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Let's face it: Colonial Williamsburg VA can get a bit pricey, especially for a family of four or more. A lot of visitors purchase tickets ahead of time, assuming that they'll need tickets to see anything. Nothing could be further from the truth! Want a cheap family vacation that includes Williamsburg without the fee? Here's our local secret: there are no entrance gates at Colonial Williamsburg VA.
Soooo, do what the locals do: just park in one of the downtown lots (near Merchant Square) and walk around Duke of Gloucester Street (the main drag of the park). You can actually walk all through the town and enjoy the architecture, walk inside any of the historic shops that make and sell goods and talk to the workers, eating in restored taverns, see military parades and costumed interpreters...all without without paying a dime of admission. The only things you won't be able to do without an admission ticket is get in major buildings like the Governor's Palace (which is a great tour, I admit, but even the basic ticket won't get you into that, and it may be a little boring for the kiddies anyway) or go on a guided tour. Our favorite thing to do: taking pictures of our family in the stocks on the main street by the Colonial Williamsburg VA Courthouse (these were used to publicly punish people in colonial days).
Here's an annual freebie...The Summer Concert Series!
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"The Colonial Guide"
"The Official WHMA Visitor's Guide"
"The Original Williamsburg Magazine"
Which guide do we like best? It's close, but overall, we prefer "The Colonial Guide." It's smaller than the others, so it's easier to carry in a jacket, backpack or purse. The maps are clear and easy to navigate. Plus, the coupons are grouped in one section of the guide (easier to find).
Second place goes to "The Official WHMA Visitor's Guide" for its clear maps and tear-out discount card (in case you don't have scissors handy to clip coupons!). And it has a few more attraction discounts than the others.
Ultimately, we like to travel light. So what we do is this: pick up both. Tear out the discount card, the one-page coupon guide, and the map from the center of the "The Official WHMA Visitor's Guide". Then use "The Colonial Guide" to actually walk around with.
But if you're on a dime, you'll have a hard time finding it in the Historic area--so venture further afield. Our top two picks for delicious, cheap and bountiful dining within just a 5-10 minute drive from the Historic area are Peking Restaurant and Pierce's Barbeque.
We've been coming to these restaurants for the last 13 years whenever we're in Colonial Williamsburg VA. Peking Restaurant is a huge, all-you-can-eat buffet offering Chinese, a Mongolian BBQ, Hong Kong style dim sum, sushi, Vietnamese noodles, pizza, fruit, and little donuts (our kids' favorite).
A little further afield (off I-64, not too far from the Prime Outlets) is Pierce's Barbeque, an inexpensive, local favorite with excellent barbeque. Both restaurants provide excellent food for and tremendous value for your dollar. For the full review of Peking Restaurant and Pierce's Barbeque, click here.
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| Go on a cow "scavenger hunt" at the Prime Outlets! |
However, expect to pay a premium for goods purchased at Colonial Williamsburg VA, thanks to the high rents the storekeepers pay. So where can you go for bargains?
Just a 10-minute drive away lies some of the best outlet shopping you'll ever find. Click here for reviews of the Prime Outlets Williamsburg, including how to keep kids occupied with a "cow scavenger hunt."
Click here for a review of the Williamsburg Pottery, one of the top outlet stops in the state.
Love candles? Yankee Candle Factory is a delightful stop with a free entertainment show and activities for the kids.