Secrets of a Cheap Colonial Williamsburg VA Vacation

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.

Just another thing you can do without buying a ticket!

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).

Take Advantage of These Free Events

Colonial Williamsburg Va offers an annual Summer Breeze Concert series in Merchant Square (on Duke of Gloucester Street) every Wednesday during July and August from 7-8:30 pm. Admission is free.

Here are the dates and events:

June 25 - 29th Army Band Concert
July 4 - Independence Day Concert - USAF Heritage of America
July 7 - Kings of Swing
July 14 - Super Jazz Band
July 21 - Coastland Band and Stagelights
July 28 - Slapwater
August 4 - USAF Satellite Jazz Ensemble
August 11 - USAF Band
August 18 - USAF Blue Aces
August 25 - USAF Band

And don't miss these free events:

May 2 - Ferrari's on the Vine - Williamsburg Winery hosts over 50 Ferrari's parked on the Duke of Gloucester Street - 9 am to 12:30 pm

Tuesdays, July-August - Midweek Farmer's Market, 10 am-2 pm

Saturdays, May - October - Farmers' Market, 8 a.m. - Noon, Duke of Gloucester Street

Sundays, June - October: Prince George Movie Night, dusk, Prince George Street

For more information, see www.merchantssquare.org or call 757-259-0209.

Looking for an Inexpensive Place to Stay?

Do you prefer to camp? For information on top Williamsburg campgrounds (including one that has its own shuttle stop for the Williamsburg bus that goes between Colonial Williamsburg, Jamestown, Busch Gardens, and other local sights), click here .

Pick Up a Free Visitor's Guide

There are several free visitor guides for the Historic Triangle area. They are well worth picking up at area attractions, hotels, resorts, and restaurants. They offer dining, shopping, and attraction info, as well as maps and coupons! The guides include:

"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.

Looking for a Great and Inexpensive Place to Eat?

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.

Find Bargains at Williamsburg Outlets

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.

Take a Free Jaunt on the Jamestown Ferry