Colonial Williamsburg is my Happy Place!
Before I begin, I must confess that this isn’t my first time visiting Colonial Williamsburg, nor my latest tour. (that was Thanksgiving 2018). This trip was actually my 5th trip to the area that I took in May 2018. I’m writing about it now because it’s taken me some time to organize my thoughts. This was an especially meaningful trip because I was traveling on my own and staying at a colonial house - a very special treat!
Since visiting Colonial Williamsburg for the first time in the summer of 2016, Colonial Williamsburg has become my happy place. I’ve come back every six months since then. Many of you that follow me on social media have already seen tons of pictures from the area, and may even wonder why there are so many pictures from a lady that lives in Gainesville, Florida! Simply put, I’m just “happy” there, strolling along the quiet picturesque streets and imagining what it must have been like living there in the 18th century at the dawn of the revolution. I’m filled with inspiration and excitement every time I walk these streets no matter the season!
Williamsburg Wednesdays.....
I’ve collected a treasure box filled with photographs, stories, tips, resources, and reviews from all my trips to the historic triangle that I have finally organized. I am planning a series of weekly blog posts entitled, “Williamsburg Wednesdays”. This post is the very first in the series and I warn you that it is long, filled with details of my trip. Look for new articles every Wednesday over on my blog at The Trail of the Lonesome Pine and my portrait site at LaurelHousden.com
I went the weekend of the Drummers Call
As I mentioned before, this trip to Williamsburg was in May of 2018 during the weekend of the Annual Drummers Call that the Colonial Williamsburg Fifes and Drums hosts. Several local, national, and sometimes international fife and drum corps gather for a weekend-long showcase of 18th century military music. I have a passion for historic military musicians and was very excited to photograph the various groups.
Day 1 - Checking in to the Bracken Kitchen and a stroll along DoG St.
I flew into Richmond from Orlando and rented a car. The drive is very easy: just take Route 64 East for 45 miles and get off at Exit 238 and you are basically there! We usually stay at the Woodlands Hotel - a Colonial Williamsburg property - but since I was traveling alone I decided to try one of the colonial houses. Mine was the Bracken Kitchen.
Check-in for the colonial houses is at the Orrell Kitchen (302 East Francis Street). I arrived early afternoon and was greeted by Marketa, the office manager. She was very friendly. I received a welcome packet that included instructions and tips along with a handwritten note on the Colonial Homes letterhead and a welcome gift - a ceramic pineapple spoon-holder. Also very helpful was a coupon book and a schedule with all the activities at CW for all the days that I’d be there.
A note about tickets...
You can walk around Colonial Williamsburg for free but you are going to need to purchase a ticket if you want to make the most of your visit there. A ticket allows you to explore all of the Colonial Williamsburg historic sites and trade shops, including two art museums and complimentary shuttle service. I recommend starting out at the Visitors Center where you can purchase your tickets and pick up the daily schedule. If you are driving to the area, you can park there and use the complimentary shuttle service that runs all day around the historic district.
When I first planned a trip to CW, I had a hard time imagining how their system worked since there are no fences or gates around the historic area. The ticket is the key. A CW interpreter will check for tickets before you enter any of these places operated by CW, but you can enter the restaurants and shops without one. The people over at CW are very friendly and are ready to answer all of your questions. For me since I go more than once a year, I purchase an annual pass on Black Friday (when they are buy one get one half off). I will write a separate post all about tickets and how to make the most of your day using the CW App and Daily Activity Schedule in a future post. In the meantime, on with the story.
A review of The Bracken Kitchen...
The Bracken Kitchen is located on East Frances Street, just steps away from the Orell Kitchen check-in office. It’s a 2 story colonial home with a bedroom suite on the 1st and 2nd floors. I was lucky that I had the whole place to myself. When I first entered my room, I swear, I briefly smelled the scent of a burning fire. There is a fireplace in the room but it had not been lit for sometime - insert ghost here!
My room had a queen sized 4 poster bed and plenty of space. I had a great nights sleep. The mattress was very comfortable and the 4 pillows were perfect too. The sheets and pillowcases and the bath towels were all very soft - an upgrade from the regular hotel rooms I have slept in. There is a cute little closet just to the left of the fireplace that discreetly tucks away the small tv and refrigerator. Those came in handy. It’s a nice way to hide the modern amenities. There is also a Kerug machine stocked with coffee and supplies - I loved it!
The Bracken Kitchen is set up where you enter from the right side of the house via a wheelchair accessible ramp. Once you come in, there is a small foyer and you have a choice to go either upstairs to the 2nd floor suite or straight ahead to the bottom floor suite.
