Virginia
Jul 3rd, 1997 | 04:47 AM
#1
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Virginia
I am currently planning a trip to Virginia at the end of the month. At the moment I'm looking at going to Alexandria, Williamsburg and possibly Virginia Beach. Could anyone tell me anything about the places, for example accomodation, must see places of interest, etc, or any other places that are worth seeing. Thanks
Jul 3rd, 1997 | 11:19 AM
#2
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Gareth:
I hope the following helps you enjoy your vacation in Virginia. You're choosing a beautiful area of the US to visit, but with a caveat: July and August in Virginia features two kinds of weather – hot, humid and rainy, and just plain hot and humid.
I live in Alexandria and consider it one of the most beautiful spots in the country. From its founding in 1749, Alexandria was an bustling, wealthy tobacco port. When the "Federal City" was established seven miles upriver circa 1800, Alexandria was unaffected. When tobacco ceased to be a cash crop in the mid 19th century, Alexandria fell into a deep sleep from which it did not awaken until about 1975. Because it was slumbering, Alexandria missed out on "urban renewal," and so was spared being bulldozed into oblivion. Instead, the town has blossomed over the past 20 years into a living, breathing anachronism: a small town within a city that still has the fabric of 19th century America. King Street, the main east-west street through Old Town, has several dozen excellent restaurants and there are interesting shops galore, but the beauty of Old Town lies off the main streets. When you're there, start walking south from King Street or east from Washington Street, and just go left, then right, and so on until you reach the Potomac. What you'll see are hundreds of homes, mostly townhouses, that date from the last century but which have been brought up to late 20th century livability. The narrow streets are shaded by huge trees, the sidewalks are mostly brick patterns. If you are fortunate enough to be in Alexandria on a Saturday morning, come very early to the plaza in front of city hall, where there is still a bustling farmers' market on land donated by George Washington.
Where to stay in Alexandria? Luxury: The Morrison House or Holiday Inn (King Street). Moderate: Radisson Suites or Embassy Suites; Budget: Towne Motel (North Washington). Restaurants? Too numerous to mention. E-mail me for a list.
Williamburg is an interesting spot; I do not care for the ersatz, Disney-esque village that has been assembled there, though it certainly delights crowds. I prefer my colonial houses to be lived in. Jamestown, a few miles away, is a much more interesting spot and gives you an idea of what the first colonists faced when they landed in the New World. If you can afford to, book the Williamburg Inn, which is very pleasant.
Virginia Beach? With all due apologies to anyone who loves it, ugh. Just up the coast, however, are Chincoteague and Assateague Islands, two very beautiful, unspoiled spots that show the U.S. seashore at its best. Assateague is accessible off US 50 just before entering Ocean City, Maryland. It is a national park or national seashore; I forget which. Both islands are famous for their wild horses, the descendants of ones shipwrecked off the coast centuries ago.
Other things in Virginia: first, on your way out I-66 or down I-95, stop in at the Virginia Welcome Center in Manassas or Dale City and ask for a copy of the Virginia Byways map, which will show you scenic routes across the state. Use that map to navigate the back roads that lie south and west of the Washington metropolitan area. This is Virginia horse country, rolling and green; immaculately maintained. The most scenic road is, of course, Skyline Drive; and to miss driving at least 50 miles of it would be to miss seeing some of the most inspiring scenery along the east coast.
Other sights? If you have interest in the American Civil War, the Manassas battlefield is a must-see, and give it plenty of time. The National Park Service has done a thoughtful job of interpreting the site, and it is incongruous how some much blook could have been shed on a site so beautiful. You probably also have Monticello on your itinerary, and it's well worth visiting. Less crowded but just as historic is Montpelier, James Madison's home near Orange. Between Jefferson and Madison, you've pretty well covered the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution, and the two homes provide a glimpse of the lives of the men who authored those documents.
If Richmond isn't too far afield for your trip, there are two very fine museums in the city. First, the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts, which has a superb collection of 19th century British and American paintings, Tiffany glass, and sculpture. The second is the Museum of the Confederacy. This is not a retrograde "forget, hell" bastion of intolerance. Rather, it's a serious museum dedicated to exploring the impact of the Civil War on the people of the South. It is intelligently curated and has no romantic attachments to the idea of the Confederacy.
