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How much time for Colonial Williamsburg and Monticello?

How much time for Colonial Williamsburg and Monticello?

Old Dec 7th, 2004, 12:29 PM
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How much time for Colonial Williamsburg and Monticello?

Hello, I am trying to plan our family trip next summer and am wondering about how much time we should allow for visiting Colonial Williamsburg and Monticello. Does CW take a full day or would half a day be plenty? Can we see Monticello in a few hours or do we need more time? Thanks!

Also, are there any interesting sites near these that you might also recommend visiting?
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Old Dec 7th, 2004, 12:39 PM
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You need at least a full day at CW and a half day minimum at Monticello. Near Monticello are Mitchie Tavern (don't eat there) and James Monroe's Ashlawn Highland. You can purchase the "Presidents' Pass" at the Monticello Visitors Center to visit all three at a discount. Also in the area is the UVA rotunda for a good 45 minute tour and further afield but still close by is James Madison's Montpelier. Many people combine Jamestown with a visit to CW.
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Old Dec 7th, 2004, 12:56 PM
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I enjoyed visiting Monroe's Ash Lawn. It is smaller and simpler than Monticello but the interpreters gave a good tour. I haven't been inside Montpelier but the outside of the house and the grounds are lovely. I must add, though, that I don't think either would be interesting to children.
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Old Dec 7th, 2004, 01:10 PM
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I would devote a whole day to Colonial Williamsburg. Also expect to spend a half day at Monticello. It is one of the most fascinating places you will ever visit. We love visiting the wineries around Charlottesville, too -- Jefferson Winery if you only want to sample one, I'd go there. The University of Virginia Campus is exceptionally beautiful and if you have kids who are thinking they'll maybe go to college someday -- well this place will give them something to dream about. The countryside of Virginia in this area is beautiful. There is a Holiiday Inn Express located near Orange, VA, which would be a great place to stay. It is located by itself in the middle of lovely fields with mountain views, and has a swimming pool for the kids and pretty places to hike around. A good place for a family dinner is the best German restaurant (in my mind) in the Mid-Atlantic Coast area, the Bavarian Chef (in Orange). You can make your way through some lovely country to the Shenandoah Parkway (eventually becomes the Blue Ridge). We've done a lot of day trips and weekend trips around Virginia over the last five-six years. It is a wonderful place for a family vacation.
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Old Dec 7th, 2004, 01:28 PM
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I agree about the lengths of time mentioned in the above posts.
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Old Dec 7th, 2004, 11:05 PM
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This is great information -- thank so much!
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Old Dec 8th, 2004, 03:25 AM
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At the very least, one full day for Williamsburg. You could easily take 2-3 to see it all and take all the additional tours. Be sure to eat in one of the Taverns (we prefer Christina Campbells) and lunch will be less expensive and just as nice.

Definitely see Ash Lawn if possible. As another poster said, they give a great tour. And after being rushed throught Monticello, it will be nice.

Also, we had a good lunch at Michie Tavern so you may want to try it. Nice wooded patio - dining area, also.
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Old Dec 8th, 2004, 03:56 AM
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I would highly recommend a stop at Jamestown if you'll be visiting Colonial Williamsburg. We went a few years ago and actually ended up liking Jamestown more.

If you go, be aware that there are two Jamestown sites. If I recall correctly, one is operated by the federal government and the other is run by a non-profit historical association. The latter has recreations of early settlements, ships, etc. with actors in costume and is great for kids, while the federal site is located on the actual site of the Jamestown settlement with archaeological digs and historical markers.
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Old Dec 8th, 2004, 04:07 AM
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A trip with kids in the summer: One day touring colonial Williamsburg, One day at Busch gardens, one day in Va Beach (about an hour and fifteen min east). There is Yorktown/Jamestown. I also agree that if you get the wrong tour at Jamestown, your kids will be bored stiff. Basically open fields with someone telling what happened there. (We did the boring one. The kids did the interesting one on school trips) If you want to go to Monticello, (half day is good) Spend the rest of the afternoon walking around Charlottesville. It has a cute artsy section and the college. There is a good lunch place called the Hardware store. You get good hamburgers and sandwiches here. You pass through Richmond which has some historical areas to see. You may want to look into that.It depends on where you are starting from. 64 runs from on end to the other (east/west) in VA. Enjoy this trip. It is touristy, but there is great history here.( and some fun summer places too!)
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Old Dec 8th, 2004, 04:47 AM
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How long a drive is it from Williamsburg to Monticello? We're planning our week in March.
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Old Dec 8th, 2004, 04:52 AM
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beenthere twice: about two and a half hours all highway driving.
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Old Dec 8th, 2004, 05:02 AM
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It's about 120 odd miles, doable in two hours if you avoid the metro Richmond rush hour traffic.