The front of the house is kinda deceptive with it’s "faux" front door and window. You can’t use the front door and the front window is not accessible in the bedroom. The room has another set of windows that overlooks the rear fenced-in garden area. The queen canopy bed is nailed to the ground and backs to the front window so you don’t even see it in the room. I often wondered how the layout of the colonial homes worked - now I know.
A late afternoon stroll.
By the time I got unpacked and rested it was 3:30 p.m., so I ventured out onto East Francis Street and headed towards The Cheese Shop in Merchants Square for lunch and supplies. The Cheese Shop is an upscale deli that has amazing sandwiches as well as a great wine shop. I picked up some edible supplies to keep in my room for late night snacks, which included cheese and crackers, ice tea, and some chocolate treats. I enjoyed a turkey sandwich in the outdoor patio until it was time to go.
After lunch I walked along the west end of Duke of Gloucester Street (locals call it DoG St). My first stop was the John Greenhow Store. It’s a charming General Store where you can purchase a variety of Colonial Williamsburg items such as the tavern dinnerware - which I’m slowly collecting. I chatted with Doug, the storekeeper, and we talked about our mutual love of Colonial Williamsburg and that he and his wife moved there 16 years ago to be a part of it. I love to hear stories like that because it validates my desire to relocate there at some point.
Duke of Gloucester Street is lovingly called, “DoG” Street by the locals...
From there I continued further along DoG St and visited the Colonial Nursery and chatted with the gardener. I met a couple from New Jersey that was visiting for the first time, so I gave them some tips. I hung around that area for a while and took some pictures and decided to head on back to my colonial home - my little piece of heaven for the next few days
Day 2 - All day in Colonial Williamsburg
Just like in Florida, it can get very hot and humid in Williamsburg and very moist in the summertime! This weekend was no exception and unfortunately it would be this way for the entire duration of my stay. Worst of all was the rain - but that really comes into play on Day 3 during the Drummers Call....
My day started with a walk to one of my favorite gardens, the Taliaferro-Cole House Garden. It's just lovely. Sometimes, if you are lucky, you can see the sheep grazing in the fields beside it. Many an artist have been enchanted by this view, including myself. The garden is located behind the Taliaferro-Cole House on the corner of Duke of Gloucester and Nassau Streets.
Tip #1 - Cool off at The William and Mary Bookstore.
The William and Mary Bookstore and Cafe is a great place to rest up, especially at mid-day when it starts to get very hot. It has excellent air conditioning, and my favorite: free wifi! I gotta share that even though Colonial Williamsburg offers free wifi in the historic district and your hotel room, it is NOT very good. In fact, I could not get a good connection the whole time I was in the Bracken Kitchen.
While at the bookstore, I was able to hang out in the cafe and cool off while sipping on Starbucks coffee and catching up on my emails. In the summertime, it’s not very busy in the afternoons. The bookstore obviously caters to the students of William and Mary, but hey - just like in Gainesville - they are gone in the summer! It’s also a really good Barnes & Noble bookstore. They have a huge selection of William and Mary items and local interest books. Some of my favorite books about Williamsburg I’ve purchased here.
A stroll along the west end of Duke of Gloucester Street.
After my break, I continued with my walk along DoG Street towards the Governor’s Palace.
Tip #2 - Pick up a copy of “A Colonial Williamsburg Love Affair”, by Debra Bailey before your trip!
The Governor’s Palace basement.
From there I continued my walk towards the Governor's Palace through the side streets. I wanted to see the boxwood maze and the basement that is mentioned in Debra Bailey’s book, A Colonial Williamsburg Love Affair. I highly recommend picking up this book all about Deb’s 50 years of visiting Williamsburg. It’s filled with tips and little known facts about the area. I thought I knew everything about Williamsburg until I read her book. It’s a must have for anyone planning a visit as well as us seasoned visitors to relive the memories and dig a little deeper into the history of the place.
In the book she mentions that as a child she and her sister would go into the palace basement and play. Maybe I wasn’t paying attention when I took the tour of the Palace on my first visit to CW, but I had no idea there was a basement until I read her book. When I found it on this trip I was embarrassed to see that it is clearly marked….oops! I took the steps down into the basement and it was clearly 10 degrees cooler there. Very nice! There was absolutely no one down there when I walked in. Towards the back of the basement in a corner is a brick structure which was the original foundation of the palace. I could have spent more time exploring, but I was getting a little spooked - insert second ghost here!
The Revolutionary War Cemetery.
