This Christmas season, my mom and I returned to one of our favorite travel spots, historic Williamsburg, Virginia. We always enjoy touring the historic sites and a trip to Busch Gardens’ Christmas Town. In today’s blog adventure, I’ll provide background on the area and recap our recent trip.
Christmas in Williamsburg…
Williamsburg is a must-visit during the holidays! Christmas in Williamsburg radiates charm, as its Colonial streets are decorated with beautiful handmade wreaths and illuminated by the warm glow of candlelight. Strolling the downtown Merchant’s Square business district is the perfect place to do your Christmas shopping, with an amazing variety of local and chain stores and restaurants.
Adjacent to Merchant’s Square, you can enjoy a variety of festive activities, from ice-skating (if you’re feeling adventurous. I’m not coordinated enough to brave the ice) to sipping on hot chocolate while admiring the beautiful holiday decorations. Downtown also hosts a Christmas Market throughout the season with local artisans and vendors.
When it comes to Christmas cheer and holiday lights, Busch Gardens amusement park is truly unmatched. Every Christmas, the theme park transforms into a winter wonderland, ‘Christmas Town,’ with over 10 million dazzling lights, Broadway-quality shows, festive activities like a Christmas Train, and even a visit to the North Pole.
History Lover’s Paradise…
The entire region surrounding Williamsburg is a history lover’s paradise, offering easy access to Colonial Williamsburg, Jamestown, Yorktown, and countless historic plantation homes
Colonial Williamsburg is a living history museum that transports you to the 18th century. It was a pivotal part of America’s fight for independence during The Revolutionary War. Here you can explore meticulously restored homes, learn about the daily lives of early Americans, and even encounter historical figures like Thomas Jefferson, who once studied at the College of William & Mary. Engage with costumed interpreters who bring the stories of the American Revolution to life, making history feel remarkably real.
At Historic Jamestown, you can step back in time to 1607, when the first permanent English settlement in North America was established. Explore both the National Historic Site, the original location of the settlement, and the immersive Jamestown Settlement Village and Museum, where you can tour recreations of the colonial fort, a Powhatan village, and replicas of the original ships the settlers used to arrive in Jamestown. Both sites offer a comprehensive look at the history of Jamestown, including the lives of the colonists, the indigenous Powhatan people, and the early African presence in the New World.
My mom and I always make time for Yorktown during our trips to Williamsburg. This charming village, nestled on the banks of the York River, holds a special place in American history as the site of the decisive Battle of Yorktown, where the Patriots secured victory in the War for Independence in 1781.
I highly recommend the American Revolution Museum at Yorktown. This state of the art museum provides a comprehensive overview of the entire American Revolution, including The Siege of Yorktown. The museum provides interactive exhibits to bring the history to life. (They also have an amazing gift shop)
Our Adventure:
December 11, 2024:
My mom and I drove up to Williamsburg from Raleigh, stopping briefly in Petersburg Virginia, which is roughly an hour and ten minutes from Williamsburg. Petersburg was a major battleground in The American Civil War and is also a good day trip for history buffs in the Williamsburg area.
Accommodations: Williamsburg offers a variety of wonderful accommodations at affordable rates. In the past we’ve enjoyed staying at The Woodlands, which is owned by Colonial Williamsburg. The Woodlands is convenient to the Colonial Williamsburg Center and has good amenities for families.
This time we decided to stay at The Hampton Inn (historic district), which is on Capital Landing Drive. This Hampton Inn was a wonderful place to stay with free hot breakfast and close proximity to area attractions.
Thursday, December 12th, 2024: Busch Gardens
Unfortunately our morning was a little hectic as we searched for a lost wallet (found with the help of St. Anthony). I’ve learned you sometimes have to go with the flow on trips, even when the frustrating and unexpected occur.
We chose to visit Busch Gardens’ Christmas Town on a Thursday earlier in December to avoid the larger crowds. We went on Thanksgiving in 2023 and although we had fun, the nearly 35,000 people made it hard to see all the sights and grab a bite to eat. I was grateful to be able to use time off to go during the week of this trip.
Getting Tickets: Check out their website and sign up for park emails to get access to the best deals. Our ticket’s were only $29.99, a great value for all the entertainment and lights. Purchase tickets here.
Pro Tip: I recommend paying the extra cost for the premier parking (England parking lot). It was $50.00 but well worth the money to avoid taking a shuttle to another parking deck.
The air was a frosty 36 degrees as we got out of the car at Busch Gardens at 4 p.m. We entered the park through ‘England.’
Busch Gardens is themed around European Countries (and French Canada), with each country offering a unique twist on that country’s heritage along with themed rides and shows.
Entering through England, you feel as though you have stepped into A Christmas Carol. Victorian Carolers serenade you as you walk underneath ‘Big Ben’ by ‘The Globe Theatre.’
