ingridshawn

My husband and I have 12 days off from Aug 21 to September 11.

We were planning to go to Williamsburg for some of these days and then off to Hershey PA.

We would like to see Colonial Williamsburg, Busch Gardens, Yorktown and Jamestown. How many days should we put aside for this before heading to Hershey?

tovarich

We booked the following arrangement in Williamsburg in Sept.:America's 400th Anniversary package comprising:
-lodgings at Governor's Inn for two persons 3 nights
- Historic triangle ticket which includes :Colonial Williamsburg, Jamestown Settlement, Jamestown island, Yorktown Victory centre,Yorktown battlefield.
This total package costs :339,30 $.
Hope this might be of help to you. Greetings from Belgium. Paul

ingridshawn

Also, is it better to stay at CW or near by?

obxgirl

I think a minimum of 3 days (1 day CW, 1 day BG, 1 day JT/YT). More time is needed to really cover the historical sights, esp. CW. 4 to 5 days would be better for your intinerary.

The package Paul mentioned is a very good deal. Tickets for the individual sights would cost far more than the inclusive rate. You can upgrade hotels and stay up to 7 days. Info is here:

http://www.jamestown2007reservations.com/

The advantage to staying at a CW property is that you can get an admission ticket good for the length of stay. Looks like the 400th anniversary deal offers length of stay tickets to all the sights.

dbaker

We did a similar trip a few years back. Depending on how much you love amusement parks, one day at Busch Gardens is sufficient. It is a beautiful park and you could spend more than one day there if you wanted to. They also have a water park that is fun, especially when it is really, really hot. We did the amusement park in the morning & went to the water park in the afternoon - then back to the amusement park after it cooled off. As far as Colonial Williamsburg, we went there but didn't pay to get into the exhibits - just walked about and saw the outsides of the buildings. Jamestown was interesting and you could spend all day there or only a few hours like we did.
Are you planning to see Gettysburgh outside of Hershey? It would be worth your while. We did not allow near enough time there (only 2 hours).

Have fun and drink lots of water if it is hot!

JoyinVirginia

Go to www.history.org to check out the various ticket plans. I would say 5 days minimum, 6 or 7 days to have a relaxed pace. There is a flex ticket that allows admission to Colonial Williamsburg, Busch Gardens Williamsburg, Jamestown Settlement, Yorktown Victory Center, Historic Jamestowne and the Yorktown Battlefield. Do you like coasters? I love BG Williamsburg and there are some terrific roller coasters, rides and shows there. 2 days Busch Gardens Williamsburg would do it, one day for Jamestown, one day for Yorktown, 2 days for Williamsburg. There is a nice small public beach at Yorktown on the York River. Lots of shopping at the outlets near Williamsburg also. And great food! Be sure to go to Pierce's Pitt Cooked Barbecue, it is a bit of a drive but worth it! YOrk River State Park is also nearby, with biking, hiking.

cheapbutnice

You're planning my perfect trip. I would vote for 4-5 days in Wmbg., then onto Charlottesville for 2 nites, a few sections of Skyline Drive north to Luray and then Harpers Ferry, Gettysburg and then Hershey. Try to break-up your trip north, there is lots to see along the Rte 81 corridor.In Wmbg., you got great suggestions but try to stay on-site (The Woodlands is often the best value).Enjoy

gteacher

You'll get great advice from people here. I planned my recent trip using recommendations. We just returned (yesterday!) from a similar trip. I'll post a trip report in the next couple of days but here is a quick breakdown:
Wed: Both Jamestown sites
Thurs: Both Yorktown sites
Fri and Sat.Williamsburg
Even though we visited W-burg 2 days, we could have spent more time there. It really depends on how much you enjoy history. I'm not sure how long the Revolutionary City is running, but I highly recommend it.
Accomodations: A Williamsburg White House (B&B) which I highly recommend. Fantastic rooms, breakfasts, and the owners are wonderful people. Through them we were able to get length of stay passes for Jamestown (both sites), Yorktown (both sites), and Colonial Willamburg plus half off evening programs for $132 total.
Post questions and I'll try to answer them as someone who recently visited.You're going to have a great time. One more thing...I echo the many Fat Canary (W-burg) recommendations posted on Fodors. Fantastic food!
If you have time, I also suggest a visit to Monticello.

janisj

Like most of the others, I'd say 4 - 6 days. You need a couple of days in CW itself and one day at least for the Colonial Parkway Yorktown/Jamestown. One day for Busch Gdns.

Just walking past the bldgs isn't "seeing" much of CW. I'd get the year's pass (Freedom Pass) since it is only $11 more than a 2-day ticket. That way you can come back in the late afternoons or evenings for events after Busch or Yorktown/Jamestown.

I'd think 5 days would be perfect - or 6 to 7 if you also want to go other places like Civil War battlefields, the air and space museum, etc. W/ a Freedom Pass you don't have to stay for hours on end in CW but can come and go as your stamina and the weather dictate.