I left the comfort of the cool basement and made my way towards the back of the gardens where the boxwood maze is. Along the way, I passed a grave marker sign that mentioned a Revolutionary War Cemetery. Did you know that buried in the palace gardens are the remains 156 men and 2 women that were discovered in 1930 during the excavation to reconstruct the palace? It is thought that George Washington used the palace as a military hospital during the Yorktown Campaign of 1781 and that based on military insignia that were found in the graves it’s concluded that the soldiers found were of the Continental Army under his command. What a cool story!
Make sure to see the Boxwood Maze.
The boxwood maze is just beyond the Revolutionary War Cemetery marker through a brick wall opening. Make sure to climb the stairs in the back to take in the view!
Tip #3 - Have lunch at the taverns and save $$$
Late lunch at Shields Tavern.
Here’s another great tip: If you want to eat at any of the Colonial Taverns and want to save money, go there at lunchtime instead of dinner. The menu is a little different from the dinner but it’s still just as good and the sizes are plentiful.
I arrived at Shields Tavern around 2:15 for lunch. It’s my favorite of the four taverns. Shields Tavern stops serving lunch at 2:30. Here's another tip: most people are leaving around 2:00, so I was able to not only get a window seat, but the whole tavern room to myself. I had the turkey/bacon flatbread wrap that I got the last time, and it was still just as delicious. My waiter was very friendly, and I enjoyed chatting with him while I relaxed and ate my lunch.
Did you know that Shields Tavern is considered to be one of the 88 original buildings in Colonial Williamsburg because one room of the wine cellar (East Room) is original, while the rest of the building is reconstructed. You can ask to be seated there and it is quite atmospheric and cool there in the summertime.
George Reid Garden.
After my late lunch, I began walking back to my room at the Bracken Kitchen and it started to get cloudy and misty again. I hung around the George Reid Gardens, located on Colonial Street. I really enjoyed taking pictures of the colorful flowers along the white picket fence. I found myself being drawn to gate doors and openings. It was a great way to end my first full day in town
The Orlando Jones House, Kitchen, and Office.
Located directly across the street from the George Reid Garden are the Orlando Jones colonial homes: The House, Kitchen, and Office, all of which you can stay in.
Day 3 - A rained out Drummers Call & a scenic drive to Yorktown
I woke up to pouring rain on the day of the Drummers Call, and headed towards the march anyway. The streets were lined up with people waiting to see the march along DoG Street - even Thomas Jefferson! The rain was coming down in buckets, but they carried on with the parade. The rest of the activities that were scheduled on the field were cancelled, so I made the decision to pack up.
A scenic drive to Yorktown via the Colonial Parkway
After getting dry and relaxing a bit, I made the decision to drive to Yorktown. I’ve been to Yorktown many times before - it’s my second happy place located in the area. It sits 12 miles east of Williamsburg via the Colonial Parkway. Take the Parkway - it’s so picturesque with it’s winding roads that open up to magnificent views of the Yorktown River.
Yorktown is a small historic seaside town with the American Revolution Museum at one end and the Yorktown Battlefield Museum at the other. I highly recommend a visit to both these places and I will write another blog post about visiting them soon. There are also many art galleries and cute boutiques to shop in.
The Gallery at York Hall
My first stop was The Gallery at York Hall, 301 Main Street. It is a welcome center, art/gift shop, and museum. It is run by volunteers and features paintings, pottery, jewelry, stained glass, photographs, and more from over 300 local artists. The bottom floor features a small museum all about historic Yorktown. When you go, purchase a copy of the Yorktown Self-Guided Walking Tour. It’s only a few dollars and totally worth it! There is a TON of historic buildings all closely located, and this handy pocket book explains in detail the significance and history of each one.
Yorktown Waterfront and lunch at the Yorktown Pub.
It started to rain again, and so I decided to head down to the waterfront and have lunch at the Yorktown Pub, 540 Water Street. I highly recommend the fish sandwich and clam chowder - it was just awesome!!! Seriously, the best I’ve had in a long time. They also have good wifi, so I just hung out at my window seat and enjoyed the good food and fabulous view of the schooner ships in the Yorktown River.
It started to clear up around 5:00, so I left the pub and walked along the beach and photographed the two schooner ships, The Alliance and Serenity. Both are available for tours by Yorktown Sailing Charters and are very popular.
Yorktown has 300 years of history!
Along the waterfront directly on Water Street you can visit the Cornwallis cave, where it is rumored that General Cornwallis hid before the surrender of Yorktown.
From here I drove up the hill to Main Street and photographed some of the historic homes and revisited the awesome Yorktown Monument.
Golden hour is the best time to visit Main Street if you want to see the deer and rabbits!
