Williamsburg questions
 

Hi,

We're going back to Williamsburg this year after a fun trip last October. (With help from some of you!) I have three weeks to plan this time, instead of three DAYS, which is a big relief. So, here are my first questions for you:

1. I'd like to take my children to a glass blower, as I remember this from a visit to Williamsburg during my childhood, and wonder if this is still somewhere in the area? Is it perhaps the Glasshouse Point out by Jamestown? Has anyone been to this?


2. My kids are 11 and 8, and I'm wondering if any of you have seen the evening program "Cry Witch" and if so, do you think it is appropriate for kids to watch? I asked on the phone and the reservationist told me she thought 11 was fine but 8 was iffy. I went ahead and made the reservations but can certainly cancel them. I asked my children and the 11 year old has read books about the Salem witch trials and is interested, while the 8 year old hasn't read a thing on the subject but said "sure," despite not knowing to what he is agreeing.

3. Do you recommend Sunday brunch at Williamsburg Inn? For us, this would be quite expensive (but not unaffordable), at $39/adult and $23/child = $124 and that's probably not including drinks. However, it may be a way for my husband and I to enjoy a special meal WITH the kids along, and perhaps memorable.

4. I've read many recommendations for Sal's for inexpensive family friendly Italian food. Last time we were there, I noticed there are two or more Sal's and was not sure if it matters which location. Are they all the same?

5. Is Busch Gardens Williamsburg similar to or completely different from Busch Gardens Tampa? I see the themes are different (Europe vs. animals). We have plenty of theme parks here in Florida, but if BG-Williamsburg has something unique, I might consider taking the kids there. Can't say I'm dying to do this, but the kids are always up for rides and excitement.

6. I see online that the weekend of the 16-17 there is a Yorktown Victory Celebration. Do you think this would make Yorktown more interesting/entertaining or just a pain to visit on Sunday?

7. Is Williamsburg Pottery Factory worth visiting?

8. Last year, Nick's Seafood Pavilion was closed due to damage from Hurricane Isabelle. Is it open yet? Worth eating at?

9. Lunch - King's Arms or Shield's (with kids)? Is lunch at either/both comparable to dinner?

Well, that's more than enough for tonight. I'll probably have more questions in the next few days. Looking forward to reading your information and opinions.

Thanks for reading!

bumping up for you...and me, because we are going to W in Nov.

I don't know about cry witch, but plan on going sometime in the next two weeks, I'll let you know what I think when I do.

The glass house was damaged last year in Isabela, check the park services website to see if it's open again.

Never done Williamsburg Inn Brunch, can't help you there...

Sal's is pretty good, but can get really nuts when they drop off bus tours. I would reccomend Shakleford's. It's a local favorite, kid friendly, reasonable prices, but gets really busy so it's best to call ahead.

I'm not a big Busch gardens fan, but those that love theme parks say it's wonderful. They have something called hallow-scream that your kids might really enjoy in the evenings in septemebr and October.

Pottery factory-only if you have extra time on your hands.

I have a friend who works at the yorktown victory center, I can ask her about that event.

Lunch with kids, not sure what your budget is like, but if you'd like to save on lunches I would advise going to William and Mary's campus center marketplace. It's kitty corner to the williams-sonoma on merchant's square-maybe 50 yards away. It's a food court with a burger king, chick fil-a, a pizza and pasta place, a home cooking place, made to order sandwiches, starbucks, freshens frozen yogurt, plus salads, yougurt, cold cereal, etc. Cash only, but about half the price of the taverns for lunch.

Sorry for the bad grammer, lack of capitalization etc. Hope this helps!

I visit a couple, ok, several, times a year, so will try to answer some of the questions.

1- it was years ago I saw glassblowers, but I think they're still at Jamestown .. the US Park, now the newer park with reenactors. I visited the newer park last fall (or was it spring?), and will go back.

2- Nothing really "scary" about "Cry Witch" for an 8 year old ... it could be somewhat boring tho. They'll get more out of it if you do some reading now, and remind them that they have to remember how the laws were and people felt THEN. I'd take an 8 yr old.