Have a good trip!
I hope the following helps you enjoy your vacation in Virginia. You're choosing a beautiful area of the US to visit, but with a caveat: July and August in Virginia features two kinds of weather – hot, humid and rainy, and just plain hot and humid.
I live in Alexandria and consider it one of the most beautiful spots in the country. From its founding in 1749, Alexandria was an bustling, wealthy tobacco port. When the "Federal City" was established seven miles upriver circa 1800, Alexandria was unaffected. When tobacco ceased to be a cash crop in the mid 19th century, Alexandria fell into a deep sleep from which it did not awaken until about 1975. Because it was slumbering, Alexandria missed out on "urban renewal," and so was spared being bulldozed into oblivion. Instead, the town has blossomed over the past 20 years into a living, breathing anachronism: a small town within a city that still has the fabric of 19th century America. King Street, the main east-west street through Old Town, has several dozen excellent restaurants and there are interesting shops galore, but the beauty of Old Town lies off the main streets. When you're there, start walking south from King Street or east from Washington Street, and just go left, then right, and so on until you reach the Potomac. What you'll see are hundreds of homes, mostly townhouses, that date from the last century but which have been brought up to late 20th century livability. The narrow streets are shaded by huge trees, the sidewalks are mostly brick patterns. If you are fortunate enough to be in Alexandria on a Saturday morning, come very early to the plaza in front of city hall, where there is still a bustling farmers' market on land donated by George Washington.
Where to stay in Alexandria? Luxury: The Morrison House or Holiday Inn (King Street). Moderate: Radisson Suites or Embassy Suites; Budget: Towne Motel (North Washington). Restaurants? Too numerous to mention. E-mail me for a list.
Williamburg is an interesting spot; I do not care for the ersatz, Disney-esque village that has been assembled there, though it certainly delights crowds. I prefer my colonial houses to be lived in. Jamestown, a few miles away, is a much more interesting spot and gives you an idea of what the first colonists faced when they landed in the New World. If you can afford to, book the Williamburg Inn, which is very pleasant.
Virginia Beach? With all due apologies to anyone who loves it, ugh. Just up the coast, however, are Chincoteague and Assateague Islands, two very beautiful, unspoiled spots that show the U.S. seashore at its best. Assateague is accessible off US 50 just before entering Ocean City, Maryland. It is a national park or national seashore; I forget which. Both islands are famous for their wild horses, the descendants of ones shipwrecked off the coast centuries ago.
Other things in Virginia: first, on your way out I-66 or down I-95, stop in at the Virginia Welcome Center in Manassas or Dale City and ask for a copy of the Virginia Byways map, which will show you scenic routes across the state. Use that map to navigate the back roads that lie south and west of the Washington metropolitan area. This is Virginia horse country, rolling and green; immaculately maintained. The most scenic road is, of course, Skyline Drive; and to miss driving at least 50 miles of it would be to miss seeing some of the most inspiring scenery along the east coast.
Other sights? If you have interest in the American Civil War, the Manassas battlefield is a must-see, and give it plenty of time. The National Park Service has done a thoughtful job of interpreting the site, and it is incongruous how some much blook could have been shed on a site so beautiful. You probably also have Monticello on your itinerary, and it's well worth visiting. Less crowded but just as historic is Montpelier, James Madison's home near Orange. Between Jefferson and Madison, you've pretty well covered the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution, and the two homes provide a glimpse of the lives of the men who authored those documents.
If Richmond isn't too far afield for your trip, there are two very fine museums in the city. First, the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts, which has a superb collection of 19th century British and American paintings, Tiffany glass, and sculpture. The second is the Museum of the Confederacy. This is not a retrograde "forget, hell" bastion of intolerance. Rather, it's a serious museum dedicated to exploring the impact of the Civil War on the people of the South. It is intelligently curated and has no romantic attachments to the idea of the Confederacy.