It was a beautiful evening filled with the sounds of chirping birds and rabbits playing by the monument. I also saw three deer feeding at dusk by the Nelson House. It was just a charming, beautiful evening. Just the kind of day I needed after a dreadful wet start.
End the day back in Colonial Williamsburg.
I drove back to Colonial Williamsburg just in time to see the Tattoo, the gathering of all of the fife and drum corps in front of the Palace. The term Tattoo evolved from a European tradition dating back to the 17th century when Low Country innkeepers would cry "Doe den tap toe!" (Turn off the taps!) as the fifes and drums of the local regiment signaled a return to quarters. The Tattoos from around the world today get together and perform military music based on the culture of the country they represent.
Day 4 - Jamestown Ferry to historic Smithfield.
It was finally a day with no rain forecast, so I decided to go on a lovely Sunday drive to some place totally new - Smithfield! I chose to drive to Smithfield via the Jamestown-Scotland Ferry. The Ferry is free to ride and operates 24 hours a day. Check the website for the ferry schedule. It’s just a short drive from Colonial Williamsburg next to the Jamestown Settlement. The ride across the Jamestown River is about 15-20 minutes. You can see the Jamestown Settlement from the ferry, too. Once you drive off, it’s about 20 miles to Smithfield along country roads.
Side trip to Bacon's Castle.
Along the way to Smithfield is Bacon’s Castle. I made a quick side trip there once I drove off the ferry and took some pictures. Bacon’s Castle is the oldest brick dwelling in North America and is quite impressive. I didn’t have time to take the tour, but I definitely will try the next time I am in the area.
Historic Smithfield - home of the "ham".
Smithfield is probably best known for their ham but is much more than that. It is a charming town with a lovely Main Street filled with art galleries, boutique shops, restaurants, and stunning Victorian homes. The whole historic district is designated as a Virginia State historic landmark and is listed on the National historic register. There is SO much to do here and I highly recommend a visit to their website to plan your day. There is a walking map that you can download. I wish I had more time to explore.
I walked along the Main Street and visited the Smithfield Visitors Center which is also a lovely art gallery filled with unique gifts from local artists. I learned about the decorative market hogs that you will see all around Smithfield.
From there I went inside the 1750 Isle of Wight Courthouse which is modeled after the Capitol Building in Colonial Williamsburg. It has been beautifully restored and I enjoyed learning about the “wigs” of the time and the story of this very interesting telescope!
I had lunch at the famous Taste of Smithfield. It was delicious!!! I had ham, of course!
Isle of Wight County Museum.
No visit to Smithfield is complete without a visit to the Isle Of Wight County Museum which boasts the home of the World’s Oldest Ham and the World’s Oldest Peanut. It really is a fun museum and it’s not too big that it will take all day. I especially liked the interactive turn of the century country store.
I could have spent another day here and next time I go I will make sure to visit the Windsor Castle Park and St. Luke’s Historic Church and Museum. So much to do!
Back to Colonial Williamsburg.
I got back to Williamsburg in time for the 7:00 p.m. Ghost Walk. My opinion: eh - that’s a shrug. I was not impressed. The stories were too long and not really scary. No third ghost inserted here! Maybe because it was hot and buggy, or that the guide was new, or I was just tired, but I actually walked back to my room halfway through the tour. Next time I'll try the other Colonial Williamsburg ghost tour, Haunted Williamsburg. That tour actually goes inside some of the historic buildings.
While walking back at dusk, I was able to capture the beautiful light at the end of the day.
One last thing before I leave!
It’s Monday morning and time for me to check out of my beloved colonial home and fly back to Gainesville. I was craving a hearty breakfast to start my day and was happy that I chose the Colonial Pancake House, 301 Page Street. It’s a popular spot for breakfast and I was not disappointed with my pancakes and eggs!
There’s just one last item on my “to do” list that I have to check off - Warm Ginger Cakes!
Another tip that I learned from Debra’s book, A Colonial Williamsburg Love Affair, is that if you go to the Raleigh Tavern between 9-12, you can meet the baker and get a fresh ginger cake right out of the oven! What a treat! I bought a half dozen to take home to the family and enjoyed my warm ginger cake in the gardens outside the tavern. What a perfect way to end my stay.
Final Thoughts
I look forward to sharing more stories and photographs each Wednesday for my new series called, “Williamsburg Wednesdays”, in the meantime, you can learn more about me at my website: LaurelHousden.com and my Travel Blog called The Trail of the Lonesome Pine. I’m also on Facebook and Instagram.
Credits:
@Laurel Housden Photography