3- Never did anything except a dinner at a CW tavern, so can't comment, other than that most kids don't seem to enjoy things like that. Do yours, or will they be begging to "go somewhere"?

4= "The" Sals is "Sals by Victor" in the Williamsburg Shopping Center, at Richmond Rd & Monticello. Note that Lafayette turns into Monticello as it crosses Richmond Rd. I especially enjoy the "Chicken Victor", but the subs & pizza is good too. The place is mobbed Saturday nights. You could browse in "Books a Million" while waiting for a table.

5- sorry .. been 20 yrs since BG Wbg, and never any other BG

6- I found the regular visit to Yorktown rather boring, but special events DO tend to make things more interesting. (Just looking at fields, with no people, no action, is why I didn't like visiting the Battlefield. I did enjoy the Watermens' Museum down in the town, however)

7- Go to Pottery Factory only if it's a miserable day and you need something to do, or get bored. lots of ... is the word "kitsch"? but a few bargains, if you're driving, but probably not if you fly. Disclaimer: I hate shopping.

8- Last I read, Nicks was going to be demonlished. Did it get saved? Will depend on locals to answer that one.

9- Evening tavern programs probably better, but pricier. People see to like Shields. I've only gone to a tavern dinner once, so can't make comparisons.

Have fun! I was headed there a week ago, but cancelled due to storms, and can't wait to reschedule.

http://www.nps.gov/colo/Jamestwn/glasshouse.htm

the glass-blowers are back at work...

2. The content of Cry Witch isn't really inappropriate. The gist of the play is the audience weighing the evidence of innocence or guilt of the witch on trial. I think the "iffy" part is whether or not your 8 YO will be interested in doing that. An alternative, if you haven't seen it, is The Grand Medley of Entertainments, a kind of colonial vaudville thing. It's silly and goofy and invites all sorts of audience participation. Great fun, everyone in your family will enjoy it.


3. Personally I'd pass on the Wmbg Inn for brunch. It's just so stuffy and formal. We usually take people to the Bay Room at the Wmbg Lodge. They have a lavish brunch buffet, many southern specialties, lots of yummy desserts. It's a more casual atmosphere and you won't need to again for a week.

5. I've never been to BG Tampa so I can't offer a comparision. The Wmbg BG wins alot of awards for its landscaping which is very pretty. Not my favorite place either but my daughter loves it.

6. For kids, I like Jamestown Settlement more than the Yorktown Victory Center. It's more interactive and less dependent on them knowing the specifics of the history to enjoy and learn. To engage kids more, the YVC does focus on colonial farm & military encampment life. You should check out the website for the specifics of the Victory Celebration. (http://www.historyisfun.org/) The place won't be overrun because of the celebration.

8. Alas, Nick's is no more. The food was never especially good but it was always a hoot to soak up the kitschy atmosphere. However the legacy of Nick's lives on as he and his wife Mary donated so much to the community including the land used for the Yorktown Victory Center.

My 8 and 11 yos loved Busch Gardens on our trip to Williamsburg this summer. As a point of reference we've done WDW and Hershey and Canada's Wonderland and make it a point to vacation where a good amusement park is nearby. We like amusement parks a lot.

BG is European themed with 4 major coasters only 1 of which my 8 yo wasn't tall enough to ride. Of the other 3 2 were great, 1 was terrifying to me but the girls loved it. There is also a 3d ride that probably isn't as good as it could be but was still fun enough for us to go twice.

The park is hilly and not logically set up (most likely due to the terrain). But it is very pretty, it has good shows and food prices were not horrifyingly overpriced.

Have you found a place to stay yet? I would highly recommend the Kingsmill Resort. It was absolutely perfect for this family - the 9 hole par 3 complimentary golf course on the banks of the James River was just so great. The rooms are all redone with big comfortable beds. Shuttle service to the parks. It was all good.

