Summer has arrived, and Greater Williamsburg has so much to offer,
you’ll need the whole season (or year) to discover it all.
you’ll need the whole season (or year) to discover it all.
WILLIAMSBURG, Va. – June 7, 2017 – Summer in the Greater Williamsburg area is for getting out and about, exploring and discovering — and having fun. The famously historic playground offers concerts, festivals, canoe trips, tastings, exhibits, bike tours, fireworks, guided hikes and more to keep you busy during those long summer days. The fun doesn’t stop all summer long in Greater Williamsburg!
Start planning your visit with these highlights from our 28 vacation-inspiring ideas. With so much to do, there's no excuse for the summertime blues.
Splish-splash your way through summer at Water Country USA, Virginia’s largest water park. The whole family will enjoy the state-of-the-art water rides, such as the Colossal Curl, a high-adrenaline water slide; the Hubba Hubba Highway, a free-floating river ride; the Surfer’s Bay wave pool; and so much more.
Food fest! Every Friday through Sunday through July 2 is the Busch Gardens Food & Wine Festival, featuring authentic tastes from around the world not normally served at the park. New this year will be cuisines from India. Best of all, the foodie fun is included with the price of admission.
Grab a paddle and enjoy the sun's last rays reflecting off the water with a guided sunset canoe trip at York River State Park starting at 4:30 p.m. on Sundays through Aug. 27, except June 18. Or get away from the bright lights, big city for a three-hour canoe with the stars (sorry, no Tom Hanks or Meryl Streep) beginning at 7:30 p.m. on June 23 and July 21, and 7:00 p.m. on Aug. 18 and Sept. 22. Reservations are required.
Yorktown Sounds of Summer Concerts features beach music on the water at Riverwalk Landing beginning at 7 p.m. on June 8, June 15, June 22, June 29, July 13, July 20 and July 27. Bring your dancing shoes and lawn chairs or blankets when you need a break.
Meet your need for mead at the Silver Hand Meadery in Williamsburg for tastings of all six flavors of the ancient drink made from honey. The sipping starts each Sunday at 1 p.m. and continues until 5 p.m.
Starting June 10, you can hear how the victory at Yorktown in 1781 was just the beginning for the soldiers who fought for independence in a new exhibit, “AfterWARd: The Revolutionary Veterans Who Built America” at the American Revolution Museum at Yorktown. The special exhibition, running through Nov. 27, chronicles the post-war lives of veterans of the Siege of Yorktown, including Henry Knox, Alexander Hamilton, James Lafayette, the Marquis de Lafayette, George Washington and Charles Cornwallis, as well as lesser-known veterans.
What's better than an old-fashioned funhouse? This year’s Funhouse Fest, a music extravaganza on the lawn at the Art Museums of Williamsburg, June 23-25, features Sheryl Crow, Lake Street Dive, hometown hero Bruce Hornsby and others.
Of course, Colonial Williamsburg knows how to celebrate the birth of a nation. The festivities begin at 9 a.m. on July 4. There is a special militia muster, a salute to the 13 original states, featuring music performed by the Fifes and Drums and the firing of muskets and cannon. Once the sun goes down, there will be fireworks visible from both Market Square and Palace Green.
We know her as Pocahontas, but there is so much more behind that name. To start, it actually was a nickname. Explore the life and the legend and her enduring legacy in an exhibit opening July 15 at Jamestown Settlement titled "Pocahontas Imagined" as well as an ongoing exhibit, "The World of Pocahontas Unearthed," at Historic Jamestowne.
On July 15, go on the annual Park to Park Bicycle Tour, which attracts both families out for a leisurely 15 miles and enthusiasts willing to go the full 50 miles. The rides, depending on distance, go through Veterans Park, Powhatan Creek Trail, Freedom Park, Little Reservoir Park and Upper County Park. Cool off in the Chickahominy Riverfront Park pool after your ride. The registration fee includes lunch, refreshments, pool admittance and maps.
Take advantage of free admission to all national parks, including the Yorktown Battlefield, on Aug. 25. Experience where American independence was won. Here on Oct. 19, 1781, British forces under Lord Charles Cornwallis surrendered to the combined American and French armies led by General George Washington, concluding the battle that signaled the beginning of the end of the fight for American independence.
Here's a different kind of brunch: Every Sunday through Nov. 19, join other cyclists at 8:30 a.m. at The Williamsburg Winery for a group ride through the Greater Williamsburg area and a return for brunch specials at the Gabriel Archer Tavern. Participants earn a 15 percent discount for eats following the ride.
Two centuries of Oktoberfest traditions come to life with Bier Fest at Busch Gardens and the good news is it happens in September. On Saturdays and Sundays from Sept. 1 to 17, enjoy craft beers from around the world, sample traditional German food and listen to live music.
Ready to book your stay this summer? There’s a package for every interest and budget in Greater Williamsburg. Here are a few to get your planning started.
When you stay at the Greensprings Vacation Resort, you’re never at a loss for things to see and do. Book three nights and receive two complimentary tickets to Jamestown Settlement and the American Revolution Museum at Yorktown using promo code VAJMYKPKG thru Dec. 31, 2017. Offer based on availability, taxes, fees and other restrictions may apply.
The Funpack package at the Wyndham Garden Williamsburg starts at only $99.99 a night. Enjoy five, six or seven nights’ lodging as well as two tickets for unlimited admission to Busch Gardens, Colonial Williamsburg and Water Country USA, plus parking at all three attractions (extra tickets can be added during booking). Kids age five and under receive free admission with an adult on this package.
Enjoy a relaxing getaway at The Williamsburg Winery with the Food, Wine and Escape package. Subject to availability, the package includes one night in a traditional room with a wood-burning fireplace and king-sized bed; a special three-course dinner for two in the Café Provençal, including a bottle of A Midsummer Night’s White or Barrel Aged Claret; a choice of Tour and Wine Tasting or Reserve Wine Tasting only for two at the Williamsburg Winery; and European-style continental breakfast for two each morning.
For additional information on these and other summer packages and events around the area, visit www.visitwilliamsburg.com.
Williamsburg, VA sure has alot going in the summer.Tours,Canoe rides, Festivals, amusement rides and food. Sounds like a Fun Place to go when you need something to do! Lol! Thank You for sharing this Post.. :O)~~
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