Williamsburg - fly or drive?
 

Planning to go to Williamsburg in late June. Is it possible to get around to Jamestown, Yorktown, Busch Gardens without a car? If we stay at the Travel Lodge, or one of the other motor lodges can we get back and forth to Colonial Williamsburg easily?

ttt

I know there are shuttle buses that run all over the area to most, if not all, of the major attractions. Why don't you ask at your hotel, or review or e-mail www.visitwilliamsburg.com for details and stops.

Living here - public transportation is fair to middling to almost nonexistent. For most efficient use of your time, and to get to all the attractions you want to see WHEN you want to see them and stay as long or short as you like - I really have to recommend a car. If you like to walk you can get back & forth easily, hike from Travel Lodge to Colonial Wmsbg is only 2 miles or less. Plus with a car you can take advantage of outlet shopping and variety of restaurants in the area.

I was just in Williamsburg two weeks ago. TAKE A CAR. You will not regret it. You'll need it to get to Yorktown Battlefield and Busch Garden, pretty much.<BR><BR>While Colonial Williamsburg is fantastic, I highly recommend visiting some of the nearby plantations. We all purchased a combination pass that included four plantations and it was well worth it. While you may not want to see all four in the same day like we did, you will love the views of the James River and soaking in the history. And to do that, you must have a car. Even driving to the plantations was worth it for the rustic scenery.<BR><BR>And you'll need one for the outlets, too, which are many.

I agree, you'll be quite impeded without a car. We took the train and rented a car after we got there, which was a good compromise for us. I can't imagine going to Busch without a car.

Judy, read this from the Williamsburg Convention and Visitors Bureau website:<BR><BR>Relax & Ride Visitors Shuttle, 109 Tewning Road 757/259-4093 (8:00 am-5:00 pm Mon–Fri)or 757/259-4111 (after hours or on weekends). The Williamsburg Area Visitors Shuttle is a great way to "Relax & Ride" on your vacation. It serves Route 60 Bypass, and Capitol Landing Road from the Williamsburg Pottery Factory to Colonial<BR>Williamsburg on to Busch Gardens Williamsburg, Water Country USA and key points in between, from May 26 through September 4 (Labor Day), seven-days a week from 9:00 am to 10:00 pm every half hour. Buses are specially equipped<BR>with wheelchair lifts, bike racks, and continually playing VCRs, providing options for sightseeing, dining and shopping. So, give<BR>your driver a break and jump aboard.<BR><BR>You do need a car for Yorktown and Jamestown, and it may give you more freedom, but this shuttle will get you to Busch Gardens and Colonial Williamsburg. You can rent a car at the Amtrak station near Colonial Williamsburg if you need to.

Just a word of caution about that auto-rental place at the Amtrak station. <BR><BR>When I rented from them, exactly 3 years ago, they were known as Colonial car rental. They did not have enough cars for all the people who got off our train who had reserved them, we had to wait an hour for ours, and when we explained that the cassette deck was broken they literally laughed at us and told us to listen to the radio (which stopped working after the first day). One of the places we visited, IIRC Jamestown, had cassettes for a guided driving tour through the area, which of course we couldn't use.<BR><BR>So I stand by my recommendation to rent a car at the airport. A public shuttle that runs every half-hour sounds like a poor compromise to me, especially as Judy will be there in late June, a busy time.

Judy - I've stayed at that Travelodge a couple of times, and while you can walk to CW there, it's on Rt 60 and no sidewalks. I like the Travelodge, but if you plan to walk, a hotel further east than Travelodge (eg: Best Inn) would be closer.<BR><BR>The R&R bus is ok if you plan to confine travel to points between Williamsburg Pottery to to west, and Busch Gardens to your east. No Yorktown, nor Jametown.<BR><BR>I've rented from Colonial with no problems, but have rented more often from Enterprise, who will come to the rail station, or your hotel. Good deals often found on various auto rentals often when flying into Norfolk or Richmond - I've often found best deals at Avis at those 2 locations. Rented from Enterprise when flying into Newport News, but they do not come to airport to get you. Be aware that "Willaimsburg/Newport News International" is *NOT* very close to WBurg! I've no idea what a taxi ride is. I go to Wburg 4-7 times a year for long weekends. (Remove any x from my e-ddress to reply.)

Anyone have the 800 number for the Best Inn and/or Travelodge mentioned in this post? Thanks.