I second the Kingsmill Resort. We spent a week there a couple of years ago and it was great. Unfortunately, it was 100 degrees in Williamsburg, so we couldn't really enjoy everything the resort had to offer - it was just too hot and humid. You won't have that problem in October.

We love BG Williamsburg. It's a lovely theme park and definitely worth doing. We, too, love amusement parks and have alot of experience. I think your kids will like it.

Enjoy your trip.

I think most of your questions have been answered, but I'll add on to a few responses.

I would probably avoid the Sunday brunch as well, and go to dinner at one of the taverns as your special meal.

Can't comment on Sal's (never went there, despite spending 4 years in the 'burg as a poor college kid), but I can highly recommend Paul's Deli. Don't go at night, since it functions as the College bar after about 9...but they have great sandwiches and it's a quick walk from Duke of Gloucester St. (I recommend the Gringo sandwich personally - makes my mouth water just thinking about it!).

The cheese shop also used to be a great place for lunch or snack. We used to just get "bread ends and house" - basically slices of bread with their house dressing for dipping. It was really cheap and a good snack. Cheese Shop used to be right beside Baskin Robbins and the Birkenstock store, but I heard that it might have moved. (?)

I really like Busch Gardens. We used to get season passes every year when I was a kid and I never got tired of it. They have a variety of rides, petting zoo, shows, and food. Definitely see about getting coupons for admission.

The Pottery - depends on what you like to do. It always seemed like a big flea market to me, which appealed to certain moods. If you like shopping, you could probably do the Pottery and the outlets in one day.

Another suggestion, if you're not opposed to your kids having sweets, is to take them into Wythe Candy Shop to choose a treat. They also have good treats for grown ups - try the blackberry brandy cordials.

kmchick, thank you for the url to the Glasshouse. It is just what I was looking for. And thanks for letting me know what you think (when you've seen it) about Cry Witch. And for asking your friend about the YVC event! You're quite helpful.

OK, we're not going to the Pottery Factory. I'm not a big shopper on vacations anyway, and if it's not something kids would be excited about, we're not doing it. I'll keep in mind the W&M Marketplace - might be good for lunch one day and I hadn't seen that one in previous posts.

rb_traveler, my 11 year old enjoys fine dining while my 8 year old doesn't care, but can certainly behave during a meal. And he loves to eat. However, stuffy and formal (according to obxgirl) does not sound like what we're looking for, so I'm going to scratch that idea. Thanks for the heads up on the road name change. We have a few of those in Sarasota and it confuses the heck out of the non-locals. And thanks for clearing me up on which Sals. I'll look up the Watermen's Museum - don't know anything about it.

obxgirl, thanks for the opinion on Cry Witch. I looked for Grand Medley (it does sound the best for my kids) and it isn't offered on the 15th-17th. Perhaps I should call them and ask about Papa Said, Mama Said. Has anyone seen this one and if so, what do you think about it for an 11 y.o. and 8 y.o.?

We visited Jamestown Settlement and the Yorktown Victory Center last fall and my kids especially enjoyed Jamestown. They enjoyed Yorktown too, but not as much. This year I guess we'll go to the original Jamestown to see the glassblower and perhaps there will be interpreters there.

bennnie - we've booked at the Williamsburg Hospitality House for the first night, then at Hampton Inn Suites for the next three. However, I don't like the price for Saturday night at the Hampton Suite and am browsing a bit each day for other accommodations. The Kingsmill Resort, while it looks nice, charges an outrageous amount of money, in my opinion. $350/night for the smallest rooms? No thanks. I have stayed at some gorgeous hotels and resorts around America for $150/night and less, and as we are planning to be out and about for most of each day, I can't see spending that. But I'm glad you can, and enjoyed it, and I do thank you for the suggestion. If you have others, I'm all ears. It's neat that you also have an 11 and 8 year old.

Sounds like people are divided about Busch Gardens. We enjoy theme parks, too, but I do tire a bit of them. My children really enjoyed Cedar Point and want to go back (long trip!), and we have passes at Sea World Orlando. We've also done Legoland (at just the right age) and all four main Disney parks and Busch Gardens Tampa quite a few times. I may just play BG by ear. If I don't mention it to the kids, then they won't be disappointed if we don't go. I don't think they even know there is a BG in Williamsburg.

