Top 11 places to visit in Williamsburg

“The Native American interpreter was disrespectful and rude, responding with an irrational rage when I simply asked for her thoughts on a book about Native American history. Despite having Native American ancestry myself, her aggressive reaction made me doubt her knowledge, leading me to view her as inauthentic. Additionally, the food at Colonial Williamsburg was excessively overpriced for its poor quality; the prepackaged sandwiches we tried were bland and similar to convenience store food, costing us $12 each, and much of it ended up in the trash. Our own peanut butter sandwiches were the best meal we had, proving to be fresher than the $12 sandwiches with stale bread. Basic items like small bags of chips and water were overpriced, and even the chips didn't justify the $30 spent for a mediocre meal. There was also a lack of shade due to many trees being cut down, and several shops and exhibits that we enjoyed years ago were closed. Although we made the most of our $55 three-day ticket, there was actually less to see than what was previously available for free. Most interpreters had an unpleasant attitude, as if we were lucky to have their guidance for which we paid. However, the guide for the Capital and House of Burgesses tour was excellent. While the free bus from the visitor center was a positive, on our last day, we encountered long wait times with only two buses running, and our driver was unfriendly after we waited nearly an hour. Ultimately, after paying $10 per day for parking, the complimentary trolley service felt less free. I suggest avoiding Colonial Williamsburg and investing time and money in Jamestown and Yorktown instead. Others at CW advised leaving a review to encourage changes at this declining historical site, which needs to return to its original vision from decades past, rather than focusing solely on profit.”— _ccc4620 who visited Colonial Williamsburg on a Rovostays-listed tour

“I don't have much to say, so I will keep it short. I bought 7 annual passes based on the promise of many attractions but found it to be a letdown. It felt deserted, with hardly anyone in costumes and no interactions. There was no background music or live performances, and many tours were closed. Construction was ongoing in the main area. Despite paying extra for tickets that were not even checked, access was free for everyone. Snack prices were exorbitant. We did go on some tours, including a ghost tour, but it was unimpressive and not scary at all. Overall, I was disappointed and unlikely to return soon. While Jamestown was enjoyable, we never got to visit Yorktown.”— Tourist803056 who visited Jamestown Settlement on a Rovostays-listed tour

“I don't have much to say, so I will keep it short. I bought 7 annual passes based on the promise of many attractions but found it to be a letdown. It felt deserted, with hardly anyone in costumes and no interactions. There was no background music or live performances, and many tours were closed. Construction was ongoing in the main area. Despite paying extra for tickets that were not even checked, access was free for everyone. Snack prices were exorbitant. We did go on some tours, including a ghost tour, but it was unimpressive and not scary at all. Overall, I was disappointed and unlikely to return soon. While Jamestown was enjoyable, we never got to visit Yorktown.”— Tourist803056 who visited Yorktown Battlefield on a Rovostays-listed tour

“William provided extensive knowledge about the area during the tour. I highly recommend participating in this tour.”— Gina_K who visited Governor's Palace on a Rovostays-listed tour

“I don't have much to say, so I will keep it short. I bought 7 annual passes based on the promise of many attractions but found it to be a letdown. It felt deserted, with hardly anyone in costumes and no interactions. There was no background music or live performances, and many tours were closed. Construction was ongoing in the main area. Despite paying extra for tickets that were not even checked, access was free for everyone. Snack prices were exorbitant. We did go on some tours, including a ghost tour, but it was unimpressive and not scary at all. Overall, I was disappointed and unlikely to return soon. While Jamestown was enjoyable, we never got to visit Yorktown.”— Tourist803056 who visited American Revolution Museum at Yorktown on a Rovostays-listed tour

“I visited on Christmas Day from 3:00 to around 8:00. The festive atmosphere was lovely with decorations everywhere, and the peanut butter hot chocolate in England was outstanding. However, I didn't have much time to explore since there was quite a bit of waiting, even though the park was less crowded than I anticipated. I enjoyed the performance of Gloria, which depicted the birth of Christ through Christmas carols, and it featured great actors, singers, staging, and effects. I also caught Scrooge No More, a short musical adaptation of A Christmas Carol, which was similarly well-executed. Both shows lasted about 25 minutes. A frustrating aspect was that Scrooge was always scheduled to start just five minutes after Gloria, making it impossible to see back-to-back. I ended up missing it, leaving me with idle time until the next showing. One staff member was not helpful when I inquired about missing a show; her curt responses added to my disappointment. I enjoyed a train ride around the park to see the lights, but it came with a 45-minute wait. Dining at Squire's also took 45 minutes, largely because only one of the four registers was open, although my food was ready in five minutes. Unfortunately, after dinner and the train ride, it was past 8:00, leaving me no time for rides, which was disappointing. The park became very dark as the sun set, making it difficult to navigate, and I felt slightly uneasy despite the crowds. Overall, my visit was decent; there were some highlights and some low points, but I’d recommend going at Christmas if you keep expectations moderate.”— emilyrB4397PB who visited Busch Gardens Williamsburg on a Rovostays-listed tour

“Vince, our guide, provided an outstanding experience.”— 730laurim who visited Bruton Parish Episcopal Church on a Rovostays-listed tour

“I visited on Christmas Day from 3:00 to around 8:00. The festive atmosphere was lovely with decorations everywhere, and the peanut butter hot chocolate in England was outstanding. However, I didn't have much time to explore since there was quite a bit of waiting, even though the park was less crowded than I anticipated. I enjoyed the performance of Gloria, which depicted the birth of Christ through Christmas carols, and it featured great actors, singers, staging, and effects. I also caught Scrooge No More, a short musical adaptation of A Christmas Carol, which was similarly well-executed. Both shows lasted about 25 minutes. A frustrating aspect was that Scrooge was always scheduled to start just five minutes after Gloria, making it impossible to see back-to-back. I ended up missing it, leaving me with idle time until the next showing. One staff member was not helpful when I inquired about missing a show; her curt responses added to my disappointment. I enjoyed a train ride around the park to see the lights, but it came with a 45-minute wait. Dining at Squire's also took 45 minutes, largely because only one of the four registers was open, although my food was ready in five minutes. Unfortunately, after dinner and the train ride, it was past 8:00, leaving me no time for rides, which was disappointing. The park became very dark as the sun set, making it difficult to navigate, and I felt slightly uneasy despite the crowds. Overall, my visit was decent; there were some highlights and some low points, but I’d recommend going at Christmas if you keep expectations moderate.”— emilyrB4397PB who visited Water Country USA on a Rovostays-listed tour

“I don't have much to say, so I will keep it short. I bought 7 annual passes based on the promise of many attractions but found it to be a letdown. It felt deserted, with hardly anyone in costumes and no interactions. There was no background music or live performances, and many tours were closed. Construction was ongoing in the main area. Despite paying extra for tickets that were not even checked, access was free for everyone. Snack prices were exorbitant. We did go on some tours, including a ghost tour, but it was unimpressive and not scary at all. Overall, I was disappointed and unlikely to return soon. While Jamestown was enjoyable, we never got to visit Yorktown.”— Tourist803056 who visited Historic Jamestowne on a Rovostays-listed tour

“I suggest exploring on your own instead. The cost of the private tour did not justify the experience we received.”— Dale_C who visited Jamestown Glasshouse on a Rovostays-listed tour