Sights Overview

Willamsburg anchors three elements of Colonial National Historical Park. The 23-mi Colonial Parkway links Williamsburg to Jamestown and Yorktown, two other significant historical sites on or near the peninsula bounded by the James and York rivers. Historic Jamestowne was the location of the first permanent English settlement in North America -- celebrating its 400th anniversary in 2007 -- and it's an excellent place to begin a visit to the area; Yorktown was the site of the final major battle in the American Revolutionary War. The sites themselves as well as the parkway are maintained by the National Park Service. Close by are Jamestown Settlement and the excellent Yorktown Victory Center, both run by the Jamestown-Yorktown Foundation. Like Colonial Williamsburg, these two sights re-create the buildings and activities of the 18th century, using interpreters in period dress.