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Williamsburg Attractions & ActivitiesHistoric Sites
Ready to look into the past and learn about the heritage of this fascinating city? We list historic homes, plantations, battlegrounds, and churches that are rich in history and provide for an educational travel diversion.
Category: Historic Sites - Williamsburg Attractions & Activities
Address: 11800 John Tyler Memorial Hwy, Charles City, VA 23030
Although the house is open by appointment only to groups of 20 or more, it is worth calling to see if you can tag along with a tour. The large frame house, built in 1650, is a study in how life was lived in that time, and the architecture is outstanding and unique. The gardens are exquisite and are also open for tours by appointment. During...
Category: Historic Sites - Williamsburg Attractions & Activities
Address: Visitor Center Dr, Williamsburg, VA 23185
The best place to start with this outdoor museum is at the visitor center. A film and an orientation walk are informative and will save you time. There is so much to see here – buildings, gardens, taverns, trade shops and demonstrations – that it is virtually impossible to see it all in a day or even two. The mini-city is laid out well (think of...
Category: Historic Sites - Williamsburg Attractions & Activities
Address: 4800 John Tyler Memorial Hwy, Charles City, VA 23030
Originally part of Berkeley Plantation and complete with its own broken-hearted ghost, Edgewood is a 7,000-square-foot Gothic Revival house that is now operated as a bed and breakfast. But tours can be arranged – the Victorian Tea Tour and the Candlelight Tour are two of the most popular. They require at least 10 people, so call ahead. This is a...
Category: Historic Sites - Williamsburg Attractions & Activities
Address: Route 31 S, Williamsburg, VA
View replicas of the three ships and a fort occupied by the first settlers to arrive at Jamestowne in 1610. Historians, dressed in authentic period clothing, walk the grounds and are happy to answer your questions about life at the settlement. Visit the indoor gallery to see 30-minute documentary film and exhibits that document the lives of the...
Category: Historic Sites - Williamsburg Attractions & Activities
Address: 12200 Weyanoke Rd, Charles City, VA 23030
One of the best-preserved examples of Greek Revival houses in the area, this plantation originated as home to President William Henry Harrison's sister. Currently owned by the great, great grandson of the Ruffin family (owners of Evelynton Plantation), it is run as a bed and breakfast. But day and evening tours are available by appointment. You do...
Piney Grove at Southall's Plantation
Category: Historic Sites - Williamsburg Attractions & Activities
Address: 16920 Southall Plantation Ln, Charles City, VA 23030
Listed on the National Register of Historic Places, this Charles City landmark was a 300-plus-acre Tidewater plantation owned by the Southall family on land once occupied by the Chickahominy people. In fact, Piney Grove stands as one of the best remaining examples of Early Virginia log architecture. Today, visitors to the plantation will find Duck...
Category: Historic Sites - Williamsburg Attractions & Activities
Address: 14501 John Tyler Memorial Hwy, Charles City, VA 23030
A working plantation and former home to the 10th president of the United States, John Tyler, this site is still occupied by the Tyler family. The home is said to be the longest frame house in the US – 300 feet; part of that length includes the 68-foot ballroom where the Virginia Reel was danced. The home is furnished with period antiques, and many...
The College of William and Mary
Category: Historic Sites - Williamsburg Attractions & Activities
Address: Richmond Rd, Williamsburg, VA 23185
The easiest way to explore this college is to get a map (available on campus or at www.wm.edu) and start off on a self-directed tour. Wandering around the school is also an option – the students are not only bright (Phi Beta Kappa was founded here), they are also polite and helpful. For the second oldest college in the country, this place looks...
Category: Historic Sites - Williamsburg Attractions & Activities
Address: 7000 Westover Rd, Charles City, VA 23030
Situated on the James River, Westover is touted as one of the finest examples in the country of Georgian architecture. The house was built in 1730 by William Byrd, the man who founded Richmond. The property also includes burial grounds that hold his final resting place. Not far from the house is the third oldest tombstone in the country – that of...
