The cost of a vacation is the highest it’s been in half a decade – but those are just national averages. And who wants an average vacation? Even in traditional “high seasons” like summer, there are alternatives for cash-conscious travelers who still want enrichment without spending an embarrassment of riches.
Whether you’re bringing the whole family, planning a couples getaway, or a golf trip with buddies, there are plenty of great values to be had.
Where to stay
Williamsburg’s hotel rates are very affordable, with places to stay hovering at $100 a night – even throughout the summer.
In addition to household name brands, there are many family-owned smaller properties like B&Bs that help you save on the cost of breakfast. Other one-of-a-kind experiences include glamping at Timberline, an experience that typically costs hundreds more per night. Enjoy the comforts of a hotel room (like air conditioning, king bed, and a mini fridge) along with the peace of the great outdoors on the waterfront at Chickahominy Riverfront Park (there’s also traditional camping here and in several locations around Williamsburg).
Families who want even more space to spread out and love their outdoor time will love the Everything Kingsmill package at Kingsmill Resort. The two-story cottage rentals on the James River include complimentary fishing equipment use, tennis rackets, and non-motorized water sports, plus golfing discounts. (Other Kingsmill packages include discounts on the resort spa and theme parks.)
Other cottage rentals, like those just two blocks from the beach in Yorktown and the centrally located Colonial Houses at Colonial Williamsburg, put guests near the centers of the action.
When reserving directly through Colonial Williamsburg Resorts, guests can get a fourth night free and two tickets to enjoy the region’s top historic attractions. Other value-oriented packages through Colonial Williamsburg include:
-
Stay more and save more, lodging discounts the higher the number of days stayed
-
Discover Colonial Williamsburg Package, with free admission tickets and breakfast
-
A spa escape package including one facial or one massage per guest, and access to spa facilities
Where to play
There’s no shortage of things to do – or ways to save on those things – in Williamsburg. The Summer Bounce Package is one of the coolest ways to experience them (literally), with a combo of seven days of unlimited admission to Colonial Williamsburg, Busch Gardens Williamsburg, and Water Country USA.
Golfers won’t want to pass up a chance to hit the green while saving green when reserving a hotel that includes one round of golf per person per night booked. There’s a choice of two courses, half-price club rentals, and tee-time booking privileges. At Kingsmill Resort, the Stay and Play package is a total hole-in-one. It includes accommodations and breakfast to power up for a round on the Pete Dye-designed River or Arnold Palmer-designed Plantation Course.
Where to eat and drink
Kids may be small, but they can have big appetites. Fill them up for free until the end of the summer with the Kids Stay, Play, Eat Free package. For each paying adult at Colonial Williamsburg restaurants with a kid’s menu, kids 10 and under can feast on complimentary mini pizza quesadillas, smash burgers, or pulled pork sliders. (The program also includes discounts on tickets to attractions.)
While Williamsburg, along with Yorktown and Jamestown, offer a large selection of upscale dining spots, there are just as many places to grab snacks and drinks for a 10-spot. Check out Mobjack Coffee Roasters in the center of it all in Historic Yorktown, or watch planes take off and land at Charly's Airport Restaurant. For those who love trivia with their burgers, there’s Food for Thought. And if Mom and Dad have a date night, the free flagship whisky-tasting flight with four pours at Copper Fox Distillery beckons.
More deals and packages are continually added to Visit Williamsburg here.