Blogger Monet Hambrick and her family of four spent three nights in Williamsburg, Virginia. Here are some top stops from their fall getaway itinerary.
If you’re looking for a must-visit destination for you and your family, Williamsburg is your spot. Even if you’re short on time and can only spare a weekend getaway, you can have a fun-filled adventure. My family spent three nights in Williamsburg – here are some highlights from our itinerary to help you plan your trip.
Great Wolf Lodge, A Great Option for Families Spending a Weekend in Williamsburg
When visiting Williamsburg with kids who are 12 and under, Great Wolf Lodge might be one of the best options. The resort offers spacious themed rooms, many with bunk beds. Our room had three beds for our family of four, with one bed in a separate room for more privacy.
The on-site activities for kids set this resort apart from other hotel options. The indoor waterpark is included in your stay at no additional cost, and you can enjoy it year-round!
Besides the waterpark, there is also an arcade and my kids' favorite game, MagiQuest. You can purchase magical wands from the MagiQuest store, and your kids can complete quests throughout each floor of the resort. I even borrowed my kids’ wands for a bit of magical fun.
Besides the waterpark, there is also an arcade and my kids' favorite game, MagiQuest. You can purchase magical wands from the MagiQuest store, and your kids can complete quests throughout each floor of the resort. I even borrowed my kids’ wands for a bit of magical fun.
Jolly’s Mill Pond
We started our first day in Williamsburg by visiting Jolly’s Mill Pond. The historic property owned by Bill and Angi Kane features scenic walking trails, an organic farm, and a 50-acre pond that powered a gristmill for 100 years. My daughters enjoyed seeing what it’s like to pump water out of a well and fish on the pond. The property also hosts culinary heritage experiences, including classes, for small groups. Visits to Jolly’s Mill Pond are available by appointment.
Lunch at Saladworks
In Colonial Williamsburg’s Merchants Square, Saladworks offers a wide variety of healthy options, from delicious salads to hearty sandwiches and delectable soups. You can even create your own. Their Kids Works menu features build-your-own salads, chicken quesadillas, a chicken Caesar wrap, and a BBQ chicken wrap.
Carriage Ride Back in Time
After lunch, take your family back in time with a horse-drawn carriage ride through Colonial Williamsburg, an iconic destination full of stories about America’s earliest days. During the ride, you’ll learn about the history of the area and travel like those who lived here did in the 1700s.
Explore Colonial Williamsburg
After touring Colonial Williamsburg by carriage, you can walk around the Historic Area to explore the largest living history museum in the world. You’ll be able to walk into numerous original and reconstructed buildings and see how tradespeople practiced crafts and trades such as weaving, woodworking, and more in the colonial era. There are also plenty of shops, taverns, cafes, and seating where you can take a break and enjoy a sweet treat.
Dinner at Precarious Beer Hall
For dinner, we ate at Precarious Beer Hall. It is not your typical restaurant, and we loved that!
So, how is it kid-friendly? After ordering food from either the Electric Circus Taco Bar or Ol’ Dominion Burger (which are both inside this Beer Hall), you and your kids can pass the time by playing games in the arcade. From Skee-Ball to basketball to racing games, they have it all.
Haunted Williamsburg Ghost Tour
There is no better way to end a day in Williamsburg than with a ghost tour! Not only is it perfect for a family weekend, but Haunted Williamsburg tours by Colonial Williamsburg also gives you exclusive access to these spooky spaces. The tour lasts an hour, and while the website says it’s suitable for kids 8 and up, our 6-year-old really enjoyed the tour and didn’t find it scary.
Busch Gardens® Williamsburg
If your family loves adventure, you must visit Busch Gardens® Williamsburg. With 50+ rides and an area dedicated to Sesame Street for the youngest adventurers, there is something here for everyone. Even if you don’t love roller coasters, there are plenty of thrills to keep you entertained. PRO TIP: Consider purchasing the Quick Queue pass to skip the line on the most popular attractions.
We visited during the fall, when Busch Gardens was decorated with pumpkins, ghosts, and other festive decorations that serve as fun family photo ops. For kids, they put on “The Count’s Spooktacular” with trick-or-treating throughout the park, dance parties, a maze, and other festive activities on select days. The kids are allowed to dress up and wear costumes to the park these days. They also host kid-friendly Christmas Town in December/January, as well as Sesame Street Kids’ Weekends in the spring. They have a fun summer lineup as well.
Lunch at Jamestown Pie Company
If your family loves pizza, having lunch at locally owned Jamestown Pie Company (run by a father-son duo) is an absolute must. You can choose from various pizzas or create your own, and of course, don’t miss pie for dessert. We ordered a pumpkin pie and apple crumble – both were gone in seconds!
Thrills in the Treetops at Go Ape!
Continue your thrilling day with an afternoon at Go Ape! They have a Zipline Treetop Journey (one hour) and a Zipline Treetop Adventure (two hours). We did the Treetop Journey, which includes three different courses, and had so much fun. PRO TIP: Gloves are required for this activity, so pack some with you, or you’ll need to buy some directly from Go Ape.
Dinner at Fat Tuna Grill & Oyster House
If you love seafood, you must have dinner at Fat Tuna Grill & Oyster Bar. This was our family's favorite meal in Williamsburg. From raw oysters to a wide variety of fish (salmon, tuna, flounder, swordfish) to scallops, shrimp, and lobster, there were too many options to choose from. PRO TIP: The shrimp and scallop pasta is delicious!
Exploring Jamestown Settlement
We ended our time in Williamsburg with a bang at Family Frights at Jamestown Settlement. During the day, Jamestown Settlement is a living history museum with indoor exhibits and outdoor experiences that bring to life America’s first permanent English Colony.
Jamestown Settlement is open all year long, which makes it a solid choice for your itinerary no matter what season you’re visiting. If you decide to stop by with your family, you can wander through the fascinating galleries, experience the 4D theater, and explore life-sized replicas of the three ships that brought America’s first permanent English colonists to Virginia.
Explore more family-friendly experiences in Williamsburg and plan your perfect getaway.