If the food at Nick's wasn't that great, I'm glad we missed it. We did drive over there, but then ate elsewhere. Last year we had really good food, thanks to obxgirl, Birdie and others. We ate at Aroma's, The Cheese Shop, The Carrot Tree (?), The Trellis (for dessert only), Pierce's (big hit), Chownings, Cities Grille, Old Chickahominy and it was ALL good, some of it excellent. We were happy campers. This time, I'm considering Pierce's definitely again for dinner, Christiana Campbell's for dinner, The Trellis for dessert, Berrett's for lunch, Casa Maya Mexican for lunch, Sal's by Victor for dinner.

I've jotted down some others I'd like opinions on: Cascades Restaurant for brunch, lunch at Rivers Inn across the bridge at Jamestown, and breakfast at The Gazebo near the Visitor's Center? Your thoughts? Looking this over, I think I need breakfast recommendations. Big meals or small, we like variety. Sometimes here we just go get bagels or chocolate croissants, other times we eat a full breakfast and enjoy it.

TravelingMom, I'll add Paul's Deli to the list I carry with me. Where would I find coupons for admission to BG-Wmsbg? (just in case!)

The kids will be glad you brought up the Whythe Candy Shop idea. I think we stopped in there last year but didn't get anything. Not sure - is it in Merchant's Square? They did enjoy looking around in the toy shop there, and my husband and I bought a couple little things in Everything Williamsburg.

Well, this has gotten long and it's time to pick up the kids from the bus. Thanks again to all who replied.

Yes, the cheese shop moved. It's now where that colonial fast-food type place used to be between the craftshop and wyth's candy. But the space is divided in two, with one side a nice resturant (the fat canary-highly reccommended) and the other, the cheese shop. I love the cheese shop, but between 11:30-1 you can wait over 45 minutes for a sandwich, and it's not very kid-friendly. They have really yummy muffins that make great mid-morning snacks, and you can see the gourmet food without being elbowed or steped on.

The old cheese shop space just re-opened as the blue talon bistro last week. They reserve half thier floor space for walk ins, so reservations are less neccessary that the other merchant's square resturants. It's inexpensive french food, and I LOVE the decor. Their weeknight specials are a good deal (tursday night is coq-a vin for $12) and they can accomodate children better than a place like the trellis.

To add a little more:The Lightfoot Pottery Outlet has really gotten tacky but still has half price, ceramic bird bottles, S&P shakers, etc.I would also recommend that you check out the Williamsburg Lodge for great dinner specials and a nice kid-friendly atmosphere. Enjoy.

Hmm...not sure about the BG coupons. We used to get them off of soda cans, I think. Hotels might have something too.

For breakfast - there are some great waffle shops in Williamsburg. We always did Mama Steve's on Richmond Road (when we could drag ourselves out of bed in college!).

I've eaten at the Gazebo, and there's nothing special about it, just another over-priced pancake/waffle place. I'm not much of a "breakfast person", and usually prefer to stop at a place like Manhatten Bagels (just west of end of Bypass Rd, somethink like 1300 Richmond Rd) or Big Apple Bagels (just to east of Williamsburg Shopping Center, maybe somethink like 900 Richmond rd) Pierces serves breakfasts, and I think the prices looked reasonable.

Yes, Cheese Shoppe is now where "A Good Place to Eat" used to be -- always loved that name (think asking "can you suggest a good place to eat?") even if I wasn't crazy about the food, but it was more reasonable for families than anything in CW or Merchants Sq.

I always forget about Pauls Deli, close to Hospitality House -- great eats!

I enjoyed "Papa Said, Mama Said", a number of "fables" as I recall - some little lesson in each story told by slaves, but I'm not sure if your younger one would be intrigued or bored -- I'm not a good judge about children entertainment. I think I've seen every evening program offered in the past 10 years, many of them more than once, and often confuse one for the other.