My mom and I started our Busch Gardens Christmas adventure at The Globe Theatre for a performance of the park’s original Christmas play ‘Scrooge No More.’ I’ve seen this play five times since 2019 and it never gets old. The thirty minute musical retells the story of A Christmas Carol with original songs like ‘Just Leave Me Alone’ (Scrooge). Actors fly through the air as the ghosts of Christmas emerge. Fog fills the room as the Ghost of Christmas yet to come grimly for tells of a bleak future if Scrooge doesn’t change his ways. The show ends happily (of course) and the audience gets a dusting of snow bringing the magic of Christmas spirit to life.
After the amazing performance I was on a mission to find hot chocolate, which sold out the year before. I was determined to have my Hallmark movie moment, strolling through the lights with a cup of cocoa (silly but on the Christmas to-do list).
From England you enter a forest of green lights – thousands of lights as you move towards Ireland and Scotland. In Ireland you can celebrate Christmas in Killarney with a foot stomping performance of Irish dancing in the square.
From there we meandered to France, where on select nights you can see an ice-skating show at the Palace Theatre.
Our next stop was getting aboard the Christmas train, which departs from New France (aka Canada). New Canada has a frontier town feel, reminiscent of the early settlers to Quebec.
The Christmas Train is one of my absolute favorite highlights of Christmas Town. It takes you on a leisurely journey around the park, showcasing millions of dazzling lights via a charming steam engine. Festive carols fill the air as you enjoy the breathtaking illumination.
After the Christmas Train adventure, we briefly meandered through Germany, where you can catch a great show in the Festhaus (German style beer hall/food hall), called ‘Up on the Haustop.’ If you want to see this performance, I recommend getting there super early (you sit down and eat while watching).
The Festhaus was fairly crowded so we looped back to New France to eat at our favorite park restaurant – The Trapper’s Smokehouse, which serves up brisket, BBQ Chicken and ribs. All smoked on site!
We then returned to Ireland to see another amazing show, Gloria at the Abbey Stone Theatre. Gloria tells the story of the birth of Jesus through song. As a music major, I was blown away by the talents of the vocalists and instrumentalists in this production. My favorite number was a Gospel version of ‘Do You Hear What I Hear.’ Everyone in the audience was dancing.
Unfortunately on this trip we didn’t have time to make it to Italy or The North Pole. Italy has a festive market area with Italian wine tastings and Italian ornaments. The North Pole is themed around Rudolph. You can see Rudolph, Clarisse and friends. The North Pole area is perfect for young kids with family friend rides and activities.
When planning your trip to Christmas Town I would recommend going on a day you can get in at two to maximize your time. Or consider buying a multi-day pass.
Official Busch Gardens Website
Friday December 13th:
The crystal blue sky and bright sunshine encouraged us to venture out into the wintry chill of a 36 degree morning. We started off the day’s adventure with a trip to the Historic Jamestown Settlement. Founded in 1607, Jamestown marked the site of the first permanent English settlement in the United States.
When visiting Jamestown, you have two options to immerse yourself in its colonial history:
- Historic Jamestown is the actual location of the original settlement. It is a living archaeological site, where excavations continue to study the history of the Native and European peoples who lived in the area at the time of colonization. This site is affiliated with the National Park Service and Preservation Virginia. It has a great history museum, explaining the overview of Jamestowne as a settlement and the excavations done on the site. You can walk through several of the original ruins of structures dating to early Jamestowne including the church.
- The view along The James River here is breathtaking and they have a great sandwich shop on site.
- The Historic Jamestown Settlement is less than a mile from Historic Jamestowne. This is an immersive experience where you can ‘time travel’ to reconstructions of Jamestown Fort, a Powhatan Village, and also board the ships that were used by settlers to reach Jamestown. The history museum at Jamestown Settlement is expansive and sure to engage history lovers of all ages. I appreciate their diligence to show the pre-history of the native tribes and their life before European settlers arrived, as well as the courage and hardships early settlers faced. They are thoughtful in their history of African Americans (slaves and those who earned freedom), as well as the triumphs and struggles of women in the community.
If this is your first time visiting Jamestown I recommend taking a day (or two) to visit both Historic Jamestowne and the Jamestown Settlement. I’d recommend starting at Historic Jamestowne and then moving to the Jamestown Settlement to bring all the pieces from ruins to recreation together.
- Historic Jamestowne information
- Jamestown Settlement information (you can purchase a combo ticket for Jamestown Settlement and American Revolution Museum in Yorktown)
As we just visited Historic Jamestowne on a recent trip, my mom and I focused on the Jamestown Settlement.
As I was doing family genealogy research a few years back I learned that I’m related to an early settler, Thomas Lassiter, of Jamestown who arrived in 1620. He was an indentured servant looking for opportunity in Virginia. I am also a descendant of Pocahontas and her husband John Rolfe, so for me the tour was particularly special. As much as I love to travel I cannot imagine crossing an entire ocean to settle in an unknown landscape. Jamestown Settlement does a great job of bringing the real stories of the Powhatan and the Colonists to life through their exhibits and encounters with reenactors.
