Journey to Colonial Williamsburg

Day 1 You'll See:

Grand Union Flag in Williamsburg, Virginia, USA

  • Colonial Williamsburg

Day 2 You'll See:

  • Historic Jamestown
  • Historic Yorktown Battlefield

Day 3 You'll See:

  • Busch Gardens in Williamsburg

Planning an entertaining and educational excursion for a group of deserving young patriots? If a living history lesson sounds like just the ticket, you and your students are in for the time of your lives exploring wonderful Colonial Williamsburg, Virginia – “The Revolutionary City.”

Day
1

Colonial Williamsburg
Williamsburg, Virginia, part of the “Historical Triangle” of Williamsburg, Jamestown and Yorktown, was originally founded as Middle Plantation, a fortified settlement on high ground between the James and York rivers; it was renamed in 1669 in honor of King William III, when the capital was moved from Jamestown, which burned to the ground during Bacon’s Rebellion. Years of dramatic, pivotal events compose its rich and colorful past as the thriving cultural hub, educational mecca and political center of the Colony of Virginia during the Revolution. Today, Colonial Williamsburg - the city’s historic area and living, breathing museum - spans some 301 acres of wonderfully authentic 17th, 18th and 19th century architecture just waiting for you to view, photograph and even explore! Hundreds of stately homes, charming shops and public outbuildings have been meticulously reconstructed on their original foundations; prominent buildings you’ll see include the Capitol, the Governor's Palace, the Magazine and the Courthouse. A stop by the Visitor’s Center prepares you for your day in the Revolutionary City with the film, “Williamsburg—The Story of a Patriot”; let the tour commence! Centuries fall away and you’re immersed in the details of 17th-century life as expert character guides lead your student group through cozy garden gates, quiet courtyards, and shadowy doorways; can you hear the rattle of wagon wheels on cobblestone or the contented cluck of a Colonial hen? Do you smell the coal smoke and start, just a bit, as blacksmith’s hammer meets cast anvil, forging a shoe for a patriot’s faithful steed?

Day
2

Historic Jamestown
Day 2 promises a fascinating menu of educational discovery, and it begins with a stop at this amazing 20.63-acre cultural heritage site sprawling along the James River - the actual location of the 1607 James Fort and 17th century Jamestown - just adjacent to complimentary attraction Jamestown Settlement. In Historic Jamestown, park rangers expertly bring history to life as they introduce you to Pocahontas, John Smith, and others while engaging archeologists deftly illuminate ongoing digs at the site of James Fort that continues to enhance our understanding of life in the first permanent English settlement in America. Lunch at the historic Dale House Café on the waterfront will fuel your exploration of the Archaearium, where you’ll encounter the most spectacular of the millions of artifacts uncovered since the Jamestown Rediscovery Project began in 1994.

Historic Yorktown Battlefield
Yorktown was the scene for the famous battle that effectively ended the American Revolution and won us our independence from the British. After a short introductory film, you and your students will experience the events of the Revolution in fascinating detail on this informative and engaging ranger-led historic tour: be familiarized with artillery, step inside one of General George Washington’s field tents, explore original battlefield fortifications utilized by both sides and gaze across Surrender Field - where the British troops laid down their arms. Close your eyes for a moment and imagine you’re standing inside the house where the surrender agreement was signed.

Day
3

Busch Gardens Williamsburg
The sun is shining down on Day 3 of your journey through Colonial history, and you’re off to beautiful Busch Gardens, Williamsburg – a popular European-themed “playground” featuring more than 350 acres of action-packed, family-friendly adventure – for an exhilarating grand finale. Here, you’ll find dozens of incredible rides and amusement attractions including some of the top-billed roller coasters in the country, captivating live entertainment, a scintillating range of culinary experiences, an array of delightful animal encounters and shows, a Sesame-Street themed children’s area and truly “world-class” specialty gift shops!