Also consider a visit to Newport News. The Living Museum would be appropriate for the kids. The Newport News City Park (near I-64 exit 250, I think) has playground and nature trails the kids might enjoy. They used to have rowboat/canoe rentals there too, maybe no longer, or not so late in the season. Near there are both Endview and Lee Hall plantations.

Hey <b>TravelingMom</b>- another place no longer there (damn!!) is the Drug Shop at the corner across from W&amp;M. That was a great place for usual drugstore purchases, some inexpensive postcards/souveneers, and their VERY reasonably priced lunch counter. It's now the Williams-Sonama shop. I forget the other shop, &quot;Caseys&quot; ? that also moved out. A big Barnes &amp; Noble replaced it. I hate seeing chain stores replace old time locally-operated shops.

Breakfast ideas...

the morning you're in the hospitality house you could go to the University Center &quot;Center Court&quot; (different place than the Marketplace food court I mentioned earlier). Breakfast is $4.50 (cash only) for all you can eat cereal, fruit, frseh smoothies, breakfast pasteries, make your own belgian waffles, and the hot breakfast of the day (usually french toast, eggs, bacon or sausage, hash browns, etc). It's not the williamsburg inn brunch, but it's just as good as the overpriced waffle houses on Richmond rd.

From the hospitality house it's literally a stones throw. From the front door walk across the street, through the parking lot past the stadium, and the UC is the first building on the right. It's also very empty anytime before 9:30am (sleepy college students), so no waiting!

I think the Hampton Inn has a complimentary breakfast, if they don't I'd hit one of the bagel places those mornings.

Rb...it's been 2 years since I've been back in the 'burg - I'm sure I'd hardly recognize it! I used to know every street, path, and highway but would probably get stuck at &quot;confusion corner&quot; these days!

As long as Paul's keeps serving up those sandwiches, I'll find my way back every few years...

You may find that the Cascades is only open for events. It has gone through many transitions in the past few years. The Colonial pancake house has good reasonable breakfasts. If you would like to drive into Kingsmill one day (its next door to Busch Gardens) you can eat breakfast or brunch there. Its not cheap but the views of the golf course and river make it special. Regattas, also in Kingsmill, can be a lunch or dinner stop if you go to BG. Its casual, reasonably priced, and there is a game room the kids can use while you are lingering. To avoid the long lines at the Cheese Shop, call your order in ahead of time. RB the drug store moved over to a strip mall near Busch Gardens. Its between the Starbucks and the Sportsman's Grille. Same great stuff but, unfortunately, no lunch counter.

Sarasota,

The Oct 15-17 weekend is Wm &amp; Mary's homecoming. Things will be hopping in town. Recommend you make your dining reservations now. Some of the places mentioned on this thread (Chickahominy House, Pauls Deli and Sal's come to mind) might be busier than normal.

Sorry to hear Grand Medley isn't offered during your visit. I haven't seen Papa Said, Mama Said so I can't offer an opinion. It is recommended on the family part of the CW website, so logic would have you believe it's appropriate for kids of most ages. Have you considered an evening carriage ride? Possibly the Ghost walk?

The River's Inn is in Gloucester across the York River. That's a bit out of your way if you're not already down there (maybe 30 min from Wmbg) but the food is very good. Owned by the Berret's people.

SarasotaFL - We didn't pay anything near $350/night for Kingsmill. Ouch. I was hoping to go back next summer but not at those prices. The package we had included tickets to BG and breakfast each morning. After you deduct the price of the tickets it was around $170 and that included the golf, breakfast and shuttles.

We ate mostly at the resort but did go out one night to a place at the Sheraton 4 Points. Its was a sports bar and claimed to have lots of games available via satelite but it didn't even have ESPN. But the food wasn't bad and it wasn't expensive.

Can't suggest any other attractions other than BG. We just went there and to Water Country. No history for us as we had spent the prior 5 days in DC and we were museumed out.

Enjoy your trip. Its a great area.