Have a good trip!
Jul 3rd, 1997 | 12:20 PM
#3
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Have been to the Virginia Beach area twice recently.
Williamsburg is very lovely and worth seeing. Virginia Beach was a disappointment. Went once in the winter and everything was closed. Went in May just for the day and found it to be very trashy and crowded. Won't go back. Go to Norfolk if you do go to that area. There is a spot called Waterside with shops, restaurants, sailboat rides, various other boat rides. Nearby is Nauticus, a hands on-type sea museum. Also in Norfolk is the largest US naval base which is open to the public with ship tours every Saturday. (Myrtle Beach, SC is a better beach.)
Williamsburg is very lovely and worth seeing. Virginia Beach was a disappointment. Went once in the winter and everything was closed. Went in May just for the day and found it to be very trashy and crowded. Won't go back. Go to Norfolk if you do go to that area. There is a spot called Waterside with shops, restaurants, sailboat rides, various other boat rides. Nearby is Nauticus, a hands on-type sea museum. Also in Norfolk is the largest US naval base which is open to the public with ship tours every Saturday. (Myrtle Beach, SC is a better beach.)
Jul 3rd, 1997 | 06:14 PM
#4
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Last July my family took a vacation to Williamsburg and Virginia Beach. There is great shopping in Williamsburg- if you like books there are several nice bookstores, especially a secondhand one across from the Baskin Robbins. The gardens at the Govenor's Palace and the campus of William and Mary are also worth seeing.
If you go to Virginia Beach, be sure to get a hotel with an ocean view. For even though it rained most of the time, we still had fun watching the dolphins from our balcony.
If you go to Virginia Beach, be sure to get a hotel with an ocean view. For even though it rained most of the time, we still had fun watching the dolphins from our balcony.
Jul 4th, 1997 | 07:03 PM
#5
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I live in Portsmouth, which is close to Norfolk and
Virginia Beach. I know of some great beach spots
away from the "hotel area" that are nice. Tourist
don't know anything about these and can get stuck
on a crowded beach. The "local" beach is not far
and I'll give you specific directions if you want.
Also Va. Beach has a WONDERFUL Marine Science Museum
you should check out if you go.
Virginia Beach. I know of some great beach spots
away from the "hotel area" that are nice. Tourist
don't know anything about these and can get stuck
on a crowded beach. The "local" beach is not far
and I'll give you specific directions if you want.
Also Va. Beach has a WONDERFUL Marine Science Museum
you should check out if you go.
Jul 13th, 1997 | 07:46 PM
#6
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Posts: n/a
hi... i also visited both williamsburg and virginia beach. williamsburg and the colonial area is very nice and a great place with no small kids. a must to visit is busch gardens , williamsburg. right of i95 in a city called doswell is a amusement park called kings dominion. for lodging call either one of the parks and they can give you hotels that are close or call the chamber of commerce and they also can give you information.. in williamsburg please visit the pottery
factory...great place. virgina beach.. it's ok i like ocean city maryland better... you could take the
chesape-bay tunnel bridge over..nice boardwalk, plenty of places to eat and nice lodging. hope some of this helped and email me if more info is needed. i'll dig out the maps.
factory...great place. virgina beach.. it's ok i like ocean city maryland better... you could take the
chesape-bay tunnel bridge over..nice boardwalk, plenty of places to eat and nice lodging. hope some of this helped and email me if more info is needed. i'll dig out the maps.
Jun 4th, 2002 | 10:29 AM
#8
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Gareth: Some great suggestions already by Neal and the others. There was a woman named Toni who made a similar trip this past April and spent months on this forum planning her trip. You might want to run a search to look at her itinerary and see if it sparks any new ideas for your trip! Hope this helps!
Jun 4th, 2002 | 10:36 AM
#9
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We just returned from Williamsburg and recommend staying at the new Williamsburg Woodlands, located right at the Visitors Center. It's very convenient as the buses shuttle you back and forth to the restored area. The rooms at the Woodlands are clean and spacious; the place is well-run with a nice pool and cont. buffet each morning.
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