I agree that the Jamestown Settlement is a far more interesting place for children to visit but the original Jamestown site (run by the National Park Service) shouldn't be dismissed as boring. In addition to the history, it's a great place to ride bikes and enjoy the scenery. Anyone interested in birdwatching will find a wealth there, particularly large birds (eagles, osprey, hawks, herons & egrets).
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Old Dec 8th, 2004, 05:09 AM
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You don't say how old the children in your family are, so it's really hard to advise you regarding the amount of time to allocate in this very historic area. If you have children who have completed fifth grade or beyond, they have will have been introduced to the events that occurred in the following sites: 1) Yorktown is the location of the defeat of British General Cornwallis by Washington and the French fleet during the American Revolution (1781). There is a NPS site there and if you walk through the town area you will find several old buildings with cannon balls still embedded in their upper stories from the battle. 2) Jamestown is the site of the first permanent English colony in the New World (1607) and the setting of the Captain John Smith/Pocahontas tales that your children may have seen in the full length cartoon movie. Today you may visit the actual site of the first settlement which is in ruins and probably boring to all ages who lack an appreciation for its historic significance. There is also a recreated village featuring colonial craftsmen including a glassblower, blacksmith, etc. It will be somewhat repetitive of the Williamsburg experience, however, so you might not want to do both with young children. 3) Williamsburg is the colonial capital that was established after the Jamestown settlers moved up river for health reasons in 1619. The royal governor established residence in this town, guaranteeing its survival. Many young scholars including Tom Jefferson came to Williamsburg to pursue an education at the College of William & Mary as did many of the other later leaders in the colonial rebellion. Patrick Henry spoke out against tyranny in the Capitol building and both he and Jefferson later served as the first governors of Virginia in Williamsburg.

Monticello is a must see for adults who are interested in architecture and the house contains many of Jefferson's wonderful inventions. Young children will probably be most impressed by stables and kitchen rooms which are located under the decks walkways on either side of the house. Be sure to go into the garden area at the back of the house and compare the view to the back side of the Jefferson nickel, a good connection for young children. The UVA campus is of historic interest as Jefferson helped design the original campus layout in his last years and viewed the construction progress from his Monticello home with his telescope. Be sure to note the design similarities if you tour the old campus buildings.

Other interesting areas nearby might include Natural Bridge VA, the D Day Memorial in Bedford VA, and a wealth of Civil War history in and around Richmond. Enjoy your time in Virginia!
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Old Dec 8th, 2004, 08:26 AM
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So much wonderful info and advice -- thank you!

I should have mentioned my children will be 16 and 13 so they should be able to take quite an interest in the historical sites. I think I will be the one needing to brush up on history!
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Old Dec 9th, 2004, 02:49 AM
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With teens, you should probably allow three days for the penninsula for you can easily spend an entire day at the Jamestown and Yorktown sites. When you first arrive in Williamsburg stop at the Visitor's Center and view the movie, Story of a Patriot. Although this movie is very dated, it will give your family an overview of the town and the roll it played in events leading up to the American Revolution. Spend one day touring the two wonderful onsite museums with a side trip over to the College of William & Mary where you could eat lunch in the student cafeteria to give your kids a flavor of campus life. Allow another day for the colonial town. Stop at the craft shops, eat lunch in a colonial tavern, and purchase tickets to tour the Capitol and Governor's Palace. I'd also recommend booking a evening lantern tour of the reconstructed village. As some sites are very popular, tickets can sell out quickly.... I'd suggest making your tickets purchases soon after you arrive for the following day and visit the museums and college first. If your budget allows, you might want to stay in one of the colonial houses in the village. After dark most of the 'day people' head back to their hotels and you will have the village virtually to yourself. Your kids will get a much better feel for the colonial period when they walk down the quiet lantern lit streets and awake to the sounds of roosters crowing or sheep grazing outside their window.

As other posters have indicated, you should allow at least a half day for Monticello and the entire day if you add Ash Lawn and Mitchie Tavern for lunch. As Jefferson's home is very popular, you will not be allowed to linger inside the house, but you may spend as long as you wish touring the out buildings and Mulberry Row.

If your children express an interest in the Civil War, you must allow a day or two for the Richmond/Petersburg area. Visit the White House of the Confederacy, Monument Avenue, and the Trafalger Iron Works in Richmond before heading south. Stop at the Petersburg National Battlefield and Pamplin Park before heading west along the route of Lee's retreat to Appomattox Court House. From there you could continue west to Bedford and Natural Bridge or head north to Lexington VA for its connections to Robert E Lee and General Stonewall Jackson.

Virginia has a wealth of historical sites and you won't be able to do everything this trip, but I hope that I've been able to help your family set some priorities.
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