Just a couple of comments. WE were there this summer with two boys, ages 7 and 10. They loved Jamestown a lot. Even coersed my husband into buying them one of the rifles they sell there. Looked real cute with the triangle hats. Our family LOVES amusement parks and BG has wonderful shows along with some really fun coasters. There are also plenty of other rides for the whole family. You would enjoy it I am sure.

Also, we stayed three nights at Hampton Inn on Bypass Rd. They have a pretty good deluxe continental breakfast. However, they were undergoing construction while we were there and it looked like it was going pretty slow. Pool area was a mess with windows out, etc. Hot tub didnt work. So you might call to be sure the construction is finished if you are staying at that Hampton.

If you have time, take the family on the free ferry ride to Surrey. It is right next to Jamestown and a fun thing to do. Also, one hour away is the Chesapeake Bay Bridge Tunnel. A real wonder of its time, even still.

You will have a fun trip. I wish I were there. We also forgoed shopping, except in the historic area. Have a wonderful time. Wish it were me going back.

Every fourth grader in Virginia visits Williamsburg and Jamestown. The thing I remember most about either of those trips (years ago) was watching the glass blower at Jamestown. I'm a local and still enjoy visiting the Jamestown Island and watching the glass blower. For kids, the Jamestown Fort is good. If you're going to either Jamestown or Yorktown, drive the Colonial Parkway, it's a peaceful drive and with the leaves turning colors, can be quite lovely. If your family has never taken a ferry ride, the one from Jamestown to Surry is free. Then you could have lunch at the Surry House Restaurant.

Absolutely get a pass of some sort so that you can go in the colonial buildings in Williamsburg. The interpreters in each shop have more information to share than just about their craft.

Eating at one of the colonial taverns might be good for a kid (even us older kids) since the atmosphere is not something you normally experience. Williamsburg has expanded so much (actually each week something new seems to pop up) and has most of the chain restaurants available, if that is what your family wants. Otherwise my favorites are Pierces BBQ, Shields Tavern, the Chickahomony House, College Deli, and the Polo Club. Saturday we saw that the Colonial Williamsburg cider cart beside Chownings Tavern had boxed lunches (and it was a great day for a picnic).

Busch Gardens is a fun visit for kids.

The WPF is okay if you want to shop; nothing of interest for kids.

I never did see why people raved about Nick's in Yorktown. The food was pricey and nothing special to eat. Besides, it's not there anymore.

Fall is a great time to visit Virginia.

Here's another thank you to all who contributed to this thread and a trip report.

We arrived Thursday night and checked into the Williamsburg Hospitality House. It was certainly adequate and a perfect place for parents of William and Mary students to stay while visiting.

Friday morning we walked across the street to the University Court &quot;Center Court&quot; recommended by kmchick. I think this was my husband's favorite tip from anyone for this trip. He said to be sure to thank everyone for all their great advice. My 8-year-old loves buffets and was a very happy little camper after eating here.

It was a dreary day and we then went to the Visitors Center to pick up our tickets for Cry Witch that evening and for the ghost tour the next. We watched the movie, for the first time, which was fun to see after having seen Williamsburg last year and recognizing DOG St. and some of the buildings in the film. Then we went to CW and saw a few buildings we hadn't yet visited (cooper, Randolph House). Due to the drizzle and cold, we grabbed a hot cider and some ginger cookies for the kids. That perked them up and pretty soon we decided to skip running around CW the rest of that day.

We went to lunch at Paul's Deli, right around the corner from the Hospitality House, and my son and husband absolutely gorged themselves on a pizza. My daughter and I had subs which we couldn't finish (too large). My children hated Paul's due to cigarette smoking (we decided we LOVE Florida's Clean Air Act!) but they found the greasy food tasty.

Then we checked into the Hampton on Richmond. We chose a suite for our stay and it was perfect for a family with children. The kids took a quick dip. My daughter proclaimed the water too cold (indoor pool) while my son stuck it out.

