans or settlers really did back in the 1600’s. Your family will get to try your hand at all sorts of different activities. You can help tan a deer’s hide, play Native American games, wear armor or make biscuits.

After you tour the outside Settlement you can visit the newly opened indoor exhibits. Your family will love it. Everything is set up to be explored. There is also a great movie, 1607: A Nation Takes Root, that brings it all to life. You will not regret adding Jamestown Settlement to your itinerary.

You can buy a combination ticket that is good for admission to both Jamestown Settlement and the Yorktown Victory Center. There is a free bus that runs between the two locations so you can do one in the morning and one in the afternoon. There is no fee to park.

Historic Yorktown and the Yorktown Victory Center

Yorktown is a quaint 300 year old town located about 20 minutes by bus from Jamestown Settlement. Like Jamestown, Yorktown Victory Center is a living museum. The theme of Yorktown is farm life during the Revolutionary War. As you may know The Battle of Yorktown was the battle that ended the Revolutionary War.

This is the overall focus of the history at Yorktown. There are museums, homes and battlefields to visit throughout Yorktown. And from March through October there is a free trolley to take you easily from place to place. Along with historic places and museums there are restaurants and a newly renovated Riverwalk filled with shops and restaurants right on the banks of the York River. There is even a nice little beach for sunbathing, sandcastle building and swimming. If you want to get a closer look at the York River you can take a trip on the Schooner Alliance, a 105’traditional three-masted schooner.

Are you still looking for more?

Try a visit to the Virginia Living Museum. It is dedicated to educating visitors about native Virginia wildlife. This zoo/aquarium/museum is very hands on with both inside and outside exhibits. It is geared towards children and they love it!

Is your family more into space exploration? Try the Virginia Air and Space Museum. Get up close and personal with air and space travel as well as many extra exhibits that change frequently. My favorite was the circus exhibit where you were actually able to try walking a tightrope!

Still not enough?

Within a 40 minute drive you can visit The Norfolk Zoo, The Virginia Marine Science Museum (an aquarium) or the Portsmouth Children’s Museum.

Since a family is more than just children let’s take a look at what is available for the adults.....

There are over 20 golf courses within a 20 mile radius of Williamsburg, World famous Virginia Beach is an hour away and Williamsburg  Virginia is an outlet shopping Mecca.

There are plenty of hotels and restaurants to choose from in many different price ranges so what are you waiting for?

So...... Pack your bags load your family in the car, find one of the many Williamsburg Virginia Family Hotels, and come to Williamsburg Virginia for a visit.

This information on this page was written by Zee Worstell. Zee maintains a beautiful collection of information about Williamsburg Virginia at williamsburg-insiders-guide.com. Visit her site for all the information that you will ever need to know about Williamsburg.

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