We're planning a family vacation to the D.C. area, and would like to see Williamsburg and Monticello as well. Is 10 days enough time? Does it make sense to start in D.C., rent a car and make a loop, going to Williamsburg first (spending 2 nights there), then Monticello for a night, and then looping back to D.C. for a week? Would it be too much to add the Skyline Drive through Shenandoah National Park on the way back to D.C.? Kids are 4 and 8, so don't want to push it with too much car time.

The travel time between any of the destinations is not that great, so I see nothing wrong with your plan.

I think that if you can get the kids psyched about Williamsburg (and nearby Jamestown & Yorktown) ahead of time you can build a lot of enthuseism for what they'll be seeing AND DOING there.
http://www.history.org
Enjoy your vacation.

Thanks. Do you have any hotel recommendations near Monticello? We'd also like to rent a condo or apartment for a week in D.C. area, but I'm having a hard time finding many vacation rentals. Does anyone have a good recommendation?

Williamsburg is only about 150 miles from Washington (most direct route). Be aware, however, that Busch Gardens (theme/amusement park) is also located in Williamsburg and your two children might also be VERY interested in that.

I agree that you could easily include part of the Skyline Drive on your trip back to the Washington area. From Charlottesville (for Monticello) simply continue westbound (on I-64) to Waynesboro and then head north.

I'm sorry I cannot help with the hotel or condo recommendations.

We did a W'burg/Charlottesville trip a few years back with an 8 and 6 year old and it was great.

In W'burg, we stayed at Greensprings Plantation which was a 2 br condo in a nice complex with indoor pool, mini golf, etc. Nice with the kids and we got a good deal in April.

If you have a daughter in that mix, look into renting a costume for her at the W'burg visitors center. Our daughter (the 6 year old) LOVED that--wore it throughout the colonial area for the day. Be sure to eat in a tavern for lunch and/or dinner. If you want to ride a horse and carriage, reserve early in the day. My daughter still talks aobut not being able to do that.

We had four days in W'burg and that was terrific. Great place for a family trip.

Go up to the search this forum box at the top of this page and type in the words: Charlottesville Accommodations. Then go to the topics box, scroll down, and select the state of Virginia. You will find some suggestions there concerning places to stay near Monticello.

Ccrosner gave you some great ideas as to what to do with the kids while in Williamsburg. You might also want to give them some animal experience as there are sheep, goats, cows, and horses in the historic area that are pretty kid friendly. Also consider purchasing a colonial toy or two along the way...

While at Monticello, be sure to show your kids the back of a nickel and compare it to the back of Jefferson's house from the garden area so that later they'll be able to relate your trip to our American currency.

When my kids were 4 & 7, we also visited Monticello. Being a teacher, I tried to prep them before hand and talked to them about where we were going to go and what we were going to see, etc. When the day came, my younger daughter seemed very excited and could hardly wait to get to get there.... I was mentally patting myself on the back for a job well done, or so I thought! As we were exiting the shuttle bus in front of Jefferson's home, my four year old froze on the steps, looked up at the house, and disappointedly said, "Okay, I get it.... red bricks with whipped cream on top." It was then that I realized the reason for her excitement...She thought that we were going to see a mound of jello! My advise is to go ahead and do the trip, but be aware that you'll want to return to the area again when they are older.

Consider checking out the Washington Suites for accommodations for the DC leg of your trip. There are two locations Georgetown (outer bounds but walkable to the center) and Alexandria (west, urban residential). The suites are quite large and have full sized kitchens. The Georgetown location would be better for visitors but the Alexandria spot has a pool.

When my kid was 4 she definitely would not have made it through the Monticello guided house tour. It's a lot of standing, no touching, and no talking. They do, however, offer special family tours during the summer. We took our's when she was 7 and she really enjoyed it. There's also a hands on exhibit for kids at the Visitor's Center.

Here's the info from the website (monticello.org):

Tours for Children and their Families

Daily June 15 through August 15

These special tours are conducted daily, on the hour between 10 a.m. and 3 p.m. Geared toward children ages 6 to 11, the tours include hands-on objects and a child-friendly focus, and are included in the price of admission. Register for tours at the Ticket Office upon arrival at Monticello. For more information or call (434) 984-9822.

Sounds like a fun trip!

To Retired Teacher--
Thanks for the chuckle today about the Mound of Jello. That's priceless!

You mentioned buying colonial toys. I have a good story on that one. Our son, who was 8 or so at the time we went to W'burg, decided he wanted to buy a rifle as his souvenir. Looked harmless enough--wooden, no place for bullets, etc. Then, as we drove to the Richmond airport (late, I might add), we realized that we probably couldn't carry the rifle on board the plane and would have to figure out how to pack it (it's about 3 1/2 feet long). I have this vivid memory of pulling over in a rest stop between Richmond and W'burg while two stressed out parents dump half of the dirty laundry out onto the parking lot so we could shove the rifle into our big duffle. Had to break through into the side compartment to fit it. Very comical now, but not funny then!

so be careful what they buy

obx's suggestions of Washington Suites is good as far as Georgetown location, but I think the Alexandria location to desolate & far from DC. I'd look at Virginia Suites in Arlington, 1500 or 1501 Arlington Blvd, near Rosslyn stop of Metro (Blue & Orange). (I've stayed even further away than WS Alexandria, but then I was paying only $25. for hotel (employee rates))

You have described a perfect circle. I would suggest that you try to fly in and out of Dulles. Begin with a drive to WMBG, Charlotesville (1 nite), Skyline Drive and then back to the Oakton area for lodging near the "train".All of these legs are very manageable and give a blend of historical, urban and very rural!

Thanks for all the fantasic tips! Retired teacher, I love the mound of jello story as well. Priceless.

I agree with the previous comments that the Washington Suites in Alexandria would not be a good choice. But Alexandria is a nice place to stay - a relatively quick metro ride into DC, lots of restaurants, historic Old Town area, fun shopping... There's a Marriott Residence Inn near the King Street Metro station. I drive past it a few times a week and it looks quite nice. (Residence Inn Alexandria Old Town on Duke Street)There are several restaurants close by and a big new Whole Foods market where you can buy ready-made meals.