Then we went to dinner at Christiana Campbell's Tavern. The food was probably good, but to be honest we were all still so full from eating at Paul's that we could hardly eat. We ate upstairs by candlelight and my husband and son thought that the waitress tying a very large napkin around their necks (basically a tablecloth) was a good touch. She explained that clothing must be protected and this was the origin of the phrase &quot;tie one on,&quot; being that gentlemen would come to the taverns for food and drink and, well, tie one on.

We then went to Cry Witch. It was a good night for it. When we entered and sat down, the interpreters were giving some background information for the trial. Unfortunately, soon thereafter, a very large group of middle schoolers without an adequate number of chaperones came in and sat down behind us. This group basically ruined the evening as they whispered, giggled and wiggled their way through the performance. My children were even annoyed by their disturbances. We enjoyed the performance the best we could, but had there been a different audience it would have been much better.

Saturday morning was sunny and beautiful. Sweater weather! We headed to the Jamestown Glassblower and a tour of the original Jamestown with an interpreter named Rachel Stanton. We all enjoyed the glassblowers, despite having watched one at Stone Mountain, GA, and my husband and I enjoyed listening to &quot;Rachel&quot; but her presentation was over an hour and my children lost interest.

Next, we headed out for lunch at Pierce's. Yummy. Man, do we like their barbecue! We couldn't decide whether it would be a good or bad thing if there were a Pierce's in Sarasota.

Saturday afternoon we returned to CW. We went to the Palace and my kids loved the maze behind it. Went to the wheelwright, cabinetmaker, gaol, bakery, fife &amp; drums presentation.

That evening we went on the Legends Tour, which my kids enjoyed but then that night my son was afraid of dark corners and had to sleep in the middle of the room on the floor. Grabbed a piece of the famous Death By Chocolate from The Trellis and took it back to the hotel to enjoy before bedtime. Just FYI, one piece ($7) feeds four. Or perhaps one person with the highest tolerance for fat and calories ever!

Sunday morning we hit the Abby Aldrich Museum and loved especially the main floor, the one with the dollhouses, puzzles, etc. Right after this we walked over the the courthouse then doubled back and had brunch at the Bay Room at Williamsburg Lodge. We had actually considered skipping the brunch if it were just another hotel brunch, but they let us walk in and check it out and it looked so tasty we kept our reservation. If you are there on a Sunday and are feeling hungry, this makes a great midday meal and I guarantee you'll find enough to like.

We hit the bindery and the brickyard. At the brickyard we found out we were missing the firing of the kiln by only four days, and were sad to hear that because it sounds like a spectacular sight at night. Were we ever to go back in October (we may in a couple more years) we'd probably try to make our reservation for the right week(end) to see this.

Sunday for dinner we made a big mistake and went to Shackleford's (instead of Sal's or Casa Maya or Cities Grill, etc.). Again, cigarette smell (in nonsmoking). Service mediocre at best. Food just okay. Don't know why it wasn't that good as I've seen it recommended here but ya can't win 'em all.

Anyway, Monday was Yorktown Day, or something like that. We went to the NPS Yorktown this time and my son did the Junior Ranger program (cost $1) and preferred this Yorktown over the Yorktown Victory Center. The short film Siege at Yorktown was worth seeing. I remember my kids enjoying Yorktown Victory Center last year (although not nearly as much as Jamestown), so I'm not sure which I'd recommend if you had only one to see.

I am happy to say the leaves had turned a little more than the previous year, but we still did not hit it right for what I would consider peak colors. I (still) miss northern autumns.

We left Monday afternoon, got home Monday evening, and that was that. A short trip made much more enjoyable with assistance from you. Hope this helps other parents who are planning Williamsburg trips with school aged children.

Thanks for posting a trip report. We are taking our sons 7 and 9 to Williamsburg for a long weekend in mid-Nov. I have been following your thread and taking notes.

Padams - You and your boys will have a wonderful time at Williamsburg. I strongly urge you to buy tri-corner hats with cockade and feather early in your trip. It makes for great pictures! See if you can schedule &quot;In Defense of Our Liberty.&quot; You enlist in the Army, learn about marching, muskets, etc.