Quick History:
- The Powhatan of coastal Virginia shared a language, culture and religion. In the early 17th century the Powhatan population was over 14,000 that lived in over 150 villages. They called the land we know know as Virginia – Tsenacommach. The people were divided into 30 tribes, each governed by a chief called a werowance. The people were united under a supreme chief called Chief Powhatan. The Powhatan had encountered Europeans prior to Jamestown with Spanish who attempted to colonize and create missions (Jesuits) and perhaps the earlier failed colony of Roanoke in NC (The Lost Colony).
- The early settlers to Jamestown came in hopes for a better life economically. Some were indentured servants (like my ancestor, Thomas Lassiter) who would work as a servant for a certain amount of time to pay their passage and get a start at a new life. By 1619, slaves were introduced marking a sad part of America’s chapter. The museum does a great job of bringing everyone’s stories together.
When we finished up our tour of Jamestown around two o’clock, my mom and I decided to make the drive to one of our favorite spots in the area: Yorktown.
We are both huge Revolutionary War buffs and there is a sense of hope and reflection that comes from standing on the battleground where George Washington and his troops defeated Cornwallis. We didn’t have time this trip to spend a ton of time at the National Park Museum, but did a quick driving tour of key battle sites.
We also stopped in the historic town of Yorktown, a village with historic homes and a scenic waterfront area on The York River.
- Plan your trip to Yorktown:
The area around Williamsburg has lots of beautiful rivers and creeks including easy access to the York and James River which flow into the nearby Chesapeake Bay.
With the sun disappearing into the horizon by 5:30 p.m., we made our way back to Williamsburg and Merchant’s Square.
Merchants Square is a vibrant hub located in the heart of Colonial Williamsburg. This commercial district features a plethora of local and national shops and restaurants. At Christmastime, Merchants Square feels like you’ve stepped into a Hallmark movie, with festive window displays and charming street decorations creating a truly magical atmosphere.
After parking in one of the area parking decks, my mom and I meandered through the square, admiring the lights. We decided to eat dinner at one of Williamsburg’s popular eateries, a French inspired bistro – The Blue Talon. The restaurant has a wonderful French-American menu and cozy atmosphere. Our server was helpful and friendly, giving us travel tips about fun things to do while in Williamsburg.
The Blue Talon is known locally for their Steak Frites…Their truffle fries are out of this world.
After dinner we enjoyed some holiday shopping. Many of the stores were open late for the holidays, including Scotland House – a unique shop specializing in all things Scotland (and a bit of Ireland) including merino wool and books about Scottish clans (I’m clan Armstrong and Colquhoun/Cohoon). I also made sure to visit The Peanut Shop where you can taste and purchase delicious Virginia peanuts. I also love stopping at Turkish inspired coffee and art spot – The Kiln Kingdom…
We finished our evening with a cup of peppermint hot cocoa at The Secret Garden cafe (near Mellow Mushroom).
- While we love The Blue Talon Bistro, I also recommend Berret’s Seafood and The Mellow Mushroom (A chain, but still a favorite for me). I can’t wait to try more Williamsburg restaurants on our next trip.
Saturday December 14th:
Sadly this was our last day in Williamsburg. After an early breakfast, we packed up the car before heading to the historic district. It was a busy morning as many visitors were in town to visit for the Grand Illumination.
*Pro tip: We struggled with parking on this trip, but no worries! The Colonial Williamsburg Visitor’s Center offers a shuttle around the historic district and Merchants Square. You can park at the VC and use the shuttle to enjoy the sites without worrying about parking.
Planning Your Trip to Williamsburg:
I plan on doing a Colonial Williamsburg series soon on American Nomad because there are so many fun things to do – you can’t box the history and adventure into one post.
Here is a link to some suggested itineraries from Colonial Williamsburg’s Official Website. https://www.colonialwilliamsburg.org/visit/itineraries/
My Colonial Williamsburg highlights:
- Taking a tour of The Governor’s Palace and the nearby Maze
- Strolling Duke of Gloucester Street and meandering in and out of the old homes and shops.
- Enjoying a cider or meal at one of the many taverns/restaurants.
- Williamsburg has so much history and whispers of stories from the past that you will never get bored if you are open to learning and imagining life from Colonial times to present day.
This trip we didn’t spend a ton of time in the historic district as we usually do as we wanted to explore several other historic sites outside of Williamsburg, including Bacon’s Castle/Arthur Allen House (which will be an upcoming blog post).
- Bacon’s Castle is the oldest remaining brick structure in the United States. It was home to my ancestor Arthur Allen (through my dad’s side of the family) and an important site in the infamous Bacon’s Rebellion. https://encyclopediavirginia.org/entries/bacons-rebellion-1676-1677/
- Official site for Bacon’s Castle
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